Storytelling and you

DISCOVERING YOURSELF

CRITICAL CHALLENGE: Designed by Judy Wilson and Robyn Dickinson
Critical Question: How can Aboriginal storytelling methods help you discover yourself?

Overview/ Rationale (Learning Outcomes)

Knots on a Counting Rope by Bill Martin Jr. And John Archambault illustrates how Aboriginal cultures pass knowledge from generation to generation through an oral tradition. In this story, a child gains knowledge and a sense of his past from his grandfather. This story is used to stimulate students into thinking about their own family history and then identify individual strengths and/or personal qualities. Please note:
Do not show pictures. A discussion of the stereotyping that this book portrays is necessary. The teacher may also want to stress that this stroy takes place years ago.

Relevent Learning Outcomes:

Social Studies: It is expected that students will:

Demonstrate an awareness of BC’s diverse heritage (2-3: through the telling of their own family history and comparing/listening to others)
Describe how physical environment influences human activities.

English Language Arts:
It is expected that students will:

Demonstrate a willingness to participate actively in oral activities
Demonstrate their understanding of the different purposes and uses of language
Demonstrate a willingness to participate in a variety of sharing activities that include the use of pictures, charts, storytelling, lists and storybooks
Create a variety of personal communications, including charts, journals, illustrations and stories

Personal Planning:

It is expected that students will:

Identify thoughtful, caring behaviours

Shared Learnings:

Social Studies:

Aboriginal peoples are unique and diverse.
Elders have an important role in traditional Aboriginal societies.
The family is an important social structure in Aboriginal societies.
The Aboriginal concept of sharing has a specific meaning and value.

English Language Arts:

Aboriginal cultures pass knowledge from generations to generations through an oral tradition.
Storytelling is an important activity in Aboriginal cultures.
Participation in Aboriginal storytelling and other group activities requires effective and responsible listening behaviours.
Aboriginal peoples create stories, poems, plays, and legends based on specific themes

Personal Planning:

Listening skills and patience are highly valued in many Aboriginal cultures.
The Aboriginal concept of sharing has a specific importance and meaning.

Requisite Tools:

Background Knowledge:

Personal knowledge of themselves and their family

Knowledge of traditional aboriginal storytelling methods

Criteria for judgment:

features of a powerful traditional story (serious message tempered with humour; pacing; use of powerful words; subtlety of messages
objects that stimulates powerful memories (mnemonic devices)

Critical Thinking Vocabulary:

criteria
listening
mnemonic devices (talking tool)

Thinking Strategies

KNWL Chart for own story
Brainstorming powerful questions
Story Map
Mnemonic devices
Powerful Language
Think-Pair-Share

Habits of Mind:

Respect for others’ feelings and experiences
Inquiring mind
Open-mindedness

Activities:

Beginning of mini unit:

A. First lesson from Shared Learnings

Listening: The First Lesson For Aboriginal Children p.133

Discuss how in Aboriginal stories, in addition to the regular parts, there are usually two special features:

1. there is a lesson for humans and
2. there is a mnemonic device.

Identify the lesson for humans: see page 133
#1. Brainstorm and record appropriate listening behaviours. Extension: play the telephone game and Musical Hot/Cold game to reinforce the importance of listening

B. Teacher reads the story Knots on a Counting Rope. Students listen for details of the story map.
Materials required: a knotted rope (mnemonic device)

Identify what the lesson for humans is in Knots on a Counting Rope and what is the significant of the counting rope. Record both answers on the attached story map sheet. Together as a class, fill in the rest of the sheet.

C. Read Knots on a Counting Rope again. Have students listen for powerful words. Record the word on cards. Distribute the cards to small groups. Each group creates movements to illustrate the words while speaking them. The goal is to have students feel comfortable at playing with words and verbalizing them in different ways to enhance their story.

D. Second lesson based on Aboriginal Storytelling p.136 Bring in an aboriginal storyteller to tell a story. As a whole class:

Listen to the story for enjoyment
Identify what made the story powerful using Think-Pair-Share and record students’ responses on a chart.
Develop criteria for a powerful story. Consult with guest storyteller to accuracy and thoroughness.
Brainstorm and web what students learned about the main character from listening to the guest storyteller.
Use Pair-Share for students to retell the story in their own words,

Optional: In small groups, students make a story line of the events in the story either by drawing pictures, recording them in words, or acting them out. Share with classmates and the storyteller as time permits.

Alternative Optional: Students individually fill out a mini book form, retelling the story.

E.
1. Distribute KWL chart to students. Individually students record three non-physical characteristics/traits about themselves under the What I Know heading.

2. As a class: create a list of questions that will help the students find out more information about themselves.

3. Individually: students complete What I Want To Know heading.

F. Students use their KWL sheet to complete Story Map of their own story.

G. Students take story map home and tell story to parents.

H. Use Pair-Share strategy for practicing in classroom. Click here for an extra worksheet to help guide your questions.

Evaluations

Assess how this process helped students learn more about themselves by:

Using peer evaluation and self-evaluation (What I Learned column in KWL chart)

* Note: look at Justice books on storytelling and check with reference list created with students. Assess students’ understanding of each other’s diverse heritage:

Divide students into groups of four. One student tells his/her story and the other three students listen and illustrate the beginning, middle, and end of the story. Do the illustrations show how the physical environment influenced the activities? Do the pictures follow the story line?

Extensions:

Tape record students original story; then record their final version as an evaluation tool.
Ask students to write their individual thoughts about what it is like to be a storyteller in their learning logs.

RESOURCES:

Knots on a Counting Rope by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault ISBN: 0-8050-0571-4

Teacher resources:

Aboriginal Education Initiative, British Columbia, Ministry of Education, SHARED Learnings ISBN: 0-7726-3654-0

Collins, Rives and Cooper, Pamela J. The Power of Story Teaching Through Storytelling, Second Edition

Goodfellow, Anne FIRST NATIONS JOURNEYS OF JUSTICE Building Bridges of Understanding Between Nations -Training For Storytelling, ISBN: 0-7726-2271-X

McDiarmid, Tami, Manzo, Rita and Musselle, Trish Critical Challenges for Primary Students ISBN: 0-86491-147-5

Harrison, John, Smith, Neil and Wright, Ian Critical Challenges in Social Studies for Upper Elementary Students ISBN: 0-86491-192-0 With Special thanks to: Lyn Daniels, First Nations Resource Teacher, School District #71

Andy Everson, First Nations Resource Person, School District #71

Anne Jack, First Nations Resource Person, School District #71