Multi-Text Study
The Birchbark House
By: Louise Erdrich
The Birchbark House
Multi-text Outline
Week 1
Day 1- Before Reading
Concept Map of Native Americans (Page 3: Individual)
Stations on the Native Americans (Page 4: Small Group)
KWL- Native Americans and the Ojibwa Tribe(Page 5-6: Small Group)
Day 2- Pre-reading activities
Before you read (Page 7-8: Individual)
Using the Title to Make Predictions (Page 9: Individual)
Vocabogram (Page 10-11: Individual)
Day 3- Introduction-Chapter 1-2
Character Sketcher 1, 2, and 3 (Pages 12-17: Small Group)
Setting Graphic Organizer (Pages 18: Individual)
Day 4- Chapters 1-4
Vocabulary Table: Child friendly definitions (Pages 19: Individual)
Day 5- Chapters 1-6
DRC: Text and internet sources (Pages 20-21: Individual)
Week 2
Day 6- Chapters 7-8
Author’s Craft and Artistic Representation (Pages 22-23: Partner)
Day 7- Chapter 5-11
Vocabulary Activity (Page 24-26: Individual)
Informational Small Pox Poster (Pages 27-28: Individual)
Day 8- Chapter 5-8
Internet Workshop (Pages 29-31: Small Group)
Dialect DED (Pages 32-33: Individual)
Day 9- Chapter 9
Letter of information (Page 34: Individual)
Day 10- Chapters 5-8
Vocabulary Table: Child friendly definitions (Pages 35-36: Individual)
Week 3
Day 11- Chapters 13-18
Dialect DED (Pages 37-38: Individual)
Day 12- Chapter 19-21
I-poem on Omayakas (Page 39-40: Individual)
Day 13- Chapter 22
Character Map/ Cinquain on Angeline (Pages 41-42: Individual)
Day 14- Chapters 23-24
Response Journal (Page 43: Individual)
Haiki (Page 44: Indivdiual)
Vocabulary Table: Child friendly definitions (45-47
Day 15- Culmination of book
Vocabulary Assessment ( Pages 48-49:Individual)
Concept Map
Use the following pattern to create a concept map; brainstorm ideas and make connections you have to Native Americans. Create a bubble concept map, and write your ideas in bubbles surrounding Native Americans.
Stations on Native Americans
In your group, you will be given a book to read and discuss with your group as you learn about the Native Americans and the Ojibwa Tribe. This will be an introduction to a book we will begin reading called The Birchbark House. The first step in your station is to fill out the “K” in your KWL about what you know about the Native Americans and Ojibwa Tribe. You will fill this out separately. Next, you will look at the front and back covers of the book you are given and fill out the “W” on what you want to learn. Finally, you will read the book with your group and pay attention to the specific information you learn about Native Americans and Ojibwa Tribe. You will be given one of the following books:
- Children of the Longhouse by Joseph Bruchac
- Soft Rain: A Story of the Cherokee Trail of Tears by Cornelia Cornelissen
- Native North American Wisdom and Gifts by Bobbie Kalman
- The Algonquians by Patricia Ryon Quiri
K-W-L
You will be completing a K-W-L on Native Americans and the Ojibwa Tribe. Think about what you know, what you want to know, and finally what you have learned. Your group may use the information found in the book at your station as well as any prior knowledge you have on the subject. Use the following words to help you come up with questions you would like answered for the “W” column.
WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN, WHY, & HOW
|
K What I Think I KNOW |
W What I WANT To Know |
L What I LEARNED
|
Before You Read: Look carefully at the front and back covers of The Birchbark House. Write down your predictions about the following:
Setting (Time and Place): When and Where do you think this book takes place?_______________________________
________________________________________________
Characters (The people, animals, or objects around which the action of the story is centered): Who do you believe the main characters in the book will be?_________________________________
________________________________________________
Problem(s) & Solution(s) (What goes wrong in the story and how is it solved?): What do you predict will be the most significant problems in this book? How do you believe the problems will be solved? _____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
Write down any other questions or predictions: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Using the Title to Make Predictions
- What do you think the title of this book means?
- Who do you think the girl on the cover is?
- What do you think a Birchbark House is? Why might this be significant?
