Stewardship By K M Zainul Abedin, PDG. What is Stewardship? Stewardship.
Origin Stories and Land Stewardship Beliefs
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Origin Stories and Land Stewardship Beliefs Published on Lessons of Our Land (http://www.lessonsofourland.org) Grades: 6th - 8th Grade Lesson: 1 Unit: 1: American Indian traditional land values Subject: English Language Arts Achievement Goal: Students will be able to relate the beliefs expressed in tribal origin stories to their own consciousness regarding the environment. Time: Multiple class periods Lesson Description: In this lesson the students will learn about origin stories of the Yurok, Karuk and Hoopa tribes. They will look closely at the land ethics found within creation stories and how these beliefs relate to the identity of the tribe. Teacher Background: American Indian tribes, like many other peoples, have explanations for how they originated as a distinct, unique people. Many stories tell of powerful beings that created peoples’ place in the world. The origin stories relate how the universe and the earth were created and how time and space were established. Inherent in the story is a reverence of place or location in which ancestors of the tribe were created. From these stories, tribes derived laws, values, traditions and ceremonies. Many origin stories stressed kindness, generosity, cooperation and respect for the earth. Many tribal individuals consider their beliefs important everyday elements that contribute to rich tradition and cultural heritage. These stories are represented in ceremonies and teachings. They are passed on to each new generation. The beliefs and traditions connect people to the land, plant life, all living creatures and to the mysteries of birth, life, death and the spirit world. Standards: ELA Common Core Content Standards Reading Standards for Informational Text 1,2,3,4,5,6 Writing Standards 1,2,3 Speaking and Listening Standards 1 Language Standards 1,2,3 Teacher Preparation Resources: Make copies of the stories and comprehensions questions (1 per student) listed in the Lesson Resources section. Have the following supplies available: butcher/mural paper and art utensils. Student Activity: Day 1 of Lesson 1. Read the story “The Young Man of Oka (Yurok)” out loud to the class. 2. Write this line from the passage on the board and have different students read it aloud: 3. “Had the young man of Oka not brought the deer and the birds and the spring, the people would have never known them.” 4. Discussion the following question: How was the man a good steward of the land where we live? 5. Conduct a quick writing exercise about one gift from the natural world near our home place that future people may never see if we do not learn to be stewards of our land. 6. Break the class into groups and have them share what they have written and brainstorm ideas of how to save the gifts they’ve chosen to write about. Choose a scribe to record each group’s solutions. Copyright © Indian Land Tenure Foundation, 2014 Page 1 of 2
Transcript of Origin Stories and Land Stewardship Beliefs
Origin Stories and Land Stewardship BeliefsPublished on Lessons of Our Land (http://www.lessonsofourland.org)
Grades: 6th - 8th Grade Lesson: 1Unit: 1: American Indian traditional land valuesSubject: English Language ArtsAchievement Goal: Students will be able to relate the beliefs expressed in tribal origin stories totheir own consciousness regarding the environment.Time: Multiple class periods
Lesson Description:In this lesson the students will learn about origin stories of the Yurok, Karukand Hoopa tribes. They will look closely at the land ethics found withincreation stories and how these beliefs relate to the identity of the tribe. Teacher Background:American Indian tribes, like many other peoples, have explanations for how they originated as a distinct,unique people. Many stories tell of powerful beings that created peoples’ place in the world. The originstories relate how the universe and the earth were created and how time and space were established.Inherent in the story is a reverence of place or location in which ancestors of the tribe were created.From these stories, tribes derived laws, values, traditions and ceremonies. Many origin stories stressedkindness, generosity, cooperation and respect for the earth.
Many tribal individuals consider their beliefs important everyday elements that contribute to richtradition and cultural heritage. These stories are represented in ceremonies and teachings. They arepassed on to each new generation. The beliefs and traditions connect people to the land, plant life, allliving creatures and to the mysteries of birth, life, death and the spirit world.
Standards:ELA Common Core Content Standards
Reading Standards for Informational Text 1,2,3,4,5,6Writing Standards 1,2,3Speaking and Listening Standards 1Language Standards 1,2,3
Teacher Preparation Resources:
Make copies of the stories and comprehensions questions (1 per student) listed in the LessonResources section.Have the following supplies available: butcher/mural paper and art utensils.
Student Activity:Day 1 of Lesson
1. Read the story “The Young Man of Oka (Yurok)” out loud to the class.2. Write this line from the passage on the board and have different students read it aloud:3. “Had the young man of Oka not brought the deer and the birds and the spring, the people would
have never known them.”4. Discussion the following question: How was the man a good steward of the land where we live?5. Conduct a quick writing exercise about one gift from the natural world near our home place that
future people may never see if we do not learn to be stewards of our land.6. Break the class into groups and have them share what they have written and brainstorm ideas
of how to save the gifts they’ve chosen to write about. Choose a scribe to record each group’ssolutions.
Copyright © Indian Land Tenure Foundation, 2014Page 1 of 2
Origin Stories and Land Stewardship BeliefsPublished on Lessons of Our Land (http://www.lessonsofourland.org)
7. One at a time, have groups share their ideas with the rest of the class.
Day 2 of Lesson
1. Give the students the following 10 Minute Writing Prompt: How does the story, “The Young Manof Oka,” teach that being a steward of the land is important to our culture? Use details from thestory to support your ideas.
2. Ask students to develop their ideas further about “The Young Man of Oka” into a three-paragraph essay with a strong concluding summary.
3. Distribute a sheet of butcher/mural paper to each group and have them plan a mural thatincludes all the natural gifts they wrote about in Day 1 activities, co-existing in an outdoor placewhere we live.
4. After discussing designs, work together to draw the scene illustrating how they have been goodstewards of the land.
5. If time permits, assign portions of “The Creation of the World” to each group and have thegroups report on their part of the story to the rest of the class.
Evaluation:
1. Assess the students’ understanding through participation in discussion and activities.2. Evaluate the students’ compression of the lesson through the question and answer sheets
provided.
Lesson Resources:
The Young Man of Oka Yurok Tales adapted by Rosemary BellThe Creation of the World story Yurok Tales adapted by Rosemary Bell The Young Man of Oka Questions and Anwser SheetThe Creation of the World Questions and Answer Sheet
Source URL: http://www.lessonsofourland.org/lessons/origin-stories-and-land-stewardship-beliefs
Copyright © Indian Land Tenure Foundation, 2014Page 2 of 2
