IROQUOIS CREATION
Dawn T Maracle

Abstract

	This unit is designed to give an introduction to students about the Haudenoshaunee, or Iroquois people in Canada. It includes a brief background of where they came from and where they have settled over the last few centuries. Students will look at their own genealogical backgrounds and learn a story of their own, before learning about the Iroquois. A variety of written, oral, and artistic activities are contained herein, with reference to the Ontario Curriculum Guidelines in Language, Math and Science/Technology. Although I focused on guidelines at the Grade 2 level, this unit can be adapted from the kindergarten to Grade 6 levels. Focusing on Grade 2, however, the teacher will use the Internet with small groups of students at a time; this can be changed for older grades to have students look up specific sites and do reading/research on their own. As an alternative to Internet access you can copy information onto paper or use some stories from the resource books listed. This unit also looks at oral history by Natives. Assessment is based on reading, journal writing, a portfolio of collected works from throughout the unit, discussion, participation, and creative presentations. It spans 4 weeks but can be modified for any time frame. 

Aim			

	To give students insight into their cultural heritage while fostering an appreciation of self, and of the diversity of others. This will be accomplished by looking at the Iroquois Creation Story with a background on the people, the regions in which they live, and contemporary individuals. 

Objectives

Students will: 

	explore the meaning of culture as part of their own life stories 
	appreciate the importance of Haudenoshaunee (Iroquois/Six Nations) in Canada 
	demonstrate respect for people of varying cultural backgrounds 
	explore their own ancestry by creating a story about their own ancestors 
	share with the class stories of their cultural heritage, both in listening and presenting 
	research stories from Southern Ontario, in Canada 
	use the Internet (with assistance of the teacher) to connect to Web sites that contain information on the groups in question 
	use literature to develop an appreciation of the Haudenoshaunee in Canada 

Ontario Curriculum Objectives
	The Ontario Language, Math and Science/Technology curriculum has just been revised. The following objectives are for a Grade 2 level, which can be adapted right up to Grade 6. 

LANGUAGE 

Writing 
	communicate ideas for specific purposes (paragraph describing a trip) 
	organize ideas in a logical sequence (beginning, middle, end) 
	produce short pieces of writing using simple forms (narrative, poem) 
	use some materials from other media (collage) to enhance writing 

Reading 
	read a variety of simple written materials 
	read independently 
	express clear responses to written materials 

Oral and visual communication 
	retell stories and recount personal experiences 
	talk about characters and situations in stories and relate them to personal experience 
	read, view, and listen . . . and describe what they have learned in creating simple media works 
	listen to discussions on familiar topics and ask relevant questions 

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 

Life Systems: Growth and change in animals 
	identify ways in which humans can affect other animals (and vice versa) 

Rationale

	Canada is a multicultural country. It is a place where people from many nations live closely together while still celebrating their cultural heritage. In the last few years school boards and curriculum writers have begun to focus on the importance of teachers and students learning about multiculturalism. It is important for the future survival of ourselves and our country, as we must learn how to live and work together. Nevertheless, the past, present, and future of the Native peoples of this country are still sorely neglected in Canadian classrooms. Many programs and canons in Canadian schools are Eurocentric; there is little diversity in the sources of information used in classrooms, and such programs have been criticized for failing to reflect the true nature and diversity of Canada. 
	Teachers, parents, and relatives have a new responsibility now: to take a more critical look at the sources of information we are using. Most books on Native people has been written by non‑Natives and so are based upon anthropologists' or historians' views and guesswork on Native peoples of the past and present. However, resources have begun to be made by Natives about Natives over the last two decades. Increasing amounts of reliable, more accurate, and more relevant information is becoming available to educators across the country. More Native people have gone back to school to study such subjects; more Native people have returned to their cultures to learn about the subjects therein. 
	This unit begins with students telling their own life stories to help them realize that all people have stories. Writing and sharing life stories in the classroom helps to build a bridge between all students, no matter what their background. 

Branches From This Unit

	The basic layout of this unit can be used to introduce any First Nation and Creation story. Also, at any point in the lessons one can expand the subject to do a more in‑depth search. Use the unit as a guideline; you can focus on what you or the students choose. Remember, this serves as an introduction to the Haudenoshaunee who were here before people from other continents, and who still continue to struggle and thrive in Canadian society. 