Vocab-o-gram/Predict-o-gram
The Birchbark House by Louise Erdrich
Vocabulary: Small pox, Omakayas, birchbark,
Use the words above and the title of the book to help you make predictions about the following elements of story.
| Setting
Where might this book take place? |
Characters
Who are the possible characters in the novel? |
| Problem
What problems might the characters encounter during the story? |
Characters’ Goals
What are goals the characters’ might like to achieve? |
| Solution
What are possible solutions to the problems? |
Prediction/Questions
Any other predictions? Do you have any questions about how the story might evolve? |
Character Sketcher 1
You are invited to learn more about Omakayas. Please take notes on how Omakayas acts and looks.
v To begin, reread the following passages, determine “descriptive words” that capture Omakayas’s personality and explain why the words describe Omakayas.
v Reread page 5, the entire first paragraph. Which words describe Omakayas?______________________________________________
v She acts _____________________because_____________________
______________________________________________________.
Focus on page 7 paragraph two.
v Reread page 12 paragraphs five and six and page 13 paragraph one. Which words describe Omakayas?_____________________________________
v She acts _____________________because_____________________
______________________________________________________.
v Reread page 19 paragraphs one through six. Which words describe Omakayas?_____________________________________
v She acts _____________________because_____________________
_______________________________________________________.
In this novel, the descriptions of the characters are not stated explicitly. It is up to the reader to use context clues to make their own assumptions of how the characters look. Based on what you have read so far, draw a picture of Omakayas and in a paragraph, provide an explanation of why you believe she looked this way based on what you have read. Include page and paragraph numbers for evidence.
Draw your picture in the space below.
Character Sketcher 2
You are invited to learn more about Nokomis. Please take notes on how Nokomis’s acts and looks.
v To begin, think about “descriptive words” that capture Nokomis personality and try to find passages in Chapter 1 that show how Nokomis is acting. Think about why or how those words describe Nokomis in the passages. Remember these will be implied traits. Use the traits below to help you.
v Choose 3 of the following traits and find passages in Chapter 1 that demonstrate Nokomis acting:
| sensible | spirited | clever | caring |
| witty | Loving | intelligent | courageous |
v On page _______ paragraph _______ Ma acts ______________________________________ because/when _________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________.
v On page _______ paragraph _______ Ma acts ______________________________________ because/when _________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________.
v On page _______ paragraph _______ Ma acts ______________________________________ because/when _________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________.
In this novel, the descriptions of the characters are not stated explicitly. It is up to the reader to use context clues to make their own assumptions of how the characters look. Based on what you have read so far, draw a picture of Nokomis and in a paragraph, provide an explanation of why you believe he looked this way based on what you have read. Include page and paragraph numbers for evidence.
Draw your picture in the space below.
Character Sketcher 3
Your job as Character Sketcher is to identify a character’s actions (traits) and explain or prove these traits, identify the character’s goal (which is what the character wants to do or accomplish), identify the problem and solution in the reading, and complete an artistic impression of the character.
You need to be aware that the character traits you will choose will be implied character traits. In other words, they are not directly stated in the passage. You will want to use descriptive words for your character traits. You do NOT want to use words like good, bad, nice, and mean. Be sure to use your “Descriptive Character Traits” page for help.
Sometimes the solution to your character’s problem will not be in the section of the book that you are reading. In this case, you will need to come up with a possible solution for you character’s problem.
When you begin artistically representing your character, try to use any physical descriptions from the text to help you. Your “artistic impression” of the character will probably be on a separate piece of paper. The next page gives you an example of how your paper may look with the character information.
You will be learning about Old Tallow. Think about the following traits as you read Chapters 1-3.
| protected | stubborn | odd |
| powerful | unusual | kind |
Implied Character Traits (3)
- (Trait) _________________ p.______ par.________
(Explanation or proof of trait)
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
- (Trait) _________________ p.______ par.________
(Explanation or proof of trait)
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
- (Trait) _________________ p.______ par.________
(Explanation or proof of trait)
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
Character’s Goal: _______________’s goal is to
___________________________________________________________
______________________________.
Problem: _______________’s problem is
___________________________________________________________
_____________________________________.
Solution or Possible Solution: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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Setting Graphic Organizer
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| DETAILS! | DETAILS! | DETAILS! |
Vocabulary Table:
Consult the online dictionaries http://www.onelook.com/
Find the following words The Birchbark House to see how they are used. Then, create your own student-friendly definitions for the words provided.
