Native American Histories & Acts of Resistance

Introduction

This curricular unit was designed for students in fifth grade who visit the school library on a fixed schedule for 50-minute classes once a week. The last 20 minutes of each class is devoted to book exchange and independent reading, allowing for a series of 30-minute lessons through the fall and winter. I designed the teaching in order to complement on-going Social Studies curriculum in the homerooms on Native histories prior to colonization and intercultural communication and encounters during Westward Expansion.

I was inspired to design this teaching after reading the book Encounter by Jane Yolen to my fifth grade students last year. While they were very engaged and receptive to the messages in the story, it quickly became apparent that students did not know that Native peoples are still alive today. They also conceived of Native peoples as a monolith, not knowing that tribes throughout what is now known as the United States were quite different from one another, even while sharing important similarities. Though the students conducted a research project on an assigned tribe and later studied Westward Expansion in their homeroom classes, ongoing conversation with my students made it clear that these misconceptions were not fully addressed throughout the course of the year.

While I attempted to counteract their mistaken ideas through library read-alouds, I knew that I could design a more effective curriculum to help introduce students to the ideas that Native peoples still live in the United States today and that survivance* was partly achieved through acts of resistance to colonization. Ultimately, I wanted to tie these important understandings into our beginning-of-the-year conversations about our most important library rules (1. Be you. 2. Be kind. 3. Be respectful.) and to a culminating learning episode on the importance and mechanics of standing up for ourselves and others.

Because instructional time for fixed library classes is limited, the first learning episode of this teaching primarily centers around read-alouds of picture books written by Native authors and reader response activities. During the winter term (13 weeks), fifth grade students will come to the library for an additional 50-minute class in the afternoons. The entire 50 minutes will be used for instruction, allowing for more extensive learning activities in learning episodes 2 and 3.

*Survivance:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Survivance

 

Five Lessons Based on Read-Alouds

Day 1: Hiawatha and the Peacemaker

Enduring understandings:

    • The People of the Six Nations (the Mohawk, Cayuga, Onondaga, Oneida, Seneca, and later the Tuscarora) had lives, traditions, long-standing histories, peaceful resolution to war, and complex government systems prior to the arrival of Europeans in what is now the United States.
    • The People of the Six Nations still live in the United States today.

Materials needed:

    • Hiawatha and the Peacemaker by Robbie Robertson.
    • Computer, projector, and Internet access.
    • White board or chart paper with marker.

 

Prior to reading Hiawatha and the Peacemaker by Robbie Robertson (Mohawk and Cayuga), show students the front and back covers of the book. Use Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) to help guide students’ discussion of the covers. (What is happening in this picture? What do you see that makes you say that? What more can we find?) Student comments will help the teacher to gauge students’ background knowledge and to inform instruction later in the teaching.

Allow the conversation to continue for up to five minutes. Then, tell students that they will be viewing a short two-minute clip from an interview with the book’s author, Robbie Robertson. (Play the first two minutes.) While students watch the video, write several keywords on the white board, including relatives, longhouse, elder, Native tongue, sacred, Haudenosaunee, and People of the Six Nations. After students watch the first two minutes of the video, ask them to turn and talk with a partner about the following questions: After watching the video and looking at the cover of the book, who or what do you think this story is about? How do you think Robbie Robertson might be connected to the characters in this story? Students will need at least four minutes for the turn-and-talk session. After they discuss with one another, ask for volunteers to share a prediction or idea that their partner articulated. Next, share with students that Robbie Robertson, the author, is part of the Mohawk tribe and that this story is one that he learned from elders in his tribe about their history.

Read the book. Possible questions to ask during or after the read aloud include: Why doesn’t Hiawatha believe in the Peacemaker’s message of peace? Do you think a stone canoe would usually float? What makes Hiawatha change his mind and go with the Peacemaker? What does the Peacemaker mean when he says, “Alone we will be broken, but together we are more powerful than the greatest warrior.” Why is Hiawatha able to remember joyful times with his family now? How does Tadodaho feel about drinking medicine prepared by Hiawatha? What happened to Tadodaho at the end of the book?

End by asking: What government system did the people of the Mohawk, Cayuga, Onondaga, Oneida, and Seneca tribes agree on? Tell students that the Great Law of Peace still exists today, and that the founders of the United States learned from this system of government.

