Unit Plan Teaching Native American History and Culture ......Aspen Stuedemann Unit Overview...

Unit Plan

Teaching Native American History and Culture Through Poetry

Aspen Stuedemann

Unit Overview

Overarching goals, big ideas: Students will gain a realistic perspective into the history of Native Americans and their lives during and after settlement of the United States. The reality is unnerving, violent, terrifying, and emotional, but it is necessary for students to understand. Using poetry to explore the culture and history merges literature with history, giving students a more personal insight that cannot be provided with textbooks.

Standards

WHG 5.2.1, 6.2.4, 8.3.4

K1.2, 1.5, 1.7

Learning Objectives:

• Students will gain a holistic understanding of Native American culture and history using modern and classic Native American poems.

• Students will discover and understand modern realities of Native Culture through research and synthesis of a final project.

• Students will gain interdisciplinary skills in writing, poetry analysis, history, and research and presentation.

Assessments: Formative – Map lesson, classroom discussions, worksheets on stereotypes and poetry analysis. Summative – Final research project on contemporary Native American issues.

Materials needed: Laptops/media room, worksheets, printers, internet

Daily Lessons: Day 1: Post-it discussion: What Do I Know? Pre-Quiz Day 2: Timeline, Oxford piece Day 3: Article discussion, colonialism and Natives Day 4: Day 5: Stereotypes lesson Day 6: Day 7: Historical Geography lesson Day 8: Review symbols, themes in tribes and groups in readings Day 9: Group discussion on tribe stories Day 10: Day 11: Day 12: Intro to poetry and short stories

Day 13: Issues in Poetry lesson Day 14: Discussion Day 15: Day 16: Modern Issues discussion Day 17: Review and Discuss lesson Day 18: Work Day 19: Work Day 20: Presentations Day 21: Final presentations due

Connections to other topics / cross-curricular connections: - writing/analysis skills - historic literacy and awareness - social studies and social awareness - presentation/speaking skills (depending on presentation choice) - critical thinking about contemporary issues - engagement in current social topics

Methods to differentiate learning:

- individual topic and presentation choice in research project - peer review and in-class/online feedback - opportunities to revise projects - graphic organizers to assist students in development of ideas - open final project that allows students to adhere to comfort/ability level, skillset, and

personal interest when presenting information - discussion-based learning with points from basic worksheets allows for students to

access information via their classmates, allows students to gain points from verbal interaction or completing work.

Notes on effectiveness:

Unit Calendar

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

Week 1 Lesson: Post-It

(What Do I Know?)

Pre-quiz

Who are Native

Americans/American

Indians?

What do we know

about them?

Discussion on

relevance:

Review Pre-Test

Timeline of Major

Historical Events

Read “Oxford:

Genocide and

American Indian

History”

Discussion of

article

What is

colonialism? How

did it affect NA

life? What are the

lasting impacts?

Lesson:

Stereotypes

What are

stereotypes?

Why do we think

this?

Assimilation?

Take-Home

worksheet

Week 2 Lesson: Maps

and Geography

of Early Native

Americans

Use interactive

map (Slate.com)

to observe

displacement

Review common

themes in legends,

Symbols, and start

group readings of

various stories

from different

tribes

Group work with

stories, research

and group

discussion of

tribal symbols

and how

geography

influenced

legends. (land,

water, weather)

Week 3 Intro to NA

poetry & short

stories

“Good Hair,”

“Anchorage,

“America, I Sing

You Back”

Lesson: Issues in

NA Poetry

Tone, message,

and issues in

poetry

What does this

poetry tell the

reader about NA

life post-

colonialism?

Discussion on

common

stereotypes found

in

Week 4 Modern Issues for

NA’s discussion

LESSON:

Review and

discussion of full

scope

Explain Final

Unit projects &

presentations

OTD Post-Test on

colonialism & NA

WORK DAY WORK DAY Final Projects

and Presentations

Appendix B

Lesson 1: What Do I Know?

