Native Americans

1
Native Americans

• By Jamie L. Speaight
• Linda Troller
• ED 417

2
Legends, Folk Stories, and Tales

• This lesson is geared towards fifth graders. It
  requires a great deal of creativity and will work
  on expanding their writing skills.

3
Objectives

• The students will be able to do the following
• Select and read one or more Indian folktales or
  myths.
• Choose one folktale or legend and retell it to
  classmates.
• Complete the Fact/Fiction Sheet on the folktale
  chosen for retelling.

4
Objectives (cont.)

• Understand that Indian folktales and legends
  explain a fact of nature or sometimes provide the
  background for an historical event.
• Demonstrate understanding of legend by writing a
  legend of their own.

5
Materials Needed

• Copies of Native American Legends, Folk Tales,
  and Myths.
• Paper
• Pencils
• Creative Mind

6
Web Sites

• Turtle Tracks - A Native American Newsletter for
  Children. Www.turtle-tracks-for-kids.org
• Mic Mac Creation Story - Read this native myth
  and learn why the number seven is important to
  this tribe. Www.ilhawaii.net/stony/lore21.html

7
Web Sites

• Native Americans and Childrens Literature -
  Carol Hursts Childrens Literature Site. Listing
  of books, articles, displays, picture books,
  nonfiction, etc. www.carolhurst.com.
• Cherokee Newspaper - The only independent
  cherokee newspaper. The original on-line
  independent cherokee newpaper.

8
Web Sites

• Native American Technology and Art - a topically
  organized educational web site emphasizing the
  Eastern Woodlands region, organized into
  categories of Beadwork, Birds and Feathers, Clay
  and Pottery, Leather and Clothes, Plants and
  Trees, etc.

9
Student Activities

• Writing of their own Indian tale.
• Fact/Fiction Sheet.
• Retell a Folktale to the class.
• Read one or more folktales.
• Be Creative.

10
What is a Legend?

• Told to entertain an audience, explain something,
  or teach a lesson.
• Usually about places, people, animals about which
  the author know best.

11
What is a Legend?

• Good ways to learn about different cultures and
  belief systems.
• Usually describes something in nature.
• Describes some fact and fiction.

12
Topic Ideas

• How would indigenous people describe
• A thunderstorm?
• A hurricane?
• Night and Day?
• Snow?
• Mountains?
• Fire?

13
Topic Ideas (cont)

• The sun?
• Earthquakes?
• A dream?
• Disease?
• A human characteristic?
• A plant characteristic?

14
Format of the Indian Tale

• The tale must be a story within a story. For
  example A grandfather is telling the story to
  his grandson to explain some of the topics given.
  You must include dialogue in your story.

15
Format of the Indian Tale

• For example The grandson asked the grandfather,
  Grandfather, where did the porcupine get his
  quills? The grandfather answered, Grandson, it
  happened a long time ago.

16
Format of the Indian Tale

• The tale must be at least 100 words or more long.
• You must use black ink or type your tale.
• You must have a rough draft, edited draft and a
  polished draft to hand in on assigned date.

17
Format of the Indian Tale

• You must also creatively illustrate the tale.
• You may hand in the finished product in the most
  creative way possible. Some examples from last
  year will be around the room.

18
Example of an Indian Tale

• A man was in love with a woman who disliked him
  and wanted nothing to do with him. He tried
  every way to win her favor, but with no success.
  At last he grew discouraged and made himself sick
  thinking about it. Mole came along, and finding
  the man so low in his mind, asked what the

19
Example of an Indian Tale

• the trouble was. The man told him the whole
  story, and when he had finished, the Mole said
  I can help. Not only will she like you, be
  shell come to you of her own free will. That
  night burrowing underground to the place where
  the girl was in bed asleep, Mole took out her
  heart.

20
Example of an Indian Tale

• He came back by the same way and gave the heart
  to the discouraged lover, who couldnt see it
  even when it was in his hand. There, said Mole.
  Swallow it, and she will be so drawn to you that
  she has to come. The man swallowed the heart,
  and when the girl woke up she somehow

21
Example of an Indian Tale

• Thought of him at once. She felt a strange
  desire to be with him, to go to him that minute.
  She couldnt understand it, because she had
  always disliked him, now the feelings grew so
  strong she was compelled to find the man and tell
  him that she loved him and wanted to be his wife.

22
Example of an Indian Tale

• And so they were married. All of those who knew
  them both were surprised and wondered how it had
  come about. When they found out it was the work
  of Mole, whom they had always thought too
  insignificant to notice, they were jealous and
  threatened to kill him.

23
Example of an Indian Tale

• Thats why Mole hid under the ground and still
  doesnt dare to come up.