Overview
Lesson 1: The Importance of the Land
Lesson 2: Trade among the Columbia River People
Lesson 3: European Contact and the Impact on Tribal Life
Lesson 4: Retaining Traditions
Lesson 5: Remembering the Ancestors
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.08—Understand, learn, and use new vocabulary that is introduced and taught directly through informational text, literary text, and instruction across the subject areas.
EL.CM.RE.35—Extend ideas presented in primary or secondary sources through original analysis, evaluation, and elaboration.
EL.CM.WR.02—Discuss ideas for writing with classmates, teachers, and other writers, and develop drafts alone and collaboratively.
EL.CM.WR.04—Choose the form of writing that best suits the intended purpose.
CD Segments to Play
Background
ASK THE WARM SPRINGS REVIEW GROUP ABOUT INCLUDING A TRADITIONAL STORY OF “THE TIME BEFORE.”
Long before the coming of Lewis and Clark, the trappers, the traders and the pioneers, the people of the Warm Springs were singing songs and telling stories of how they would be visited by newcomers.
Warm Springs tribal member, Darlene Foster tells the story she heard from her mother, who learned it from her grandmother:
“It was foretold that the pioneers would come, that they would have eyes that were the color of the sky and they would twinkle like the stars……And that they would flow like the river. And that they were to sing a song to them when they came. And when they sang this song to them, they were to kneel and sing this song so as not to frighten them .And they would bring with them the knowledge that we could stand up to a tree and knock it over. That they would bring a snake that would carry people and a big bird that would carry the people to see the Great White Chief. And the metal fire.
And when you think about how the pioneers arrived in a long wagon train that it looked like a river flowing if you had seen it from above.
And then, of course, the snake that carries the people would be the train.
And the plane would be the bird that would carry the people back to see the Great White Chief.
And then the metal fire is the electricity.”
Darlene Foster, Wisdom of the Elders Radio Series 3, Program 6
Recollections such as these are an important part of remembering the ancestors. Whether it’s a story of a “time before” when animals and people could talk together or a more recent story of first contact, these stories are the memories of the ancestors.
Suggested Strategies
Activities
1.
HERE WILL BE AN ACTIVITY BASED ON A WARM SPRINGS STORY IF APPROVED.
2. Read
Have the class read the story by Darlene Foster. Ask the following questions:
What did it mean that the people would have “….eyes like the color of the sky……” ?
What did it mean that their eyes would “….twinkle like the stars….” ?
Why did the people call electricity a “…metal fire…” ?
How do you think the Warm Springs people knew that things like this would happen?
Imagination
Have each student visualize the coming of the first pioneers. If each student were a member of an Indian tribe, what would be the first impressions of the pioneers? Point out that the mode of transportation, the dress, the language and other things were different from what the tribes knew.
Have the students write down a few sentences about their impressions and then illustrate the writing.
4. Discuss
In class discussion, ask what was the most amazing fact the students learned about the people of Warm Springs. Make a list on the board.
5. Vocabulary
twinkle foretold
newcomer contact
EXTENDING THE LESSON/REFERENCES
During library day, encourage the students to check out books about American Indian tribes. See if students can locate books about tribes of Oregon or more specifically, the Warm Springs/Columbia River area.
If you know someone from the Warm Springs, invite them to talk to the class.
During computer lab, have students search the web for sites that talk about Warm Springs
ASK THE WARM SPRINGS REVIEW GROUP TO SUGGEST A TRADITIONAL GAME THAT CAN BE PLAYED IN THE CLASSROOM
ASK WARM SPRINGS REVIEW GROUP TO SUGGEST ACCURATE AND APPROPRIATE WEBSITES AND ALSO BOOKS AND FILMS
