NEW WORDS:
encampment
radius
smudgefire
provided
insects
pleasant
prepared
pemmican
heroine
rendered
invitation
abundant
immediately

ASSINIBOINE WOMAN
MAKING GREASE

Developed by the Assiniboine Curriculum Committee

of the Ft. Peck Reservation

GEOGRAPHICAL AREA: Plains Region

STORY TYPE(S): Description of Culture/Indian Values

Summary:

This story begins with a description of how buffalo meat and hides were
prepared and how grease is rendered. It also tells of how a woman making
grease stayed behind alone when her camp moved to another location.
While finishing her task, a group of enemy warriors came to her lodge.
Knowing she was in danger, the Assiniboine woman tricked the warriors
into following her to the edge of a buffalo jump in the dark of night.
The warriors, anxious to capture the woman, ran over the edge, killing
themselves.

This story type is a description of culture because it describes the prep-
aration of buffalo meat, hides and grease. It also shows how important it
is to be cool and calm when faced with danger. It points out the need to
know survival skills in order to protect oneself against danger when
alone.

Teacher Guided Activities:

1. Recall the story of Snail Woman at
Sqale. Discuss the power of positive
thinking shown by the second group of
children in that story. Compare the
Assiniboine woman's resourcefulness,
and discuss some good survival skills
to know when outdoors. Make a class
list. (Use a Boy Scout Handbook or re-
source person for additional sugges-
tions.)

You may even want to develop a safety unit, including first aid, finding
directions when lost, protecting yourself against the elements, etc.

2. Discuss the use of grease for the mak-

it od ing of candles and soap. Explore the
33°CE a use of grease for lights and cooking.
Pam Maybe there are times when students

are expected to cook for themselves.

It would be wise to list safety precautions to use when cooking with
grease. How do you put out a grease fire?

51


Bm 0 DO &

OU

STUDENT WORKSHEET

RUNNING FREE

Write a story about a pet that you have had or one that you
know someone else has had.

Discuss what things you must do to take good care of a pet and
why. Make a booklet with pictures.

Locate and read another story about an unusual pet.

9

If you have seen any movies or TV shows such as “Born Free,”
retell the story into a tape recorder. (See Firetalk Activity
Card)

Interview a friend who has a pet and write the answers to the
following questions.

¢ What kind of pet do you have?

¢ Describe how it looks and acts.

¢ What do you like most/least about it?

¢ What do you have to do to take care of it?

115


PROGRAM
ORGANIZATION

On the following pages you will find an overall plan for
the implementation of Level IV of The Indian Reading.
Series. The ideas are only suggestions which you may
adapt to fit your particular class. Since this Series
supplements best the language experience approach
to reading, teachers should conscientiously attempt
to insure that students complete the language cycle,
(i.e., talking, performing, writing, reading) wherever
possible, even if not specified in the Teacher’s Manual
or on the student activity cards. Authentic discourse
is communication in which there is a real audience to
which one sends oral, written or nonverbal messages.

Level IV has three major components: the thirty-six
stories published in twenty one booklets, the Teach-
er’s Manual and a set of student activity cards.

17




NEW WORDS:
approaches
perk

corral
proceeded
realizes
majestic
independently
established
delicacy
referred
reluctant
roach

kidneys
glorious
extremely
anxious

WARRIOR PEOPLE

Developed by members of the Blackfeet Tribe
GEOGRAPHICAL AREA: Plains Region
STORY TYPE(S): Description of Culture/Indian Values

Summary:

After returning from a hunting trip Weasel Necklace told his grand-
daughter Snowbird about her tribe and how they got their name. He
explained the relationship of the different bands of Blackfeet: where
they now live and how they got there. He also talked about respect and
the need for a good education.

This story is a culmination of all the stories. It illustrates the oral
tradition as the grandfather shares with his granddaughter the beauty of
the history and traditions of their people. It shows the real love of an
elder and his sincere desire to equip his granddaughter with the knowledge
of self that she will need in order to survive.

This story also shows the juxtaposition of traditional and contemporary
life to which all Indian people must adapt, and it reminds each reader
not to “forget the ways of your people.”

This story, as all these stories, gives us pleasure and power and peace.
It strengthens our hearts and gives us a place on this ground to continue
becoming who we are at our best.

Teacher Guided Activities:

1. Using this story, ask students to sum-
marize what they have learned about
oral tradition, Indians of the North-
west, different types of stories and the
different values emphasized within the
stories.

If possible, take students on an overnight, early morning or after school
evening outing at which time students may share their favorite “Firetalk”
with the group. Each student should be prepared to tell an original story
around the campfire or at sunrise.

If it is possible to have an overnight outing prepare Indian food. Try
setting up a tepee or using any of the information learned from the stories.

If you have saved the Antelope Award (see Indian Names Card) to be

given out at the end of the year, this outing would be an appropriate
time to distribute them.

141




STUDENT WORKSHEET

NOSY COYOTE

Leave a cookie or some fruit inside the desk with a ribbon and
a tag signed, “Your Secret Santa.”

Make a Christmas decoration. It could be a stocking or a paper
chain, or something that could be hung on the tree.

Get a cutting from a house plant and put it in a jar of water
to root. Wrap the roots in a wet paper towel. Place it in a small
plastic bag and tie a ribbon around it. Put it in water when you
get to school. Leave it on the person’s desk perhaps with in-
structions on how to take care of it.

Make a Christmas card using a shape which looks like the sea-
son. Write an original poem on it.

Find a neat rock, plant or something else you might want to
give.

111


PHOTO: LONE DOG’S WINTERCOUNT

Following is an English translation of the individual years represented and a description of
pictographs.

Photo Courtesy of Museum of the American Indian, Heye Foundation

60




weekly basis. Journal entries should cover at least one full page for each
week.

By writing regularly, students’ writing ability should improve, although
the journals should not be corrected for grammar, punctuation, etc. A
student’s ability to understand their experiences may deepen by reflect-
ing on their experiences and writing them down. The interaction or
response that you give to the journals should help further their under-
standing.

The journal is not for the purpose of criticism or to evaluate student
writing. It should be used as a sincere way to begin to know and under-
stand each one of your students.

Read the following description of a journal to the whole class and discuss
the “Suggestions for Writing a Journal” as students read along.

A journal is partly like a diary and sometimes like a newspaper. But mostly
a journal is about the individual writing it. The most important person
one needs to get to know really well in this world is oneself. A journal can
help anyone put into words personal experiences, thoughts, or feelings. It
can help one to think more clearly about daily life. It could help one to
understand why things are done as they are.

71


INDIANS WERE ALWAYS GOOD READERS

SIGNS OF NATURE BOOKS





Student Activity Card(s):
See Paints and Earth Bags Card (23A-23B).

126


6 See if you can understand the following story made with
pictographs.

This is a story about how one tribe split up and became two
tribes. They each practiced a religion or life style according to
visions that two brothers had. These tribes are now known as
the Crow of Montana who followed the way of the tobacco and
the Hidatsa of North Dakota who became farmers, mainly corn
growers.

Two brothers went fasting (went without water). One was
shown how to use tobacco and the other was shown how to
use corn. The brothers split camp. One went to the moun-
tains and found tobacco. He was shown a way of being people.
He was also shown how to use tobacco in the tepee.

e

iH
Als
aX) er 4

LATA KAS ,
a

The same way that a wintercount tells the story of time, other
stories were also told.

66


Value Stories

Indian values permeate all the stories, though in some the value being emphasized is more
obvious. These stories show the consequences of good and bad behavior and poke fun at
foolishness. Since instilling strong cultural values in children was a prime objective of story
telling, these stories present ideal opportunities to promote positive behavior in all students.

Description of Culture Stories

These stories explain in detail the appearance and use of cultural objects, ceremonies, or
life-style of individual tribes. Within Level IV are stories about tribal history, basket and
canoe making, tanning hides and traditional tribal dwellings.

Ideas About Spiritual Beliefs

These stories allude to the idea that Indian people prayed and fasted to receive a dream or
vision which would direct them throughout life. In order to understand these stories teachers
and students alike must recognize the impact of such events on an individual’s life. Reference
is made to spirits and dreams, and time is taken within the Teacher’s Manual to try to explain
the meaning of such terms within the context of these stories. The ways in which Indian
people have sought to maintain their spiritual beliefs may not be familiar to the non-Indian
but this idea should be recognized and respected.

New Words and Native Words

Unfamiliar, difficult or native words have been identified. These may be introduced prior to read-
ing the stories. Proper pronunciation of native words should be encouraged. A phonetic spelling
of tribal names is included in the “Firetalk” activity card.

Summary

Each story is summarized. In addition unfamiliar concepts are defined and the main idea is
clarified and further developed. Many key cultural ideas are identified here, as well as in some
student activity cards.

Teacher Guided Activities

Teacher guided activities require some teacher preparation and often involve leading the students

ina discussion. Many activities direct the teacher to draw upon resources within the community in
an attempt to make the school experience more relevant to the Indian students.

24


NEW WORDS:
screamed
gobbled
slithered

OWL'S EYES
Kootenai Stories

Developed by the Kootenai Cultural Committee of the Confederated
Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Reservation
GEOGRAPHICAL AREA: Plateau Region

STORY TYPE(S): Natural Phenomena

Summary:

Mouse and Ow! were good friends. Mouse wanted to play but he could not
get Owl’s attention because Owl was asleep. Lurking in the bushes was
Mr. Snake who crawled quietly up and ate Mouse. Mouse only screamed
once which woke up Owl. Owl, unable to help his friend, was so sur-
prised his eyes got big.

This story offers an explanation of why owls have big eyes.
Teacher Guided Activities:

1. Have students go through magazines
and cut out pictures of different facial
expressions. Put them on a bulletin
board and have students try to identify
or describe the expression and the feel-
ing that motivated it.

They could look up the spelling of the words and write them on strips
of paper. The paper strips could be tacked near the expression being de-
picted. Encourage your students to use synonyms for over worked words
like sad or happy.

_] SURPRISE A GLUM
SAD
AWE
“TROUBLED

Introduce new words of expression as you come across them in your
reading.

2. Students should work in pairs with one
of the students being the initiator of
facial and body expressions while the
other partner tries to be a mirror and do
exactly as his or her partner has done.

95


Language Arts

Level IV gives students ample opportunities
to practice the language arts skills of reading,
listening, speaking and writing — all within a
cultural context. The pictographic symbol
chosen for language arts activities represents
the exchange which traditionally took place
between elders and youth as stories were
passed from one generation to the next. As the
lines between the two seated individuals sug-
gest, the exchange required the active partici-
pation of both the speaker and the listener. It
is this active participation which Level IV
attempts to recreate using the stories of tribes
from the Pacific Northwest.

Activities such as discussing, role playing,
pantomiming, reading aloud, retelling stories,
writing script and poetry will immerse stu-
dents in the thought and spirit of the stories.
All such activities will be identified using the
pictographic symbol labeled “Firetalk.”

31






Offering Good Thoughts
15-A
15-B

Talking Rocks
16-A
16-B

Seeking a Spirit
17-A
17-B

Indian Leaders
18-A
18-B

Whipman
19-A
19-B

Puppets and Stuff
20-A
20-B

Gift Giving
21-A
21-B
21-C
21-D

Magic Tricks
22-A
22-B

Paints and Earth Bags
23-A
23-B

Northwest Homes
24-A
24-B

Baskets
25-A
25-B

Listen, Touch, Reflect
26-A
26-B

Coyote and Tick
How Deer Hide Was Tanned
Coyote’s Dry Meat Turns to Live

Owl’s Eyes

Na-See-Natchez

Seeking a Spirit

Chief Mountain’s Medicine

Coyote and the Two Sisters

Coyote and the Cougar
How Coyote Tricked Porcupine
Coyote Gets Lovesick

Nosy Coyote

Coyote and the Cowboys

Napi’s Journey

Our Homes Then and Now

Tepee Making

Baskets and Canoes

Warrior People

27


In later years some wintercounts were changed to read from right to left,
and some were transferred to cloth or paper notebooks using colored pen-
cils or ink.

Following is a real wintercount. The events depicted with pictographic
symbols are explained on the following pages. Once students understand
this wintercount kept by Lone Dog, they may be better able to keep a
wintercount of their own.

59


or
Have one partner make facial expressions while the other partner tries to
guess how they feel. If the one guessing is right then switch roles. If
they are wrong the other partner takes their turn at another expression.

Student Activity Card(s):
See Talking Rocks Card (16A-16B).

96


How are they different? Was Coyote concerned about what kind of a per-
son the woman was or how she acted toward other people? What did
Coyote really know about the woman besides the fact that she was
beautiful?
What do the following sentences mean?

Beauty is only skin deep.

You shouldn’t judge a book by its cover.

Student Activity Card(s):
See Writing Script Card (13A-13B) and
Puppets and Stuff Card (20A-20B).

118


INTRODUCTION

Because these stories were originally transmitted
orally, we feel strongly that the introduction to them
should be presented in an oral fashion. Therefore, we
recommend that before students read the first story,
The Weasel and the Eagle, each teacher either memo-
rizes the story and recites it to the class or tries
retelling it coming as close to the original story as
possible.

This experience is invaluable in becoming sensitive to
the intricacies of the oral tradition which we hope
teachers will share with their students. Many activi-
ties required of the students involve developing their
abilities to tell stories (see Firetalk activity card) and
each teacher, having gone through a similar experi-
ence, will better be able to help students. The ac-
tivities are also suggestions for getting students to
participate in a broad range of discourse through
language arts.

We also encourage teachers to invite local story tellers
into the classroom as often as possible.

With other stories it would be helpful to periodically
repeat this type of story introduction or perhaps draft
students to try it. Another option for later stories is to
read the story several times and then tape record it to
play for the class.

37


NEW WORDS:
warning
recently

especially
sneaked
ignored
distance
lure
mauled
companion
incident
destination
urge
replied
comfort
tempting
delayed

BEAR TEPEE

Developed by members of the Northern Cheyenne Tribe
GEOGRAPHICAL AREA: Plains Region
STORY TYPE(S): Natural Phenomena/Indian Values

Summary:

Despite warnings, Indian Maiden went into some bushes to pick berries
and fell victim to the powers of a bear who turned her into Bear Woman.
Bear Woman captured her sister and mother. They remained in her power
until, with the aid of seven brothers, they escaped. With Bear Woman in
pursuit, the eldest brother used his special bow and arrow power to pro-
ject them all to the top of a giant rock formation out of the reach of
Bear Woman. Bear Woman clawed at the rock, leaving indentations in the
rock in an unsuccessful attempt to capture the family. The rock formation
is known as the Bear Tepee to the Northern Cheyenne. To many others
it is called the Devil’s Tower.

Bear Tepee has often been viewed as a mysterious and unique land forma-
tion and was often the home of bears in the region. These things, com-
bined with the particular powers which the bear is believed to have, dis-
couraged many Indian people from settling or hunting in its immediate
vicinity. It is no small wonder that this story was developed to warn
others not to go near this place.

As seen in many stories, characters usually pay serious consequences for
ignoring advice. Indian Maiden not only brought misfortune upon herself
but her family as well.

Teacher Guided Activities:

1. Ask your students if they have been
cautioned about specific areas in their
community. What real dangers are
present in these areas?

Have students write a story which would warn others of the dangers ina
specific area, or have students pick another unique land formation like
Devil's Tower and try to create a story about where it came from or how
it was formed.

2. Have students make a paper maché
pie — model of Bear Tepee or paint or draw a
Re = draw a picture of this unusual land
Ants * ‘. .
Amy form. Discuss how this might have
been formed.




DEDICATION

We dedicate this Teacher’s Manual to our Indian children.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The Indian Reading and Language Development Program relies heavily on classroom teachers
who provide feedback on how stories may be used most effectively. We truly appreciate the time
and effort contributed by the following teachers in the development of the Level IV Teacher’s

Manual.

David Wolfle Elementary
Kingston, Washington
Robert Ley, Principal
John Holt

Gladys Parrish

Hood Canal Elementary
Shelton, Washington
Bob Denny, Principal
Mary Straub

Taholah Elementary
Taholah, Washington
Michael Ward, Principal
Charlotte Miller

Warm Springs Elementary
Warm Springs, Oregon
Mike Darcy, Principal
Laura Fuentes

Jeff Henry

Denver Sensibaugh
Stefanie Vargas

Busby Elementary
Busby, Montana
Clarice Baker, Principal
Dave Tompkins
Corinne Steele

Nancy Lafferty

Wyola Elementary
Wyola, Montana

Dave Wilson, Principal
Lucy Russell

Chiloquin Elementary
Chiloquin, Oregon

Don Swanenberg, Principal
Robin Davis

Maxine Kizer

Siletz Elementary
Siletz, Oregon

Ron Williams, Principal
Lean Hern

Fort Hall Elementary
Fort Hall, Idaho
Dewane Wren, Principal
Donna McArthur

Tyhee Elementary
Pocatello, Idaho

George Mickelson, Principal
Barbara Hendricks

Pryor Elementary
Pryor, Montana
Don Pont, Principal
Mary Pont

Labre Indian School
Ashland, Montana
Lyman Morin, Principal
Mary Ellen Keen

iii


Following the Student Activity Card is a list of optional activities which
you may want to reproduce for student use.

Student Activity Card(s):
See Listen, Touch, Reflect Card (26A-26B).

142


Community

34

pA

Since The Indian Reading Serieswas initially
created to respond to a need recognized by
Indian people themselves, the community can
be considered the key to the successful execu-
tion of the program. The materials reflect the
interest of Indian children and their cultural
heritage and have been authenticated by tribal
members through their councils.

It is important that Indian parents see their
children using authentic materials which re-
flect their culture, for in doing so, the school
has recognized the valuable contributions to
be made by the Indian community. Tradition-
ally, education of Indian children was mainly
the effort of extended family members or of
skilled tribespeople. One’s mentor was a per-
son that loved the child and had an intimate
knowledge and respect of his family. Since
formal education of the Indian child has histor-
ically been controlled by the non-Indian, it is
no wonder that Indian people desire to be
intricately involved in decisions and the cur-
riculum content of their children’s education.

Wherever possible the teacher's manual offers
suggestions to further involve community
members in the classroom. Activities which
emphasize this type of involvement will be
identified using the pictograph which shows a
Plains Indian encampment.

It is the joint effort of individuals which de-
fines what one’s community will be. In an
Indian community an individual is successful
in life insofar as he acquires the respect and
esteem of his people. The program, through
the stories, attempts to emphasize the impor-
tance of a person functioning in a harmonious
way with nature and with people, for it is the
membership in a community of related people
by which each individual owes his existence
and definition of being.

What better place to build a sense of communi-
ty than in a classroom where not only students
share ideas with each other and their teacher,
but with parents and adults from their com-
munity as well.


STUDENT WORKSHEET

HOW THE SUMMER
SEASON CAME

1 Choose your favorite season and describe the things you like to
do most during your favorite season.

2 Make a muralor filmstrip showing a scene as it changes through
the seasons.

3 Depending on the season your list will change. Take a walk and
list as many signs of the season as possible. You may only list
what you, yourself, see, hear, smell, or touch.

4 Makea report on the changes that animals make to get ready
for each season.

5 Choose a place in your community; a hill, a highway, a river,
etc. Write as if you were the place and describe yourself as you
change through the seasons. Begin each line with “If I were...”

Think of what you see, hear, feel and smell. Are you happy, sad,
excited, bored? Tell everything you can about yourself!

65


THINGS TO WRITE ABOUT

74

What do you like most about yourself?
What things do you like least?

Describe your community. What would make your neigh-
borhood the best place to be?

Describe your surroundings at different times of the day,
sunrise, noon, sunset or night. Describe how you feel dur-
ing the different seasons.




2. Identify some traditional and contem-

porary leaders in the Indian community.

Read or tell their story to the class or

N direct students to available resources.
Invite local tribal leaders to visit your

class to explain how they developed
their own talents.

Ask students to write a paragraph about any three people of their own
choosing. Say, “If you could meet any three people in the world, past or
present, who would you choose? Write a paragraph about who you would
choose and why.”

8. Direct students to read a biography or
autobiography and share something
they felt was important about the per-
son’s life with at least one other person.

