Overview
Lesson 1: Stories as History and Tradition
Lesson 2: Historical Landscape
Lesson 3: The Treaties and the Reservation Experience
Lesson 4: Historical Figures and their Impact
Lesson 5: Stories of Today
Extending the lesson/References
Standards
ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS
EL.CM.RE.02—Listen to, read, and understand a wide variety of informational and narrative text.
EL.CM.RE.04—Demonstrate listening comprehension of more complex text through class and/or small group interpretive discussions across the subject areas.
EL.CM.RE.35—Extend ideas presented in primary or secondary sources through original analysis, evaluation, and elaboration.
EL.CM.SL.05—Analyze the occasion and the interests of the audience, and choose effective verbal techniques and language.
THE ARTS
AR.CM.HC.03—Explain how works of art reflect the artist’s personal experience, environment, society and culture and apply this knowledge to one’s own work.
CD Segments to Play
Background
In America today, we have holidays that celebrate many historical figures: George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King, Jr. As of yet, there are no American holidays that commend great American Indian leaders. Little is known or publicized about the important historical figures in American Indian history.
Here in Oregon there are many “famous” Indian people of many different tribes, each with their own story. And those stories are celebrated within the Indian communities but nowhere else. (The story of Martha Sands and Camafeema are included at the end of this lesson. Read them to the class to prompt discussion of historical figures.)
Little is known about the fact that pioneers and Indians interacted in a positive manner. Their collective stories are also important to the preservation of family stories. The following narrative told by pioneer descendant Shannon Applegate is an example:
“Salista (daughter-in-law of the Kalapuya Headman, Camafeema) often worked for the Applegate family. She helped with the ironing and gardening and also helped to tend the babies. One summer while the men were in the fields, Salista was helping the Applegate women can some of the garden produce. The big kitchen woodstove was hot in order to heat the water for canning. The stove flue caught on fire and the house went up in a blaze. The women ran out of the house with the children. Salista was the only one with the presence of mind to go back in the house repeatedly, carrying out the canned jars in her apron to insure that the family at least had food to eat after their house was gone. She became a hero to all of us.”
Suggested Strategies
Activities
1. Analyze
Review the archival photos. Ask the following questions:
What is the time period of the photo?
What kind of clothes are the people wearing?
Why do you think the photo was taken?
2. Read
Read or hand out the attached stories of Camafeema, Martha Sands and Salista.
3. Discuss
Why was that certain person remembered by the tribes?
Is there a lesson to be learned from this person
Does this person’s story make a good story to tell to future generations? Why?
Discuss how storytellers learn their art. How repetition is important in learning a story.
4. Play a game
As an activity, play the following game to show how repetition and remembering are both important in order to tell a story and not just read it. (This is not just a child’s game. It is a way to illustrate how stories are told and relies on memory to remember a sequence of events.)
Have the class make two circles, sitting down (gym or cafeteria is ideal space).
Select one person in each circle group to start the game by saying “This is my tribal story” and at the same time, clapping hands once.
The second person says the same thing, clapping hands once and then adding another motion such as crossing their arms.
The next person says the same thing and repeats the two previous motions… clapping, crossing the arms and then adds another simple motion.
See how far the circle goes around before someone forgets all the previous motions.
This is a good example of how much effort it takes to remember a story. It must take repetition and concentration to make a good storyteller.
5. Interview
For a homework assignment, have each student “interview” a member of their family to find out about the family history. Share the results during Lesson 5.
Suggested questions:
What country did the family come from?
If they immigrated to America, approximately what year was it?
Where did the family first settle?
Who is the oldest person in the family?