Name: WDIK About Native Americans? Date: week 1 day 1

Curriculum/Course: Marginalized Peoples Literature Grade level: 11-12

Time/Period: 50 minutes Materials: sticky notes

Standards:

WHG 5.2.1, 6.2.4, 8.3.4

K1.2, 1.5, 1.7

Objectives (I can statements):

Students will develop an awareness of their knowledge and lack of knowledge on Native American life.

Students will discuss the misteachings and major events in Native American history.

Students will develop better interaction and discussion skills.

Introduction/Hook: (Warm-up, review of previous day’s lesson, check for understanding of previous knowledge, questions you

will ask)

What Do I Know? (WDIK) Post-It activity – students will each be given a small stack of post-it notes, and

they are to write things they know about Native American history, culture, and modern Native Americans and

place it under the corresponding column on the whiteboard. The activity will be followed with a review and

discussion of what the students wrote.

Steps in the lesson: (Include ideas for whole-class instructions, if any; differentiated activities; sharing, etc.)

Because it is the first lesson of the unit and it is on a topic that requires a lot of discussion to fully understand

the importance, the lesson is a guided discussion, led by questions as followed:

- Are any of the facts you wrote or heard wrong?

- What are some common misconceptions about Native American history?

- Why do we not know more?

- What modern issues exist in regards to Native Americans? Why does it matter?

Closure Activity/Wrap up:

5 minutes – on the board, write down on a strip of paper one question you want to have answered during this

unit. Use a tack and stick on the bulletin board in the front of the classroom.

Assessment (Formative, Summative): thumbs up/down, exit ticket, quiz, chapter test, rubric (attach if appropriate), etc.

Out the door writing – write a few sentences about your thoughts on what we discussed today and the

upcoming lesson. What didn’t you know? Why don’t we know more? What can you do to make sure future

students learn better?

Appendix C

Lesson 3: Stereotypes

Name: Stereotypes Date: Week 1 Day 5

Curriculum/Course: Marginalized People’s Literature Grade level: 11-12

Time/Period: 50 minutes Materials: Vocab list, “Stereotypes in Society”

worksheets

Standards: Social Studies standards are Michigan state standards

- K 1.2


Students will learn the definitions and societal impacts of words related to stereotyping.

Students will be able to identify common stereotypes about Native Americans both in early and contemporary

media.

Students will understand the impact of appropriation and stereotyping on Native peoples in society.

Assessment (Formative, Summative):

Take-home worksheet on stereotypes and appropriation in non-film media.


will ask)

What is stereotyping? What do we know about societal stereotypes and their impacts?


- Watch clip from Popeye the Sailor and criticize for racism, inaccurate representation, and stereotypes.

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_k5f__tvoYU)

- Watch clip from “Twilight Saga: Eclipse” and analyze for negative stereotypes and positive

representations. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFojLM2bK3E)

- Compare and contrast the representation of Native Americans in both clips.

- Fill out definitions on vocabulary worksheet as a class

- work with partners to come up with examples for each vocab word in Native American culture or

heritage in modern American society or media and explanations of why you think it fits. Use your

resources to find background information to help.

- Worksheet on stereotypes in media (take-home)

Closure Activity/Wrap up: This may be in the form of independent practice, a chance to share, or explicit restatement of the goals

of the lesson.

Students can start working on their take-home work after finishing their partner work.

*Assessment, collected next day.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_k5f__tvoYU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFojLM2bK3E

NAME __________________

Vocabulary Chart for Stereotypes and Appropriation

Definition Example Why?

Stereotype

Assimilation

Acculturation

Appropriation

Representation

NAME _____________________

Stereotypes in Media

1. What is a stereotype?

2. What is an example of a media stereotype (other than film or television) that you found?

3. What is it stereotyping Native Americans as?

4. Why would you consider it a stereotype?

5. If the example is old, do you think it would have been published or played today? Why?

If it is a recent example, how do you think it could be changed to be non-stereotypical?