This could also be shared at home with a parent, grandparent or other
family member. Also ask students to discuss what characteristics the
person exhibited that enabled them to achieve something significant.

Student Activity Card(s):
See Indian Leaders Card (18A-18B).

100


NEW WORDS:
separate
companion
situation
mournful
accidentally
slyer

aspen
quaking
gust
buckbush
gunnysack
convince

COYOTE AND COWBOYS

Developed by members of the Fort Hall Reservation Committee
GEOGRAPHICAL AREA: Plateau Region
STORY TYPE(S): Indian Values

Summary:

Coyote and Cowboy decided to have a contest to see which of the two was
the trickiest. Coyote tricked the pants right off Cowboy before the contest
even began. Coyote used the excuse that he had to go home to get his
power to be tricky. When the Cowboy’s horse would stop, Coyote asked
Cowboy for more of his possessions until he had them all.

The Cowboy became very angry when he discovered he had been out-
smarted and when he caught up with Coyote again, he hung Coyote in a
gunny sack and left him to starve. Coyote, however, convinced another
cowboy to trade places with him by telling the cowboy that he would re-
ceive a beautiful wife if he was in the gunny sack.

Cowboy had decided to prove himself better than someone else, in this
case Coyote. One should be satisfied with his or her own powers. It is not
necessary to always have to prove that a person is better than someone
else. Each individual has unique gifts. Each is better than someone in
something. Because Cowboy had to prove himself better than another he
made himself look foolish and lost all in the end.

Coyote is a rascal who merely took advantage of another's foolishness.
Unfortunately, there are always sly and tricky people who should be
treated with caution.

Teacher Guided Activities:

1. Discuss the idea of having to prove one’s
ability. When is it necessary to do so?
When is it not necessary? Ask students
to list the things which they can do well.

Which of those things listed have they had to prove or demonstrate? Why?
Have them star those items. Ask them to identify things which they are
not good at doing and would not want to prove or demonstrate.

Discuss how each might improve those areas where they lack confidence.
What does practice do to one’s abilities?

Student Activity Card(s):
See Magic Tricks Card (22A-22B).

123


Developed by the Pacific Northwest Indian Reading and Language Development Program,
Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory, 300 Southwest Sixth Avenue, Portland,
Oregon 97204

Copyright 1981 by Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory
All rights reserved.

The work upon which this publication is based was performed pursuant to Contract
No. 400-80-0105 with the National Institute of Education. It does not, however,
necessarily reflect the views of that agency.

Printed and bound in the United States of America


NEW WORDS:
costumes
stomach
colorful
meadowlark

COYOTE AND HIS BIG BROTHER WOLF
Coyote the Trickster

Developed by the Burns Paiute Reservation
GEOGRAPHICAL AREA: Plateau Region
STORY TYPE(S): Indian Values

Summary:

Coyote and Wolf went for a walk and Coyote decided to visit relatives.
Wolf, knowing the bad habits of each relative, warned Coyote what would
happen. Coyote, however, did not listen and usually got into mischief.

This story is intended to entertain yet it also shows how foolish and
troublesome one can be when ignoring the good advice from elders. Al-
though some good things may result, it is more likely that misfortune
will prevail.

Teacher Guided Activities:

1. Discuss the use of manners or customs
when talking with relatives. Within
some Indian communities there are
strict codes of behavior when around
certain relatives.

For example, only certain relationships allow individuals the right to tease
each other. Often only aunts and uncles are responsible for discipline. En-
courage students to identify what customs of behavior they have noticed
in operation in their own community.

It is important to have students identify why manners are observed. You
may want to review class manners for visitors. For example: “Do you lay
across the doorway when visitors or relatives come to visit? Do you comb
your hair and offer fleas to visitors or relatives when they come to dinner?”
Relate the story situations to other behaviors in contemporary settings.

2. Review the Writing Script Card with the
class. To give students a chance to prac-
tice the techniques on the card, have the
Four Winds groups write the dialogue
one might use when going to visit his
relatives. What type of greeting is
appropriate?

Student Activity Card(s):
See Writing Script Card (13A-13B).

101




The men charged. They shot with their bows and arrows. The bear fell over and the men knew they
had wounded it. They had shot it in the shoulder with many arrows.

The men rushed back to the camp saying, “Everybody move. Take your lodges down so we may
leave this place. We just wounded a bear and it will probably go mad. We must leave this area at
once.” The Gros Ventres (Grow Vont) immediately broke camp and left the area. The only lodge
still standing was the one that belonged to the seven brothers and their sister. Even their parents
had left, for they too were afraid of the wounded bear.

While the camp was moving the brothers were still with their sister trying to comfort her. They had
no medicines and knew of no way to help her. Finally, one brother said, “Let’s take her back to our
lodge and take care of her. She’s suffering and we have to try to help her some way.” They took her.
back to their lodge and laid her down. She kept moaning and groaning and seemed to be in a lot of
pain from the wound in her shoulder. The boys were confused and wondered what to do for her. One
of the boys said, “Let’s go down to the creek. At least we'll get her some water so she can drink.”
They went down to the creek and got some water for her and brought it back. After they did this
they went back down to the creek. They all started to cry because they knew their sister had been
changed into a bear and had been wounded. She was in a lot of pain and it was all their fault for
wanting her to be the bear in the game.

Suddenly a man appeared to them and said, “Don’t cry children. I'll help you. I know your troubles.
I know all about it. Tell me what you want to have done.”

One of the boys said, “Well, our sister is lying in our lodge up there suffering because she was
wounded in the shoulder and we don’t know what to do for her.” Then the man said, “Well, she must
be hungry by now. I'll go down by the creek and get a little bush rabbit for you. Here, take this te
your sister, but before you do, take the hide off and make a big fire someplace and roast it for her.”
The boys did this and returned to their lodge with the man.

Then the man said, “You know, I'm kind of worried about you children. I don’t think you should
stay with your sister. I think you should run away. Your sister is suffering and she’s liable to go
mad and kill all of you. They say that bears go mad when they’re sick or wounded so you must do
exactly as I tell you. Go into the lodge and instead of feeding the rabbit to your sister, throw it into
the wound on her shoulder. Then I will grant you three of four wishes so that you will be able to get
away from her and be rid of her. She is a bear now and it will be better if you no longer see her or
have anything to do with her.”

The boys did as they were told. They went into the lodge and threw the cooked rabbit on the bear's
wound and this immediately sent her into a rage. The boys left the lodge while the bear was busy
trying to remove the hot meat from its open wound.

The first wish that the man gave the boys was that a huge prairie fire would start. They were to
cross a ravine and the fire would be behind them which would stop the bear from chasing them.
After the fire began the boys crossed the ravine. They looked back to see if the fire had stopped the
bear. Much to their surprise, the bear had crossed through the fire and was still chasing them.

The boys knew that the bear would soon catch them since she could run faster than they could.
They wished the second wish that the man gave them. The wish was that the whole area would be
covered with cactus and the bear would be stopped by that. However, the bear started across the
cactus patch and was soon full of large thorns from the cactus.

81


Once they have chosen their skill they must challenge the other groups.
Keep track of how the groups do in competition and award the winning
group in each category an Antelope Award. Point out that we all have
some things we can do better than some one else.

Student Activity Card(s):
See Indian Names Card (8A-8B).

If your students already have Indian names, these will be the easiest to
illustrate as a pictographic signature. Students should be encouraged to
look up the meaning of their first or last name. The meaning of a name
may suggest some ideas also.

Historically, Indians did not have first and last names nor were they
necessarily handed down to their offspring. In this way Indian people
derived a measure of individuality. Usually a baby was named by the par-
ents or grandparents but this name was dropped by age 10-12 or sooner.

A person earned their name, often based on physical and/or personal-
ity characteristics or achievements. Sometimes names were derived
from spirit helpers seen during vision quests. Consequently having a
name based on achievements made a person proud. Being addressed by
that name for a lifetime might encourage a person to develop favorable
patterns.

For the Antelope Award you may want to consider its use as a follow-up

to Dream Shields. Antelope Awards could be presented at the end of the
year to students who have pursued their dream to the best extent possible.

76


us is a good thing.
Like the heat of the fire these stories warm us.
Like the usefulness of the fire these stories help us; teach us.
Like the beauty of the fire these stories give us pleasure.

Like the ashes of the fire these stories rest in our memory and stir our
thoughts, thoughts from the shadow of a flame. . .

These stories are from Indian people. These stories are from Grandpas, Grandmas, Moms, Dads,
Brothers and Sisters. These stories are from them. They are the ones who show children things.
They are the teachers.

These stories are told because children are coming to be on this ground. They are told because
children want to know why.

Why are there so many jellyfish in the water at the upper end of Sinclair
Inlet?

Why are there alligators in Florida and not in The Dalles?
Why are owls’ eyes big and crows’ feathers black?

Why are there only so many summer months?

Why are rocks so different?

These stories tell of whatever is around us; the plants, the water, the ground, the sky, the stars, the
moon, thesun. . . life. These stories tell of the animals and show us how we are like our sisters and
brothers. The animals are like people; some good, some bad. The animals talked to each other and
they talked to the people. At that time the way they moved was different. At that time the way the
ground moved was different. Now, some people don’t talk to animals. Now, some people don’t talk
to people. These stories remind us how much we have changed and how much we have lost.

But we are building fires again. We are telling these stories again. We are thinking good thoughts
and building good hearts in our children. When life rests in the mean winter, when white days are
short, dried berries come back to life from boiling water. That is the time the people tell stories and
eat the berry pudding. That is the time to think and to listen to the old ones and rekindle your spirit
gazing into the fire. These stories give us pleasure and power and peace and they strengthen our
hearts and give us a place on this ground to continue becoming who we are at our very best.

Like the heat of the fire these stories warm us.
Like the usefulness of the fire these stories help us; teach us.
Like the beauty of the fire these stories give us pleasure.

Like the ashes of the fire these stories rest in our memory and stir our
thoughts, thoughts from the shadow of a flame. . .

Robin A. Butterfield
Henry Real Bird


46

Keep a record for a month of all the wild animals (mice, rats,
bats, squirrels, rabbits, skunks, gophers, mink, muskrats,
beaver, deer, fox or coyotes, etc.) you see. Maybe include a
note about what environment each was seen in and/or what
activity it was doing.

Reread The Weasel and the Eagle and think about the two
stories. Now try and write your own story about why an animal
lives where it does. Make a cover and pictures to go with your
story.


2. Discuss ways to show respect for
others. How do we show kindness? Have
students keep a weekly log of all the
helpful kind things they have done for
others.

Student Activity Card(s):
See Writing Script Card (13A-13B).

Have students think of types of jobs women apply for and select one not
often chosen. Using the Writing Script Card have the Four Winds groups
write an interview for the job. Afterward, have students role play the

interview.

88


STUDENT WORKSHEET

A STUDENT'S DAY

The following story is about a normal day in a student's life. Re-
view this story to see how thought is represented using pictographs.

See if you can describe what is taking place. Then try one picto-
graph story of your own day.

|_J

AS WB
a ® FD “4

es =a

“o,f ot a

; : Ci) 4%

: \ _ . 4
Pare

“0g BY

L
\

.
a

Qt “he iets

3
“3

OF we

67




Several days later ask students if anyone remembers what was contained
in the message. Because they had to remember it to tell to someone else
was it easier or harder to remember?

What positive things can be said about oral tradition? What are some
negative things about it? Share the Firetalk activity card (1-A) with the
class and suggest that when time permits, several students at a time
should try the activity. Continue to use this card throughout the use of the
Series. An area should be available and equipped with a tape recorder to
encourage students to readily use this activity.

2. Weasel did not show respect for Eagle’s
desire to be left alone. In order to under-
stand the meaning of the work unique
and how that word relates to people,
pass out an orange to each child.

Tell them to pretend that their orange is their friend. Ask them to spend
time getting to know their friend. How does it look? How does it feel? Talk
to it.

Then have all the oranges placed on a table together. Let the students
come in pairs to pick out their orange. Once all oranges have been
reclaimed, discuss how each was able to find his or her orange. Each was
unique (similar yet different and special). How does this apply to people?
We are all similar but each is different. Make a list of how we are different
including appearances, likes and dislikes, talents, surroundings, etc. Let
each child write and illustrate how he or she and their family are unique.

Explain that by reading the Indian Reading Series each will discover how
different tribes are also unique.

3. In order to emphasize what it means to
pester someone, have students im-
promptu role-play the story allowing
different students to be the Weasel and
the Eagle.

4. To encourage students to share written
stories with others have students choose
a favorite story. Provide a tape player
so that they may practice reading the
story and listening to themselves.

If the story is short they may be able to outline the story and piece it
together from memory. Once the students feel secure in their knowledge
of and familiarity with the story, they may then read it aloud to a group of
children in another grade.

Student Activity Card(s):
See Firetalk Activity Card (1A-1B).

40


NEW WORDS:
disappeared
wondered
figure

NOSY COYOTE

Coyote the Trickster

Developed by the Burns Paiute Reservation
GEOGRAPHICAL AREA: Plateau Region
STORY TYPE(S): Indian Values

Summary:

Wolf mystifies Coyote by being able to command his camp to set itself up.
Coyote’s curiosity caused him to spy on the camp. From that moment on
the command no longer worked.

Coyote spoiled everything by being nosy. It is not necessary to know
everything. The mystery of life is part of its true beauty. Too often people
try to be in control rather than accept things as they are naturally.

Indian people were awed by the mystery of their natural world and
showed respect daily for the gifts it gave them.

Teacher Guided Activities:

1. Generate discussion about the idea of
not knowing. When is it good to not
know something? Does knowing there
is or is not a Santa Claus or Easter
bunny help or hinder how one feels?
Does one have to know how a plant
grows in order for it to grow?

Some people believe that people have no business tampering with nature
(i.e., seeding clouds to create rain, cloning, using insecticides or killing off
large populations of animals because they eat crops or livestock more
valuable to people). What arguments can be raised pro and con on some of
these issues?

2. Sometimes knowing certain information
is a privilege. Many tribes have main-
tained their culture because only privi-
leged members know certain informa-
tion.

One must earn the right to know these secrets. What character in the
story was privileged? Why? To help students appreciate the idea of not
knowing something try the Gift Giving card activities.

Student Activity Card(s):
See Gift Giving Card (21A-21B, 21C-21D).

There are two cards for this activity.

109


STUDENT WORKSHEET

SNAIL WOMAN AT SQ*°A°LE

Make a map to show where the furbearing animals are in your
state. Why are they where they are instead of somewhere else?

Some Indians are good trackers. Make drawings of the foot-
prints of animals used for fur and put these drawings into a
booklet. Try to make a plaster of paris cast of any animal track
you may find.

Talk to someone in your community who does a lot of hunting,
trapping or fishing. Make a list of the animals and numbers of
them found in your area. How many are near your home today?
Why are they in this region and not some other place? In what
other places can you find them? Why are they no longer in the
same area?

See if you can find examples of homes of different animals such
as beaver, muskrat, mink and badger. Draw or make models of
the homes. List what materials are used. Describe your draw-
ings to a friend. Why do you think animals make homes where
they do?

45


Ask students to all sit quietly in the room without talking and see how
many sounds they can list. You may want to take your class on a walk
and have them list other sounds.

Have students participate in other listening activities and discuss the
feelings which different sounds evoke. Bring examples of different types
of music especially Indian music and discuss feelings.

3. Have students write about their favor-
ite sounds describing how each sound
makes them feel. To give their writing
structure they may want to begin with
the words, “I like the sound of ____
because a ”

or

Have students use colors to compare sounds and feelings. Ask each stu-
dent to choose one color to begin. Their task is to think of what sounds
the color they have chosen makes them think of. They may start each line
with the words —__ is the sound of ____

Example: Black is the sound of hot coffee being poured into a mug.
Black is the long, low moan of the wind.

Following the Student Activity Card is a list of optional activities which
you may want to reproduce for student use.

Student Activity Card(s):
See Northwest Homes Card (24A-24B).

130


NEW WORDS:
pokers
continued
angry

mounds
operate
operation
pouting

THE OTTER AND THE BEAVER
Warm Springs Animal Stories

Developed by the Confederated Tribes

of the Warm Springs Reservation

GEOGRAPHICAL AREA: Plateau Region

STORY TYPE(S): Natural Phenomena/Indian Values

Summary:

Otter and Beaver, who were both blind, used fire pokers to find their way
around. Unknowingly, Eagle borrowed one from Beaver but does not tell
him. Beaver became very angry when he discovered one of his pokers was
missing. As restitution, Eagle operated on both Otter and Beaver’s eyes.
Because Beaver was so bitter and unforgiving his eyes were made smaller
then Otter’s.

This story not only offers an explanation of how two animals got the eyes
they have but also offers an explanation of why people’s eyes become
smaller when they are angry. “When you are happy your eyes will shine
and you can see forever. But when you are angry, your eyes are small and
you can only see what you want to see.”

It is better to forgive a friend, especially when he does not intentionally
do something wrong. Anger often limits vision and makes us do foolish
things which we regret later.

Teacher Guided Activities:

1. Discuss the story in terms of what hap-
pens when someone becomes angry.
Who was hurt by Beaver’s anger? Was
Eagle hurt? Who else was hurt? Anger
does more damage to the one who is
angry than even to those it is vented
upon. When can anger become danger-
ous? (in a car)

Bd

Have students role play the events
in this story. Make students conscious
of the change in facial features when

angry.

8. Using the Firetalk card (1A-1B) have
students tell about a time when they
were very angry. Have them tell what
happened, what they did, and what
made them feel better. How could they
have behaved differently?

41


* Do all dreams help us?
« Have you ever had a dream that was particularly helpful to you?
« Have you ever had a dream that enabled you to help someone else?

Generate as much discussion as possible about dreams then allow stu-
dents to break into the Four Winds groups for further activities.

2. Ask students to write a story or make
upa story about a dream they have had
that may have helped them or someone
else.

or
Have students write about a dream which has a surprise ending. Have
them leave off the ending at first and let a friend add an ending. Then
allow the dreamer to tell how the dream really ended.

Put the group’s dreams together in a booklet with pictures or drawings
to share with another group. Perhaps the group can choose a couple
of the best dreams to read aloud.

3. Little Weasel did not follow his mother’s
directions. What type of directions
must be followed in the school?

Within each group, make a list of the
important rules which either parents or
teachers have said students must obey?

Have students decide which rules are good rules and tell why. Decide
which are bad rules and tell why. Rewrite these rules to make them better.
As a group have students decide on which rules they feel would be the
best rules for the classroom.

After all groups have made a list return to the Council Lodge for a vote
on the best set of rules for the class.

Student Activity Card(s):
See Dream Shields Card (7A-7B).

After the discussion of dreams students should begin taking an informal
inventory of themselves (things they think about, things they do). To help
facilitate this have students begin keeping a journal.

As the teacher, you will be the only other person who will see a student’s
writing. You may respond to comments in their journal. Explain that they
are writing to themselves. They do not have to write about personal
things unless they want to do so. Ask them to be honest and to write
about what they think is important. To get started each student needs a
notebook for which they will be responsible. The notebook will help keep
everything in one place. The entire journal should be turned into you ona

70


3. Read the Gros Ventre story Broken
Shoulder (How the Big Dipper and
North Star Came to Be). How are the
stories similar? How is the story differ-
ent from Bear Tepee?

It is interesting that a similar story explains the origin of two very differ-
ent natural phenomena. Discuss how tribes share similar stories. The
Gros Ventre Tribe is located on the Fort Belknap reservation in northern
Montana.

BROKEN SHOULDER
How the Big Dipper and North Star Came To Be

This is a story about the seven stars up in the sky, called the Big Dipper and the North Star.
Among the Gros Ventre (Grow Vont), these stars are known as “Cha-Be-Ka-Tha.” This means
“broken shoulder” because it tells how the seven stars came to be.

