Native American Lesson Plan: Cherokee Stories
Please see the CULTURE SECTION of this website/source book for more in-depth discussion of the Mississippian period.
Grade Level: 5th Grade Students
Kentucky Core Content 4.1:
AH-05-1.4.2
Students will identify or describe how an artist uses various media and processes.
AH-05-3.4.1
Students will describe or explain how art fulfills a variety of purposes.
Narrative - artworks that tell stories, describe and illustrate experiences, or communicate ideas or information, art to document important or historical events (e.g., Native American totem poles, cave and wall paintings)
Title: Cherokee Stories
Duration: 3 class periods - 1 week
Objective: Students will gain a basic understanding of Cherokee creation stories and their importance to their society. They will also work with a variety of media to create their own illustrations based on one story.
Materials and Resources:
Card stock paper (8x10) – you could also use construction paper and
printer/copier paper instead
Color pencils/markers/crayons
Hole punch
Printed out story cut into six or seven sections
(can be more, teacher’s decision)
Pencils for initial drawings before coloring
Glue
String
Procedure:
- After reading the story, give each student the same number of card stock papers as story sections cut (Ex: six sections, six pieces of card stock)
- In the order they appear in the story, have students glue the pre-cut sections of the story to the card stock pieces.
- Students will then draw a picture that illustrates the action in the story for each page.
- After the students have finished with their drawings, they will color their images.
- Once the images are colored, students will use a final piece of card stock to create a cover for their book.
- With the cover completed, the teacher will hole punch the spine of the book and use string to bind the books for the students.
BONUS ASSIGNMENT/DISCUSSION: Have students compare this, or a different Cherokee story to other explanations of how animals were created, how the world was made, etc. How are they similar? How are they different? The children’s book, How the World was Made and Other Stories of the Cherokee, included in the Eastern Woodlands Teachers Resource Packet, offers several examples.
Assessment:
- Scoring scale to be determined by teacher
- Recommended to keep in mind:
Full credit – student completes the assignment to the best of his/her ability follows each step, does not misuse material (media)
Half credit – student partials completes assignment to the best of his/her ability
No credit – student does not complete assignment, misuses the material
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