Appendix D

Lesson 2: Maps & Geography of Indigenous Peoples

Name: Maps & Geography of Indigenous Groups Date: Week 2 day 2


Time/Period: 50 minutes Materials:

Standards: Geography standards are Michigan state

WHG 6.2.4, 6.2.2,

K 1.3, 1.4, 1.6, 1.7, 1.10

F 2.1


Students will be able to identify the major indigenous tribes and their geographical region.

Students will develop an understanding of the lifestyles of the groups based on their environment.

Students will be able to compare the regional lifestyles of various indigenous groups in different locations.

Students will understand the Trail of Tears and other major displacement events that caused the relocation of

Native Americans.

Students will understand the major impacts of Native relocation and displacement.


will ask)

- Discussion and overview of the trail of Tears and major displacements.

- Show interactive displacement map by Slate.com

(http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_vault/2014/06/17/interactive_map_loss_of_indian_land.html)


- Hand out worksheets and explain instructions and available resources (phones, tablets, PCs)

- Assign student major Native American tribe by using bucket and slips of paper with NA groups written

on them.

- Students will use maps of the US and indigenous groups and fill out worksheet on their location and

the geographical impacts on the group.


of the lesson.

- Give opportunity for students to share their findings about the geographic relationships of the groups

and their environment and how this relationship influenced their lifestyle


Turn worksheets in on their way out the door or next day at the beginning of class.

*Worksheet will include outline map of Unites States provided by Education Place to

correspond with questions. Essentially, these questions would be written on the board or

projected for students to write on the back side for paper conservation. *

NAME _____________________

Geography of Native American Groups

Complete worksheet on Native American geography by using any available resources.

Native American group: _______________________________

1. Using the attached map, outline the region of the space occupied by your group. Draw in

any major landmarks or terrain that would influence their lifestyle (fresh/salt water,

mountains, etc.) How would these factors affect their lifestyle?

2. What is the biome of this region (grassland, forest, mountainous, desert, tundra, etc.)?

How would this have affected the groups lifestyle?

3. What was the major food source for this group? If not available, what would you presume

would be the major food source based on geography?

4. What changes occurred in their lifestyle post-colonialism? (think weapons, animals,

crops, etc.)

Appendix E

Lesson 4: Issues in Native American Contemporary Poetry

Name: Issues in NA Contemporary Poetry Date: Week 3 Day 3


Time/Period: 50 minutes Materials: Printed poems

Standards: English Language standards are National

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.11-12.7

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.11-12.10


Students will develop a familiarity with contemporary issues in Native American life.

Students will become familiar with Native American poets and poetry.

Students will gain an appreciation for poetry as a voice in civil issues.

Students will improve their understanding of major literary keys in literature, such as metaphor, allusion, tone,

speaker voice, etc.


will ask)

Students will have read the poems before class and lightly annotated for major themes and ideas.

What did they like about the poems? What stood out upon the first reading? What was their favorite one?


- Re-read poems as a class.

- Split class into 6 groups, two groups for each poem.

- Groups will take 15-20 minutes to further annotate poems, working through line by line, paying

attention to diction, tone, evidence of speaker’s tone or experience, historical, cultural, or societal

allusions, metaphors, and their speculation of the civil issues being addressed.

- Discuss the findings, further analyze the societal impact of these poems.


of the lesson.

- Discussion of the societal impact of these poems

- What are the major issues being addressed?

- What are the authors trying to say?


- Out the door: one paragraph about one of the poems studied

- How did it make you feel?

- What would you tell the author in response to this?

“Anchorage”

by Joy Harjo

This city is made of stone, of blood, and fish.

There are Chugatch Mountains to the east

and whale and seal to the west.

It hasn't always been this way, because glaciers

who are ice ghosts create oceans, carve earth

and shape this city here, by the sound.

They swim backwards in time.

Once a storm of boiling earth cracked open

the streets, threw open the town.

It's quiet now, but underneath the concrete

is the cooking earth,

and above that, air

which is another ocean, where spirits we can't see

are dancing joking getting full

on roasted caribou, and the praying

goes on, extends out.

Nora and I go walking down 4th Avenue

and know it is all happening.