Unit Overview

Topic	Time Frame	Objectives	Assessment	
Lesson 1:
social studies: family tree, circle, diversity 	2 days	‑To learn own background/origin and the similarities/differences of different backgrounds 
‑to learn the connection all people share and to promote a positive relationship between people of different backgrounds	journal, discussion, family tree	
Lesson 2:
history, sources of knowledge
 	2-3 days, plus time for sewing quilt	‑the quilt will promote diversity, how each piece is important to the good of the whole 
‑learn where history comes from: it is a story that is made up of small puzzle pieces, rarely with the entire puzzle in mind	participation in bringing in objects, discussion, journals, quilt piece	
Lesson 3:
social studies, geography, history	2-4	‑develop esteem for the customs and history of Haudenoshaunee people 
‑to learn specific information on the Five Nations 
‑to learn the importance of stories to cultures	journal, story writing, discussion	
Lesson 4:
language, Iroquois Creation Story	4-7 days	‑use literature to develop an appreciation of Haudenoshaunee culture 

‑‑gain satisfaction from participating and from sharing the participation of others in various forms of artistic expression	journal, story writing	
Lesson 5:
Three Sisters	3 days	‑learn the importance of oral history and learning/internalizing by relistening to the Creation Story 
‑learn the importance of the Three Sisters and their relationship/importance in Haudenoshaunee culture	assessment by teacher, journal, skit or creative project	

Daily Lesson Plans
Unit Overview 
LESSON 1: INTRODUCTION TO BACKGROUND, SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES

Topic: Social Studies: Family Tree, Circle, Diversity 
Time frame: 2 days 
Activity: 
	Send a letter home to parents before starting this unit, asking them for a family tree starting with the student, then the parents, grandparents, and great parents if possible. Have them go as far back as they can, but let them know that the objective is to find out where they originated from. (What country?) You will likely be most successful if you send a blank form that goes back five or six generations. 
	Collect all the family trees. Do you have one from everyone? Peruse them before using them in class. Are they acceptable? Do they go back at least three generations? Do they tell you where the student originated from? Send the appropriate questions home to receive all information necessary ‑ no student can be left out of this process, although you may have to juggle with a student whose family does not comply ‑ they will still have to view themselves and be viewed as an individual as important, different and the same as everyone else. 
	Have students sitting in a circle so all are on the same level. Explain that this lesson, as all should, demands respect. Everyone will have a turn to speak, and everyone will have a turn to listen. We must respect each other by letting everyone have her or his turn, and by understanding that everyone is different in his or her own way. 
	Introduce a number of multicultural resources. This can include books or items, symbols, etc. I would suggest using the Franklin series of books, as they are familiar, good quality books with well illustrated stories, and each student in his school is different (a different animal), and they have to learn to appreciate, understand, and respect each other. 
	After reading a couple of the books from the series, ask the students about the similarities of the different students in Franklin's school. (Oral discussion) Then start a discussion on what is different about the students. Emphasize that they are friends with each other and that they all work together, despite their differences. Also note that Franklin depends heavily on his family to figure out what is special about him. 
	Then begin to do the same with the students in your class. What similarities are there between students? Differences? Use a variety of techniques, like height, hair colour, clothing colour, eye colour, gender, etc. See if the students can come up with some topics and sort themselves appropriately. 
	Take the family trees and use one as an example from class (your own, maybe?). Show that you know who your parents are and so on, but don't focus on this. Focus on where you originated from. Reinforce to students that every one of them has come from a different place. Redistribute the trees to the appropriate students and ask them to colour a tree into the background. While they are busy with the activity, go from table to table asking them if they know anything about their background. 
	Return to the circle. Try to group students according to their backgrounds (optional, as there may be sensitive situations depending on your class). Find out in an oral discussion if anyone from the group knows about his or her background. Write them out on the board. Keep these for future reference. 
	If time permits, write out the origins of the students in your class, and have students attempt to write them at their desk. They should be familiar with those around them as they will likely work together in school for a long time. 
	Have them write in their journals at the end of this section. What did they learn about themselves? Their classmates? Grade two journals may still be half text and half blank for pictures; use the space in the journals effectively. 

