Storytelling of the Four Tribes of Nevada

(Cooperative Lesson)

Activity Goals:

• Students will identify the major characters, sequence of events and the main idea of a Nevada Native folklore story.
• Students will understand that storytelling was an oral tradition handed down from one generation to the next of a Native family of Nevada.
• Students will understand that storytelling is a way of preserving a culture and history, a form of entertainment, and a source of amusement.

Materials:

• Four (4) Student Information Workbooks
• Comparison chart (Blackline Masters)
• Story Analysis Worksheet
• Large sheet of paper, markers, crayons or tempera paints

Procedures:

1. Explain to the students activity goal #1.
2. Divide the students into their same tribal groups.
3. Suggested Introduction Methods:
   1. Ask the students how the Natives gained knowledge about their world without a written language.
   2. Ask the students what are the ways of telling stories (tell, read, draw, and act out a story).
4. Have each group decide which story they will be working on for these activities.
5. Write the topic questions on the board/chart
   1. Where in Nevada did the event take place?
   2. What type of activity was involved?
   3. How many people did it involve (estimate)?
   4. What are they known for (character traits) or what event took place?
6. Students meet in their cooperative groups, discuss, plan and make a mural depicting one Native story.
7. Record the information on a comparison chart as each group speaker presents their information .
8. Compare and discuss the charted information.

Additionals Activities of Lesson:

1. Knots on a Counting rope - Circle activity using a rope. Turn lights off and put a candle in the middle of the group. As you go around circle, each person starts a story and ties a knot when finished.
2. Sequence story maps - draw different parts of story.
3. Compare stories from different tribal groups