On a park bench we see someone's Athabascan

grandmother, folded up, smelling like 200 years

of blood and piss, her eyes closed against some

unimagined darkness, where she is buried in an ache

in which nothing makes

sense.

We keep on breathing, walking, but softer now,

the clouds whirling in the air above us.

What can we say that would make us understand

better than we do already?

Except to speak of her home and claim her

as our own history, and know that our dreams

don't end here, two blocks away from the ocean

where our hearts still batter away at the muddy shore.

And I think of the 6th Avenue jail, of mostly Native

and Black men, where Henry told about being shot at

eight times outside a liquor store in L.A., but when

the car sped away he was surprised he was alive,

no bullet holes, man, and eight cartridges strewn

on the sidewalk

all around him.

Everyone laughed at the impossibility of it,

but also the truth. Because who would believe

the fantastic and terrible story of all of our survival

those who were never meant

to survive?

Retrieved from http://www.splitthisrock.org/poetry-database/poem/anchorage

“Good Hair”

by Sherman Alexie

Hey, Indian boy, why (why!) did you slice off your braids?

Do you grieve their loss? Have you thought twice about your braids?

With that long, black hair, you looked overtly Indian.

If vanity equals vice, then does vice equal braids?

Are you warrior-pretend? Are you horseback-never?

Was your drum-less, drum-less life disguised by your braids?


You have school-age kids, so did head lice invade your braids?

Were the scissors impulsive or inevitable?

Did you arrive home and say, "Surprise, I cut my braids"?

Do you miss the strange women who loved to touch your hair?

Do you miss being eroticized because of your braids?


Did you weep or laugh when you said goodbye to your braids?

Did you donate your hair for somebody's chemo wig?

Is there a cancer kid who thrives because of your braids?

Did you, peace chief, give your hair to an orphaned sparrow?

Is there a bald eagle that flies because of your braids?


Was it worth it? Did you profit? What's the price of braids?

Did you cut your hair after your sister's funeral?

Was it self-flagellation? Did you chastise your braids?

Has your tribe and clan cut-hair-mourned since their creation?

Did you, ceremony-dumb, improvise with your braids?


Was it a violent act? Did you despise your braids?

Did you cut your hair after booze murdered your father?

When he was buried, did you baptize him with your braids?

Did you weave your hair with your siblings' and mother's hair,

And pray that your father grave-awakes and climbs your braids?

Retrieved from https://www.poemhunter.com/poem/good-hair/

https://www.poemhunter.com/poem/good-hair/

“America, I Sing You Back”

by Allison Adelle Hedge Coke

America, I sing back. Sing back what sung you in.

Sing back the moment you cherished breath.

Sing you home into yourself and back to reason.

Before America began to sing, I sung her to sleep,

held her cradleboard, wept her into day.

My song gave her creation, prepared her delivery,

held her severed cord beautifully beaded.

My song helped her stand, held her hand for first steps,

nourished her very being, fed her, placed her three sisters strong.

My song comforted her as she battled my reason

broke my long-held footing sure, as any child might do.

As she pushed herself away, forced me to remove myself,

as I cried this country, my song grew roses in each tear’s fall.

My blood-veined rivers, painted pipestone quarries

circled canyons, while she made herself maiden fine.

But here I am, here I am, here I remain high on each and every peak,

carefully rumbling her great underbelly, prepared to pour forth singing—

and sing again I will, as I have always done.

Never silenced unless in the company of strangers, singing

the stoic face, polite repose, polite while dancing deep inside, polite

Mother of her world. Sister of myself.

When my song sings aloud again. When I call her back to cradle.

Call her to peer into waters, to behold herself in dark and light,

day and night, call her to sing along, call her to mature, to envision—

then, she will quake herself over. My song will make it so.

When she grows far past her self-considered purpose,

I will sing her back, sing her back. I will sing. Oh I will—I do.

America, I sing back. Sing back what sung you in.