Unit Overview 
LESSON 2: PARTS OF THE HISTORY AND PRESENT
Topic: History/Sources of Knowledge 
Time frame: 2‑3 days (plus time to sew the quilt together) 
Activity: 
	Send out a letter ahead of time letting the parents know that on a particular day the students are expected to bring in an item that represents their culture/background/origin. Hopefully the students will have them on the day you do this lesson. 
	Have students sitting in the circle with their item. Although this is like a show and tell, it can be done at any age if you don't call it that. Students like to bring stuff in to show their friends/classmates, usually whether or not they seem reluctant to do so. 
	You can participate in this circle as well. Doing so can promote understanding and respect between you and the students. It is important to do this, because when you are in the circle you are all seen on an even level, and are all to participate in some way, whether it is speaking, listening or both. 
	Show and tell. 
	Discuss. How much more have you learned about a particular culture because of what students have brought in? Do they know more now that they have seen a symbol of those cultures? Talk about this. Yes, this is appropriate for grade two students. They are quite able to understand that they all have similarities and differences; the responsibility of the teacher is to promote an atmosphere of respect and self esteem. 
	Make a chart on the board, or preferably on chart paper. List the object and what it represents. These can be categorized later. 
	Have the students write in their journals about what they have learned today. Did they learn anything new? Did they see stuff they already knew about? 
	Summarize what was learned in the lesson above. Ask students how they learned the most about their culture. Was it from a book? An object? Or their family telling them stories? The answers will vary, but what we are looking at is an emphasis on oral history. Learning should come from a variety of sources, but we need to hear the personal stories of our relatives and neighbors. 
	Point out that we can not learn all about a culture from a few objects. We can guess about objects or know a lot about it, but it still paints only part of a picture. We must look to each other, teachers, books, and family to fill in the other holes. Explain that this is what anthropologists, archaeologists and historians have done ‑ used pieces of information to create a story. 
	Although such things tell us about part of a culture, they will never tell us all about it ‑ it is just one piece in the puzzle. We must keep that in mind when learning about other cultures. To illustrate the point, read one of the class's favorite stories/pieces of literature, poem, etc. Leave out a very large piece so they will notice. Show them that this is like an object or symbol that represents a culture. It is only part of it. 
	The Heritage Quilt is a patchwork quilt which illustrates the diversity of the students in a class 
	teacher provides each student with a patch of material ‑ 30 cm by 30 cm 
	students design a quilt patch which represents their cultural heritage and interests ‑ they can put a picture of the object they brought in on it 
	students create the design from markers; will be sewn later by volunteers: allow for a 2 cm seam allowance all the way around the patch. (It would be good to draw the border on the patch before handing them out to students. 
	students names added to the patches, please! 
	the patches are then joined to strips of material 2‑3 cm wide of a contrasting colour ‑ this acts as a grid with the patches in the squares of the grid 
	hem the joining strips or grid, and use quilt as a wall hanging in the classroom 
	Explain that when the quilt is finished, it will tell a story about all of us in the classroom, not just one of us. It will tell a better story than just one object could. (This activity is taken from Carol Butler and Maureen Swain's Cultural Awareness Through the Arts in the Lennox and Addington County Board of Education.) 
	Talk about stories. Ask who knows a story. What are some of their favourite stories, and why? Are any of these stories culturally based? Disney cartoon movies come from cultural stories, especially those over the last decade. Does anyone know stories about the Native people in Canada? North America? 
	Ask if anyone has heard of the Haudenoshaunee, Iroquois, Six Nations, Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, Seneca or Tuscarora. The subject is only to be touched on at first. 
	Have students write something in their journals on what was discussed today. 
	Go to the site on E Pauline Johnson at:  
Introduce her as a Mohawk (Kanienkeha) from the Six Nations Territory near Brantford, Ontario. Read the page above to the class, or have students read (depending on level). It discusses her background of a Mohawk father and English mother. This information should be familiar now to the students as they have looked into their backgrounds by this point. 
	Continue on to the next page, which is:  
 it talks about the Mohawk name Johnson used, "Tekahionwake." It gives you a little background into the idea that all Iroquois names have a meaning behind them; a story all on its own. 

