WASHOE CULTURE

An Integrated Social Studies Curriculum
For the Fourth Grade

The design of this curriculum and of the Washoe Culture Activity Kits, which accompany it, was made possible by a grant to the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California from the National Park Service. The goals of this curriculum are to increase the knowledge of and respect for the Washoe people and their history among non-Washoe and Washoe students and teachers, and to increase self-esteem among Washoe students, whose culture and history is often overlooked in the classroom. This curriculum is intended to focus not only on the traditional, but also on the contemporary ways of life of the Washoe people, so that students will understand that the Washoe and other American Indians are not just a part of American history, but a part of American society today.

As an integrated social studies curriculum, this unit incorporates several of the important aspects of what a fourth grader learns, including positive action, conflict resolution, mapping, math, and social studies skills. These Skills will be learned and practiced through many different methods, such as writing, small and large group discussions, research projects, arts and crafts, and physical education.

Washoe Social Studies Kit - availability of curriculum materials

Teachers: The sections entitled ''Teacher Background'' in each lesson are intended as teacher preparation material. The 'Key Points', which should be presented to the students, are provided immediately after the teacher background section of each lesson. The teacher should use the background information to tell the students about the key points, and to answer any questions that the students may have, but should not feel required to present all of the information there.

The Introduction to the Seasons of Washoe Life, located before Lesson Four, is purely for teacher information, to help you introduce the next four lessons and answer students' questions about the traditional division of labor. Lessons Three, Nine, Ten, Eleven, and Thirteen provide booklets for the students, which can be used for individual or partner reading.

The activities are merely suggested. Teachers may choose the activities they like best or for which they have time without sacrificing the intent of the curriculum.

Thank you for using this curriculum, as much or as little as you are able. We hope that it helps you as you teach your students about the ways of the Washoe people.

I would like to thank many people for their assistance and contributions to this project. All of these people were generous with their time, their knowledge, and their ideas. Many thanks to Sherry Smokey, Education Director at the Washoe tribe, and project director for this project, for her frequent guidance. Thanks to Audrey Ellbogen, Kathy Cattanach, Lisa Fontana, Terry Caster, Karen Wallis, and Nancy Straiter, fourth grade teachers in the Douglas County School District, for their ideas, time, and enthusiasm, and help.

Many thanks to Jo Ann Martinez, Theresa Jackson, Elwood Wyatt, and Leighton Palmer for sharing their knowledge and their concern for Washoe culture, and special thanks to Jo Ann Martinez, Theresa Jackson, Pamela Coleman, Florine Conway, and Madeline John for making the winnowing trays for the kits. Thanks to Barb Garcia for contributing her time and her photographs.

Thanks to Jeff Johnston, science resource developer for the Douglas County School District, for his guidance and suggestions. Thanks to Wyman Sargent for making the leather pouches and for helping to gather other kit materials. Thanks to Jacqui Baldwin for her help in coordinating with the Washoe elders.

Thanks to Madelina Henry for lending her voice to the Washoe language tape. Thanks to Laura Fillmore and Dr. William Jacobsen for providing the Washoe spelling and guide to pronunciation. Thanks to Shelly Wyatt and Adele James for their narration of the Dresslerville Players videotape. Thanks to vista Santina Florio for making the Dresslerville tape and completing the curriculum kit project. Thanks to Maxine Emm and all those who created the 'Celebrating Nevada Indians' curriculum, which is used extensively throughout this curriculum. Thanks to Al Karson for making the flyers and critiquing the curriculum. Thanks to Sandy Wallace for her help with the budget and for making sense out of the project. Thanks to Dennis Gebhardt for helping to find maps of Washoe territories. Thanks to Bob Still at the Stewart Indian Museum for contributing the postcards to the kit. Thanks to the Green Valley Garden Center for donating the stone jacks.

This curriculum has been approved by the Washoe Tribe Education committee and by the Washoe tribal Council.