Additional note to teachers:  For those with fewer time limitations, please consider showing more of the video, where Robertson explains how the name Hiawatha was confused by Longfellow and where he talks about his story of becoming a musician and his childhood experience with his native relatives.

 

Day 2: Rock and Roll Highway: The Robbie Robertson Story

Enduring understandings:

    • Mohawk people and other Native peoples still live in the United States and Canada today.
    • Robbie Robertson drew upon his Mohawk traditions, musical knowledge, and strong family connections to build a successful and influential career in music.

Materials needed:

    • Rock and Roll Highway: The Robbie Robertson Story by Sebastian Robertson.
    • A photo of Robbie Robertson (perhaps one that can be projected).
    • Equipment to play an audio CD.
    • iPad for each student.

 

Remind students that they previously listened to a read aloud of Hiawatha and the Peacemaker. Ask students what they remember about the story and the author. If necessary, remind students that the story explained the origin of the Great Law of Peace (democracy in the government of the People of the Six Nations). Remind students that Robbie Robertson is a member of the Mohawk tribe and also has Cayuga heritage. Show a photo of Robbie Robertson, such as this one from Rolling Stone magazine:  https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/robbie-robertson-talks-native-american-heritage-new-childrens-book-43669/

Play students the CD that comes with Hiawatha and the Peacemaker. Tell students that Robbie Robertson is an author but that he is most famous as a musician. Tell them that the song was written by Robbie Robertson to tell the story of Hiawatha and that listening to the song will help them remember the plot of the story.

Tell students that they will be listening to a biography about Robbie Robertson, written by his son. Tell students that First Nations is the term that most Canadians use to describe indigenous people. Ask students what terms they have heard or used instead of First Nations. Use this opportunity to impress upon students the importance of being as specific as possible in naming others and asking for their preferences.

Read the book.

After reading the book, tell students that they will be using an app called Flipgrid to share a response to Rock and Roll Highway: The Robbie Robertson Story. Share the following questions with students: 1.) Robbie Robertson and Hiawatha are both from the Mohawk tribe. How are their lives similar? How are they different? 2.) Knowing that Robbie Robertson is a member of the Mohawk tribe, did anything about his life surprise you? If so, what? 3.) How did Robbie Robertson’s time on the reservation help him succeed as a musician? Tell students that they will choose one question to answer. They will use Flipgrid to record and share their response with the teacher and their classmates. Instruct the students to work independently.

Additional note to teachers: If you do not have iPads for your students, or if you do not have Internet access or the app Flipgrid, your students could write a paragraph in answer to any one of the three questions.  For accommodating/encouraging multiliteracies, students might also create a poem or song lyrics, and they might sketch or create a watercolor that is inspired by Robbie Robertson’s music/life and be prepared to make oral comments to the teacher about their work. For teachers of older students, you might also add a reading assignment of the interview in Rolling Stone.

 

Day 3: Crossing Bok Chitto

 Enduring Understandings:

    • Throughout history, people have worked to bring more fairness and justice to the world.
    • Different Native peoples in the United States have had interactions with many different groups of people throughout history, including enslaved African Americans.

Materials needed:

    • Crossing Bok Chitto by Tim Tingle.
    • Computer, projector, and Internet access.
    • iPad for each student.

 

Before starting the read aloud, ask student volunteers to describe a time in their lives when they helped someone even though it wasn’t easy to do so. Perhaps give them an example of an act that is relevant to fifth-graders’ lives, such as defending a friend from a bully on the playground?  If necessary, ask follow up questions: Why wasn’t it easy to help? Was it worth it?

Tell students that they will be listening to a read-aloud about a group of Native Americans from a tribe very different from the Mohawks. Using a computer, project Google Earth. Show students the location of traditional Choctaw homelands in what is now known as the state of Mississippi. Compare this to the First Nations reservation where Robbie Robertson’s relatives lived in Ontario. Explain that at the time and place where Crossing Bok Chitto is set, slavery still existed in the United States. Ask students what they already know about slavery in the United States and write their ideas on the board.

