Weaving a Story of Cooperation: the Goat in the Rug

Weaving a Story of Cooperation: The Goat in the Rug Using The Goat in the Rug, students read and write about the Navajo culture, geography, economy, and land.

Author Sara Jenkins Grade Level 4-5 Duration 1-2 class periods

National Geography Arizona Geography Arizona Language Arts Standards Standards Standards ELEMENT TWO: ESSENTIALS 3SS-E1 READING STANDARDS: ESSENTIALS PLACES AND Demonstrate understanding R-E2 Use reading strategies such as making REGIONS of the physical and human inferences and predictions, summarizing, 4. The physical and features that define places paraphrasing, differentiating fact from opinion, human characteristics and regions in Arizona, drawing conclusions, and determining the author's of places. including the use of purpose and perspective to comprehend written geographic tools to collect, selections. ELEMENT FOUR: analyze, and interpret data, HUMAN SYSTEMS with emphasis on: PO 6 Identify the text in chronological, sequential, 10. The or logical order. characteristics, PO 1 identifying Arizona distribution, and as part of the Southwestern WRITING STANDARDS: ESSENTIALS complexity of Earth's region of the United States. W-E5 Write a report that conveys a point of view cultural mosaics. and develops a topic with appropriate facts, details, 3SS-E3 Describe and locate examples and descriptions from a variety of cited the major natural and human sources. features that define places and regions in the United PO 2 Use logical sequence. States, with emphasis on:

PO 4 the ways European colonists and American Indians viewed and used the environment.

Overview learn of its importance in the environment and culture of the Navajo. Navajo weaving is a treasured art. The book, The Goat in the Rug, explains the process of rug making from fleece to rug from the point of view of a goat. Children experience the process of weaving and Weaving a Story of Cooperation: The Goat in the Rug Purpose

Students will learn the vocabulary, materials, and 4. Relay the following information: "Dine' weaving sequence that are used in making a Navajo rug. may seem very expensive to buy, but it isn't when one considers the time, effort, and thought put into each rug. There are no two Dine' rugs alike. One Materials weaver estimated the hours she put into her weaving of a rug that measured 4' x 3': . The Goat in the Rug by Geraldine As told to  15 hours to shear raw wool from the sheep Charles L. Blood & Martin Link ISBN 0-689- 71418-1  355 hours to clean, wash, card, and spin the wool into yarn by hand . 12" x 18" light colored construction paper, one  14 hours to dye the yarn per student  150 hours to set the loom up, ready the warp, and do the actual weaving . Scissors  She worked for 534 hours and was paid $350 for the rug. This means she earned 65 cents an . Glue hour!" From:Dine' Case for Understanding, The Heard . United States or Arizona map that shows the Museum Four Corners area SESSION TWO . Vocabulary list 1. Using illustrations, students are to design a storyboard on how to make a Navajo rug. It should . White drawing paper include twelve to fifteen illustrations, enough to fit on a 12 x 18 inch construction paper. Remind them to Objectives leave space for captions.

The student will be able to: Prompt: You are an expert Navajo rug weaver visiting a 4th grade classroom. The teacher has - learn the process involved in making a Navajo asked you to teach her students how to make a rug. Navajo rug. Design an illustrated storyboard with captions that instruct students, step by step, in the - understand the vocabulary concerning the process of weaving a Navajo rug. Navajo and weaving. Assessment - locate where the Navajo live. Using the pictures, students will design a storyboard - see how the environment influences how the on how to make a Navajo rug. Navajo live. To measure writing, the 6-Trait Writing Rubric for Procedures conventions can be used to evaluate this storyboard.

SESSION ONE To measure geography, the 6-Trait Writing Rubric 1. Ask the students what they know about the for ideas and content can be used to evaluate this Navajo. Point out the Navajo Nation on a map. storyboard.

2. Read the story The Goat in the Rug to the To measure reading, the 6-Trait Writing Rubric for students. organization can be used to evaluate this storyboard. 3. After reading it, share weaving items or illustrations of the process of rug making. Use the Suggestions: Row 1: Window Rock, goat, girl, vocabulary list to identify each picture. shears, yucca soap Row 2: carding combs, spindle, yarn, and a dye picture, dye bucket; Weaving a Story of Cooperation: The Goat in the Rug Row 3: wood for loom, pin, batten, and comb, Navajo Rug.

Extensions Sources

Obtain fiber and schedule time for students to wash THE GOAT IN THE RUG by Geraldine as told to it, card it, spin it, and weave it! Charles L. Blood & Martin Link ISBN 0-689-71418-1

Make potholders The Heard Museum Traveling Suitcase on the Navajo. www.heard.org Take an Accelerated Reader or Scholastic Counts quiz.

If the actual materials are available, have the students line up with the material in the sequence of making a rug.