Series II

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Lesson 4#                                      The Sun Dance

SUBJECT:  Language Arts and Social Studies

TOPIC:  Sun dances of the Plains

TIME FRAME:  2-3 classes

COMMON ESSENTIAL LEARNING'S:  Communication, Independent Learning, Personal and Social Values.

MATERIALS:   Various pictures of First Nations dances and dancers.

1. OBJECTIVES:                          Saskatchewan Language Arts Objectives
                                                        Saskatchewan Arts Education Objectives
                                                        Saskatchewan Social Studies Objectives 

Cognitive: Students will...

- discuss how the art of dance reflects cultures and societies of First Nation peoples. 

Affective/Spiritual: Students will...

- respect the concept of what a Sundance means to First Nation Cultures.

2. RESOURCES:

http://collections.ic.gc.ca/luxton/sect_4/4d.htm
This website contains information about the meaning of a Sun dance to the Plains Indians, for Stoney Bands and the Blackfoot.

3. PURPOSE/TEACHER BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

One of the most sacred ceremonies of the Plains people was, and still is, the Sun dance.  Each First Nation group had its own distinct variations of the Sun Dance.  For Stoney Bands, a Sun Dance would be ...
                                                                              Taken from the website of Sun Dance

4. ACTIVITIES/IDEAS:

Have the students' locate and read from the website address provided and write a research report on the Sun Dance.  It is the teacher's discretion whether or not to have the students' work in small groups of three. Possible guidelines for students to follow as they prepare their work could include:

        a)  a description of a Sun dance from the different First Nation groups

        b)  how medicine men prepare for the Sun dance

        c)  terms and their definitions

        d)  what happens before and during the Sun dance

           http://collections.ic.gc.ca/luxton/sect_4/4d.htm
           This website contains information about the Sun Dance.

For the older students', they can research under the topic of "why the Canadian Government prohibited and discouraged the practice of the Sun Dance in various regional places."

5. EVALUATION:

(Image of  a Sun Dance;  Luxton Museum, 1996.
Digital Collections)