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Louisiana Anthology

Lindsay Bollinger, Team Leader,
Kennis Jobe,
Dillon Smith,
Camden Joiner.
“Lesson Plans for Louisiana Folk Tales — Native American and Creole.”


Texts


Background
Unit Overview
  1.  Describe the scope of content which will be included in the unit: explain how you determined what specific standards and content (topics) to bundle into a unit of instruction.  List the standards covered in the unit.

       The unit will cover several myths from Native American tribes in Louisiana. We chose these myths to give students context on the creative history of what is now Louisiana before it was a part of the United States. The goals of this unit are:

  1. To increase students' understanding the mythology of Louisiana's Native American tribes.
  2. To help the students learn to extract cultural values from various myths.

  Standards used:      

  2. Explain how the unit fits within the overall curriculum including an explanation of precedents and antecedents (what comes before and after).  Also, describe the prerequisite skills students will need in order to be successful in this unit.

At the end of the Native American Myths unit, we plan to have the students engage in a Socratic seminar to discuss the myths we read and what they can tell us about the indigenous cultures of Louisiana.

Students will need basic reading and writing skills as well as the ability to work civilly in a group.


 
3.  Describe how the unit of instruction will be meaningful to learners.
  1. How does the unit meet both academic and social needs of the learners?
  2. How does the unit meet both current and future needs of the learners?

This unit will provide a basis for students to begin learning Louisiana literature, which will offer a connection for them to their broader community. They will also learn to appreciate indigenous contributions to the state's literary work and have an awareness of Louisiana's first inhabitants and their cultures.


  1. Identify areas of possible student misconceptions and explain how these will be addressed within the unit.

     Students may assume that all mythology is the same and expect to hear Greek myths/Bible stories with different names for gods/heroes. Instead, they will find differences not only from other mythologies, but also among the different native tribes.


  1. How does the unit connect content knowledge with authentic, real world contexts and applications?

This unit connects directly with communities still extant in Louisiana, as well as Louisiana literature in a broader sense. Students will learn more about their state, and about the various cultures within it.


  1. How does the unit integrate content across subject silos?

This unit discusses Louisiana history, different religions, and cultural values both in Louisiana, and around the world. In addition to folk tales that come from local Native American tribes, tales made their way to Louisiana from Africa and Europe.


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Lesson Sequence
  1. Show the planned sequence of topics, lessons, activities, and assessments within the unit.
    1. Use an outline or graphic format to show an overall picture of the unit.
      1. For elementary unit plans clearly show the interconnectedness of lessons from the core disciplines of ELA, math, science, and social studies. Additionally, show the connections with arts and physical education.
      2. For secondary (6-12) unit plans clearly show cross-curricular connections: especially, integration of reading and language across disciplines. Additionally, show specific connections to post-secondary education, and careers.

  1. Monday. Introduction to the topic of Native American myths, reading of
    1. the Choctaw "How Snakes Acquired Their Poison" and
    2. the Chitimacha "Creation" and "The Gifts of the Sky-God".  Students will participate in guided notetaking and try to come up with their own "origin" myths.
  2. Tuesday. 
  3. Wednesday.
  4. Thursday. Students will be given a brief overview of the Greek and biblical creation stories, the biblical stories of the Fall of Man and the Tower of Babel, and the Greek story of Bellerophon. Afterward, they will, in guided notetaking and group discussion, compare and contrast these myths with the Native American ones and discuss the different values of indigenous, Greek, and ancient Abrahamic cultures.
  5. Friday. We will have a Socratic seminar for students to discuss the various myths we've read over the week as a group. They will be responding to a series of questions on the stories discussed.




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Unit Launch:
  1. How will you engage students with the unit?
    1. How will you engender excitement, anticipation, enthusiasm, and curiosity?
    2. How will you motivate students to succeed at high levels?
    3. How will you communicate high expectations?
    4. How will you present the "Unit Overview" and "Lesson Sequence" to students?
    5. How will you inform the school, community, and parents/guardians about the unit?
      1. Include in your unit a press release, a memo to your principal and other teachers, and a letter to parents about your unit. In each of the aforementioned communications be sure to
        explain how the particular constituents can contribute to the unit.
      2. Include in your unit a press release, a memo to your principal and other teachers, and a letter to parents about your unit. In each of the aforementioned communications be sure to
        explain how the particular constituents can contribute to the unit.

