DOCUMENT RESUME ED 467 992 RC 023 681 AUTHOR Fox, Sandra J. TITLE Creating a Sacred Place To Support Young American Indian and Other Learners in Grades K-3. Volume I. 2nd Edition [and] Volume II. INSTITUTION National Indian School Board Association, Poison, MT. SPONS AGENCY Office of Educational Research and Improvement (ED), Washington, DC. PUB DATE 2002-00-00 NOTE 403p.; Volume II published in 2000. For other grade levels, see RC 023 682-684. CONTRACT R215C000058 AVAILABLE FROM NISBA, P.O. Box 790, Poison, MT 59860. credit card orders: 800-542-4922 (Toll Free)(each volume $25.00 plus $3.95 shipping). PUB TYPE Guides Classroom Teacher (052) EDRS PRICE EDRS Price MF01/PC17 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Academic Standards; *American Indian Education; *American Indian Literature; Animals; Art Education; Birds; *Class Activities; *Culturally Relevant Education; Curriculum Development; Elementary School Curriculum; *Elementary School Science; Environmental Education; Food; Horses; Integrated Curriculum; Music Education; Primary Education; Solar System; Stars; *Units of Study ABSTRACT This two-volume guide presents ingredients for developing a culturally relevant curriculum for American Indian students in the primary grades. A survey of Indian literature for young children yielded eight topic areas included here. The suggested approach to curriculum development is the integration of reading, language arts, math, and science based upon the Indian literature and other resources. Materials and activities are aligned with challenging content standards. Also included are ideas for art activities and promotion of tribal values. Indian studies classes and regular classes should be coordinated around the topic area so that Native language and cultural activities complement classroom instruction. The topic also provides a context for language instruction. Activities for parents and tutors are included as part of a comprehensive approach. The guide begins with descriptions of the roles of administrators, parents and tutors, and teachers and aides in creating a sacred place for learning. The eight units in these two volumes cover birds; sun, moon, and stars; food; beavers to buffalo; hares to horses; art; earth, air, water, and fire; and music and dance. Each 4-week unit contains background information on the topic, a suggested outline for formulating activities from American Indian literature, information about the suggested literature, further resources on the topic, a vocabulary list, content standards, example activities developed by teachers of Indian children, pages for teacher ideas and lesson plans, and nursery rhymes and poetry. A final section of the guide lists additional resources and where to get books. (SV) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. Creating a Sacred Place To Support Young American Indian and Other Learners in Grade K-3. Volume I. 2nd Edition [and] Volume II. Sandra J. Fox U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) This document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization originating it. Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality Points of view or opinions stated in this document do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy. 2 MT COPY MLABLE reatingaSacred Place to Support Young American Indian and Other Learners in Grades K-3 'S Volume 1 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) This document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization originating it. Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality. Points of view or opinions slated in this document do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy. by Sandra J. Fox 0 © National Indian School Board Association, 2nd Edition Volume 1 by Sandra J. Fox D.Ed. Materials & Activities for Birds Sun, Moon & Stars Food Beavers to Buffalo Units .H77.77-777777,7.;,.1 National Indian School Board Association, 2nd. Edition, 2002 Carmen Cornelius Taylor, Executive Director PO Box 790 Poison, MT 59860 406-883-3603 fax 406-675-4801 e-mail: [email protected] Produced by Michele Allen, Mitom 4 This book is dedicated to Dean P Fox, Good Eagle, (1954-1999) who believed in creating a sacred place. This publication is based on work sponsored wholly, or in part, by the Office of Educational Research and Improvement, Department of Education, under Contract Number R215C000058. The content of this publication does not necessarily reflect the views of OERI, the Department or any other agency of the U.S. Government. This document was revised with input and suggestions from teachers in the Creating Sacred Places Project. Cover design by Dennis