Finally, write your own student-friendly definitions: Make sure you check to see how the word is used in the book.
| Tier 2 Words | Page # | Student Friendly Definitions |
| Shrewdly | 9 | Quick and intelligent |
| Enigmatic | 10 | Mysterious |
| Warily | 21 | Watchful, cautious |
| Haughty | 25 | Proud, snob |
| Indignation | 40 | Strong displeasure |
| Betrayal | 45 | Unfaithful, corrupt |
| Solemnly | 67 | Sad or serious |
| Write your own student-friendly definitions: Make sure you check to see how the word is used in the book. | ||
Data Retrieval Chart
List facts for each category below. Be sure to continue this chart as you read and discover new information.
| Books/ Short Summary of Book | History/Facts about the Native Americans | How do Native Americans live. | How was life after the first winter? | How was life after Small Pox epidemic? |
| The Birchbark House by Louise Erdrich
|
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| The Magic Tree House #18: Buffalo Before Breakfast by Mary Pope Osborne |
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| Ojibwa Indians By Bill Lund |
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|
Internet Site: http://www.bigorrin.org/chippewa_kids.htm
|
Author’s Craft
Christopher Paul Curtis chose his words very carefully, making use of one primary literary device. It appeals to the reader’s sense of humor by using such figurative language. Along with your partner, find at least four examples of a similie from your reading in Chapters 7 and 8. Then explain how each passage adds meaning to the story.
| Example from the book: | Example from the book: | |
| Simile: a comparison that includes the words like or as.
Example from Chapter 5 “Fish bones snapped in his mouth like dry twigs.” Page 77 |
Page number:
Example: What this passage adds to the story: |
Page number:
Example: What this passage adds to the story: |
| Page number:
Example: What this passage adds to the story: |
Page number:
Example: What this passage adds to the story: |
Artistic Representation
Now that you have chosen four examples of similes, please artistically represent one of these comparisons.
Vocabulary Activities
Summer
You will complete the following chart with child-friendly definitions for these words. Then, you are invited to complete the daily vocabulary activities to go with these words.
| Word and Page | Meaning |
| Nimble, pg. 5 | Quick and light in movement |
| Cringing, pg. 23 | To shrink, bend, or crouch |
| Savagely, pg. 31 | Fierce, Cruel |
| Brandished, pg. 44 | To shake or wave |
| Taunting, pg. 57 | To provoke, sarcastic |
Word Networks
- What people, things, situations, or words come to mind when you think about the word Nimble?
HAVE YOU EVER????
1.) Describe a time when something made you cringe.
2.) Have you ever had someone act savagely towards you? Describe how that made you feel.
3.) What types of objects might you brandish to get someone’s attention?
How would you “taunt” someone, or how could someone taunt (p. 57) you? Write your ideas in the bubbles below.
Small Pox!
Small Pox!
You will create an artistic representation of the disease and then complete the following information for a information poster:
Small Pox:
What is it?
Symptoms
How does it spread?
Treatment
Vaccination
How it can be prevented
~Remember that this information, plus the artistic creation of the disease, must fit inside the white page provided. If you choose, you may use your own creative template instead of the one given on the following page.
Name _______________________
Internet Workshop:
The Ojibwa Tribe
You will complete an Internet Workshop on the Ojibwa Tribe using the following sites: http://www.meadowthorpe.fcps.net/projects/native_americans/OjibwaIndians%20Yesterday%20and%20Today.htm. Be sure to read all required sections on the website thoroughlyand fully answer each question. .
Ojibwa
Indians: Yesterday and Today
Name some of the animals they trapped while they were hunting.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.
Why did the Ojibwa Indians believe that animals were placed on the earth?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.
Name some of the cities that the Ojibwa Indians lived in.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.
What were some of the jobs that the Ojibwa’s did in order to make money?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.
Language
What short vowels and long vowels are using the Ojibwa language?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.
What is the name of their language?
_____________________________________________________________.
How was Algonquian used during the time of the Ojibwa Tribe?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.