Long, long ago a large band of Gros Ventre (Grow Vont) were camped in a big circle. Generally,
whenever the Indians camped and stopped to rest, the children ran off to play among themselves.
Once when they were all together one of the children asked, “What game shall we play today?”
Another said, “I know. Let’s play bear.” To play bear was to play tag. The children were going to
play tag and the one who was the bear was it. So they began the task of choosing the bear. All the
children, both boys and girls, stood around to see who would be chosen as the bear. All of them were
quite young except one girl. She was older than the rest. One of her brothers said, “Hey, let’s get
her. She can be the bear. She can chase us like a bear chases all the other animals through the
forest.” The girl said, “All right, I'll be the bear. I will chase all of you.”

So they started to play bear. The girl chased them all over. She chased them through the coulees, in
the brush and out on the prairie around the camp. She was the bear all throughout the day. When
others played, the one who was touched or tagged became the bear but not among this group of
children. The girl was the bear all the time.

The children kept running and hiding and finally one of them jumped up and looked around to see if
they could see her coming. When he got up to look there was a real bear standing there.

He yelled at the other children, “Look! There’s a real bear standing in the brush. It isn’t our sister
anymore.” So the children all looked and sure enough, there was a real bear standing in the brush.
“Let’s get out of here!” the boy yelled, and all of the children began running. The boys whose sister
was the bear stayed behind because they knew something had happened to their sister and she was
not the bear. She did not come near them or try to do them any harm so they waited close by. There
were seven brothers in all, and they were all there.

One of the children who had run off to the camp reported the incident to a group of men. He said,
“We were playing bear out there and those seven brothers’ sister turned into a real bear. She’s
standing out there. Come and look for yourselves.”

The men grabbed their bows and arrows and ran to where the children had seen the bear. The bear
was still standing there with all of the seven brothers near. One of the men said, “We better kill it
because it just keeps standing there. It must be their sister because it does not harm them, but she
might turn mean and harm some of us. She'll probably come to the camp when the boys return.”

80


Student Interaction

Many activities in Level IV require students
to interact with each other in discussion
groups, relay races or other competitive
events, or by doing special favors for individu-
als in the classroom, tutoring, or just helping
others on program projects. When specific ac-
tivities encourage students to relate to others,
they will be identified using the student inter-
action symbol.

The pictographic symbol above represents a
hand signal meaning to exchange or trade.
These activities will help to create an atmos-
phere in which individuals have a chance to
relate to others, to freely exchange or share
ideas and develop a more positive sense of
classroom community. The value of these ac-
tivities can best be recognized by the teacher
and students who take time to reflect and
evaluate the positive elements of the inter-
action.

The cultural context for grouping students is
introduced with the Four Winds activity card.
Codes of behavior or virtues are included as
part of the initial task of the groups. Positive
ways of relating to others must be developed in
order for individuals to sense their member-
ship in a community. It is hoped that each
student using the Level IV program will de-
velop a greater sense of belonging to a group,
the People tribe, which includes accepting re-
sponsibilities for individual as well as group
behavior.

35


NEW WORDS:
unusual

oily

parfleches
intestine
snorting

COYOTE’S DRY MEAT
TURNS INTO LIVE DEER
Salish Coyote Stories

Developed by the Salish (Flathead) Cultural Committee of the
Confederated Salish/Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Reservation
GEOGRAPHICAL AREA: Plateau Region

STORY TYPE(S): Indian Values

Summary:

Coyote and Fox were very hungry. One day Coyote came home to find
Fox’s lips oily, indicating that Fox had found food. Upon questioning
him Coyote learned where he had located the meat and decided to go to
the same place. Coyote found a man preparing a sweatlodge with meat
drying everywhere. The man fed Coyote. After eating, Coyote became
greedy and decided to try to get all the meat. He hit the man on the head
with a rock and killed him. However, the man whom he had killed was a
woodtick and, as soon as he was gone, the dried meat turned back into
live deer and ran away, thus leaving Coyote with nothing and more hun-
gry than before.

This story is very similar to the story Coyote and Tick (Coyote). Coyote’s
greed gets the best of him. Rather than show real appreciation for the
meat he had been given, Coyote tried to take it all. Coyote was left in
worse shape than when he had started.

Teacher Guided Activities:

1. Compare the story to Coyote and Tick
(Coyote). Ask students to speculate on
how two tribes could have similar
stories. What would account for the
differences?

* 2. Make meat-racks from small twigs tied
together. Make a diorama of the differ-
ent way foods were prepared by the
tribes from the three geographical re-
gions (Plains, Plateau and Coast).

Review Sweatlodge and include one in a diorama. (See Offering Good
Thoughts Card)

Use dried meat or jerky to reward good

3.
Rv = & behavior or excellence in academic work.
Een a Have students try to prepare their own

aS jerky using beef. Slice it really thin and
dry it in the oven at a low temperature.

121


NEW WORDS:
reflection
thirsty

gophers
rimrock
realized

COYOTE AND THE COUGAR
Coyote the Trickster

Developed by the Burns Paiute Reservation
GEOGRAPHICAL AREA: Plateau Region
STORY TYPE(S): Natural Phenomena/Indian Values

Summary:

While Coyote was asleep Cougar reshaped his nose. Coyote retaliated by
giving Cougar a round flat nose. Both animals attempted to kill the other
but were unsuccessful. Finally, both Cougar and Coyote realized how silly
they had acted and decided to be friends.

This story offers an explanation of why cougars and coyotes look as they
do. More importantly, however, it shows how easy it is to get into a pat-
tern of petty behavior, a sort of tit for tat. The idea of always having to
“get even” when one feels wronged, blinds one’s good judgment. Because
neither animal can get the best of the other they learned to coexist.

Teacher Guided Activities:

1.

My
PLEE
Panne

Ask students to identify instances when
they felt like “getting even” with some-
one. What are the results of such be-
havior? Do we really feel better once
we know someone else has been hurt?

Discuss alternatives for such behavior.
What else can be done in a given situa-
tion?

Coyote and Cougar had to learn to get
along. All animals, birds and insects
have learned how to get along in order
to survive. Each is dependent upon an-
other for something.

Have students collect as many pictures of animals and birds as they can.
Make a chart using the pictures. Use a large piece of paper for the chart
like the one below.

Name (picture)

Eagle

Feeds on Plants

No

Feeds on other
Animals Independent ?
Yes No

105





NEW WORDS:
couple
tavens

swallowed
overhead

COYOTE AND RAVEN
Salish Coyote Stories

Developed by the Salish (Flathead) Cultural Committee
of the Confederated Salish/Kootenai Tribes
GEOGRAPHICAL AREA: Plateau Region

STORY TYPE(S): Indian Values

Summary:

Coyote saw ravens flying overhead and noticed that one was carrying a
piece of grease. Coyote chased the bird and tried to trick the Raven
into speaking so that he would drop the grease. When Raven finally
spoke the grease dropped and Coyote swallowed it.

This story offers a possible explanation of why so many tribes have
stories about Coyote. Coyote continued on from here to make his way to
another tribe.

Teacher Guided Activities:

1. Raven lost his piece of grease because
he allowed himself to be pressured into
a response. It is often difficult to resist
pressures especially from friends.

Discuss with your class reasons why someone would not want to yield to
outside pressures. What happened to Raven?

Divide the class in half. Tell one-half of the class that they are to talk a
partner into doing something. They can tempt them with anything they
want to try to get them to do something. Tell the other half of the class
that a partner is going to try and talk them into doing something. Their
purpose is to learn to say no and mean it. One way they can do this is to
be a stuck record and just keep replaying, no, no, no, no thank you, no...
or to think of other ways of saying no. Allow five minutes for this. Switch
groups. Discuss the frustration of being the convincer and the resister.
What arguments were the most convincing?

2. Have students write about a time when
someone may have talked them into do-
ing something which they didn’t think
was a good idea at first. What hap-
pened? Was it better to make up one’s
own mind?

Student Activity Card(s):
See Firetalk Card (1A-1B).

119


STUDENT WORKSHEET

WARRIOR PEOPLE

1 On a map locate as many of the places in the story as possible.
Compare what has happened to the Blackfeet, to your tribe or a
tribe in your area. Locate your ancestral or original home on a
map.

Discuss how different tribes have been named and how indi-
viduals within tribes have been named. You may want to reread
Catches Up to Antelope and Bear Hat.

Draw a picture of yourself as a grandmother or grandfather.
Write a paragraph or two about what things you would tell
your grandchildren 40 or 50 years from now.

Watch the sunrise. Write or tell about how the earth looked and
what your feelings were while watching this beauty in motion.

Using chalks, draw a picture of what you saw.

143


10.

1

Booklets available in the Level IV sequence are listed below. Numbers refer to the Planned Sequence of use
in the Teacher’s Manual. Materials developed by these tribes and others in the Northwest are included in
the Levels I, I] and III sequences.

nt

. Warm Springs Animal Stories

The Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs
Reservation of Oregon

. Snail Women at Sq*a'le

The Suquamish Tribe of the Port Madison
Reservation

. Blue Jay - Star Child/Basket Woman

Muckleshoot Tribe

. Assiniboine Woman Making Grease

Assiniboine Tribe of the Fort Peck Reservation

. Coyote

The Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs
Reservation of Oregon

How the Summer Season Came
Assiniboine Tribe of the Fort Belknap
Reservation

. Little Weasel’s Dream

Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead
Reservation

. Fort Hall Stories

Shoshone-Bannock Tribes of the Fort Hall
Reservation

The Bear Tepee
Northern Cheyenne Tribe

Sioux Stories and Legends
Sioux Tribe of the Fort Peck Reservation

. Kootenai Stories

Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead
Reservation

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.

21.

Chief Mountain’s Medicine

Gros Ventre Tribe from the Fort Belknap
Reservation

Coyote the Trickster

Burns Paiute Reservation

Running Free

Shoalwater Bay

Salish Coyote Stories

Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead
Reservation

Coyote and the Cowboys
Shoshone-Bannock Tribes of the Fort Hall
Reservation

Napi’s Journey

Blackfeet Tribe

Warm Springs Stories

The Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs
Reservation of Oregon

Tepee Making

Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead
Reservation

Baskets and Canoes
Skokomish Tribe

Warrior People
Blackfeet Tribe


Thouglkts
From the Shadow of a Flame

TEACHER’S MANUAL
LEVELIV

Robin Buttertield and Colleen Lorie

Joseph Coburn, Director
Pacific Northwest Indian Reading and Language
Development Program

Cover Illustration by Pat Badnin


NEW WORDS: | TEPEE MAKING
pyramid Developed by the Kootenai Cultural Committee
canvas § of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes
GEOGRAPHICAL AREA: Plateau Region
STORY TYPE(S): Description of Culture

Summary:
This story describes the process of making and assembling a tepee.
Teacher Guided Activities:

1. In addition to the paper models of the
Indian homes in the Northwest, have
students try to make a cloth replica of a
tepee. If there is someone in the com-
munity who has a full size tepee perhaps
they will demonstrate how to put it up.

2. Have students make up a design for
their tepee models which would fit their
name (See Indian Names Card). Have
each write a description of their design
and what it represents.

Student Activity Card(s):
See Northwest Homes Card (24A-24B)
and Indian Names Card (8A-8B).

137




Following the Student Activity Card is a list of optional activities which
you may want to reproduce for student use.

Student Activity Card(s):
See Wintercount Card (6A-6B) and Pictographs Card (6C-6D).

Read through the Wintercount card with students. Before having the
Four Winds groups try the three activities listed on the front side of the
card, share the following information with them:

A wintercount keeps track of time by telling a story of the changes which
take place in the environment (how the ground moves). There are four
major changes in the environment every year, starting with the ground
appearing each spring. The next changes come with the summer, then fall,
and finally winter.

A pictographic symbol was added to a wintercount during the time when

the ground started to appear. The pictographs used for the seasons are
shown below.

ground appearing, spring =

summer
fall a
winter 6

Whatever happened between the ground appearing (or spring) until the
ground appeared again (the following spring) is the length of a calendar
year. A pictograph was chosen to keep track of that time. The pictograph
represents something especially significant or outstanding that happened
that year. Perhaps a lot of snow might be shown like this. Notice the

short legs of the man and horse. Xx z a
wn

Maybe a late frost killed all the plums ~@@. “#f’ so there were no
plums for the winter.

Wintercounts tell the story of a significant event which happened each
year. Seeing the pictographs the keepers of the hide were able to tell the
people their history.

Remember a pictograph is not a word for word translation. Rather each
pictograph represents an entire phrase, sentence, event, thought or con-
cept. Pictographs are just enough of a sketch with very little or no detail
shown. A wintercount or painted hide has no background. You will not see
trees, clouds, ground or sky. If you see these things it is a picture but
not a pictograph.

58


Following the Student Activity Cards section is a list of optional activities
which you may want to reproduce for student use which give additional
ideas for independent student projects. This sheet may be duplicated so
students may choose one of the options.

Student Activity Card(s):
See Earth, Sky, Water Activity Card (2A-2B).

It is important to recognize that individual tribes may differ greatly. All
Indians belong to a tribe or tribes. Many Indian children are raised on or
near their tribal lands. This activity card acquaints students with those
tribes indigenous to the Northwest. It is also intended to introduce the
students to a broader land base that is shared by all living things. The
bulletin board activity, along with the activity card, will help promote
the idea that people not only share but are dependent upon and responsible
for their environment.

Here is another idea for use of the Earth, Sky, Water card.
Northwest Newscast

You will need the activity card and the spinner. Use
the Coast, Plateau and Plains side of the card. Each
day for approximately ten days have a student spin
the wheel. Using the area on which the arrow lands,
ask several students to listen to the weather report for
that same area.

Other students may pick a tribe from that same area.
Their task is to find out something about their chosen
tribe and report on it. Sports events, current events
and special interest stories would be good ideas to help
keep information more contemporary.

Take about 15-20 minutes each day for a Northwest
newscast. This could be structured something like PM
magazine or a regular newscast. (You may want to set
up a few props or pretend there are cameramen, etc.)
Students should begin to see some of the similarities
and differences between the three regions.

44


NEW WORDS:
simmering
threatened
deliciously

sizzle
tasty
sweat

tule

reeds
boughs
edible

eels
sweathouse
sagebrush
greedily
observed
affected
poisonous

COYOTE AND TICK
Coyote

Developed by the Confederated Tribes

of the Warm Springs Reservation
GEOGRAPHICAL AREA: Plateau Region
STORY TYPE(S): Indian Values

Summary:

Tick offered Coyote his food, lodging, and sweat lodge. Coyote’s greed,
however, got the best of him and because of his attempt to take all, he
was left with nothing. Tick soon departed taking his camp with him.

Coyote took advantage of the hospitality Tick willingly offered. Like
Crow, in the Coyote and the Crow, Coyote was not grateful for the gifts
he was freely given. He should have accepted what Tick had offered. Both
characters, Coyote and Crow, wanted more and they were eventually pun-
ished for their greed.

Teacher Guided Activities:

1. Spend time discussing the words
appreciation and respect. We seldom
overtly express our appreciation to
others. Generate ideas about how many
people each day help each of us in small
ways. Give examples and begin listing
ways in which thanks may be expressed,
besides saying, “Thank you.” (See
Offering Good Thoughts Card)

The idea of gift giving is common to most tribes. Among many Indian
people, “Thank you” is not necessarily spoken. Rather a nice deed is
acknowledged with the understanding that the nice deed will be repaid to
someone else sometime. One is always left with kind deeds to perform and
others to think of. One kind deed or generous act, therefore, may gener-
ate many more deeds for other people. We are always showing our appre-
ciation to others for the kind and thoughtful acts which we have received.

This also explains why Indian people show respect for their environment.
Nature is always giving to people whether it be shelter, food, or just the

beauty of a sunny day. We appreciate these gifts and show our respect by
not disrupting the environment with litter, vandalism or pollution.

2. Any number of respect-for-environment
\> Kf projects could be explored with this

type of discussion.

93




Of course Indian people had to develop values in order to deal with this. Most anthropologists
think that core values are those values from the traditional (Pre-Contact) period that were learned
earliest in life — those that a child took in during its first years of life and tended to be perpetuated
by virtue of the fact that individuals in the Reservation Period were still being raised by their
elders, and still learning their culture from the parents and grandparents. Many of the core values
therefore continued.

These values continued, but on top of them, as soon as school started (and sometimes before) the
individual began to be taught contrary values, basically Anglo-European values relating to family,
religion, and so on. Out of this came a need to deal with the two cultures and consequently, the
values which fit into the general area of biculturalism, began to emerge.

Biculturalism is a coping mechanism, a way of keeping certain things that are Indian with Indians
and exercising them with Indians only, and of keeping the things that are from white culture with
the whites and using them with whites only. Out of the experiences of the early Reservation Period,
people began to be not only bilingual in the sense that they would use their Indian language in
certain settings and English in certain other settings, but they also even began to practice two
religions. They would do the old religion when they were out at the first salmon ceremony down on
the coast, and then would go listen to a Presbyterian minister on Sunday and talk about life in the
Holy Land somewhere. In areas of kinship and family, (on paper) Indians would look like
Europeans in terms of each house supposedly being owned by a father and mother with their
children, but in practice maybe several cousins and brothers also lived there; even some multiple
marriages were still being contracted but not acknowledged publicly in the white man’s way.

In almost all institutions of life, the early Reservation Period was producing a bicultural response.
People were learning to practice traditional Indian ways in certain areas of life. What they had to
practice in non-Indian settings was being practiced primarily there.

The Reservation Period, then, brought about biculturalism, in itself a response to the fact that
Indian people would not change or could not change many elements of their makeup and their
culture, in spite of European pressure. The Indian learned rather reflectively, like people learn to
use two languages reflectively. These may appear on the surface to be contradictory modes of
behavior. They are not; what they are is situationally specific forms of behavior that one might
obviously label “white man’s behavior” or “Indian behavior.” But for Indian people, it is like
shifting gears. It is shifting from one context to another depending on the situation’s calling.

Originally, there were theories that two cultures could flow together like milk and water. They
start out being quite distinct and then flow together and become so mixed that no one could ever
extricate them. In other words, they form a solution. What anthropologists have found, however,
and what is a better theoretical approach to this problem, is that really much that was Indian still
exists and is derived from the traditional (Pre-Contact) period.

In the later Reservation Period, with the emergence of tribal governments that began to be
relatively effective, there was an increase in the degree of political sophistication; as evidenced in
the use of the courts, the use of intertribal communication and lobbying, and the use of
organizational development, like the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians, and for that matter,
the National Congress of American Indians. It is also marked by intertribal blossoming and
consequently, a kind of pan-Indian political alliance against efforts that were originally successful
because they could be applied piecemeal and divide Indian people one from another.

14


NEW WORDS:
prayed
Kootenai

SEEKING A SPIRIT
Kootenai Stories

Developed by the Kootenai Cultural Committee of the Confederated
Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Reservation
GEOGRAPHICAL AREA: Plateau Region

STORY TYPE(S): Ideas of Spiritual Beliefs

Summary:

A young Kootenai boy named Lassaw went to the mountain to seek a
spirit helper. To do this he was not to eat, drink or sleep and must con-
tinue to pray. Lassaw cut the tip of his finger off before a buffalo spirit
spoke to him giving him long-life and good luck in the buffalo hunt.

This is a simplified explanation of what happens when one seeks a vision
or guardian spirit which will provide one direction in life. Much more is
done to prepare an individual for such a quest and it is a serious business
even to consider such a venture. Many Plains tribes believe in fasting and
the vision quest.

Teacher Guided Activities:

1. Discuss with students the idea of fast-
ing and seeking vision. Reread Catches
Up To Antelope or recall what guardian
spirit was seen in the vision. Consider
what other religions believe in not eat-
ing at certain times of the year. Specu-
late on why this might be done.

2. Encourage students to try and imagine
what the actual experience of seeking a
vision might be like. Give them a choice
of one of the following creative writing
exercises.

Imagine yourself on the mountain as Lassaw was. Could you write about
what you are thinking, what you might see, what you do and what might
happen?

Retell the story but change the ending. What if Lassaw saw something

other than the buffalo spirit? What is the new spirit? What does the
spirit tell Lassaw? How does this spirit aid Lassaw?

Student Activity Card(s):
See Seeking a Spirit Card (17A-17B).