R. Fox, Jr. Mandan/Hidatsa/Arikara/Lakota Contents Introduction Creating a Sacred Place - Administrators and School Board Members 1 Creating a Sacred Place - Parents and Tutors 3 Creating a Sacred Place - Teachers and Aides 5 Materials and Activities for Birds Unit 11 Background Information for Teachers and Parents 12 Suggested Primary Level Unit Outline 14 About the Literature 16 Further Resources for Birds Unit 20 Bird Words 23 Science, Math and Language Arts Standards 24 Activities Developed by Teachers of Indian Students 27 My Ideas for Birds Unit 45 Lesson Plans/Schedule for Birds Unit 46 Nursery Rhymes and Poetry 48 Materials and Activities for Sun, Moon and Stars Unit 49 Background Information for Teachers and Parents 50 Suggested Primary Level Unit Outline 52 About the Literature 54 Further Resources for Sun, Moon and Stars Unit 59 Sun, Moon and Star Words 63 Science, Math and Language Arts Standards 64 Activities Developed by Teachers of Indian Students 67 My Ideas for Sun, Moon and Stars Unit 95 Lesson Plans/Schedule for Sun, Moon and Stars Unit 96 Nursery Rhymes and Poetry 98 Nursery Rhymes and Poetry 98 Materials and Activities for Food Unit 99 Background Information for Teachers and Parents 100 Suggested Primary Level Unit Outline 102 About the Literature 104 Further Resources for Food Unit 108 Food Words 110 Science, Math and Language Arts Standards 111 Activities Developed by Teachers of Indian Students 115 My Ideas for Food Unit 143 Lesson Plans/Schedule for Food Unit 144 Nursery Rhymes and Poetry 146 Materials and Activities for Beavers to Buffalo Unit 147 Background Information for Teachers and Parents 148 Suggested Primary Level Unit Outline 150 About the Literature 152 Further Resources for Beavers to Buffalo Unit 156 Beavers to Buffalo Words 159 Science, Math and Language Arts Standards 160 Activities Developed by Teachers of Indian Students 165 My Ideas for Beavers to Buffalo Unit 184 Lesson Plans/Schedule for Beavers to Buffalo Unit 186 Nursery Rhymes and Poetry 188 Additional Resources 189 Indian ABC Books 189 Where to Get Books 189 Books Available from the Haskell Foundation 190 Science Organizations and Projects 191 Teacher Resources 191 Social Studies Books for K-3 192 Outline for Developing Your Own Units 194 7 Introduction As we enter the next millennium, it is unfortunate that American Indian students, for the most part, are still not doing as well in school as they might. At the 1999 conference of the National Indian Education Association, I gave the banquet speech in which I said that we had failed because we still did not have the relevant curriculum for Indian students that we had talked about for at least the 30 years I had been involved. After stating that, I felt obligated to be a part of the solution. My doctorate is in curriculum and instruction with an emphasis in the teaching of reading. In my 30+ years in Indian education, I witnessed many classrooms in which students were totally disengaged. The instruction taking place was either boring or the topic was totally unrelated to anything the students knew or cared about. The relevant curriculum we had envisioned took place in the regular classroom, included content related to the lives of Indian children, made them proud, expanded to other experiences, and enhanced further learning. American Indians had highly developed societies before the white man came and have contributed much to this society.I read recently that NASA is looking to Indian people to help solve the global warming problem. Indian children should know these things. Indian literature is a resource that can provide the basis for a culturally relevant curriculum. More books are being written by Indian authors who preserving our stories that are similar across the country. What I have done is to survey all of the Indian literature available for young children, written by both Indians and non-Indians. It has fallen in eight topic areas, four of which are included in this book. The approach promoted is the integration of reading, language arts, math and science based upon the Indian literature, non-Indian books and topic areas. Materials and activities are aligned with the new, more challenging content standards. Also included are ideas for art activities and promotion of tribal values from the literature. Creative teachers might also include social studies and career education in this integrated approach. Indian studies classes and regular classes are to be coordinated around the topic areas so that native language and cultural activities complement classroom instruction. The topic will provide a context for language instruction and the goal should be conversational language. There are activities