Retrieved from https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems-and-

poets/poems/detail/89062

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems-and-poets/poems/detail/89062

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems-and-poets/poems/detail/89062

Appendix F

Lesson 5: Final Project on Contemporary Issues

Name: Final Project on Contemporary Issues Date: Week 4 Day 2


Time/Period: 50 minutes Materials: Rubric and assignment sheet

Standards: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.1 CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.7 CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.8 CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RH.11-12.9 CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.11-12.4 CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.11-12.5 P2.4

Objectives (I can statements): Student will develop oral presentation skills. Student will develop an understanding of the modern issues surrounding Native Americans. Students will develop an understanding of how to solve modern civil issues as well as how they develop. Students will gain perspective about the lives and cultures of contemporary Native Americans. Students will gain creative experience and skills in presentation production.


will ask)

Recap full scope of unit, answer any remaining questions


- Go over unit project plan assignment sheet and rubric - Answer any questions and make necessary adaptations for students - Show examples of previous students (if possible)


of the lesson.

- Students can use remaining time to begin planning and drafting their projects and getting any questions answered

- Following three days will be work days


- Presentations on project - Students will prepare physical renditions for their project which will be hung in the hall. - Students will present their projects in form of 8-10 minute presentations.

Name/Group: ________________________________________________________________________

Project: ____________________________________________________________________________

Date: _________________________ Period: _______________ Total Points: __________________

Project Presentation Rubric

Knowledge of Content

Has a lack of understanding of topic and cultural/societal implications.. 3 6 9

Shows some understanding of topic and cultural/societal implications. 12 15 18

Shows a good understanding of topic and cultural/societal implications. 21 24 27

Shows a full understanding of topic and cultural/societal implications. 30

Function of presentation (visual only: for speeches, Oral Communication will by 20 points)

Presentation is not well developed. Lacking in structure, information, and visuals. 1 2 3

Presentation is somewhat developed. Has some structure, minimal information and visuals. 4 5 6

Presentation is well developed. Well structured, and has adequate information and visuals. 7 8 9

Presentation is very well developed and structured. Information is direct & pertinent, visuals are relevant & clear. 10

Organization No evidence of planning. 2 4 6

Some evidence of planning but not always clear and in sensible order. 8 10 12

Well planned. Clear and in sensible order. 14 16 18

Extremely well planned and has clear order. 20

Oral Communication

Does not speak loudly enough to be understood. Between 8-12 minutes 1 2 3

Does not speak loudly and/or does not maintain eye contact. Between 8-12 minutes 4 5 6

Speaks loudly and maintains eye contact. Between 8-12 minutes 7 8 9

Speaks loudly and commands audience’s attention. Between 8-12 minutes 10

Multimedia Distracts audience from content and purpose. 2 4 6

Does not distract audience from content and purpose. 8 10 12

Supports content and purpose. 14 16 18

Greatly enhances content and purpose. 20

Additional comments:

Rubric retrieved from https://wvde.state.wv.us/teach21/SecondaryRubrics.html

https://wvde.state.wv.us/teach21/SecondaryRubrics.html

Final Project Description

Points: 100 (+10 from rubric for creativity!)

The final unit project is going to be a free project on a topic of contemporary issues

in Native American life.

There are many issues surrounding contemporary life for Native American

and members of Native American communities. Be creative and intentional about

the topic you choose. Choose one based on relevance, impact, and importance.

Your topic MUST BE CLEARED BY TEACHER!

Your completed project must address:

• The issue – What’s going on?

• The cause – Why is this occurring?

• The impacts – Why does it matter? What does it mean for the group members?

• The solutions – What is being done? What can be done?

• References

Suggested methods of presentation are:

• Powerpoint

• Paper

• Poster

• Speech

• Video with narration

• Other options are possible but MUST be cleared by teacher!

Tuesday-Friday will be work days. Media room will be open for use. Necessary

materials (unless specified for extreme cases) will be provided by classroom and

other resources.

Unit Plan Teaching Native American History and Culture ......Aspen Stuedemann Unit Overview...

Documents

Transcript of Unit Plan Teaching Native American History and Culture ......Aspen Stuedemann Unit Overview...