97


Filmstrip Making Blue Jay - Star Child
3-A How Coyote Tricked Porcupine
3-B

Indian Food Preparation Assiniboine Woman Making Grease
4-A
4B

Four Winds Coyote and the Northwind
5-A
5-B

Wintercount How Summer Season Came
6-A
6-B

Pictographs How Summer Season Came
6-C
6-D

Dream Shields Little Weasel’s Dream
TA
7B

Indian Names Catches Up to Antelope
8-A Tepee Making
8-B

Bears and Hats Bear Hat
9-A
9-B

Tracks Bear Tepee
10-A
10-B

Talking Hands Pet Crow
11-A
11-B

Smoke Signals Owl Boy
12-A
12-B

Writing Script Moosehide Robe Woman
13-A Coyote and His Big Brother Wolf
13-B Coyote Gets Lovesick

Indian Suitcases Coyote and Crow

14-A
14-B

26


NEW WORDS:
obsidian
stomach

carcass
natural
quills

HOW COYOTE TRICKED PORCUPINE
Coyote the Trickster

Developed by the Burns Paiute Reservation
GEOGRAPHICAL AREA: Plateau Region
STORY TYPE(S): Indian Values

Summary:

Porcupine asked Elk to take him across a river in Elk’s stomach. When
the two animals arrived on the opposite bank, Porcupine killed Elk. See-
ing Porcupine preparing to eat Elk, Coyote offered Porcupine his knife and
proposed a contest, the winner of which would get all the meat. Porcupine
agreed and both tried to jump the farthest over Elk. Coyote of course won,
leaving Porcupine nothing for all his efforts.

This story again reinforces the idea that bad behavior comes back to us.
It is interesting to note that part of the original draft of this story
which has been left out details how Elk had been known to ask for favors
or payment to take animals across the river and would often demand more
when he got the animals mid-stream. Elk would threaten to let the
animals drown if his demands were not met. Knowing this Porcupine then
devised his plan to kill Elk.

For whatever reasons, trying to get even is never really justifiable.
Though Porcupine took it upon himself to punish Elk, he was likewise
punished. He did not receive the rewards he had hoped for.

Teacher Guided Activities:

1. The thought developed in this story is
similar to several other stories already
discussed. Review these with your stu-
dents, making comparisons where
appropriate.

2. Assign each of the Four Winds groups
one of the following stories to present
at the Council Lodge using puppets, role
playing or filmstrips, etc.

The Otter and the Beaver
Coyote and Cougar

Coyote and the Two Sisters
How Coyote Tricked Porcupine

Allow groups time to prepare for class presentations and rehearsals. You
may want to present this activity to parents or other classes and include
an introduction which explains about the stories overall and the character
of Coyote.

107




Student Activity Card(s):
See Filmstrip Making Activity Card (3A-3B).

The techniques introduced on the Filmstrip Making Card may be used
with many stories. Each Four Winds Group should choose a different
story to make into a filmstrip. Cartoon strips may also be done in a
similar manner.

50


what you are asking for.
* Act helpless or pitiful like a baby, trying to get the other person
to feel sorry in order to get what is wanted.

Student Activity Card(s):
See Whipman Card (19A-19B).

Take time to read through the Whipman Card with your students. Help
students identify things which they may be able to teach (as suggested
on the back of the activity card).

It is important to let the students prepare to teach what they want.
Allow at least 20 minutes for an exchange of teachings. Let them know
what time you have arranged for them.

Another option would be to let each “family” or Four Winds group
present or demonstrate an idea or activity they think is important for the
People tribe to know.

Emphasize that we can all learn from each other.

104




Sioux
Stories and

Legends
Book 10

Kootenai
Stories
Book 11

Warm

Chief
Mountain's

Springs
Animal Stories
Book 1

Medicine
Book 12

Coyote
the Trickster
Book 13

Blue - Jay
Star Child/
Basket Woman

Running

Grease
Book 4

Free
Book 14

Salish
Coyote Stories
Book 15

Coyote
and the
Cowboys
Book 16


Put students’ desks in a circle. Select one student to leave the room.
Choose another student to be the winker. Ask the student outside to
return to the room and stand in the middle of the circle. Say out loud,
“The winker can start now.” The winker may wink at any student. As
each student receives the wink he must place his head down. The student
in the middle must try to find out who the winker is.

Or try another non-verbal game: Have students hold hands. Hands must
be on top of desks. Choose one student to be the sender of the message.
Put the student from the hall in the middle of the circle. Say aloud,
“Begin the Message.” The sender squeezes one of the hands he is holding,
and the message moves around the circle. The student in the middle tries
to catch the message before it gets back to the sender.

Student Activity Card(s):
See Smoke Signals Card (12A-12B).

86


PREFACE

This manual, along with the Student Activity Cards, contains activities which should help
teachers-of Indian students feel more comfortable in the classroom. Teachers using The Indian
Reading Series: Stories and Legends of the Northwest are urged not to rely entirely upon these
teacher’s aids but to diverge and create strategies and activities which are best suited to their own
particular class at any given time.

Although The Indian Reading Series: Stories and Legends of the Northwest is designed to help
meet some of those particular problems which Indian students face, the Series is good for everyone
since it gives some insight into parts of the Indian cultures which are represented in creating the
Series.

As is commonly known, there are several Indian cultural groups within the northwest area. We
have had to generalize some of the concepts across the region with the definite danger of creating
stereotypes.

Teachers are urged to find out about the particular tribe with which they work. If there is an Indian
program associated with your school, this is the best place to start.

There is another valuable resource in the community, the Indian people themselves. Invite them to
the classroom to help teach children. Plan a lesson with them prior to having them come into the
classroom so they can cover as much as possible in the limited time available.

We, the program staff, can never express enough the gratitude that we feel to the 155 Indian people
who wrote and illustrated the books, the teachers and administrators (who were invaluable in the
testing phases as well as providing many of the ideas incorporated into the manual), the Program
Policy Board for its guidance, NIE for the funding and moral support and the Laboratory
administrators who were instrumental in making the project possible.

Joseph Coburn
Program Director


NEW WORDS:
unloaded

strict

elders

extra

expected

LITTLE WEASEL’S DREAM

Developed by the Kootenai Cultural Committee of the Confederated
Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Reservation
GEOGRAPHICAL AREA: Plateau Region

STORY TYPE(S): Ideas of Spiritual Beliefs

Summary:

Little Weasel had gone whortleberry picking with his mother. While play-
ing he became lost and tired. He fell asleep only to dream that a big black
bear was about to catch him. His dream, however, rescued him for when he
cried out in fright while dreaming, his mother was able to find him. The
story has a surprise ending since the reader is not aware that Little
Weasel is dreaming until the end.

This story is an example of the fourth story type labeled Ideas of Spiritual
Beliefs. Little Weasel learned the value of listening to his elders and
obeying their commands. More importantly, this story alludes to the sig-
nificance placed on dreams. Dreams have a way of helping people. Today
and long ago Indian péople sought a vision which helped them through-
out life. For some a message of this kind came to them in dreams. Little
Weasel, lost, tired and upset, had achieved such a state of mind that his
vivid dream brought the help he needed. Little Weasel’s dream changed
the outcome of an event in the boy’s life.

Teacher Guided Activities:

1. Before beginning these activities gen-
erate discussion about different kinds
of dreams. Avoid interpretation of
dreams. Dreams are personal and they
are more help to us if we think about
them without openly interpreting them.

If a child does not want to tell a dream that’s alright. Some questions
you might ask are as follows.

* Have you ever done something or talked about something late in
the evening and then dreamed about it that night?

* What is psychic? How have psychics helped people?

¢ What is a medicine man or holy man? How have medicine men
helped people?

¢ How is seeking a vision different from having a dream? (Usually
accompanied by prayer with a purpose in mind.) In times of great
hardship or stress it is not unusual to have a lot of dreams or
extra vivid dreams. In seeking a vision Indian people have pro-
vided the stimuli or stress for receiving a vision (sweating, fast-
ing and isolation)?

69


NEW WORDS:
skittish

flexed

sage
benchlands
opponents
kinks

famous
outpaced
visions

CATCHES UP TO ANTELOPE
Fort Hall Stories

Developed by members of the Fort Hall Reservation Committee
GEOGRAPHICAL AREA: Plateau Region
STORY TYPE(S): Ideas of Spiritual Beliefs/Indian Values

Summary:

Catches Up To Antelope was a famous Lemhi runner who gained his power
to run from a dream or vision. This story describes how Catches Up To
Antelope lives up to his name by winning a foot race against the Bannocks.

A name sets an individual apart from others. Often Indian names were
descriptive of an ability to do something. Sometimes a special dream
would tell an individual what would distinguish and direct him/her
throughout life. This story shows how such a dream extensively moti-
vated one man. Having special powers gives one confidence. Confidence
in one’s own powers or abilities will help a person to succeed. Believing
in something is half the battle.

Teacher Guided Activities:

1. Discuss how having a dream was re-
lated to the real life experiences of
Catches Up To Antelope. Consider each
sentence which contains the word dream
(on pages 1, 6 and 16 of the story).
How did having a dream affect this
Indian’s life?

Compare Little Weasel’s Dream which shows how a dream affected one
moment in a person’s life, with Catches Up To Antelope which shows
how a dream can extensively motivate behavior.

What people believe about themselves influences their behavior. Lead the
students into discussing things which they feel they do well. Everyone
can do something well and the discussion should emphasize positive self-
image building.

2. Using the Four Winds groups plan to
have relay races or academic competi-
tive games. The winners could receive
Antelope Awards. (See Indian Names
and Antelope Award Activity Card.)
Again discourage words like “I can’t,”
rather have students say “This is hard
but I’m working at it.”

Have each Four Wind group pick something that the group thinks they
can do well (running, spelling, figuring math problems, singing, etc.).

75


Owl's Eyes - Kootenai Stories........0. 00 00 c ccc eens 95
(Kootenai)
Talking Rocks Card (16A-16B)

Seeking a Spirit - Kootenai Stories... 0006s 97
(Kootenai)
Seeking a Spirit Card (17A-17B)

Chief Mountain’s Medicine.
(Gros Ventre)
Indian Leaders Card (18A-18B)

Coyote and His Big Brother Wolf - Coyote the Trickster............ 0000000005 101
(Burns Paiute)
Writing Script Card (13A-13B)

Coyote and the Two Sisters - Coyote the Trickster..........00 00000 c eee eee 103
(Burns Paiute)
Whipman Card (19A-19B)

Coyote and Cougar - Coyote the Trickster.......... 00sec ccc eee 105
(Burns Paiute)
Puppets and Stuff Card (20A-20B)

How Coyote Tricked Porcupine - Coyote the Trickster... ........ 000000000 eee 107
(Burns Paiute)

Puppets and Stuff Card (20A-20B)

Filmstrip Making Card (3A-3B)

*Nosy Coyote - Coyote the Trickster....... 0.0... cece ccc eee eee eee 109
(Burns Paiute)
Gift Giving Card (21A-21B)
Gift Giving Card (21C-21D)

*Running Free... 0... ete etree eens 113
(Shoalwater Bay)
Earth, Sky, Water Card (2C-2D)

Coyote Gets Lovesick - Salish Coyote Stories...........00 000 eee 117
(Salish/Flathead)
Writing Script Card (13A-13B)

Coyote and Raven - Salish Coyote Stories... 1.0.0... 119
(Salish/Flathead)
Firetalk Card (1A-1B)

Coyote’s Dry Meat Turns to Live Deer - Salish Coyote Stories................ 121
(Salish/Flathead)
Offering Good Thoughts Card (15A-15B)

Coyote and the Cowboys.........0 666. c ccc eee teens 123
(Shoshone/Bannock)
Magic Tricks Card (22A-22B)

vii


NEW WORDS:
untied
cradleboard
treated
mischief

COYOTE AND THE TWO SISTERS
Coyote the Trickster

Developed by the Burns Paiute Reservation
GEOGRAPHICAL AREA: Plateau Region
STORY TYPE(S): Indian Values

Summary:

Coyote pretended to be a baby so that he could play tricks on two sisters.
Each time the sisters left, Coyote let their fish go. Once he was discovered,
the girls tied him tightly in a cradleboard where he could not escape.

As usual, Coyote’s mischief backfired. Whenever a person deceives others,
then consequences must be paid. Unkind, disrespectful behavior more
often than not is punished.

Teacher Guided Activities:

1. Discuss with your class the conse-
quences of playing tricks on others.
Sometimes, even meant in good fun,
this type of behavior can really hurt
someone.

Ask students to think of practical jokes
which may or may not have backfired
(like pulling a chair out from under a
person). Is it really funny to try and
make another person look foolish?

2. Have students note Coyote’s behavior
on page 13. How does he attract the
girls’ attention? As a class discuss
effective ways of requesting permission
to do something. Is acting like a baby
very effective?

Have students role play a couple of situations where a student is making a
request. Give the following example:

¢ You want to spend the night with a friend but need to get your
mother’s permission.

¢ You are going into town with some friends and want to wear your
brother’s or sister’s clothes, so you need to ask them.

Students role-playing the request could be instructed to:

¢ Make a direct request without qualifying the request.
* Make the request and offer a reason why you think you should get

103


STUDENT WORKSHEET

LITTLE WEASEL'S DREAM

SUGGESTIONS FOR WRITING A JOURNAL
¢ Be yourself. Write about the things you know best.

¢ Do what you always do:
- seeing new things
- talking with people
- doing new things

¢ Stop to think about yourself.

¢ Put your thoughts and feelings into words.

¢ Put your words into writings.

¢ Turn your journal into your teacher.

¢ Read or listen to what your teacher has to say.
¢ Think some more!

e Live and learn some more.

* Write some more.

73


NEW WORDS:
investigate
ramrods
stumbled
rawhide

riddled

shield

CHIEF MOUNTAIN’S MEDICINE

Developed by the Gros Ventre Elders Board
from the Fort Belknap Reservation
GEOGRAPHICAL AREA: Plains Region
STORY TYPE(S): Ideas of Spiritual Beliefs

Summary:

While in search of enemies, seven men discovered a cave in the side of a
hill into which large herds of buffalo disappeared. The men followed the
cave which turned out to be a tunnel. At the end of the tunnel they saw a
lone tepee. Only one warrior wanted to visit it. When the men returned to
the entrance of the tunnel, they discovered the sun was in the same place
it had been when they had entered, as if time had stood still. Later in a
dream the man from the lone tepee visited the one warrior, Chief Moun-
tain, who wanted to visit him and gave the warrior the power to come back
to life. When Chief Mountain was killed in battle his sons followed the
steps described in the dream and brought their father back to life.

Chief Mountain was rewarded because of the good thoughts he had
towards the lone tepee dweller. Today many Indian people from various
tribes go to live in large cities where they are among strangers. It is often
hard to anticipate how others will act in certain situations. Sometimes it
is good to be suspicious or cautious.

There are medicine people, such as the owner of Lone Lodge, who have
special gifts or powers and who choose to use these powers to help others.
They often provide guidance and counseling in the sacred ways of a tribe.
Sometimes they are able to see in the future or are able to heal people
physically or spiritually. These people develop and keep their powers liv-
ing a good life and remembering to respect their special gifts.

Each individual has special gifts, something that he or she can do better
than others. It takes time to develop these skills or even recognize that
they exist. How these talents are developed will vary but the important
thing is that they are valued, not only by others, but by each individual.

Nothing worthwhile was ever achieved without some effort and hard work.
But without a positive attitude about the need for that effort and hard
work nothing will be accomplished.

Teacher Guided Activities:
1. This story would present a good oppor-
tunity to have students explore careers

as an extension to developing their own
potential.

99


4, Write and read a story about how you
got to be friends with:

* a person that speaks a different
language than you

* a deaf person

¢ a blind person

Student Activity Card(s):
See Talking Hands Card (11A-11B).

After students have tried working with the Talking Hands Card try this
game using hand signals. Write simple sentences on strips of paper. Make
them easy. Allow a member of one Four Winds group to give the hand
signals for the sentence while members of one of the other groups tries
to “read” the hand message.
* You may also want to introduce the international sign alphabet.
¢ Try giving some simple class instructions using hand signals.

¢ Refer students also to Pictograph Card.

84


Addy 3. Bring in examples of dried jerky or
<= & smoked or salted meats and vegetables.

a Explore other methods of food process-
ing used to prevent spoilage.

Give examples of other food preserving techniques (drying fruits, can-
ning, etc.). Compare samples of each and discuss the effects in terms of
taste and texture.

May 4. Discuss the pros and cons of preserva-
><- = tives and food coloring. Stress being
a <é = aware of what you eat and how it can
mm’ affect your body. Ask students to bring

in labels from foods and discuss which
food has the most preservatives.

Student Activity Card(s):
See Indian Food Preparation Card (4A-4B).

Other optional activities which are appropriate for use with this card may
be written on the board or posted somewhere in the room.

¢ Make lists of as many plants as you can think of which were first
used by the different Indian tribes for food.

¢ Make a diorama of different types of food preparation (earth
ovens, drying racks for fish or meat, heated stones in baskets of
water for boiling).

¢ After your class has prepared the fry bread, you may want to in-

vite parents into class to share in the meal. Parents may also serve
as resource people on how to prepare other traditional Indian foods.

52


Discuss other “boogeyman” stories
which are used to convince others of the
dangers of poor behavior. How effec-
tive is fear as a motivator for proper
behavior?

As a class group make a list of things
that can be done to show respect for
elders. After a list is compiled, ask each
student to mark each item according to
how often each individually has shown
such respect. They may use the catego-
ries often, sometimes and hardly ever,
depending on how regularly these
things are done. What else could be
done?

You may want to have your class make gifts for an elderly person
they know. Organize a visit to a home for elderly people or invite
some people to your class to share their experiences of growing up.

Student Activity Card(s):

See Earth, Sky, Water Activity Card (2C-2D).

48


All such activities will require additional time and commitment on the part of the teacher. Only a
committed and sensitive teacher can provide the enthusiasm which will help shy inhibited
students get out of themselves and get into the stories. The creative potential of all students can-
not be appreciated unless it is given a chance to be expressed.

Robin A. Butterfield

10


NEW WORDS:
ledge

continue
journey
powerful
twirled

weasel

pestered
alligator

THE WEASEL AND THE EAGLE
Warm Springs Animal Stories

Developed by members of the Warm Springs Reservation Committee
GEOGRAPHICAL AREA: Plateau Region
STORY TYPE(S): Natural Phenomena/Indian Values

Summary:

Weasel and Eagle killed an alligator and proceeded on a journey to visit
friends. Weasel decided to keep the alligator skin but got tired of carrying
it. Weasel did a variety of things to keep himself entertained, often to the
annoyance of Eagle. Finally, while dancing and singing, Weasel acciden-
tally let go of the alligator skin, which landed on Eagle's back. Eagle flew
away with the skin letting it eventually drop in Florida.

This story represents the type labeled natural phenomena because it
offers one explanation of how something in nature became as we know it to
be today. The Weasel and the Eagle explains why an animal, the alligator,
may be found in one place and not another.

In addition this story is also an Indian values type story since it shows the
consequences which often result when one pesters others. Disrespect for
another's differences can alienate even the closest friends.

Teacher Guided Activities:

1. After reciting the story have stu-
dents read the story and discuss the
idea of passing stories from one genera-
tion to another orally. What things
might happen to a story? Why?

In order to clarify changes which might occur due to word of mouth, have
students form circles of ten or more students. Whisper a message into the
ear of the first student and direct him or her to do the same to the following
student in the circle until everyone has heard the message. Have the last
student whisper the message to the teacher who should then write it
down.

Using the same procedure repeat the same message and have students
pass it on. When the message has completed the circle again write it on the
board and compare.

How close were the two messages? How about the second time around the

circle? Was the message distortion as great? What might practice and
repetition do to a story?

39


NEW WORDS:
fending

village

inlet

jellyfish

SNAIL WOMAN AT SQ3A’LE

Developed by Suquamish Curriculum Committee at
Port Madison Reservation

GEOGRAPHICAL AREA: Coastal Region

STORY TYPES: Natural Phenomena/Indian Values

Summary:

Snail Woman took some children from the Suquamish village and because
they were too frightened to move they were cooked and eaten. She cap-
tured another group of children. These children, however, pushed Snail
Woman into the fire causing her to burst. The flying pieces turned into
the jellyfish which may now be found at the upper end of Sinclair Inlet.