Read the book. Possible questions to ask while reading the book include: Why did Little Mo help Martha Tom find her way home? What would you have done in the same situation? Were they really invisible? Why didn’t the white people notice them? Why does Little Mo’s family decide to cross Bok Chitto? What will happen if they get caught? Do you think crossing the river is worth the risk? Why or why not? Why do you think Martha Tom’s community helps Little Mo’s family?

After the read-aloud, end by having students make a Flipgrid response to the following question: Crossing Bok Chitto told us about many injustices that enslaved people faced in the United States. What did characters in this story (for example, Little Mo’s family or the Choctaw people) do to resist these injustices?

Additional note to teachers: Again, if you do not have iPads for your students, or if you do not have Internet or the app Flipgrid, your students could write a paragraph to answer the question about resistance to injustices.  For accommodating/encouraging multiliteracies, students might also create a poem or they might sketch or create a watercolor that is inspired by Crossing Bok Chitto and be prepared to make oral comments to the teacher about their work.

 

Day 4: Chester Nez and the Unbreakable Code

Enduring Understandings:

    • Throughout US history, Native Americans have made major contributions to American life.
    • There are many Native veterans who have fought in wars for the United States.

Materials needed:

    • Chester Nez and the Unbreakable Code by Joseph Bruchac.
    • Computer, projector, and Internet access.
    • iPad for each student.

 

Before reading Chester Nez and the Unbreakable Code, show students the video Warriors and Veterans by Roberta (“Bobbie”) Conner. (Please note that the requirement of Flash might mean you should use an older computer to project this video; but, the Tribal Legacy project will eventually be migrated to a new platform that doesn’t require Flash.) After watching the video, ask students: Why do you think Native people were willing to fight in the United States armed forces even though they didn’t get to vote? What wars does Bobbie Conner mention in her video?

Tell students that Chester Nez and the Unbreakable Code takes place during World War II and he was Navajo.  Read the book.

After the read-aloud, end by having students make a Flipgrid video about one of the following questions: 1.) How did Chester Nez and the other Navajo Codetalkers help the United States during World War II? 2.) How did Chester Nez stand up for himself when facing injustices? 3.) Why did the United States government force Chester Nez to attend boarding school? Were his teachers right when they taught him that his language and culture did not matter? Why or why not?

Additional note to teachers: Again, if you do not have iPads for your students, or if you do not have Internet or the app Flipgrid, your students could write a paragraph to answer one of the questions. For accommodating/encouraging multiliteracies, students might also devise a way to speak or write in code to communicate with others for planning a rebellion in a situation where they were being treated unjustly.

 

Day 5: When We Were Alone

Enduring Understandings:

    • Throughout history, people have worked to bring more fairness and justice to the world.
    • Different Native peoples in the United States have had interactions with many different groups of people throughout history, including enslaved African Americans.

Materials needed:

    • When We Were Alone by David Robertson.
    • Computer, projector, and Internet access.
    • iPad for each student.

 

Before reading When We Were Alone, show students the video Boarding School Life by Marcella LaBeau (Cheyenne). (Please note that the requirement of Flash might mean you should use an older computer to project this video; but, the Tribal Legacy project will eventually be migrated to a new platform that doesn’t require Flash.) Ask students to think about the following questions while watching the video: What was a residential school? Was it fair that Marcella LaBeau had to attend a residential school? How did going to a residential school impact Marcella LaBeau’s life? Debrief these questions after watching the video.

Read the book.

After the read-aloud, end by having students make a Flipgrid video about one of the following questions: 1.) How did attending the residential schools affect Marcella LaBeau and the characters in When We Were Alone? 2.) If you had to attend a residential school, how would you feel and why? 3.) How did the characters in When We Were Alone resist the unjust rules made by the school?

Additional notes to teachers: 1) I chose these picture books as read-alouds because they are high quality and were already in my school library collection. As I am able to procure more books, I will update this document with more learning activities. Other possible read-alouds include Buffalo Bird Girl, Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse, and Powwow’s Coming. 2) Again, if you do not have iPads for your students, or if you do not have Internet or the app Flipgrid, your students could write a paragraph to answer one of the questions above. For accommodating/encouraging multiliteracies, students might also sketch or make a watercolor that captures some of what Marcella LaBeau or the characters in When We Were Alone describes about the boarding school experience.