Kaitlin Flatley, Student Teacher

Karen Bucci, Classroom Teacher

Social Studies: Native American Unit

Nancy Murphy, Supervisor

Henry Barnard School
April 15, 2015 10:20-11:15

INDIGENOUS PEOPLE WRITING PROMPT

Goals: Students will understand that different tribes have similarities and differences dependent upon the
tribes location, natural environment and resources, and cultural identity.
Student Learning Objectives:
-Students will complete the letter prewrite.
-Students will write a detailed letter to fictional member of another tribe describing the traditional daily
life in the tribe they have been assigned and researching.
Standards:
HP 3 (3-4) 2A: Students make personal connections in an historical context by
using a variety of sources (e.g., photographs, written text, clothing, oral history) to
reconstruct the past, understand the present, and make predictions for the future.
HP 5 (3-4) 1A Students demonstrate an understanding that a variety of factors
affect cultural diversity within a society by comparing cultural differences and
similarities between individuals, groups, or communities.
G 2 (3-4) 1A Students understand the physical and human characteristics of
places by explaining ways in which geographical features determine how people live
and work (e.g., living near the ocean gives opportunity to be fishermen or marine
biologist).
Materials:
- Indigenous People Research Packet
- Writing Prompt Example
- Writing Prompt/Prewrite Sheet
- Writing utensil
Introduction (5 min):
1. Students have returned from the rug after read aloud and are seated at their desks.
2. Students are instructed to take out their Social Studies folders and Indigenous People research
packets.
3. Say: You have completed your research packet on your tribe and should have a good idea about
what traditionally happened in your tribes daily life. Today you are going to pretend that you live
in your tribe a few hundred years ago. You are going to write a letter to a girl your age who is
from a different tribe that lives far away from you and who has a different lifestyle. In the letter
you need to paint a picture of what you do on a day to day basis, the type of environment you live
in, what sort of food you eat, etc. I really want your writing to show detail so the reader can
picture how you live. Encourage creativity but stress that the letter must be historically accurate.
Pull in how it should be an example of historical fiction.
4. Paper passer hands out the writing prompt and white lined sheets of paper. Go over the writing
prompt (attached) on the document camera.
5. Explain how the prewrite should be completed first and stress how the information should be
pulled from their research packet. Instruct the students that they will use their prewrite when
writing the final draft of their letter.

Modeling
1. Read the model letter to Takala to the class (see attached). Have the model projected on the
document camera but not in front of the students so when they are writing it will be their own
original, creative writing.
2. Go over the rubric for the assignment, pointing out how the example followed each requirement.
3. Answer any questions.
Independent Practice
1. Students complete prewrite activity independently. A timer will be set to go off at 11 am.
2. I will individually conference with the students and provide support as needed.
3. After the students have completed the prewrite, they will move on to writing their letter. I will
continue to conference with students throughout the writing process.
Conclusion
1. Students will be instructed to keep both the prewrite and competed letter when finished and to
review them and add detail. If a student finishes significantly early, they can write a final copy in
cursive.
2. When the timer is up at 11:00 am, students will pair up and read their letter to their partner as
long as the majority of students are finished. If most of the students are still working more time
will be given. If this is the case, at around 11:10 a couple of students who are finished can share
their letter on the document camera to the class.
3. Collect complete letters to be graded. Unfinished letters will be placed in the students social
studies folders so they can work on them at a later time.
Assessment:
-

The letter and prewrite will be a form of assessment.

The attached rubric will be used to grade the assessment.

Extensions:
-

If the majority of students complete the prewrite and letter before time is up they can pair up, read
their letters to each other and then peer edit them for content, spelling, and grammar. They will
use the research packet as a guideline for facts.

Accommodations/Modifications
-For students that need extra support, I will work one-on-one with them during the prewrite
section and individual writing section of the lesson.

Name: ____________________________
__________________________

Tribe:

Indigenous People Unit Writing Prompt

Imagine you are a nine or ten year old indigenous person from the
tribe you have been researching. You have recently made friends
with a ten year old girl named Takala from a faraway tribe and
through letters back and forth you have learned that your tribe is
very different from her tribe. Write a descriptive letter describing
the setting of your tribe and include at least three interesting
facts telling your new friend about your traditional way of life. Ask
one detailed question about something you would like to know
about your friends tribe. Be as detailed as possible in your
writing.
Pre-Write. First, complete the prewrite below. Then write
the final copy of your letter on a white lined sheet of
paper.
The Setting of my tribe can be described as:
_______________________________
__________________________________________________________________
_
Three Facts:
1. _____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
2. _____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
3. _____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
Something I want to know about Takalas tribe:
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
____
Name: _________________________________ Tribe:
_____________________
Letter Prompt
Scoring Rubric
___

I included a detailed description of where my tribe lives.

___
I included at least three accurate facts that show the ways
of traditional life of my tribe.
___

I asked one detailed question about Takalas tribe

___

Spelling and grammar are correct.

4- The letter includes all of the above requirements, is interesting

and well done!
3- The letter includes most of the above requirements and is very
good!
2- The letter has some of the above requirements but still needs
some more work.
1- The letter is incomplete or not turned in.
Score: _______/16

Dear Takala,
I received your letter and I am very excited to write back to
you. You had some excellent questions about how my tribe and I
live so I will do my best to explain our way of life to you. I am from
the Cherokee Nation. We live in a place that has great weather! It
snows a little in the winter time and in the summer it gets hot but
it isnt unbearable. We live in the forest, and most of the trees are
pine. Most of the Cherokee villages are built by rivers so we have
a fresh water source. This lets us have water to drink nearby and
so we can water our crops. The Cherokee people live in a big land
area. Our territory includes many mountain ranges like the Blue
Ridge Mountains (which is where I live!).
Speaking of crops, Ill tell you a little about what we grow.
The main crops we grow are the three sisters or corn, beans and
squash. The men also hunt deer, turkey and other animals.
Sometimes we get lucky and get a bear! The women farm and
also gather roots, berries, and other plants we can find close by.
We sometimes use honey and maple sap to make our food sweet.
We use the animal hides to make our clothing. Women
usually wear wraparound skirts made out of deerskin and a woven
blouse. Men wear loincloths and leggings also made out of soft
deer hides. We wear moccasins on our feet to protect them from
walking through the forest.
Youd probably like to know a little about our houses. They
are called asi or wattle and daub houses. We build them out of
rivercane and plaster and they have a thatched roof. We dont
move around so the houses are permanent.
Theres so much more I wish I could tell you, but I have to go
play Anejodi, which is a stickball game, with my friends. When
you write back, could you tell me all about your art? Do you have
intricate beadwork and weave baskets like the Cherokee? Im
looking forward to your next letter!
Stiyu, or be strong in my language,
Adsila