This natural-phenomena-type story, like The Weasel and the Eagle, offers
an explanation of why an animal may be found in a certain location. The
resourcefulness of the second group of children saved their lives. This
story also shows the power of positive thinking.

Teacher Guided Activities:

1. Compare the children’s quotes on page 5
and 6 of Snail Woman at Sq'a'le. How
did the outcomes in each situation cor-
respond with what each group of chil-
dren predicted would happen?

Have students tell stories of similar situations in which their attitude in-
fluenced the outcome of a particular event. Upon completion of this story,
students should be encouraged to say, “This is hard, but I’m working at
it,” rather than “I can’t.”

2. Snail Woman at Sq®a'le introduces a
story from the second of the three geo-
cS a & graphical areas. The story The Weasel
a and the Eagle from the Plateau region
and this story from the Coastal region
are stories about why animals live in a
certain location.

Discuss habitat (the place or type of site where a plant or animal natu-
rally or normally lives and grows), specifically as it relates to the geo-
graphic areas represented by the first two stories. What type of geography
is there which would influence kinds of animal populations in these re-
gions? Speculate on how this would affect a tribe's lifestyle, including
such things as food, clothing, weapons and dwellings.

Divide the class into three groups, one for each region represented in the
Indian Reading Series. Assign each group the task of researching and
preparing a bulletin board which will show the animals located in their
region.

43




Who was the hunter?

Who tanned the hide?

By what method was it prepared?

Who designed the outfit?

Who is modeling the outfit?

Include a short description of the outfit.

In a large group decide what areas need to be worked on to put on a
fashion show. Assign a task to several small groups to organize their
activities. Remember to properly thank those people who help out (see
Offering Good Thoughts Card).

Also included is a list of optional activities which you may want to dupli-
cate for student use.

Student Activity Card(s):
See Offering Good Thoughts Card (15A-15B).

134


>

STUDENT WORKSHEET

NAPY’S JOURNEY

Make a rock collection. Try to find rocks which looked like ones
which Napi might have made.

Make a rock person by gluing rocks together. Paint eyes on
your rock.

Give your rock a name and keep it for a pet.

Make a list from the story of all the things Napi created.
Write or tell your own Napi story to describe how something
came to be the way it is. Have someone read it. Was the story
clear? Rewrite the story using the readers suggestions. Give it
to someone else to read and get their ideas on the story.

Make a cartoon or comic strip of the adventures of Napi.

Think of how much you use your eyes and ears. If you lost one
of these what would you do? Write or tell what you might do.
Choose either your eyes or your ears. What is more important
to you, what you see or what you hear? Why?

127


RATIONALE

In spite of some encouraging indicators in recent years, Indians continue to lag behind the general
population in formal educational attainment. Four major problem areas have been defined:

¢ The reading and language arts curriculum materials currently in use in schools do not
contain content that is culturally relevant or within the experiential background of most
Indian children.

¢ When Indian children’s reading and language skills are measured using typical norm-
referenced standardized tests, their scores tend to be lower than scores for other comparison
groups (especially middle-class Anglo-children). Although the children learn decoding
skills, they seem to lag behind in developing comprehension and language fluency.

Indian children seem to become less interested in school and school activities as they
progress through the grades. Drop-out rates in high school and junior high are extremely
high. Many elementary school Indian students become quiet and withdrawn and do not
participate verbally in classroom activities.

Due to cultural conflicts in the classroom and the resultant lack of academic success, many
Indian children lack a positive self-image.

Upon examination of these problem areas, one can readily determine the special needs of Indian
children:

¢ Indian children need to develop an increased interest in school, especially interest and
involvement in language arts activities and communication processes. They need the
opportunity to use the language they bring to school. Only after they are aware of the
potential of their own language, and feel free to use it, can they develop new and more
effective patterns of communication.

Indian children, like all children, need relevance and high interest potential in the content to
which they react while speaking, reading, writing or listening. They need instructional
strategies and activities which more closely match their past experiences and interactions
with adults.

Indian children need support from parents and other community members involved in the
school program. They need experiences with school materials which emphasize the dignity
and importance of people and places within the Indian community.

+ Allchildren need to know and understand important similarities and differences among the
varied cultural backgrounds of their classmates.


NEW WORDS:
tule
boughs
layers
gathered
marshy
reeds
trench
layers

rye
religious
ceremonies
mattress
microwave
cassette
suffering
pollution
kerosene
longhouse
electricity

OUR HOMES THEN AND NOW
Warm Springs Stories

Developed by the Confederated Tribes

of the Warm Springs Reservation
GEOGRAPHICAL AREA: Plateau Region
STORY TYPE(S): Description of Culture

Summary:

This story describes the traditional tule (twlé) mat dwelling of the Warm
Springs tribes and traces the changes in dwellings up to contemporary
times. There is also a discussion of other uses for the tule mats as well as
some reflections on how much has changed in the Indian world over the
years.

Teacher Guided Activities:

1. Have students make a list of then and
now using information from the story.
Ask students to think of positive ideas
of why things were as they were. Make
a list on the board together.

THEN NOW

tule mats wood, brick, etc.
open fires oven

one room 2-5 rooms

Ask students what was good about tule mats, open fires, living in one
room, etc.?

Discuss changes which have taken place in the community. Have students
decide changes which they think are good changes. Which changes are not
so good? Why?

Have students talk to their parents or grandparents and ask them about
how their homes have changed since they were young. Do they think that
all the changes have been good?

2. Toward the end of the story are descrip-
tions of sounds that have changed. This
could lead to a better understanding of
noise pollution. Have students identify
the sounds listed on page 8 and compare
the natural sounds to those from man-
made machines.

Indian people used to be much more sensitive to sound, being able to dis-
tinguish bird and animal calls.

129


NEW WORDS:
lice

nits
importantly
thundered

BASKET WOMAN

Blue Jay - Star Child/Basket Woman

Developed by members of the Muckleshoot Planning Committee
GEOGRAPHICAL AREA: Coastal Region
STORY TYPE(S): Indian Values

Summary:

Children, playing outside, are called in by their Grandmother. One child
does not obey and a voice thunders at him to listen to his Grandmother.
The Grandmother gives the children a vivid description of Basket Woman
who is said to capture children who do not listen and obey.

This story stresses the importance of listening and obeying one’s elders.
The Basket Woman is used as an example of consequences paid for

disobedience.
Teacher Guided Activities:

1.

Listening is a skill which can be de-
veloped. Discuss what listening well
really involves. How does TV affect
how people listen? Does having pic-
tures affect how well we listen and use
our imagination? Refer to the oral tra-
dition activity used with The Weasel
and the Eagle.

How important is listening in passing stories from one generation to
the next? Try some listening activities.

¢ Read aloud short stories or poems and ask students to picture in
their minds what is taking place. Have them try drawing their

pictures.

¢ Ask students to sit quietly in the classroom and write down as
many sounds as they can in a five minute interval. Have them
change their location and repeat the activity. Discuss about the
sounds they may not have noticed before. Ask them to speculate

why they have not.

Ask students to think of a little sister
or brother. What are some things that
an extremely young person should be
warned about? Ask students to write a
story which will show a young inexperi-
enced person how important it is to re-
spect such things as the water, the
woods, the winds, etc.

47




1858-1859. One Horn (on the head) makes medicine (buffalo skull). This was quite a symbol of
medicine (wakan).

1859-1860. Big Crow, killed by the Crows. Black Crow pierced by arrow.

1861-1862. Buffalo very plenty. They came up to the tipis. Most counts show cloven hoof marks
and this is probably an error in the copying.

1862-1863. Red Feather was killed. He was a Minneconjou. Other counts would indicate that
perhaps Red Feather was an Assiniboine killed by the Dacotah. There are no arrows or other killing
devices shown.

1863-1864. Eight Dacotah were killed by the Crows. Here we have the straight lines connected to
show that it happened at one place.

1864-1865. Four Crows were killed by the Dacotahs. Their firetops were shown but not as
distinctly as in many winter counts where a Crow is always to be determined by a “crew cut hair
cut.”

1865-1866. Many horses died. They were not killed as has been shown elsewhere, and the fact is
they starved for want of forage.

1866-1867. Swan, the father of the famous Minneconjou “White Swan” died. The Swan which
looks more like a bowling pin is shown over the head. The material hanging from the extended arms
is not at all any clear cut symbology. (Note Brave Bear’s death in 1854.)

1867-1868. Much medicine made. The flag indicated the Treaty negotiations out at Ft. Laramie
that year.

1868-1869. Clearly not a buffalo but a domestic animal. This was the year the Government
brought in Texas steers for beef issues in accord with the 1867 Treaty.

1869-1870. There was an eclipse of the sun in August 1869. Here the sun all black is shown. Just
why the stars are bright and red is a bit difficult to explain. It would argue that the eclipse was of
the moon and the stars still bright but the fact is the eclipse was on the sun and witnessed all over
the West. The circle is a Crow fort, nearly surrounded and the weapons used were guns for it is
bullets that are flying. All but one of the Crows was killed in fact and 14 Dacotahs. Neither of these
facts are brought out by the symbology.

64


THE STORIES

The thirty-six stories in Level IV have been sequenced according to common themes for
instructional purposes. On occasion stories from the same book have been separated in the
sequencing because it was felt the content of the story lent itself best to certain instructional
activities. Hopefully, this will not be too inconvenient.

Stories, therefore, which are similar either in “type” or in main idea have been grouped together to
provide continuity and to facilitate follow-up activities. (Story “types” are described in the
Teacher’s Manual Section.)

The seasons or time of year in which a story might be most appropriately read was also taken into
account in the sequencing since some stories seemed more appropriate for specific seasons (i.e., the
gift giving ideas presented in “Nosy Coyote” seem to work well around Christmas time). It should
be noted also that the first few stories were chosen because they came from the three regions
(Plateau, Coast, Plains) and provide an opportunity to discuss the differences and similarities
mentioned in the “Historical Perspectives” section.

¢ The Weasel and the Eagle and The Otter and the Beaver (Warm Springs) - Plateau Region

¢ Snail Woman at Sqa'le (Suquamish) Basket Woman and Blue Jay - Star Child (Muckle-
shoot) - Coastal Region

¢ Assiniboine Woman Making Grease (Assiniboine) - Plains Region

Some stories are not as long nor as detailed as others so may not require the same amount of class
time to complete. The number of stories however will require that they be used one to two times a
week. The schedule, as well as the sequencing, are suggestions and individual teacher discretion is
encouraged.

The following two pages show the story sequencing organized as a wintercount is organized. It

begins in the middle and goes in a spiral fashion counter-clockwise. You may want to enlarge this
for your bulletin board and add story titles as you complete each story.

19


Conte decorated Two Arrows for Bravery.

1821-1822. A star with a tail, a meteor, was to be seen; actually there was a great display of
meteors that winter and it was used in many counts.

1822-1823. Another log cabin, trade store, at Ft. Pierre. This was probably Ft. Tecumseh.

1823-1824. Leavenworth uses a cannon to fire on the Arikara dirt lodges up north of Grand River.
The white man with a hat, fires at a dirt lodge, highly symbolic.

1824-1825. Swan, a Minneconjou, had 20 horses killed by a man who was mad at him. The lance
and blood show the method.

1825-1826. Ina Big Flood on the Missouri many were drowned. The heads above the straight line
which was the water level depicts the event.

1826-1827. Indians who ate a buffalo carcass died and before death a strange substance issued
from their mouths. The line so depicts.

1827-1828. Dead Arm, a Dacotah was stabbed by a Mandan and lost lots of blood. The arm, the
dirt, the blood are all shown.

1828-1829. A white man, with a hat, built a trading post. Some say it was Chadron at the mouth
of the Belle Fourche.

1829-1830. Bad Spike kills an Indian with an arrow.

1830-1831. In a battle, man with a bonnet, many were killed by the Crows. One interpretation
says 23 Dacotahs. But there are no straight lines, departure if that many were actually killed.

1831-1832. One white man, both with hats kill another. This was Laboue who killed Quenel at
Cherry Creek.

1832-1833. Lone Horn, shown on head, had his leg broken on a buffalo hunt.

1833-1834. Another meteor shower. This was well-known having been observed at many places in
the United States on November 12th.

1834-1835. Medicine Hide, a chief was killed. The red shirt shows the bloody nature of the affair.

1835-1836. Lame Deer shot a Crow with an arrow, pulled it out and shot him again. This peculiar
circumstance, most unusual, was deemed worthy of a place on the calendar record.

1836-1837. Plenty of buffalo again but this time it is interpreted as the Breast; Chief of the Two
Kettles died. It’s hard to make sense of this one.

1837-1838. One hundred elk killed on a big hunt. Clearly not a horse, the lance or arrow tells the
story.

1838-1839. Iron Horn, built himself a dirt lodge on the Moreau. There is nothing to connect him
with the first lodge but that was a fact.

62




STUDENT WORKSHEET

1

2

COYOTE AND NORTHWIND

Collect as many stories and poems as you can about the weather
and put them in a booklet.

Keep a log about the changes in the weather day to day. You
may want to cut out the forecast each day from the newspaper.

Walk arqund your community and write down how many people
are using the wind. Can you think of other uses? Make a pic-
ture notebook of the wind in action. Draw your own pictures or
cut them from magazines.

Think about what kind of a character Coyote is. In your small
group decide: Who would make a good Coyote? Who would
make a good North Wind? Pretend you are characters in the
story and role play trapping North Wind and setting him loose.
How do you act once wind has been set free?

55


Normally, the Northwest Coast, Plateau and Northern Plains are thought to have been quite
distinctive in terms of the pre-treaty or aboriginal Indian cultural period (prior to the advent of the
whites).

The Northern Plains is historically characterized by horse nomadism, a lifestyle of following a
seasonal round of economic activities by way of the horse. It is also characterized by the warrior
ethic, in which one’s ability as a man, at least, was measured by how successful he was in war. Some
anthropologists would also describe this culture in terms of religion that was a search for visions or
religious ecstasy. (Some stories such as Little Weasel’s Dream, Catches Up to Antelope, Seeking A
Spirit and Chief Mountain’s Medicine allude to this.) The Northern Plains inhabitants have
traditionally had large confederated tribal council groups — much larger political units than those
of the Plateau or the Northwest Coast Indians.

The Northwest Coast is thought of in terms of relatively rich fisherpeople with a host of patterns
surrounding status consciousness based on property holdings and property distinctions. The
Northwest Coast people can be characterized by a very rigid class distinction and a close
connection between material success in life and religious virtue.

In looking at the Plateau, which lies in between the Northern Plains and the Northwest Coast, one
finds an area that is not so well known or so well characterized in the literature. Some anthropolo-
gists have seen the Plateau as transitional between the Plains and the Coast, but this has been
shown recently to be a bit too simplistic. More recent research sees the Plateau as being only
indirectly involved with either the Northern Plains or the Northwest Coast, and has shown that it
formed a rather distinct set of cultures with separate values. For example, the Plateau is character-
ized by an economic system that is more diverse in its nature. It involved some horse nomadism,
some fishing and much reliance on roots and game, all of which suggests a more generalized
adaptive kind of cultural pattern. It was a diverse economic scheme, in other words, compared to
the more concentrated focus on buffalo out in the Plains and on salmon on the Coast. The social
organization of the Plateau is distinct from either the Plains or Northwest Coast in that it
emphasized very small sized groupings, like small villages. A very strong emphasis was placed on
the individual and a kind of equality of each individual, more so than in either the Plains or the
Northwest Coast areas. In the Plateau, the religion was not strongly concerned with materialistic
success, nor was it as oriented to religious ecstasy and vision as was the case in the Plains area.

There are, then, important differences between these three culture areas, not just harking from the
traditional cultures and the differences that existed, for example, one hundred and fifty years ago.
Even now, certain differences exist due to the different kinds of exposures and involvement with
non-Indians in the three culture areas.

Core Values of the Three Cultural Areas

While the three culture areas have distinct differences, the culture areas are the same in terms of a
common set of core values, at least during the Pre-Contact Period. A common set of core values
that apply fairly equally in all three areas would include the following:

¢ primacy of kinship/family obligations
(family is the ultimate security; sharing among family members is not even questioned, it is
assumed)

¢ religion as maintaining harmony between man and nature

(respect for nature; nature, society and man have to be brought into an equitable balanced
relationship)

12


AREAS
OF
EMPHASIS

The Indian Reading Series has been developed to meet
the needs of Indian students specifically in the areas
of reading and language arts. The total program, how-
ever, has also been used effectively to supplement
units in social studies and science since the stories
themselves contain a tremendous amount of cultural
information. In addition, the program has fostered
better communication between the school and the
Indian community as Indian parents have seen their
children using authentic materials which reflect their
culture. Finally, activities, such as the Four Winds
activity card, have encouraged a better working rela-
tionship among students.

Within the teacher’s manual for Level IV, the Teacher
Guided Activities section has been keyed for these
five areas of emphasis using pictographic symbols.
Each symbol will be described and will serve as a
visual cue for those teachers wishing to use the pro-
gram to select activities which only reinforce or devel-
op one area. For example, if a teacher would like to
promote a healthy interaction among students using a
cultural context, then it would be appropriate to look
for those activities keyed with the student interaction
symbol.

For teachers wishing to use the total program, the
symbols serve as visual reminders of the variety of
activities which students will experience. Education
for the Indian child was traditionally a lifelong proc-
ess, free from departmentalization, and fostered with
love and caring through the extended family. The
stories and manual for Level IV reflect this type of
learning style. Used as a total program, a better un-
derstanding of and appreciation for Indian people and
their culture will most certainly reward teacher and
student alike.

29


NEW WORDS:
roots

homesick
salmon
kidnapped
cedar

boughs

BLUE JAY - STAR CHILD
Blue Jay - Star Child/Basket Woman

Developed by members of the Muckleshoot Planning Committee
GEOGRAPHICAL AREA: Coastal Region
STORY TYPE(S): Natural Phenomena/Indian Values

Summary:

Two sisters left for the Sky World to marry a white star and a red star.
The younger sister had a star child and returned home. Her child was
stolen and taken to the Underworld. Blue Jay was sent to find the baby
who could be located by passing through a crack in the earth’s surface.
Whe Blue Jay found the baby, he had grown to be a man and could not
return. Blue Jay had to return through the crack in the earth alone.
Blue Jay’s head, however, got caught in the crack, which reminds people
of the age when the world changed.

Teacher Guided Activities:

1. Divide your class into three groups.
Assign each group the task of doing
their own mural of one of the worlds
(the Sky World, Earth or the Under-
world) mentioned in the story.

Wher the murals are complete, put them together to show the three
layers mentioned in the story.

uy 2. Discuss with your class natural changes
> We which have taken place in the earth’s
33 CE = & surface. What natural event might
have caused the earth to open and close

as it did in the story?

What other natural forces operate to change the earth’s surface besides
earthquakes? (Glaciers, volcanoes, wind erosion, etc.)

Perhaps different groups could work on reports of volcanoes, earthquakes
or glaciers. Drawings could be included in the reports.

3. In this story, Blue Jay had discovered
ue — that Dog Salmon had taken the baby.
=

33 EE = See if students can find out what Dog
Cus Salmon are. Have students draw a pic-

ture and write about what they have
learned.

49


RESERVATIONS PARTICIPATING IN PACIFIC NORTHWEST
INDIAN PROGRAM

a | wi

Fort Belknap Fort Peck

PLAINS

Northern
WA cheyenne

6 /
MOM Muckleshoot
Skokomish —//

Burns Paiute

Fort ol

Modern Period

The Modern Period (1930 to present) is the last historical period in which values and changes in
values need to be discussed. Changes in values have become obvious in the “urban/reservation
split” that has been made so much of by some people. Today, something like half to a majority of
American Indian people live off reservations at any given time. Many of them, even though they
start out life in a reservation community, will move to urban centers at some point in their lives.