Unit Overview 
LESSON 3: INTRODUCTION TO THE HAUDENOSHAUNEE/IROQUOIS
Topic: Social Studies, Geography, History 
Time frame: 2‑4 days 
Activity: 
	This is an introduction about the Iroquois people in Canada. Keep that in mind. 

[for teacher] 
From Creation 
The Haudenoshaunee (people of the longhouse) came from the southwest of North America and settled in the Finger Lakes region in what is now New York State, south of Lake Ontario. They settled in the following order from East to West: Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga and Seneca. That is why the Mohawks (Kanienkeha) are known as the Keepers of the Eastern Door, and the Seneca are known as Keepers of the Western Door: because they were on the outsides of their settlements, they were in charge of protection from other Nations of people. 

	 (to be replaced with official address -- image references)

	show the pictures if you can, blow them up or put them on an overhead 

[for teacher] 
It is said that at different times throughout history they occupied what is now known as Georgia, as one of their social dances is called the Alligator Dance. They also moved north to what is now known as southern Ontario, from Ottawa straight across to the Grand River (modern‑day Six Nations) in the winters where they used the land as their beaver hunting grounds. After various wars between the British and the French, each settlement of the Haudenoshaunee found themselves moving farther apart from one another. After the American Revolution, most of the Onkwehon:we (Iroquois) moved into what is now known as Canada. 
 
	 (to be replaced with official address – references)

Iroquoian language family area 

	show this map or another map of Canada and point out the area where the Haudenoshaunee/Iroquois have settled. There are seven Haudenoshaunee (Iroquois) communities in Ontario and Quebec. Kahnawake is just south of Montreal near Lachine, while Kanesatake is just north west of Montreal. Akwesasne sits on the borders of Ontario, Quebec and New York State. Wahta is north of Barrie and south of Parry Sound in Ontario, while Oneida sits in south western Ontario. 

[for teacher] 
Two groups of people were granted land by Haldimand and Simcoe of the British government/army: Captain Joseph Brant led many people of the five Nations to what is now known as Six Nations near Brantford, while Captain John Deseronto led twenty families to what is now known as Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory near Belleville, Ontario. Both men were Mohawk. 						

	for a more detailed history of Six Nations see this section of the Pauline Johnson site:  

There are also many Haudenoshaunee south of the border in present‑day New York state. Onondaga is south of Syracuse, Senecas are east of Rochester, and the Mohawks of Akwesasne also hold land and live in the area of upstate New York. 

	 (to be replaced with official address – image references)

•	abuse this map in its "zoomed‑in" form. Use it as a geography lesson. Ask the students to point out where they live. Ask them to draw a picture of where they live and the nearest Iroquois community to them. They can be very creative about it ‑ you can use a huge map of Canada or Ontario/Quebec on the wall and have students attach their pictures to the appropriate spot on the map. This is social studies and geography. Talk about it though, first, before giving instructions. Discuss the languages of the Iroquois ‑ each of the six nations has its own language, named the same as the nation. For example, Mohawks (Kanienkeha) speak Mohawk, Senecas speak Seneca, etc. 

[for teacher] 						
The Confederacy 
	There are five nations who founded the Confederacy Council which was formed by the message of the Peacemaker. The Mohawk are keepers of the Eastern Door and the Seneca are keepers of the Western Door. They are responsible for protection of the other Nations in the middle: Onondaga is the keeper of the Confederacy fire in the middle, while the Oneida and Cayugas sit on either side of the fire. 
	The Great Tree of Peace is the symbol of the Iroquois (Haudenoshaunee) Confederacy. The weapons of war were buried underneath it and four white roots extend out in each direction to welcome all Native people to join the Confederacy. If they respect and believe in it, anyone can follow the roots to the source of the tree and take shelter under its branches. An eagle is forever perched on the top of the tree to warn us of any danger. 