Living Off the Land
What were some of the different kinds of food that the Ojibwa Tribe ate?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.
What was another source of getting food besides hunting for the Ojibwa’s?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.
Lifestyles
What did the Ojibwa’s do in order to survive?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.
How long did they fish throughout the year?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.
What did they catch while living along Lake Ontario?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.
What did they do with raspberries once they picked them?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.
Double Entry Diary
The Birchbark House
SUMMER
You are invited to complete a Double-Entry Diary for this section of the book. You will look for specific instances in which the dialect is present. You will write down the passage in which you find it and write your response to it. Remember to write down the quotation or passage and the page number on the left side of your paper. On the right side of your paper, write your response or personal reactions and connections to what was written in the left column. You must include at least 3 passages with responses.
Here’s an example to start with:
| Quotation/Passage
and Page Number: “Omakayas’s little brother Pinch was the only really big problem in her life. The sad truth was, and she couldn’t tell this to a single person, Omakayas didn’t like Little Pinch. She thought there was something wrong with him – so greedy, so loud!” Pg. 11 |
Response:
This particular passage makes me think that Omakayas is jealous of her little brother because it seems he might be getting more attention than she is, so that is why she does not like him. |
Double Entry Diary
| Quotation/Passage and Page Number: | Response: |
Letter
The Birchbark House
You are invited to write a letter from Omakayas’s point of view to her father to tell him how what has been going on at home while he has been gone on his hunting trip. Be true to the character, setting, and story, and be sure to include the necessary parts of a friendly letter. Brainstorm your ideas here and then begin your letter on a separate piece of paper. Remember to write neatly and take your time! Here are a few questions for you to consider before you begin:
- What do you think Omakayas wants to tell her father?
- How is Omakayas feeling as she is writing the letter?
- What kind of reassuring things might Omakayas say to her father?
Vocabulary Table:
Consult the online dictionaries http://www.onelook.com/
Find the words in The Birchbark House to see how they are used.
Write student friendly definitions.
FALL
| Tier 2 Words | Page # | Student Friendly Definitions |
| Cache | 74 | To store or to keep |
| Fancied | 75 | Thought highly of themselves |
| Chimookoman | 77 | The white people |
| Mulling | 81 | To think over or consider |
| Sheaves | 82 | Bundles or piles |
| Distinctive | 88 | A unique characteristic |
| Taken aback | 112 | Stunned or shocked |
| Write your own students friendly definition: Make sure you check to see how the word is used in the book. | ||
Synonyms and Antonyms:
| Synonyms | Word | Antonyms |
| Unfamiliar (p. 90) | ||
| Hatred (p. 91) | ||
| Sparse (p. 94) | ||
| Unwillingly (p. 97) | ||
| Abrupt (p. 108) | ||
| Steadily (p. 113) | ||
| Summoned (p. 117) | ||
| Find your own examples from the reading | ||
Vocabulary Activities
Sentence Stems/Idea Completions
What does it mean if something or someone is unfamiliar?
_____________________________________________________________
If you have a hatred for something, what does that mean?
Double Entry Diary
You are invited to complete a Double-Entry Diary involving dialect from the section of the book you just read. Remember to write down the quotation or passage and the page number on the left side of your paper. On the right side of your paper, write your response or personal reactions and connections to what was written in the left column.
Include at least three passages and their responses from the section of the book that you just completed.
Here is an example of a DED
| Quotation/Passage and page number: | Response: |
| “Andeg, the Anishinabe or Ojibwa word for crow, was its name.” (pg. 73) | The author is giving us the definition of “Andeg” right away by including the definition within the same sentence. |
| Quotation/Passage
and page number: |
Your response, reactions, and connections to the quotation or passage: |
“I Poem”
Write an I Poem from the point of view of Omakayas from The Birchbark House. Try to get inside your character; help the reader identify with the character’s thoughts, actions, emotions, and personality. If possible, include personification and similes in your poem. You may wish to use the format presented below. Or, you may want to use your own format.