There are many examples of Indian people who are successfully bicultural. The individual lives of
Indian people may show them participating in the first salmon ceremony one day of the week, and
going to the university on the next day. Maybe on a special weekend, if they are deeply religious
people like many on the Plains, they may take part in the sundance. This is an area where Indian
children need much assistance, since many children think they are only Indian if, for example, they
are like Sitting Bull. To the degree that they are not like Sitting Bull, they feel they are not Indian.
There is a need to take real life examples in which the Indian child can see that these things are not
necessarily contradictory, that people put them together in a clear, rich, multicultural kind of
existence in which they can play the white man’s game and the Indian game without any kind of
trouble at all, without contradiction and quite successfully. There are many ways of being Indian
and successfully living in the bicultural mode where Indian people can be Indian in certain
contexts and quite competent with non-Indian behavior in others.

To summarize, the Pre-Contact Period is that period from which the core (or common) values of the
three culture groups have derived. The Reservation Period is the period when biculturalism was
developed by Indians as a way of dealing with European demands to change and assimilate into
the white culture. The Modern Period has brought a shift from reservations to urban centers for
many Indian people, though without the loss of access to reservation culture.

The Indian Reading Series reflects many of the core values which have derived from the Pre-
Contact Period. There is a need, however, to reflect more contemporary issues, such as Indian life
in an urban setting and successful biculturalism, in order to assist Indian students to deal with the
complexities of modern culture.

15




When the bear got through the patch she had to stop and pick the thorns out of her paws. The boys
knew this and ran much faster because it gave them more time to get away. The bear was ina lot of
pain from the wound on her shoulder and the thorns that were now in her paws. She was now ina
complete rage and could barely see to pick the thorns out. When she was done she began chasing
the boys again.

The boys saw her coming and knew that they would never be able to outrun her. One of the boys
said, “Let’s use the last wish that the man gave us. We'll wish for a large patch of brush, one that is
so thick that even a rabbit or any other small creature cannot get through.” The boys stopped to see
whether the brush would stop the bear. They heard a loud crash, a rustling and much noise coming
from the brush. She had somehow made it through the thick brush and now seemed to be on the
verge of catching them.

The boys began running again and wondered what they could do. They had now run out of the
wishes that the man had given them. None of the boys had any power or medicine themselves and
they were desperate to find a way to get away from the rampaging bear. Then one said, “Our little
brother always carries a little ball that he plays with. Let's try it and see if there is anything to it.
There must be a reason why he kept it.” They took the ball from the littlest brother and the oldest
one kicked it into the air. The ball went high up into the sky and the boy followed the ball into the
sky. The ball came back and the next brother kicked it and he also went into the sky. The
succeeding five brothers all did the same and they also rose upwards into the sky.

Just as the last brother kicked the ball the bear came running up to the spot where the boys had
been. She was still in a blind rage and could not do anything because the boys went high into the
sky and became stars of the night. They stay together and shine every night hoping that their
sister will come back from being a bear and she will know where they are and come and get them.

To this day, the Gros Ventres (Grow Vont) refer to the Big Dipper and the North Star as
“Cha-Be-Ka4-Tha” or “Broken Shoulder” meaning the time when the seven brothers were forced to
flee from their own sister who had turned into a bear and went mad over a broken shoulder.

Student Activity Card(s):
See Tracks Card (10A-10B).

82




NEW WORDS:
vigorous
dislodged
haunches
furious

fully

BEAR HAT
Fort Hall Stories

Developed by members of the Fort Hall Reservation Committee
GEOGRAPHICAL AREA: Plateau Region
STORY TYPE(S): Description of Culture

Summary:

While on a hunting trip with friends Bee-bu-bah-gent wrestled a wounded
bear. Because of this encounter he received the name Bear Hat.

This is an adventure story which explains another way in which Indian
people have received names. Rather than receiving a name in a vision
or dream, Bee-bu-bah-gent’s name originated from one significant event

in his life.

Teacher Guided Activities:

1.

Ask students to describe how they may
have received their name or nickname
and why. List these on the board. Other
tribes have ceremonies or special people
who give names. See if there is such
a person in the community.

Ask students to decide which ways they would prefer to be named and tell
why. Do names really influence our behavior? Why do people get angry

when being called names?

Student Activity Card(s):

See how many places in the community
have been given Indian names. Can
students find any of the meanings for
the names? Have students research
how many place names have Indian
origins (cities, states, rivers, moun-
tains, etc.).

See Bears and Hats Card (9A-9B).

77


The feeling of being and acting like brothers and sisters is often influ-
enced by example or through encouragement and the watchful eye of
elders. A “family” or group member who has shown leadership, coopera-
tion, caring and/or academic achievement, could be designated as an elder
for that group. Elders would remain only as long as their behavior con-
tinues to reflect the group’s honor code. The elder must meet whatever
criteria is agreed upon by each group. (Older students may also be used
as group elders.)

Take time to read the Four Winds card with your class. Decide ahead of
time appropriate groupings. The groups may change periodically if you
wish but the behavior guides should remain. Use your own discretion.

The next two activities will give groups a chance to try out the new
structure.

2. Discuss the story making lists of the

ie — positive things the wind does and the
33€— — & possible negative things the wind does.
a Allow small groups to do the same ac-

tivity for other weather features such
as the sun, rain, clouds, etc.

3. Lead students through the creative
writing exercise before breaking into
Four Wind groups. Ask students to
choose to be either a leaf or a snow-
flake. They are to become the object
and describe themselves.

Begin each line with the words: “If I were a ______ I would... .,”
(this may be written on the board).

Encourage as many ideas as possible by asking questions: Where are you?
What can you see? What do you think about? How do you feel about
yourself? What can you hear or smell? What happens when the weather
changes or the wind blows?

These poems may be mounted over leaf designs. Place different leaves
under a sheet of paper and color the paper with crayons, leaving patterns
of leaves. Or simply paste leaves around the poems.

Included on a separate sheet are optional activities which you may want
to duplicate and distribute to students.

Student Activity Card(s):
See Four Winds Card (5A-5B).

54




NEW WORDS:
special
hollering

smelt

innocent

jerky

romp

ashamed
pleaded

RUNNING FREE

Developed by the members of the Shoalwater Bay
Curriculum Committee

GEOGRAPHICAL AREA: Coastal Region
STORY TYPE(S): Indian Values

Summary:

This is the story of a unique relationship which developed between a family
and their pet deer. The fawn adopted the family after their father put
medicine on its sore foot. The deer played, swam, followed the children
to school and got into mischief. Eventually, the young deer returned to
his own kind which taught the children something about the idea of free-
dom and the need for all creatures to find their own place.

The deer has provided humans with shelter, food and clothing. In this

story the deer gave friendship. The need to return to one’s own kind was
also seen earlier in the story Owl Boy.

Teacher Guided Activities:

1. Consider raising some smaller animal
in the classroom such as rabbits, ger-

My bils, hamsters, fish, etc. Assign certain
” , , fish, etc.
¥ ‘& =E& responsibilities to the Four Winds
ams groups. Within the Council Lodge

establish the rules for having or keeping
a classroom pet.

Have a contest to give the pet(s) a name. Review naming in the Indian
way and remember that animals are treated as brothers and sisters.

2. Introduce local programs for youth like
4-H Clubs, Ranchers or Farmers of
America, Rodeo Club. Have students
who are already members talk to your
class about these organizations.

Have students report on different organizations. Discuss how these or-
ganizations teach about caring for animals.

Following the Student Activity Card is a list of optional activities which
you may want to reproduce for student use.

Student Activity Card(s):
See Earth, Sky, Water Card (2C-2D).

Take time to review animals and their habitat.

113




THE TEACHER’S MANUAL

The primary purpose of this teacher's manual is to suggest activities which are not only cultur-
ally relevant for Indian students but will further involve students in language production and
refinement.

For each story the manual identifies the geographical area from which the story came, the story
type, new or unfamiliar words, a short summary including a clarification of values stressed,
activities which require teacher guidance, and a notation of the appropriate student activity
card(s) to be used as follow-up.

Geographical Areas

All stories come from tribes located in the northwestern states of Oregon, Washington, Idaho and
Montana. Because of the similarities of lifestyle and culture within a geographical area, tribes have
been grouped together for discussion purposes. The three geographical areas identified are the
Coastal region, the Plateau region and the Plains region. Many activities throughout the program
will help students recognize the similarities between tribes in the same region as well as the
differences among tribes in another region. For example, several stories in Level IV describe the
type of dwelling of the different tribes. In the Pre-Contact Period tribes in the Coastal region lived
in long houses made of wood, while tribes of the Plateau region constructed homes using tule mats,
and in the Plains region the tribes built tepees from animal hides (please refer to the article
“Historical Perspectives” for further information).

Understanding cultural distinctions and similarities should help students better understand the
stories. One caution should be added that often generalizations may lead to stereotyping. Even
tribes within the same geographical area may differ widely in some cultural practices. Always
encourage students and community resource people to point out the unique cultural distinctions
locally wherever possible. It may be helpful to enlarge the map of the Northwest and locate the
stories on it as they are introduced to the students.

Story Types

Each story has been identified as belonging to one of four story types to help teacher and students
better understand the intent of each story. Many stories, however, are a combination of several
story types and this too should be noted.

Explanation of Natural Phenomena Stories

Though not the most common, the natural phenomena stories are the most readily identified.
These stories offer explanations for many “why” questions concerning natural phenomena.

Why are there so many jellyfish in the water at the upper end of Sinclair Inlet?
Why are there alligators in Florida and not in The Dalles, Oregon?

Why are owls’ eyes big and crows’ feathers black?

Why are there only so many summer months?

Why is there a land form like the Devil’s Tower?

cece ee

Often within these stories are also valuable lessons about proper behavior.

23


THE INDIAN READING SERIES:
Stories and Legends of the Northwest

ay



BACKGROUND
INFORMATION


STUDENT WORKSHEET

OUR HOMES THEN AND NOW

1 Write a “Then and Now” poem. Begin the first line with a de-
scription of something from the past. The second line should
begin with the words, “But now . . .” Write several two-line
statements to make your “Then and Now” poem.

Example: The Warm Springs Indians used to live in tule
mat huts. But now they live in modern homes
with electricity and running water.

2 Make a study of your tribe’s traditional dwellings. You may
want to see a picture of one if these homes are no longer in use.
What is the dwelling made of? Where were the materials ob-
tained? What are the main features of this home? Make a
model of just one traditional dwelling or consider making a
diorama of an entire village.

131


NEW WORDS: | BASKETS AND CANOES

clams

Developed by the Coast Area Planning Committee
strands | GEOGRAPHICAL AREA: Coastal Region
circulate STORY TYPE(S): Description of Culture

woven
language
loosely

Summary:

This story describes the different varieties of baskets and canoes used
in the Northwest Coastal area. Each unique functional purpose is ex-

willow § plained. The materials and tools used in creating baskets and canoes are

wands

all natural, given life through the elements of the earth mother.

repeated The practicality and inventiveness of the Indian people of the Northwest

specific
replicas
potlatches
felling 1.
tallow
pitch
delicately

Teacher Guided Activities:

is an underlying theme in this story. One can see how humans have
adapted to their surroundings and how each is compatible with the other.

Ask students to think about what they
have read about baskets and canoes.
Have them look at page 7 of the story
and try to imagine that they were a
canoe of long ago.

diameter J For a creative writing exercise ask them to describe themselves as a

camouflage
chisel
adequate

following:

¢ What do you look like?
Where do you go?

war canoe, fishing canoe, or hunting canoe. Ask students to answer the

What do you see, hear, taste, or smell?

What kind of water are you moving through?

What do you think about?

Is something happening around you? And then what? Draw a

picture of yourself as a canoe. Be sure to decorate yourself.

2.

pad *

Student Activity Card(s):
See Baskets Card (25A-25B).

Break into Four Winds groups to make
baskets using whatever materials are
on hand. Use whatever methods seem
practical for your students or that you
have resources for (see Baskets Card).

Invite a local resource person to dis-
play baskets and possibly demonstrate
how to make baskets using the re-
sources from your community.

139


10.
12.
13.

14.

15.
16.

A SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY

American Indian Art. Shorter edition. Abrams, North Dakota, 1973.
($9.90)

American Indian Art Magazine. American Indian Art Magazine, 7333 South Noneerey Way
#5, Scottsdale, Arizona 85251. Quarterly publication. ($3.00 an issue, $12.00 yearly)

The Weewish Tree. American Indian Historical Society, 1451 Masonie Avenue, San Francisco,
California 94117. Published six times during the school year. ($6.50 annually)

Belitz, Larry. Brain Tanning the Sioux Way. Star Route, Box 176, Hot Springs, South
Dakota 57747, 1973. ($1.00)

Bibliography of Nonprint Instructional Materials on the American Indian. Brigham Young
University, 1972. ($2.95)

Art and Indian Children of the Dakotas, Series 1-4. Developed and produced by the Curricu-
lum Development Center, U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs,
Aberdeen Area Office, Aberdeen, South Dakota.

Some Puppet Patterns and Stuff. Dragons Are Too Seldom Puppet Theatre, 21 Lee Street,
Deadwood, South Dakota.

Elant, Geimano. Art Povera—Earthworks, Impossible Art, Actual Art, Conceptual Art.
Praeger Publishers, New York, Washington, 1969. ($8.95)

Lyford, Carrie A. Quill and Beadwork of the Western Sioux. Reprinting of 1940 edition.
Johnson Publishing Company, Boulder, Colorado, 1979. ($5.95)

Sauer, Carl. Man In Nature. Turtle Island Foundation, Berkeley, California, 1975.

Storm, Hyemeohsts. Seven Arrows. Ballantine Books, New York, 1972. ($4.95)

We, The First Americans. Stock #0324-0048. Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government
Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402. (45¢ domestic postpaid or 35¢ G.P.O. Bookstore)

Native American Indian Charts. Titles: Musical Instruments, Toys and Games, Quillwork,
Naskapi Indians, Assiniboine Indians, Woodland Cree Indians. Color, 364” x 49” each
folded in its own 9” x 12” envelope. The New Southwest Music Publications, Box 4552,
Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501. ($4.00 each)

Thompson, Thomas. The Schooling of Native America. American Association of Colleges for
Teacher Education in collaboration with the Teacher Corps, United States Office of Educa-
tion, Washington, D.C., 1978.

Tomkins, William. Indian Sign Language. Dover Publications, Inc., New York, New York,
1979. ($1.25)

Painted Tipies by Contemporary Plains Indian Artists. United States Department of Interior,
Indian Arts and Crafts Board, Oklahoma Indian Arts and Crafts Cooperative, Anadarko,
Oklahoma, 1973. ($5.00)

eG P.O: 1982—893-685 145




*Napi'’s Journey. 2.0.0... ete e eee 125
(Blackfeet)
Paints and Earth Bags Card (23A-23B)

*Our Homes Then and Now - Warm Springs Stories... 6.0.00 0 0 eee cee eee 129
(Warm Springs)
Northwest Homes Card (24A-24B)

*How Deer Hide Was Tanned - Warm Springs Stories. ......... 0060 c cece eee 133
(Warm Springs)
Offering Good Thoughts Card (15A-15B)

Tepee Making. . 0.00.0... 0. cece te tet e eee 137
(Kootenai)

Northwest Homes Card (24A-24B)

Indian Names Card (8A-8B)

Baskets and Canoes... 0.0.0... e ete es 139
(Coast Area)
Baskets Card (25A-25B)
*Warrior People.......0. 00000 ee 141
(Blackfeet)

Listen, Touch, Reflect Card (26A-26B)

Bibliography. 0.0.0.0 eee renee net 145

viii


Social Studies

32

Many of the stories in Level IV provide de-
scriptions of Indian culture which may provide
good reference material for teachers develop-
ing social studies units on Indians in the
Northwest. Some of these stories explain in
detail the appearance and use of cultural ob-
jects, ceremonies or lifestyle of individual
tribes. Within Level IV there are specific sto-
ries about Blackfeet history, basket making of
Coastal tribes, tanning hides, and traditional
Plateau and Plains dwellings. As stated in the
preface, these stories were not intended to
teach Indian culture. They come from and are
based in the culture and can provide a wealth
of subtle information about the history and
social interaction of the native people of the
Northwest.

Indian people believe that the individual
should develop a realization that success in life
stems from being able to contribute to the well
being of one’s people and all life. A creative
teacher may use these stories to further
heighten student awareness of the intimate
web of life that links them with their world. It
can lead to developing a healthy self-concept
for the Indian students since they will see
themselves and their culture in a useful, beau-
tiful and important perspective.

Activities in the teacher’s manual which may
promote social studies concepts will be identi-
fied using the pictographic buffalo since for
some tribes it epitomizes the interdependence
of man and the environment. The social inter-
action with brothers like the buffalo contrib-
uted greatly to who the Indian people were,
how they lived and what they believed.


6

112

Clean up your person’s desk, sharpen pencils, scrub the table
top and leave the area looking bright and clean. Perhaps you
could take care of some little chore without letting your part-
ner know.

Make a special December calendar for the person to help count
the days until Christmas.

Make a mobile or a large hanging ornament using Christmas or
winter-time scenes (snowflakes, snowmen, sleds or sleighs,
birds, fruit or other holiday themes). Stained glass effects can
be made by using colored tissue and black construction paper
for outlining. This project will not be so time consuming if the
shapes are kept to a manageable size and remain simple.

Make a book. Write and illustrate an original Christmas story.
Don’t forget to title it and make a page showing that the
author is “Your Secret Santa.”


A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE

In order to help students and teachers better understand not only the stories but Indian culture as
it exists today, a good deal of time should be taken to explore the changes and adaptations Indian
people have made in recent history. Following is a brief description of three historical periods.

Historical Periods (As described by Dr. Deward Walker)

There are various ways of looking at the evolution of the Indian cultures reflected in The Indian
Reading Series. The most practical way, however, of dividing up that history is as follows:

¢ Pre-Contact or Aboriginal Culture Period (pre 1860)
(This is the period prior to the treaties; values are those that are significantly intact and
unaltered, or those portions of the present culture that might be said to derive from that
period.)

¢ Reservation Culture Period (1860 to 1930)
(This period follows the treaties and the establishment of the reservations; it includes the
early experiences with the missionaries, traders, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs.)

* Modern Culture Period (1930 to Present)
(This period begins with the Indian Reconstruction Act when the tribes underwent formal
organization; it is the period of formal institutionalization of effective tribal government.)

These three periods are roughly the same for each of the culture areas (Plains, Plateau and Coast)
represented in The Indian Reading Series.

Almost all the stories in Level IV originated in the Pre-Contact Period with the exceptions of
Catches Up to Antelope (Reservation Period), Running Free and Our Homes Then and Now (1930
to Modern Period).

In order to better eliminate stereotypes for Indian and non-Indian students alike, opportunities
should be taken to note that Indian people encompass a diverse group of people who range from
being very traditional in some cases to very modern in others. They live on and off reservations and
still maintain their ties with their culture. There is a need to point out real life examples of Indian
people who are successfully bicultural. We all need to understand that practicing traditional
culture and living in the modern world are not necessarily contradictory. Indian people have
developed a clear, rich, multicultural kind of existence in which they can express their “Indian-
ness” in certain contexts and yet be quite competent with non-Indian behavior in other contexts.
Culture is an ever changing phenomena, a process rather than an end result.

Pre-Contact Period

Before interacting with non-Indians, Pre-Contact, the tribes in the northwestern part of the United
States maintained unique cultures, which for sake of discussion may be grouped according to three
geographical areas (Plains, Coast, Plateau).

This general discussion of the three culture areas and the values that make them distinctive

concentrates on the differences, not the similarities, of the three cultures. People tend to talk as if
Indians were all the same, which they are not. Nor are these culture areas the same even now.

1


PROGRAM OBJECTIVES

The Indian Reading Series is a supplementary reading and language arts development program for
elementary grade Indian and non-Indian children. The objectives of the program are to:

« Expand student interest in language arts experiences.

¢ Increase student skills in language arts activities.

« Improve student feelings of competence and success in communication skills.
¢ Reinforce for Indian students a positive self-image and pride in being Indian.

¢ Provide students and teachers with a greater understanding of Indian culture.


