Teacher Lesson Plan: Sharing Their Stories: Native American Literature and Culture in 19th Century America

Overview:

Objectives:

Students will report their findings to a larger group in oral and/or written form.

Students will plan/propose questions to support and confirm or extend their research findings with the expert.

Time Frame:

Grade Level:

Beyond Books Resources:

• LAM 11 American Literary Voices Part 1/Unit 2 "Quest for an American Identity"
• LAM 11 American Literary Voices Part 1/Unit 3 "Growing Pains"
• LAM 11/Unit 3 a "Native American Voices"

Supplemental Resources:

• USH "From the British Arrival"/Unit 1/focus a-d
• LAM 12 American Literary Voices Part 2/Unit 3e Native American Perspectives

Guest Expert

Teacher Preparation

• In the 1900's the idea of "America" as a nation was "fluid." The quest for an American identity was sought in many ways but significantly through literature.

• Native American tribes did not define "nation" in the same way as white, European settlers.

• William Least Heat Moon wrote in Prairie Erth that land, tradition, people, stories and not political, legislated boundaries defined nationhood for Indians who were perplexed with the complexity and organization insisted on by white settlers.

• From 1700 to 1900 contact with white "nationalism" was mostly negative, yet all indigenous peoples were touched by it in some way. Their general reactions fell into three categories: Accommodation (live and let live), resistance/war (get rid of them), or adaptation (learn about whites, adapt their ways). We find all of these themes in their early literature.

• Before contact with white settlers, Indians had no written language (except pictographic) and no real need of it. Literature was in the oral tradition. Written language was an adaptation.

• White settlers were constructing a nation through their own unique literature, speeches and art. The quest for an American identity apart from Europe was fierce.

• As early as 1830, Native Americans were participating in print and oral language/literature/speeches in identifying and defining American culture.

Dr. Cheryl Walker's main point is that Native Americans did have a voice and did contribute and influence the definition of America and American culture. They participated in American nationhood and had their own vision of what America could be. To be sure, there were problems (like language barriers and inflammatory "captivity narratives"), but Dr. Walker demonstrates that the earliest of Native American writers added to the debate over what America was -- and what it should become.

Student Activities:

• Activities suggested can be used in small groups (or adapted as individual assignments) 2 or 3 days prior to the online talk with Dr. Walker and then shared with the larger class. Research can be accomplished using content and links in BB/LAM 11/Unit 3a.

• All questions to ask Dr. Walker should be handed in, discussed by the class, and sorted into a "top 10" list they want to know. One or two students should be chosen to interact with the expert, asking the agreed upon questions on behalf of everyone.

William Apess, Charles Eastman, Black Elk, Gertrude Bonin (Zitkala Sa), Sarah Winnemucca, George Copway, Simon Pogamon. Students will gather the following information to share with the class:

• Biographical details, including tribal affiliation, major works.

• Personal attitudes toward white culture and or/American government; what behavior they wanted from their own people;

• A quotation or two that students feel is really powerful from the Native author's speeches or writing and why. (Note: this report could be oral or used as a written assessment).

Captivity Narrative Project: This is a research project on popular literature by white, usually female Americans called "captivity narratives." How might these popular pieces of fiction have affected attitudes and relationships between white and Native American people?

• Students will (1) click on the picture of Sequoyah in the BB Text/Unit 3a. (2)click on 1820"s (at the top of new site "Timeline in American Literature) (3) scroll down to 1824 and (4) click on "captivity narrative" for a complete definition, history, writers and examples.

• Students will report to the class about these topics and respond to question about their influence in society.

Non-fiction Prose Project: Whites were writing about their real (not imagined) experiences with Indians and Indian were speaking about their perspective on things, especially the government policies. How did these memoirs, essays and speeches affect listeners and readers of the time?

• Clicking on the BB Link "Early American Authors," (1)scroll and click "Modern English College of e-texts, (2) click "Texts by Native American Authors" for a list of writers and text about Native American Peoples.

• Choose one among three e-texts: Calamity Jane-first person Life and Adventures; Henry Dawes-"Have We Failed the Indians?" Young Joseph-"An Indian's View of Indian Affairs."

• Students will read then choose three quotes from the text which they think best reflects the author's attitudes toward the Indians and white culture.

• Students will write a short essay or prepare a short presentation of the author's views and concerns to the class.

Speech Project: Many impassioned speeches were given by Chiefs who were ready to go to war against the American Government. What grievances caused them to take such a hard-line position ? Had they ever tried to adapt or accommodate white settlers or the government?

• Using the B/B Link "Tecumseh" students will read his speech of 1810 which outlines his grievances with the American Government and his definition of a warrior.

• Students will create a list of the grievances proposed by the warrior.

• Students will describe the "tone" of the speech.

• Students will conclude whether or not they agree that war is justified from Tecumseh's point of view.

• Students will prepare an oral presentation of a portion of the speech to read aloud to the class.

Assessment