On Monday, I will begin the unit by asking students

  1. To come up with a story to explain a natural phenomenon, without relying on scientific explanations.
  2. Then, I will explain that we will be discussing the mythology of the native tribes of Louisiana.
  3. I believe the students will find the initial bell-ringer engaging and it will be a good hook to capture their attention for the unit.


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Unit Project:
  1. Describe at least one project that spans several days and integrates multiple learning outcomes with authentic, real-world, applications.
    1. Include a detailed set of directions for students.
    2. Include an evaluation rubric.
 

The students will spend several days in group discussion and guided notetaking on the various myths read this week, which will culminate in the Socratic seminar on the final day.


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Summative Assessment:
  1. How will you assess overall learning to make sure that goals and objectives are met?
    1. How will you empower students to demonstrate their learning in multiple ways?


  1. There will be individual and group work.
  2. Students will participate in both creative and analytical activities.

    1. How will you accommodate learners so that all learners have opportunities to demonstrate what they have learned (what they know and can do): this is in contrast to an assessment such as a multiple guess test which assesses a finite set of learning outcomes in only one way.
      1. Include in your unit fully developed assessments.
        1. For objective tests (multiple guess, matching, true false) include the actual test.
        2. For project-based and performance assessments include clear specific directions and an evaluation rubric.

There will be a variety of activities, including bell ringers, guided notetaking, group discussion/writing, individual paragraph writing, a Socratic seminar, and exit ticket activities.

    1. How will you accurately assess the achievement of English language learners, and students with IEPs
      and 504 plans?

We will make sure they receive the mandated accommodations.

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Enrichment:
  1. How will you enable students who learn easily and well (gifted and high achieving students) to set and meet high expectations?

This unit will require students to think critically and glean cultural values from different myths, as well as compare and contrast myths from different cultures. These activities should stimulate the brains of more advanced students to careful, analytical thought.




Remediation:
  1.  How will you make certain that all learning experiences are at an appropriate level (accommodations) for students who lack specific prerequisite knowledge and skills to engage with the planned curriculum?

This unit involves a good bit of group work, and students of varying abilities will be put in groups with one another.


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Culminating Experiences:
  1.  Describe the strategies you will use to provide closure to the unit (kind of like the closing ceremony of the Olympics).
    1. How will you enable students to self-reflect on their growth (metacognition) throughout the unit?
    2. How will you enable students to recognize and value their own accomplishments?
    3. How will you facilitate the transition to the next unit?
    4. How will you communicate the accomplishments of your students to various constituents including parents/guardians and community and school leaders?


  1. We have completion assignments every day, with a Socratic seminar on the last day to finish the unit.
  2. Grades for all activities will be reported to the school board.
  3. From this unit, we will transition to the writings of early explorers discussing Louisiana and the surrounding area.


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Unit Evaluation:
  1.  How will you reflect on the strengths and challenges encountered through teaching the unit?

We will retrieve feedback from students about this unit, as well as from fellow teachers. 


  1.  How will you share your work with the professional educational community?

Lessons will be free and available on TeachersPayTeachers and the Louisiana Anthology website.


 
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Day 1: Creation Stories
Lesson Plan PDF  

Handout PDF 



 
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Day 2: Character Quilt
Lesson Plan PDF  

Character Quilt Handout 


 
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Day 3: The Tar Baby
Lesson Plan for the Tar Baby 

Tar Baby Handout 


 
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Day 4: Discussion of Creation Stories
Lesson Plan for Creation Stories

Creation Handout 




 
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Day 5: Socratic Seminar
Lesson Plan for Socratic Seminar

Socratic Seminar Handout 

Socratic Seminar Grade Sheet 

Lesson Plans prepared by:


Web page prepared by:



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