BLE OF CONTENTS

Page
Preface... 6. ccc eee eee teen een een eet nena 1
The Shadow of a Flame. ... 2.6... ett 3
Rationale... 2... cnet e eee been nett eee 5
Program Objectives. ......0.0.6 0.0 ete e eee 6
Language Experience and Native American Communication Styles.................05 9
A Historical Perspective... 0.0.0.0... ccc eee eee e ee 11
Northwest Regional Map...........0. 6006 c cece cece cee teens 15
Program Organization. ......0.0 00.0 cee cence tenet ences 17
The Stories. ........ 19
The Teacher’s Manual 23
Student Activity Cards. ..... 0... ccc renee eee eee 25
Areas of Emphasis... 00.0... eet et eet teenies 29
Language Art: . 31
Social Studies 32
Science. . 33
Community. 34
Student Interaction. 35
Introduction. 20... enn eee e ene t tte enae 37
The Weasel and the Eagle - Warm Springs Animal Storie. 39
(Warm Springs)
Firetalk Cards (1A-1B)
The Otter and the Beaver - Warm Springs Animal Stories.................055 41
(Warm Springs)
Firetalk Cards (1C-1D)
*Snail Woman at SqPalle.. 6... eee eee 43
(Suquamish)
Earth, Sky, Water Card (2A-2B)
Basket Woman - Blue Jay - Star Child/Basket Woman ..............-...055 AT

(Muckleshoot)
Earth, Sky, Water Card (2C-2D)

*Stories marked include an independent student worksheet which may be
duplicated.






DAKOTA CALENDAR OR WINTERCOUNT KEPT BY LONE DOG

1801-1802. A human being with many marks always was the sign of an epidemic of some disease
such as smallpox or measles. The interpretation is “many died of Small Pox.”

1802-1803. The horseshoe used to indicate that the Dacotahs saw shod horses probably stolen
from the Pawnees who stole them from the white men further down the Missouri.

1803-1804. They stole “curly horses,” horses with curly hides from the Crows.
1804-1805. They had a Calumet dance and then went off on a War expedition.
1805-1806. Eight Dacotahs killed in a foray against the Crows. Straight lines.

1806-1807. A Dacotah kills an Arikara just as he was about to capture an eagle. The red mark on
shoulder indicates a wound.

1807-1808. The Dacotah who killed the Arikara in 1806-1807 was himself killed by Rees. (This is a
short name for Arikara.)

1808-1809. Little Beaver, “Loisel, a Frenchman” who had a fur post near DeGrev, east of Pierre
on the Missouri, lost his post by fire. In this case the symbol was for “Little Beaver” only. Others
show the beaver plus a burning log building.

1810-1811. Has to do with a medicine man, the symbol is a white buffalo skull over his head.
Black Stone or Black Rock was the medicine man.

1811-1812. The circle is a dirt lodge, the interior circles heads. Interpreted, it is that 27 Arikaras
or Mandans were killed in a dirt lodge by the Dakotahs.

1812-1813. The device is a laso. It signifies that “wild horses” were caught.
1813-1814. Whooping Cough killed man. The device is a head with a blast coming from it.

1814-1815. A Dacotah kills an Arapahoe with a stroke on the head from an axe causing a great
flow of blood. Once understood, it is very typical and symbolic.

1815-1816. The Sans Arcs make a dirt lodge at Peoria Bottom, near Pierre. The Arc or bow over
the symbol of a dirt lodge.

1816-1817. Buffalo were plenty. A crude buffalo hide is the symbol.

1817-1818. A trade post of dry timber was built at Ft. Pierre. This was by Joseph LaFrombois.
The symbology is perfect.

1818-1819. This was a Measles Epidemic. Smallpox, you will note, has larger marks on a human
body.

1819-1820. Another trade post. This one by La Conte also at Ft. Pierre.

1820-1821. Another dirt lodge. This was one by Two Arrows and the streamer indicates that La

61




STUDENT WORKSHEET

HOW DEER HIDE WAS TANNED

1 (See Firetalk Activity Card.) Tell about a time when you actu-
ally saw a live deer or went hunting.

2 What are some good safety rules for hunting? Prepare a dem-
onstration for your class. You may want to invite an older
person to visit your class to give a demonstration on rifle
safety. You might talk about other hunting techniques such as
trapping or bow hunting. Perhaps you could share your infor-
mation with another class.

3 Make something using leather scraps such as chokers, hair ties,
bracelets, pouches, belts, key rings, head bands or belts. Add
beads if you have time.

A Draw and paint pictures of deer or of articles made from
deerhide.

135




NEW WORDS:
pemmican
scraper
container
precious

HOW DEER HIDE WAS TANNED
Warm Springs Stories

Developed by the Confederated Tribes

of the Warm Springs Reservation
GEOGRAPHICAL AREA: Plateau Region
STORY TYPE(S): Description of Culture

Summary:

This story describes in detail the steps taken when tanning hides. In addi-
tion, there is a brief explanation of how other parts of the deer are used.

Teacher Guided Activities:

” 1. Ask around to see if you can get some
Pie = & samples of tanned, untanned and
Banc & — smoked deer hide. Have students ex-

Amn amine each example of deer hide and
then write down their observations
individually or collectively on the

blackboard.

Ask students to ask their families or friends for some examples of things
made from parts of the deer. Build a display area with the examples.

2. If materials and resources are available,
try tanning a hide. When the hide is
complete issue each student a small
section of the tanned buckskin. Try
coordinating this activity with any
beadwork or jewelry projects.

Maybe small doll outfits or other articles could be made. Have students
continue writing down observations of how the hide changes through the
tanning and sewing process. After doing all these things ask students to
write down a story about how deer hide was tanned.

View a super 8 mm film loop before reading How Deer Hide Was Tanned.
Hide Preparation, Thorne Films, Inc. #274, approximately $24.00.

Write down all the materials you saw on how hide is tanned from viewing
the film. Read the story How Deer Hide Was Tanned. Compare the process
for tanning deerhide as viewed from the film.

3. Organize a student fashion show where

i buckskin outfits could be explained to
another class, the whole school or par-

ents and friends. Parents may want to

participate too! You need to know some
of the following:

133


Wintercount of the
sures People Tribe

Stories
Book 8

Little
Weasel's Dream

Book 7

How
Summer Seasoi

Came
Book 6

Warrior

People
Book 21

Coyote

Book 5
ook 5 Baskets

and Canoes
Book 20

Tepee
Making
Book 19

21


2. Birds, like all things from nature, con-
tributed much to Indian people. They
were respected and some were even
revered, especially the eagle. It is a tre-
mendous honor to wear eagle feathers,
an honor which has to be earned.

Spend time discussing different tribal customs relating to the eagle or
other birds. Explore the many ways feathers are used to adorn dance cos-
tumes. Encourage students who have outfits to bring them in for display.

Following the student activity card is a list of optional activities which
you may want to reproduce for student use.

Student Activity Card(s):
See Indian Suitcase Card (14A-14B).

90


3

132

Write a “Then and Now’ story from the viewpoint of an animal
that lives mostly on land, in the air or in the water. Describe
your animal home. (Read your story either to the whole class or
in a small group of four or five. Can the other students figure
out what animal you have chosen to write about? Be sure to
read exactly what you wrote.) Write about your own home.
How do you remember it? How does it look today?

Look at some study prints of how the land eroded or was pol-
luted. What causes these things? What have people been doing
to control erosion or pollution? How did Indians feel about the
world around them?


NEW WORDS:
curse

taught
medicine
language
secrets

PET CROW
Sioux Stories and Legends

Developed by members of the Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes
of the Fort Peck Reservation

GEOGRAPHICAL AREA: Plains Region

STORY TYPE(S): Natural Phenomena/Indian Values

Summary:

A great chief found a crow with a broken wing and took care of it. The
chief taught the bird the language of his tribe and out of gratitude the
bird spied on enemy tribes for the chief. The crow learned that an enemy
medicine man had put a curse on the chief and during a storm the chief’s
tent was struck by lightning and he was killed. The crow was blackened
by the smoke from the burned tepee which is yet another explanation
of why the crow is colored black.

Within this story the Indian chief’s thoughtful deed for the crow is repaid
in kind. The good deeds and appreciation generated between humans and
animals is never ending.

It should be pointed out here that although in this story a medicine man
was the doer of evil, that is a stereotype. Most often the medicine man was
a spiritual leader of the tribe who protected his people. He was an ex-
ample of personal strength and wisdom and was to be revered by all.

Teacher Guided Activities:

1. Discuss the variety of ways in which
man and animals communicate. There
are many animal and insect communi-
ties which seem to transfer information
(bees, porpoises, sea gulls, dogs,
whales, etc.). Any one of these would
make a good topic for group reports.

2. Ask students to retell or Firetalk a
story about a person and animal they
have seen on TV or in the movies. The
story should emphasize the unique re-
lationship which developed between
man and animal.

8. Have students prepare a bulletin board
on alternate forms of communication.
Perhaps they can find magazine pic-
tures to include.

83


THE SHADOW OF A FLAME

Like the heat of the fire these stories warm us.
Like the usefulness of the fire these stories help us; teach us.
Like the beauty of the fire these stories give us pleasure.

Like the ashes of the fire these stories rest in our memory and stir our
thoughts, thoughts from the shadow of a flame. . .

We are people. We are Indian people. No one knows how many winters we have been here. We as a
people have been coming to be on this ground for a long time, just as each child is coming to be on
this ground each day.

Before, the way of being people was different. At that time the way they moved was different. At
that time the way the ground moved was different. Now, how we are people has changed. The way
we move has changed. The way the ground moves has changed.

But the fire has not changed. The flames still burn bright and hot and steady. The smoke still rises
and the smell of pine or oak or maple lingers on. Gaze into the fire for it is constant. Gaze into the
fire and feel the warmth. Gaze into the fire and rekindle your spirit and listen to the ways of the old.

The ways of the old people are in their stories. The ways of the old people linger in the shadow of a
flame, in the smoke of the old campfires. Around old fires were told some good stories. Maybe the
fires were roaring as an old person was telling a story. Maybe some children were gazing quietly
into the story that the old person was telling.

Like the heat of the fire these stories warm us.
Like the usefulness of the fire these stories help us; teach us.
Like the beauty of the fire these stories give us pleasure.

Like the ashes of the fire these stories rest in our memory and stir our
thoughts, thoughts from the shadow of a flame. . .

The old people have left their stories and we are building fires again. We are using the thoughts that
were born in the shadow of a flame. Linger! Listen! Think! Listen and think. Thinking — that’s
good. Thinking is one of the best things on this ground. Using thoughts that are good, to use talk
that is good, to give people hearts that are good. Doing this is one of the best things on this ground.

The thoughts of the old ones are good thoughts. The thoughts of the old ones give people good
hearts. The thoughts of the old ones, the thoughts from the shadow of a flame, will help our
children who are coming to be on this ground each day to have good hearts like the old ones.

These good heart thoughts are in these stories. What they tell is what we should know to become
better people. Like the usefulness of the fire these stories help us. They teach us. They teach us how
to do things, how to make things. They teach us to listen and to obey our elders. They teach us to be
good to our relations. They teach us to be honest and generous and kind to others. They teach us to
appreciate the animals, the plants, the water, the ground, the sky, the stars, the moon, the sun.
They teach us that not knowing everything is all right. They teach us that the mystery all around

3


NEW WORDS:
although
rotted
elbow
charcoal
pigments
rawhide
suitcase
stingy
screached
scolded

COYOTE AND CROW
Coyote

Developed by the Confederated Tribes

of the Warm Springs Reservation

GEOGRAPHICAL AREA: Plateau Region

STORY TYPE(S): Natural Phenomena/Indian Values

Summary:

Coyote was in a bad mood. Thinking a tree stump was an Indian who
would not speak to him, Coyote poked it with his elbow and got stuck.
Coyote painted the birds who freed him with beautiful colors. Crow, how-
ever, demanded that he be painted the sacred color red all over. Instead,
Coyote painted him black.

First, this story shows how bad moods often lead us to do foolish things.
Secondly, it offers an explanation of why birds are colored, specifically,
why crows are colored black all over. Finally, this story tells that one
should be satisfied with what people are willing to give of their own free
will.

Teacher Guided Activities:

1. This story provides a good introduction
to a discussion of Indian Art. Reread
and discuss page 15 of Coyote and the
Crow.

Examine pieces of quillwork, beadwork,
dance costumes or other items of In-
dian clothing and decoration.

Make a list of all the materials that are used to make these things. Com-
munity members might be willing to let you use their things or explain
them. As an introduction or conclusion you can point out that:

A. All tribes have their own particular ways of making beautiful
things.

B. Most traditional and often contemporary pieces of Indian art are
made from natural materials. They are given life or form through
natural elements.

C. The design motifs incorporate repeated patterns of animals,
plants and geometric shapes.

D. Indian art is functional. It is used for clothing, pots, baskets,
eating utensils, weapons and religious ceremonies.

89


tact the property owners and let them
know you would like to help them out
with a clean-up, spruce-up party.

As a class consider what areas in your
> a community could use a face lift. Con-

Plan a time when the whole class could be involved. Consider what equip-
ment would be needed to do a good job. Maybe the property owner could
provide equipment, garbage sacks, rakes, wheelbarrels or whatever, in
exchange for your active concern.

A wall mural may be just the thing to brighten up an old lot. You may
want to plant trees or shrubs. Invite other classrooms to join in this activ-
ity. You will need to have someone explain to them what you are doing.

3. Consider also projects to show respect

for the elders of the community. Are

> <f there older people in the community
who could use help in getting their

homes ready for the seasons? (Insulat-
ing, putting in storm windows, etc.)

Maybe the tribe already has a program to assist the elderly with their
homes. If this is the case have someone talk to the class about their pro-
gram. Perhaps students could go along and observe these activities.

4. Asaclass you may want to honor some-
i one; a parent, a teacher or another
student. The class could organize a

give-a-way on a small scale. Families of

students will probably be an excellent
resource.

Student Activity Card(s):
See Offering Good Thoughts Card (15A-15B).

Write invitations or thank you letters/cards to classroom visitors. Try to
make the cards appropriate for the occasion and something that really
lets them know that they are welcome and are not taken for granted.

94


Sometime before Christmas all the students’ names should be put in a hat,
basket or bowl, and each student may draw from it one name (not their
own). Each student will then be a “Secret Santa” to the person whose
name they have drawn. Each day until your class Christmas party, or as
often as each individual chooses, each student must try to give something
special to that person without letting the individual know. Students may
need additional help from you or a friend. It must be someone who can
keep a secret so the identity is protected. The additional activities are only
suggestions. Other suggestions are listed on the Gift Giving Activity
Card.

Suggestions for Secret Santa ideas are on the following page which you
may want to duplicate.

Let the students reveal who the Secret Santa has been. If their partner has
not guessed them then they have been a good Secret Santa. Recall how
Coyote spoiled some good things that happened to him because he was
nosy.

Discuss the good feeling of having done something for someone else.
Describe the good feeling of having something done for you.

Many of these activities could be geared towards other holidays such as
Valentine’s Day or Easter.

110


NEW WORDS:
proclaim
departure
migratory
appearance
bargain
delivered
pursuers

lynx
cautiously
winded
spokesman
stationed
midday

tripod
representative
crier

entrance
message

HOW THE SUMMER SEASON CAME

Developed by the Assiniboine Elders Board

of the Fort Belknap Reservation

GEOGRAPHICAL AREA: Plains Region

STORY TYPE(S): Natural Phenomena/Indian Values

Summary:

Long ago the Assiniboine people lived in a land covered with snow all
year. They were unhappy with so many cold months. Council members
devised a plan in which the fastest animals would steal summer from a
guarded lodge far to the south. With summer finally in the possession of
the Assiniboine, an agreement was reached to share the season equally
with the horsemen of the south. Cranes eventually were chosen to ex-
change the season every six months. This created the gradual change of
seasons which now includes fall and spring.

This story gives an explanation of the origin of the seasons. It also pro-
vides an introduction for developing the concept of “Indian time.” Tradi-
tionally, the concept of time was relative to the moon’s cycle. Contrast
this to the measurement of time by calendar years’ months, days or min-
utes, etc. Instead of saying, “I'll meet you when the moon is full,” or
“Tl meet you at dawn,” we say, “I’ll meet you on the fifteenth” or
“Tl meet you at 7:30 a.m.” Time used to be relative to natural events
and was therefore flexible. With minutes and seconds time is much more
exact. Because of this, time for many Indian people has not been viewed
in a futuristic sense as in planning or saving it.

Teacher Guided Activities:

1. Asa group, decide on a name for each
month of the year which is descriptive
of the environmental changes during
that month. Obtain copies of an Indian
calendar and compare names. Make
your own room calendar, having stu-
dents make appropriate illustrations
for each month. (Example: February -
Big Snow Moon (or month).

2. Before dividing into Four Winds groups
assign each group one of the four sea-
sons. The group’s task is to list as many
descriptive words or phrases as possible
which come to mind when thinking of
each season. Include feelings about the
seasons as well.

Example: Spring is
rainy - flowers in bloom - boots in the mud, etc.

Have students return to the Council Lodge and share seasonal impres-
sions with the class.

57


1839-1840. A Snake encampment of lodges was attacked and the inhabitants of 20 lodges were
killed. The tipis plus the arrows tell of the attack.

1840-1841. The Dacotahs make peace with the Cheyennes; extended hands are symbolic.

1841-1842. Feather in His Ear stole 30 spotted horses. Note the difference between a spotted and
a curly horse (1804).

1842-1843. One Feather tried to make up a War Party against the Crows but he failed to persuade
the young men to go. Perhaps the pipe upside down denotes his failure.

1843-1844. Buffalo were scarce and the Sans Arcs made medicine, see skull on tipi trying to bring
them in.

1844-1845. Minneconjous built a pine fort. The pine tree connected with a tipi shows the
construction.

1845-1846. Plenty of buffalo meat, hung from trees and poles to dry.

1846-1847, Broken Leg, a Brule died. The broken leg is the only symbolic part of this one and the
fact that there was a Brule named Broken Leg authenticates the story.

1847-1848. Two Man was killed, the two small figures side by side are the symbology.
1848-1849. Hump Back was killed; the lance and the hump back are quite apparent.

1849-1850. The Crows stole a great number of horses from the Brule. The circle with the
departing hoof marks tell the story.

1850-1851. Old woman found in a buffalo. Perhaps an old woman who was sent off to die alone
found shelter in an old buffalo carcass.

1851-1852. Peace made with the Crows. Crows are always shown with either a forelock of hair ora
hair symbol. This is quite a plain piece of symbology.

1852-1853. Some foreign Indians came to Lone Horn’s lodge on a peaceful mission at night. The
black is on the tipi and the pipe does not touch the tipi.

1853-1854. Striped blankets brought by white men to the Indians. Probably an issue of Spanish
blankets at the Ft. Laramie Treaty of 1852.

1854-1855. Black Bear was killed by the Blackfeet. Just how this signifies Black Bear or the
Blackfeet is not certain but the material hanging from the arms was perhaps typical of some article
of Blackfeet (Montana) dress.

1855-1856. General Harney, with a hat, makes a Treaty, extended hands. This was Ft. Pierre in
the spring of 1856.

1856-1857. Four Horns (on the head) a medicine Man, (Calumet), became such.

1857-1858. A Crow Woman killed by Dacotahs, dress shows Crow Design and arrows, wounds or
death.

63




STUDENT WORKSHEET

a oe ca

Tay eattae
PTL) cert

1

2

COYOTE AND CROW

Collect materials to try making your own dyes or paint. Paint a
picture. Make a color chart showing how different colors are
blended to create new colors.

Collect pictures of different types of birds found in your com-
munity. See if you can make drawings of as many as you see.
Label the pictures with their correct name.

Collect as many feathers as you can and try to find out what
bird they are from.

Write your own story of how a specific bird became colored the
way it is. Read Blue Jay-Star Child or Owl’s Eyes and discuss
how these stories describe how birds look the way they do.