[for teacher] 
•	abyou may choose to research the Confederacy at greater length; however, this would be an excellent subject to bring a Haudenoshaunee/Iroquois person in to explain (especially if you adapt this lesson to a higher grade, much work can be done on this subject). 
•	abTeacher, go into the site, Stones Unturned at the Canadian Museum of Civilization. www.schoolnet.ca/collections/stones/groups/iroqi.htm If you are doing this unit with young students, use a computer to show a group of 2‑5 individuals. If they are in junior grades you may choose to work with 5‑10 students, or 2‑3 students per computer. With older grades it would be better to have a computer for each student. Click on Native Groups. This section gives a brief overview of seventeen different Nations of Native peoples in Canada: choose number ten, the Iroquois. Click on Iroquois. It will show you a map of the area of settlement of Iroquois people in southern Ontario‑Quebec and northern New York State. Go over this with the class. 
•	abHave students take a blank map and try to draw in the area of Iroquois inhabitancy as indicated in the site (to be done later). Depending on skill level, they can label, colour and prepare a legend for the map. 
•	abFor advanced users, they can go to Clothes and to Toys, two of the other sections in this site, and search for Iroquois clothing and toys, a few of which exist on the site. The site gives a brief overview ‑ it does not examine in depth any of the Nations mentioned. 

Unit Overview 
LESSON 4: IROQUOIS CREATION STORY
Topic: Language 
Time frame: 4‑7 days 
Activity: 
•	abOnce a brief background of the Haudenoshaunee (Iroquois) and backgrounds of various cultural stories have been given, you are ready to proceed to the Creation Story. I have given a brief outline on the importance of Creation Stories ‑ you may use this as a personal note, or share it with your students. Take what you find to be appropriate. 

[for teacher] 
	The Creation Story of the Kanienkehaka is the first story to be told. It explains the world view or basic outlook on life that the Mohawk and Iroquoian people believe in. This world view, along with race, language and culture make Mohawk people different from their neighbors in North America and around the world. 
	Our Creation Stories tell us where we came from and that we have always been here. We can take pride in knowing that our Elders have passed these stories on as truth to us, and that we have a responsibility to take care of the Mother Earth. 
	There are many things that occur in the Creation Story that are very extraordinary. The Creation Stories of the world all have similar elements in this way, such as the one in the Bible of Christianity. These stories are meant, in various cultures, to explain to people what their values were. They were often delivered in the form of a story for entertainment and memorizing purposes. There are people who spend their whole lives learning the stories, for their is something new in every re‑telling. Storytellers are teachers; they are information delivery specialists, who must know the right time for a specific story. Once a story has begun, all present are to listen so there is no other sound but the storyteller's voice. 
	The storyteller is to first explain where s/he heard the story from, then they may begin. I took at least five versions of the story, both oral and written. The bibliography will list most of them. 

•	abYou may choose to read this story to the students, or to prepare a book with blank upper pages and the text below. I have prepared the paragraphs so that each will fit onto a different page with a different corresponding picture. 
	*If you choose to do this, you will have to spend one to two classes organizing different students to draw different pictures. The idea is to allow each student to contribute something to the book. The title page, title lettering, a page of contributors (or two or three), etc. This encourages self esteem, confidence in teamwork, and when the job is done, you have a wonderful keepsake of the story that is personal to your classroom and school. I would highly recommend doing this, as it has worked well in my experience. I would laminate and bind the book once it is completed to increase its integrity and shelf life. 

SKYWOMAN: The Creation Story (The beginning) 
	It is said that in the regions above the world where we live, there were beings who did not know what it was to cry, feel pain, or die. They lived in lodges with their families, in a clearing in the forest. 
	There was one house where a man and woman being lived: the man was called tehnino:taton, meaning he had special powers, and had to be protected from others while he was growing up. 
	All the lodges were placed so that one door faced the rising sun in the east; the other facing the setting sun in the west. The women lived in the south side, while the men lived in the north. 
	The man being became sick although no one in the Sky World knew what it was to be sick. As time passed he became more weak and soon died. He was placed in a burial case and placed near the ceiling of his house. 
	Soon the woman being appeared to be pregnant. The people of the village repeatedly asked her who the father of the baby was, but she did not answer. One day she gave birth to a female being named Aientsik which means Fertile Earth. 
	The child‑being was healthy and grew very fast. One day though, she began to cry. Nothing the people of the village did would make her stop. The mother placed her in front of the burial case, and she stopped crying. After a long time she felt better, and came back to the rest of the village. 
	This happened many times. The people of the village could sometimes hear her talking, but they did not know who she was talking to. One day she came back from visiting her father, and told her mother that she was to be married. 

