Digital Collections

Topic: Health/Social Studies, History

Time frame: 3 days

Activity:

• Read the story of Creation again to the class. Ask questions along the way to see how much of the story the students remember. Ask them why something is happening or going to happen. This can be done during the story or after it is finished. It is important to read the story numerous times, as that is how knowledge has been passed on for centuries in this culture. Emphasize the importance of oral history. That is how we remember: by telling lessons numerous times until listeners have internalized it. Once it is remembered and even somewhat understood, that becomes knowledge that belongs to and is owned by the listener.
• Talk about the plants in the story. Strawberries, tobacco, corn, beans, and squash are all mentioned. It would be an excellent idea to bring a First Nations (Haudenoshaunee) person in from your area and have them explain the importance of strawberries and tobacco. Older students could use this as a research project; to find the historical, social, and contemporary of such things in Iroquois culture.
• Talk about corn, beans, and squash. Do the students know what all three look like? Are they aware that there are hundreds of kinds of each in existence today? I have found it excellent to bring in at least 5-10 examples of each, have the students sit in a circle, and introduce each kind. It is an excellent hands on exercise, and the children remember better this way. Also, it breaks up the monotony of writing, reading, and listening.
• I also brought in a number of corn products such as cereals, breads, pastas, etc. to show students that these plants do not exist on their own - they are in the things we see and eat every day. Look to the Web site, Iroquois Stories; there is an illustrated story on the Three Sisters which the students would enjoy. Also, there are three lesson plans included therein in Language, Art, and Math that will give you a better background on the plants. The first lesson is a hands on example. The site address is www.angelfire.com/ok/IroquoisStories.
• Give the students a number of opportunities to present their knowledge on this one. They can do a drama skit based on the Creation Story or the Three Sisters Story; they can use play dough or paper and markers/crayons/pencil crayons to draw pictures, or they can write a story on what they have remembered about corn, beans and squash.
• Create a board, or add to one already existing, of the various projects. The hallway would be an excellent place for other members of the school to learn a little about the unit you are working on.
• Have students write in their journals. How have their attitudes about themselves and the Haudenoshaunee changed since the start of their lesson? Let them write and reflect on this. Then, revisit what you talked about at the beginning of the lesson to show students that their attitudes have changed (indeed, they will!)