Retell this story using pictographs on a sheet of brown paper.
Tear it to look like a hide. (See Wintercount Card)

91


* economy as dependence on what nature has to offer
(dependence on nature itself for food; a passive, non-agricultural approach in which people
exercise and exploit that which nature has to offer)

* political organization based on the consent of the governed
(a respect for the aged in general; a leader has no automatic power outside of the consent of
the governed)

* art, music and recreation as reflections of man’s relationship to nature
(naturalistic, highly stylized representations that deal primarily with phenomena of nature)

* common rituals or ceremonies of thanksgiving
(the first salmon ceremony on the Coast, the first buffalo ceremony on the Plains, and the
first root ceremony in the Plateau)

The Indian Reading Series contains a good set of core values for the three culture areas. Those
values represented in the stories include emphasis on the harmony principle with nature, the heavy
emphasis on the importance of relatives and kin and the dependence on nature itself for food
(inhabitants followed their distinctive but still similar economic activity patterns by being
dependent upon nature for what it gave rather than on what people could raise).

Reservation Period

For Indian culture, the Reservation Period can be likened to a visit from outer space by people who
refuse to leave and who get stronger and ever more involved with changing the planet earth. If one
thinks of the Reservation Period for Indian people as being like a visitation from outer space, then
one gets some idea of how tremendous the impact must have been.

The establishment of reservations was not just a restriction on the movement of Indian people to
certain physical areas, which of course was very much a part of it, but it also involved exposing
them systematically, as well as somewhat less systematically, to European influences in the form
of missionaries, teachers and government agents. This might be called the period when Indian life
became bureaucratized; when Indian life was turned over to different kinds of bureaucrats; where
certain bureaucrats had control of one’s head, certain others had control of one’s heart and certain
others had control of the food, horses, etc. Life began to be split up and put under the control of
alien people, individuals that Indians had no reason to understand or no real sympathy with from
the beginning. The Reservation Period is really a revolution in Indian life, a major transformation.
It involved administration by the Bureau of Indian Affairs and intensive efforts by missionaries,
educators and other individuals to change Indian people.

It also involved a slow erosion of reservation resources. Many reservations lacked resources to
begin with, but underwent a slow erosion (or sometimes not so slow) as land, minerals and timber,
not to mention cultural autonomy of Indian people, were eroded. During this time, there was a very
rapid increase in non-Indian control over practically all institutions of Indian life, from the family
to religion to economic and political activities. Practically no area of life escaped during this early
Reservation Period in which the Europeans were trying to either eliminate or to change them
somehow to resemble European patterns. In the case of the family, for example, it involved doing
away with multiple marriages, trying to develop the nuclear family and isolate it on a piece of
ground, as opposed to the older extended family pattern in which there was much more economic
cooperation. It involved trying to stamp out the old religion in favor of basic Christianity that
Europeans tried to implant everywhere. In terms of politics, it involved giving leaders a lot more
power, whether they were non-Indians or ones appointed by non-Indians. It involved increasing a
leader’s power unlike that exercised by any of their political leaders during the Pre-Contact time.

13


4, Since this story does not have pictures,
make a mural of what happens using
student drawings. Discuss first the se-
quence of events.

Student Activity Card(s):
See Firetalk Activity Card (1C-1D).

Using the differences in Otter and Beaver’s eyes, refer again to the word
unique. Mention that even names help make individuals unique. Groups
such as tribes are also unique and have different names, as well as lan-
guages. Use the second Firetalk card (1C-1D) to introduce the names and
pronunciation of the tribes in the Northwest. Note for students the three
geographical areas (Plateau, Plains, Coast) and introduce how the sur-
rounding area might contribute to how a tribe would be unique from
another.

42


NEW WORDS:
interrupted
spoiled
celebrated
rescued

MOOSEHIDE ROBE WOMAN
Sioux Stories and Legends

Developed by members of the Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes
of the Fort Peck Reservation

GEOGRAPHICAL AREA: Plains Region

STORY TYPE(S): Indian Values

Summary:

Moosehide Robe Woman had her choice of many suitors but decided to
marry Star Boy because of the good way he treated his mother. However,
before she could make her decision known, he rode off to battle. Star Boy
was wounded and captured. Moosehide Robe Woman followed the warriors
even though it was a very dangerous thing to do. She was able to help
Star Boy escape and brought him home.

In addition to showing the type of valor exemplified by many Indian
women, Moosehide Robe Woman valued kindness to relatives. If one does
not show kindness and respect at home, it is unlikely that he or she will
show it elsewhere.

Teacher Guided Activities:

1. This story offers a good opportunity
to study the status of Indian women (or
women in general) in your community.
What kinds of jobs do women perform?
Where do they work? What are some
traditional Indian women’s roles? Why
were these roles established? How or
why have any of these roles changed?

Suggest that students interview various women in your school or the com-

munity. Have them write a newspaper article devoted to the common ex-

periences of women and their achievements or highlight individual women
and their accomplishments.

Some students may want to go to the library and read about other famous
Indian women. It is important to remember that few contemporary biog-
raphies are available but those that exist are generally of a better quality
content wise than those of historical leaders.

Last but not least, female personages are extremely limited. Historical
figures (i.e., Pocahontas or Sacajawea) exclusively dominate this area
and are so poorly done as to obscure any relative identity of Indian women.
Most often these biographies are characterized by sensationalism and
romanticism. An objective profile can rarely be found. The recent develop-
ment of cultural materials are producing more acceptable, relevant stories
of Indian women. A good resource to consider is the Native American
Women: A Bibliography by Dr. Rayna Green which may be located
through the Ohoyo Resource Center at 2301 Midwestern Parkway - Suite
214, Witchita Falls, Texas 96308. 87


STUDENT ACTIVITY CARDS

For almost all stories there is a student activity card which corresponds to some idea introduced
within the story. Most cards elaborate on some aspect of Indian culture or give additional practice
in language arts development.

A list of the activity cards and corresponding titles are listed on the next couple of pages. The
activity cards were designed to be used by students with minimal supervision by an adult. They
are intended to promote creativity and expand student awareness of Indian culture.

In addition many alternative activities are listed under the Teacher Guided Activities section and
may be posted in the room or duplicated so that students may work on additional projects as they

choose. Also have on hand additional reference materials whenever possible to help encourage
independent work.

Some activities were placed early in the program because they developed a key idea which will be
referred to throughout the program. Please take time to emphasize the following activity cards:

¢ Firetalk Cards - describes oral tradition and pronunciation of tribal names in the series
¢ Earth, Sky, Water Cards - provides a map which locates each tribe

¢ Four Winds Card - provides a culturally appropriate grouping of ideas to be used repeatedly
when involved in story activities

¢ Wintercount Card - describes the recording of Plains tribal history using pictographs

Dream Shields Card and Seeking a Spirit Card — provide activities which help students
understand Indian spiritual beliefs

LISTING OF ACTIVITY CARDS

Card Title Story Title

Firetalk The Weasel and the Eagle
1A Coyote and Raven
1-B

Firetalk The Otter and the Beaver
1-C
1-D

Earth, Sky, Water Snail Woman at Sqa’le
2-A
2-B

Earth, Sky, Water Basket Woman
2-C Running Free

2-D
25


NEW WORDS:
moccasins
married
blindfold
culture
comic
assembled
yonder
legendary
generation
incident
situation
emphasize
appreciate
versions
breechcloth

NAPI'’S JOURNEY

Developed by the Blackfeet Indians of the Blackfeet Reservation
GEOGRAPHICAL AREA: Plains Region
STORY TYPE(S): Natural Phenomena/Indian Values

Summary:

Napi is a comical Blackfeet cultural figure who is responsible for creating
much of the natural environment. This book is a series of adventures be-
ginning with how he gave rocks different colors and textures. He is also
said to be the cause of why eyes get sore from having dust in them and
why elk horns are used for decorations. Napi dried fat, gave coyote a pretty
voice and created mountain lion’s short stubby face and long legs and tail.
He put knots in trees and contributed to the reason why people may lose
their eyesight. Napi also made eyes different colors.

The adventures of Napi are amusing, yet one can easily see how often
Napi’s foolish behavior is punished.

Teacher Guided Activities:

1. Discuss the different things Napi did to
the rocks including the colors he gave
them. Ask each student to choose his or
her favorite color, then using the book
Hailstones and Halibut Bones, read
the selection on either the color black or
brown since few children usually choose
these colors.

Read the poem several times if necessary and ask students to identify
everything that sounds that color, smells that color, tastes that color or
feels that color. They will have no trouble with what looks that color.
Then tell students to write their own color poems, being sure to include
things from all senses. To give them a format suggest that each line
begin with; Black is the (sound of, smell of, taste of, etc.).

2. Have students pantomime different
parts of Napi’s Journey. Put on a series
of Napi skits at parent meetings or in-
vite parents to a theatre of your own.

3. We depend on our senses a great deal.
Have students compare what Napi’s
wife did to what the woman did in
Assiniboine Woman Making Grease.

Following the Student Activity Card is a list of optional activities which
you may want to reproduce for student use.

125


LANGUAGE EXPERIENCE
and

NATIVE AMERICAN COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS

T hope to indicate something about the nature of the relationship between
language and experience. It seems to me that in a certain sense we are all
made of words; that our most essential being consists in language. It is
the element in which we think and dream and act, in which we live our
daily lives. There is no way in which we can exist apart from the morality
of a verbal dimension.

N. Scott Momaday

If one accepts the premise of Momaday’s quote then it is essential that educators create an
environment which gives students maximum opportunities to experience language. The more
adept an individual becomes at utilizing language, the more fully that individual may realize his or
her potential.

The language experience approach to reading was promoted throughout the first three levels of The
Indian Reading Series. With Level IV it still provides a bridge by which Indian and non-Indian
students may better understand the relationship between spoken and written language. The
language experience approach employed in Level IV encourages students to draw upon their
individual experiences, as well as their experiences as members of a collective tribal group rich in
cultural contributions to be shared. The program gives students ample opportunities to practice
language skills such as reading, listening, speaking and writing within a cultural context.

The language skills developed in the traditional classroom are often too narrowly defined. Level IV
of The Indian Reading Series attempts to expand that definition to include the rich variety of
communication systems which have been utilized by native people for centuries.

Within this program students are encouraged to explore the use of non-verbal communication.
Program activities require students to become more in tune with their sense of smell, hearing, taste
and touch. Students are also required to communicate using traditional pictographs, hand signals
and smoke signals in an attempt to give them a more comprehensive idea of what real effective
communication involves.

The Teacher's Manual and Student Activity Cards take time to familiarize the teacher and
students with the power inherent in oral tradition. (Oral tradition is that process by which the
stories of a people are formulated, communicated and preserved in language by word of mouth
rather than in writing.) There is not only beauty but a sense of power gleaned from stories told by
word of mouth. Oral tradition requires the active participation of both the storyteller and the
listener for each must internalize the thoughts, words and spirit of the story since no reference can
be made to written words.

The stories of The Indian Reading Series originated in oral tradition, and, some might argue, have
lost something in the written translation. However, the response from students indicates that
these stories can stand on their own even in written form and, if conscientiously presented, can
provide students with stories to recreate the benefits of the oral experience. By role playing,
pantomiming, reading aloud, retelling old stories and creating new stories, students can be
immersed in the thought and spirit of oral tradition; a truly rewarding experience with language.

9


NEW WORDS:
growled

knoll

agreed

least
huckleberries
hollered
boasted
porcupine
success

COYOTE AND NORTHWIND
Coyote

Developed by members of the Warm Springs Reservation Committee
GEOGRAPHICAL AREA: Plateau Region
STORY TYPE(S): Indian Values

Summary:

Because the wind scared away rabbits and disturbed Coyote’s sleep,
Coyote became angry and trapped the wind. When it became too warm
for Coyote, he set the wind free and commanded it to blow harder.
The Northwind blew so hard he knocked Coyote head over heels. Coyote,
however, refused to admit he may have made a mistake in trying to con-
trol the wind.

Coyote is a legendary figure shared by many tribes. He can do anything
and anything can happen to him. There are many stories about Coyote
which have been passed from one generation to the next and some stories
have several versions with minor alterations in details.

As can be seen in this particular story, as well as in many others, Coyote
exhibits many of the less desirable human characteristics and usually is
punished for his poor and often foolish behavior.

No one can control the weather and, despite the inconvenience the wind
may cause periodically, it should be respected. The balance in nature can
be seen everywhere. The wind may do harm at times but also serves a
useful purpose as well.

Teacher Guided Activities:
1. At this point in the program a struc-
YA ture for small group work is introduced
LES using the student acitivity card entitled
3

Four Winds. Read the entire card thor-
oughly first.

The Four Winds activity card is designed to help organize a classroom

into small groups for better student interaction. Task assignments will

help develop a spirit of cooperation or tribalism among students. The

class is divided into four groups representing the four winds or directions.

Each direction also has a virtue associated with it.

Have the students develop their own code of honor in relation to the virtue
represented by their group. They should have a greater commitment to
living up to their own high standards of behavior if each group chooses
its own virtue.

Please take time to help groups develop their lists of “virtuous” behaviors,
since this will serve as a strong guide for group work for the rest of
the year. 53


Student Activity Card(s):
See Offering Good Thoughts Card (15A-15B).

122


For all the animals you have listed, how many are independent (can live by
themselves, not having to feed on plants or animals)?

hdd,

rms

8. Take a walk and ask students to list all
= & the animals and birds which they see
a living in the same area. When they re-

turn from the walk ask each to describe
the area in which the animals are living.

aS

Student Activity Card(s):
See Puppets and Stuff Card (20A-20B).

The ideas for puppets will work well with all or any of the stories. Spend
time going over the puppet ideas with your whole class.

106


Student Activity Card(s):
See Puppets and Stuff Card (20A-20B) and
Filmstrip Making Card (3A-3B).

108


vi

Blue Jay - Star Child - Blue Jay - Star Child/Basket Woman.................. 49
(Muckleshoot)
Filmstrip Making Card (3A-3B)

Assiniboine Woman Making Grease. ......... 000 eee eee 51
(Assiniboine)
Indian Food Preparation Card (4A-4B)

*Coyote and Northwind - Coyote. . 2.0.2.0 0 6 ccc cece eee ene 53
(Warm Springs)
Four Winds Card (5A-5B)
*How the Summer Season Came. ... 1.2.0.0... eee crete teens 57
(Assiniboine)
Wintercount Card (6A-6B)
Pictographs Card (6C-6D)
*Little Weasel’s Dream... 6... ete ete 69
(Kootenai)

Dream Shields Card (7A-7B)

Catches Up to Antelope - Fort Hall Stories.......0.00 0000 ccc ccc cece 75
(Shoshone/Bannock)
Indian Names Card (8A-8B)

Bear Hat - Fort Hall Stories... 00.006 c ccc eect nets 77
(Shoshone/Bannock)
Bears and Hats Card (9A-9B)

Bear Tepee........0 0.0 eee eee nett teens 79
(Northern Cheyenne)
Tracks Card (10A-10B)

Pet Crow - Sioux Stories and Legends, . 0.0.00... 83
(Sioux)
Talking Hands Card (11A-11B)

Owl Boy - Sioux Stories and Legends. .......... 000. cc cc ccc neces 85
(Sioux)
Smoke Signals Card (12A-12B)

Moosehide Robe Woman - Sioux Stories and Legends. .........00..00 0000 eee 87
(Sioux)
Writing Script Card (13A-13B)

*Coyote and Crow - Coyote..... 0... ccc cece ence ene e ees 89
(Warm Springs)
Indian Suitcases Card (14A-14B)

Coyote and Tick - Coyote... 2... cee eee ene 93
(Warm Springs)
Offering Good Thoughts Card (15A-15B)


NEW WORDS:
burial

platform
lessons

OWL BOY
Sioux Stories and Legends

Developed by members of the Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes
of the Fort Peck Reservation

GEOGRAPHICAL AREA: Plains Region

STORY TYPE(S): Indian Values

Summary:

Some parents, thinking their son had died, placed the boy upon a burial
scaffold. After everyone had left, the baby awoke and was discovered
by some owls. These owls decided to take care of the infant. Eventually,
the boy returned to his real parents and tribe, and convinced everyone of
who he was using pictures.

This story alludes to the close relationship which developed between
Indian people and animals, but in a sense reaffirms the idea that each is
happiest in his own realm with others of his own kind. Here is an in-
stance in which owls took care of man. In the previous story a man cared
for a bird. In these stories the closeness between man and animal is a
natural and beautiful relationship.

Teacher Guided Activities:

1. Owl Boy had to communicate who he
was using pictures because people could
not understand his speech. Communi-
cation is not dependent solely upon
words. Often strong messages are con-
veyed without anything being said.

Ask your students to list non-verbal communication systems including
such things as hand signals or sign language, smoke signals, Morse code,
Braille, writing and pictographs.

What do these systems have in common? Why are they effective? You
might also discuss gesture and body language. How does this enhance
what messages we try to convey?

How did the Owl Boy identify himself to his Indian people? How did Owl
Boy communicate with the owls? Ask students if they have ever had a
pet which they were close to. Perhaps some students could share their
experiences. How many actually felt their pet understood what they told
their pet?

2. Students may enjoy playing the follow-
ing games which depend largely on non-
verbal communication skills. Charades
is another option which may work well
in the Four Winds groups.

85




NEW WORDS:
yearn
flirt

COYOTE GETS LOVESICK
Salish Coyote Stories

Developed by the Salish (Flathead) Cultural Committee
of the Confederated Salish/Kootenai Tribes
GEOGRAPHICAL AREA: Plateau Region

STORY TYPE(S): Indian Values

Summary:

Following the directions from Camp Robber, Coyote journeyed to see a
beautiful woman. Upon seeing how very beautiful she was Coyote decided
to stay to see her again and again for many days. Finally, his waiting
without food or water killed him. His friend, Camp Robber, revived him
saying that “man will no longer die from love-sickness.”

Not only does this story point out how foolish and unreasonable people
can behave when in love but also suggests that even a good thing taken
to excess can be dangerous. Moderation is a key word. It is easy to overdo
things, especially those things which give us pleasure. One can get too
much of a good thing.

Teacher Guided Activities:

1. Discuss emotions and the effects which
they have on individuals when emotions
are carried to extremes. Who usually
gets hurt? What happens when someone
gets too angry, too sad, too silly, etc.?

Even jokes can be carried too far. What happens when someone eats too
much or sleeps too much or drinks too much?

2. Have students role play an instance
when someone may have eaten too much
or drank too much.

3. Using puppets have students tell a story
about a time when you got very angry
or silly or ate too much or carried a joke
too far. How did you feel and why?
What happened? How do you think
others felt?

4. In your group discuss the following:
Compare this story to Moosehide Robe
Woman. Was Moosehide Robe Woman’s
love like Coyote’s?

117




Science

The stories from The Indian Reading Series
may also be used to reinforce or introduce les-
sons in science. Many activities for specific
stories in Level IV encourage students to ex-
amine their natural environment more closely.
Time is taken to emphasize that traditional
Native Americans have evolved a detailed
knowledge about habits, habitats, ecological
communities, seasonal variations, and plant
and animal species of this country.

This impressive knowledge about a wide vari-
ety of natural phenomena is not accidental. It
is based on generations of systematic inquiry.
It has been achieved through repeated obser-
vations, experiments and conclusions. In
order to understand the many relationships
among different types of substances, Indians
have utilized the elements of the scientific
method yet have never ceased to be awed by all
that is natural. Most importantly, Indians have
appreciated the interrelationships of all life,
recognizing how dependent each element is on
another.

There are many different ways of looking at
the world. Understanding the environment, as
well as appreciating it and protecting or main-
taining it, were prime motivations for telling
many Indian stories. Many stories may be
viewed then from this philosophical base. Un-
derstanding of scientific procedures and the
impact of technology on the natural environ-
ment and on human values may be explored
through ideas initiated in these stories.

The pictographic symbol which identifies ac-
tivities of a scientific nature represents the
cycles of life. The sun, our primary life-giving
force, yields to the moon and stars (suggested
by the three lines between them). Life cannot
be viewed without the perspective of its cycles
and interrelationships. Native people have al-
ways viewed people not as individuals, but as a
part of the larger whole of society and nature.

33