	Her mother made bread of corn softened by boiling, and mixed berries in with it. When she was finished, she put it into a basket for Aientsik. 

	The next day the young woman set out for the village of Tharonhiawakon, or He Who Holds Up the Sky. This is the place where her father told her to go. Everything on the way was just as her father had told her. 
	The young woman offered this man the corn and berry bread, and he accepted. She stayed there for three nights. During this time the man began to feel sick. He had a dream that made him feel uncomfortable. He gathered the people of his village to find the meaning of the dream. 
	The next day the man brought Aientsik to the Tree of the Standing Light. He asked her to uproot the tree, saying that he would feel better once the tree was lifted. She did as he asked. 
He then told her to look into the hole. As she leaned forward to see what was below that tree, the man pushed her into the hole. Surprised, she grabbed for help and took the roots of the strawberry, corn and tobacco with her as she fell. 
	She fell in darkness for some time, but soon she could see water below her with animals in it. The Loon looked up to see this woman falling, and asked the Turtle if she could land on his back. Turtle agreed. The geese and ducks flew up to meet her and carry her safely on their backs to meet the others. It is because the animals first saw her when she was falling from the sky, that she is often referred to as Skywoman. 
	Three animals tried to bring up dirt from the bottom of the great waters. The first two failed. The muskrat took a deep breath and was gone for a long time, but he came up with dirt clenched in his tiny paws. He placed the mud on the back of the Turtle. 
Every day Aientsik walked around the edge of the Turtle, noticing that every time she completed walking in a circle, the dirt had grown and the land was becoming larger. Soon plants were beginning to grow from the roots she had grabbed when she had fallen into this world. Every day when she returned to her resting place there was a fire and corn or beans and squash for her to eat. Corn, beans and squash have been known ever since as the three sisters, providers for the Kanienkeha (Mohawk) people. 

‑ Discussion: 
•	abWhen the woman is caught by the ducks and geese, one of the animals realizes she cannot live in the water. She needs to live on dry land. Why do you suppose this is? 
‑ Why is the Chief's (Tharonhiawakon) dream so important? 
•	abit tells him what he must do to get healthy again 
•	abit tells him that the young woman must go into the world below. 
‑Why is the Tree of Standing Light uprooted? 
•	abso the hole is created for Skywoman to fall through 
- In what ways do the animals help Skywoman? 
•	abthe ducks and geese catch her and carry her safely 
•	abthe turtle gives his back as a place for Skywoman to live 
•	abthe muskrat risks her life to dive down to the bottom of the ocean and bring back mud so that she may have land 
‑ Why does the muskrat succeed when others have failed? 
•	abpersistent; kept trying until she finally succeeded 
‑ Do you know any other stories of creation? 
•	abfrom the bible 
•	abendless stories from all over the world 
‑ What does Skywoman need to survive on Earth? 
•	abtobacco, corn, strawberries. 

‑ Have students ask any questions they may have about the story and record them on the board. Answer the questions orally within the group (within the circle). 
‑ Have students retell their version of the story orally. 
‑ Send students to their desks, or have them use the circle area to write in their journal what they remembered of the story. Emphasize that their retelling of the story must have a beginning, middle and end. 
‑ Bring the students back to the circle. Ask them what they have learned about the Haudenoshaunee/Six Nations/Iroquois. Is it different from the cultures in the class, or the same? In what ways is it different/the same? It is important to note here that Iroquois and other First Nations peoples in Canada (and North America) were here before Europeans and all other Nations of peoples. They lived here for tens of thousands of years while taking care of each other, their families, communities, nations and Mother Earth. They had their own forms of government, checks and balances, discipline, learning, fun and games, just like other cultures have had throughout history. 
‑ Have students write a story about their own culture. Things they could write about could include what they think it would be like to live in their originating country today or in the past, they could draw on a story, symbol, or facet of their own culture. The important things to remind students is that their story must have a beginning, middle, and end, and they must draw on their own personal experiences. 
-  If you would like a more detailed example of the Creation Story and the Haudenoshaunee people, see the site, 7 Generations by the Kahnawake Survival School in Quebec.   
http://www.schoolnet.ca/ext/aboriginal/7gen/index.html 
It is an excellent site, and has much information on Mohawk or Kanienkeha culture and traditions. Its Creation Story also includes what happens to Skywoman and her family on Turtle Island. Most would say that all of this information creates the complete Creation Story; I have left this part out for purposes of length and focus for younger students. Older students can definitely read on at this point and do more detailed work on the subject. 

