Overview
Lesson 1: What is storytelling and how it is used to remember traditions
Lesson 2: Stories of the Land (and how it shapes people’s lives)
Lesson 3: European Contact and the Stories of that Era
Lesson 4: Individuals Who Had an Impact on the Tribal Way of Life
Lesson 5: Contemporary stories and why they are important
SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES
Standards
ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS
EL.06.RE.05—Demonstrate listening comprehension of more complex text through class and/or small group interpretive discussions across the subject areas.
EL.06.RE.06—Listen to, read, and understand a wide variety of informational and narrative text.
EL.06.RE.09—Understand, learn, and use new vocabulary that is introduced and taught directly through informational text, literary text, and instruction across the subject areas.
EL.06.SL.02—Match the purpose, message, occasion, and delivery to the audience.
EL.06.SL.08—Use effective rate, volume, pitch, and tone, and align non-verbal elements, including eye contact, to sustain audience interest and attention.
CD Segments to Play
Background
Many Indian tribes tell stories of what is known as “the time before.” This was a time when the world was different; a time when animals could talk and also a time when things were different. Tribal stories tell of how the landscape changed through an action of an animal or a person in the time before. Other stories relate why animals look like they do or have certain characteristic markings.
Coyote is a prominent figure in many stories across America. Sometimes he’s a wise man, sometimes he has powerful medicine and often he is a trickster and fool who causes things to happen by accident.
It is believed that the animals taught many lessons to people and even today, tribal people point to examples of old stories to teach children the proper way to behave.
Suggested Strategies
Activities
Read
Read the story of Coyote and the Stars.
2. Discuss
Ask the following questions:
Why did Coyote think he could dance like the girl-stars?
Why did he get tired and the girl-stars didn’t?
What lesson is taught in the story?
Why is the story told?
3. Put on a play
Select or vote for male students to play the part of Coyote, Spider and Redwood Tree. The rest of the girls in the class can be the stars. The rest of the boys can take turns narrating the story.
Set aside time each day to practice the story.
USE ANOTHER APPROVED STORY AFTER TALKING TO THE WARM SPRINGS REVIEW GROUP.
4. Play a game
The following is a game to illustrate how a story might be remembered:
Line up at least ten students in the front of the room.
Select one person to start the game by saying “This is my 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 students progress before someone forgets all the previous motions.
This is a good example of how much effort it takes to remember a story. It must be repetition and concentration to make a good storyteller.
4. Vocabulary
landscape
lesson
elder
characteristic