Unit Overview
LESSON 5: THREE SISTERS
Topic: Health/Social Studies, History 
Time frame: 3 days 
Activity: 
•	abRead 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. 
•	abTalk 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. 
•	abTalk 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. 
•	abI 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. 
•	abGive 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. 
•	abCreate 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. 
•	abHave 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!) 

Unit Evaluation

*important to keep journals throughout lesson plan 
some things to consider when evaluating the success of this unit: 
•	abdid students recognize the fact that they came from an origin other than Canada? If you have any Native students, they came from North America/Turtle Island before it became Canada. 
•	abdid students learn more about their own ancestry? 
•	abdid I emphasize the importance of respect for cultural diversity? For similarities between cultures? 
•	abdid I use the Internet so that students could gain a familiarity with buttons, sites, and information there? 
•	abHow can I improve this unit next time? 
•	abdo students realize that differences in people and their cultures are good and necessary as a well‑based foundation for teamwork? 

** Important!
Native culture is fundamentally an oral culture and written text is therefore not necessarily easily found. The above are simply recommended sources that proved useful in the organization of this unit. Every major city should have a Native Friendship Centre or other Native organization. Call the Ontario Federation of Indian Friendship Centres in Toronto, the umbrella organization for 26 member Friendship Centres in the province, for the Centre nearest you. They exist to help all people with information and support for/about Aboriginal people. Furthermore, I have included the Band Office numbers for the seven Iroquois communities in Canada. It is highly recommended and necessary to invite speakers from the Nations from which you are studying ‑ otherwise, we are doing no justice to teaching the subject. Native people are alive and growing; forever adapting to the changes in North America. Inviting a speaker not only shows students that the culture is still alive, but that hearing the voice of such people allows a direct and respectful relationship to build and grow between the vary diverse people of Canada. 

References
SITES TO SEE 
SchoolNet 

Art Gallery of Newfoundland and Labrador 
www.schoolnet.ca/collections/more2/agnl/prints/ 

Bone Snow Knives and Tin Oil Lamps: Enduring Traditions Among Canada's First Peoples 
xist.com/ROM‑MCQ/E/records/ 

Canadian Arctic Profiles 
www.schoolnet.ca/collections/arctic/Inuit/people.htm 

Pauline Johnson Archive 
www.humanities.mcmaster.ca/%7Epjohnson/mock.html 

Stones Unturned 
www.schoolnet.ca/collections/stones/groups/iroqi.htm 

Seven Generations 
www.schoolnet.ca/ext/aboriginal/7gen/creation.html 

Stones Unturned, Candian Museum of Civilization 
www.schoolnet.ca/collections/stones/groups/iriqi.htm 

Native Sites 
Aboriginal Rights Coalition, Victoria, BC 
www.islandnet.com/~arc 

Aboriginal Super Information Highway 
www.abinfo.hwy.ca/ 

Aboriginal Web Links 
www.curonet.nl/~fullmoon/aborig.html 

Bill's Aboriginal Links 
www.bloorstreet.com/300block/aborean.htm 

First Nation Organization Directory 
www.johnco.com/firstnat/dirfnorg.html 

The Fourth World Documentation Project 
www.haleyon.com/FWDP/other‑net.html 

Iroquois Stories: the Three Sisters (short story/lesson plans for teachers) 
www.angelfire.com/ok/IroquoisStories 

Book References 

Bruchac, Joseph. The native Stories From Keepers of the Earth. Saskatoon: Fifth House, 1991. ISBN: 0920079768 

Caduto, Michael and Bruchac, Joseph Keepers of the Earth. Saskatoon: Fifth House Publishers, 1989. 

Cornplanter, J.J. Iroquois Reprints:Legends of the Longhouse. Philidelphia: J.B. Lippincott, 
	Iroqrafts, 1938. ISBN 0919645135 

Hewitt, JNB. The Creation Myth;Iroquoian Cosmology, A Mohawk Version, 1903.; Library of Yvonne and Jacob Thomas, compiled on August 11, 1985. 

Jennings, Francis (Editor). The History and Culture of Iroquois Diplomacy. Syracuse: Syracuse University Press, 1985. ISBN:0815622716 

Melancon, Claude. Indian Legends of Canada. Toronto; Gage Publishing, 1974. 
	Moses, Daniel David and Goldie, Terry. An Anthology of Canadian Native Literature In English. Toronto: Oxford University Press, 1998. ISBN: 0195412826 

Parker, A.C. Iroquois Reprints: The constitution of the Five nations or The Iroquois Book of the Great Law. Albany: University of the State of New York, Iroqrafts, 1916. ISBN: 0919645224 

Rustige, Rona. Tyendinaga Tales. McGill‑Queen's University Press, 1988. ISBN: 0773506500 
	John, Rosa. Inside the Circle, Peace Tree Technologies. Belleville, Ontario, 1994. 

Smith, E.A. Iroquois Reprints: Myths of the Iroquois. Washington: U.S. Bureau of American Ethnology, Irocrafts, 1983. 

Tehanetorens. Iroquois Reprints: Tales of the Iroquois Iroqrafts, 1976. ISBN: 0919645232 

Thomas, Chief Jacob and Boyle, Terry. Teachings from the Longhouse. Toronto: Stoddart Publishing, 1994. ISBN 0773727450 

Traditional Teachings North American Indian Travelling College, 1984. 
	Wallace, Paul. The Iroquois Book of Life: White Roots of Peace. Santa Fe: Clear Light Publishers, 1994. ISBN 0940666308 

Multicultural Materials 

James, Carl E and Shadd, Adrienne. Talking about difference:Encounters in culture, language and Identity. Toronto, Between the Lines, 1996. ISBN 0921284934 
www.schoolnet.ca/collections/changing_image 

Prokasch‑Kurath, Gertrude. Dance and Song Rituals of the Six Nations Reserve, Ontario. National Museum of Canada: Ottawa, 1968. 

Sciesaka, Jon The True Story of the Three Little Pigs. 

Sound of the Drum. Woodland Cultural Centre: Brantford, Ontario, 1990. 

Phone Numbers 

Mohawks of Akwesasne 613‑575‑2250/2348 
(Auk‑way‑zas‑nee) 

*Mohawk Council of Kahnawake 514‑632‑7500 Quebec 
(Gah‑na‑wa‑gay) 

*Kanesatake Mohawk Nation 514‑479‑8373 Quebec 
(Gah‑nay‑za‑do‑gay) 

Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte (Tyendinaga) 613 396‑3424 
(Tie‑in‑din‑aa‑ga) 

Oneida (Onyota'a:ka) 519‑652‑3244 
Six Nations 519‑445‑2201 

Wahta Mohawks (Formally Mohawks of Gibson) 705‑762‑3343 

Word Origins and Pronunciation

	The word I used most often is Haudenoshaunee. That is the accepted ENGLISH (phonetic) spelling of the word meaning the Iroquois of the Confederacy. To spell it in the language is to spell it Hotinon:shonni ‑ I chose not to use it because it would be difficult for some people to pronounce. In the Mohawk language it is spelled and pronounced as Rotinon:shonni. These three words all mean the same thing. The first use of the word, Haudenoshaunee, is pronounced as it is spelled. 
	I also made use of the word Kanienkehaka ‑ that means people of the flint, or Mohawk. I have only seen it spelled in Mohawk ‑ I have never seen an English (phonetic) version of the word. Although, if I were to do so, I would spell it, Ganiengehaga. 
	Now, Kanienkeha, a shorter word, means the place of the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte or Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory (same place). If spelled according to English sounds, it would look like this: Ganiengeha. 
	Iroquois is arguably a French word meaning something approximate to snake people, or snake eaters. It is a word chosen by other people long ago to describe us. I have used Mohawk and Confederacy words in this unit, as they are accurate and relevant, and are how we are referred to day. However, the difference must be shown between the English words that have been used to describe us in the past (and present), and our own words for our own people. These were the words used before contact, and have survived since contact with Europeans. Students need to know the difference as any research they may do now or in the future will depend on the various names they know for the Haudenoshaunee.