FIRST STANZA
I am (two special characteristics you have)
I wonder (something you are actually curious about)
I hear (an imaginary sound)
I see (an imaginary sight)
I want (an actual desire)
I am (the first line of the poem repeated)
SECOND STANZA
I pretend (something you actually pretend to do)
I feel (a feeling about something imaginary)
I touch (an imaginary touch)
I worry (something that really bothers you)
I cry (something that makes you very sad)
I am (the first line of the poem repeated)
THIRD STANZA
I understand (something you know is true)
I say (something you believe in)
I dream (something you actually dream about)
I try (something you really make an effort to do)
I hope (something you actually hope for)
I am (the first line of the poem repeated)
Character Map-The Birchbark House
Please use the following pattern to create a character map; brainstorm ideas and connections associated with Angeline. Fill in the bubbles with things you know about her. You may also want to include specific character traits and emotions or actions that define her. Please explain your choice of words in a few sentences outside the bubbles.
Cinquain Poem
Create the following Cinquain poem about Angeline. Follow the template provided.
Angeline
Line 1 - one word for the topic
Line 2 - 2 words to describes your topic
Line 3 - 3 words that describes the actions relating to your topic
Line 4 – 4 words that describes the feelings relating to your topic
Line 5 – one word that is another name for your topic
Response Journal
In the chapter titled “The Visitor”, Omakayas’ family is stricken with a disease. Create a journal entry from the prospective of Omakayas. Include what she saw, what she heard, what she felt, and which family members had an encounter with this disease. Be sure to give thorough detail and write so that the reader will fully understand the situation and feel the pain and uncertainty that Omakayas has to endure during this time.
Remember, this write journal entry, including; Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How.
Haiku
Create the following Haiku poem about where Omakayas lives throughout the story. Nature was very important to Native Americans and is incorporated throughout your reading. Be sure to spell correctly.
Remember a Haiku has:
5 syllables in the first line
7 syllables in the second line
5 syllables in the last line
Here is an example.
The forest was thick
Omakayas found birchbarck
Their house then was built
Vocabulary Table:
Consult the online dictionaries http://www.onelook.com/
Find the words in The Birchbark House to see how they are used.
Write student friendly definitions.
Winter/Spring
| Tier 2 Words | Page # | Student Friendly Definitions |
| Mended | 121 | To fix something, put it back together |
| Vigilance | 122 | To pay close attention to |
| Bashful | 126 | Shy and quiet |
| Gratitude | 131 | To be thankful |
| Inevitable | 138 | Cannot be avoided |
| Daft | 215 | Senseless, stupid, or foolish |
| Throbbed | 140 | Pulsating of the heart and deep pain |
| Write your own students friendly definition: Make sure you check to see how the word is used in the book. | ||
Write Short Definitions of these words:
| p.216- unpleasant | |
| p. 236- unbuckled | |
| p. 237- unprepared |
What does the prefix “un-“ mean?
Can you think of other words that have the un- as a prefix?
Write Short Definitions of these words:
| p. 194- cheerful | |
| p.219- careful |
What does the suffix “-ful” mean?
Can you think of any other words that use the suffix –ful?
Synonyms and Antonyms:
| Synonyms | Word | Antonyms |
| Find your own examples from the reading | ||
Name _________________________
Vocabulary Assessment
The Birchbark House
Pick the best choice to describe to word or words in bold.
1. What does it mean to betray someone?
A) help C) follow
B) faithful D) unfaithful
2. Omakayas is solemn during the small pox epidemic.
A) sad C) harmful
B) joyous D) chilling
3. If Omakayas was taken aback, what does that mean?
A) crying C) walking backwards
B) startled D) excited
4. If the food was sparse, does that mean ….
A) plenty C) not enough
B) rotten D) smellye
5. Pick the best choice to describe enthusiasm.
A) eagerness C) dull
B) excited D) energetic
6. Omakayas mended her dress, what does that mean?
A) take apart C) put back together
B) grow D) cleaned
7. Pick the best choice to describe gratitude.
A) thankful C) kind
B) gracious D) forgiving
8. What does it mean to be bashful?
A) Loud C) obnoxious
B) witty D) shy
9. It was almost inevitable for Omakayas to get small pox.
A) unavoidable C) avoidable
B) ridiculous D) lucky
10. My heart throbbed when I feel on the ground.
A) pulsated C) stopped
B) skipped a beat D) to beat slowly
Write your own definition of each word as it was used in the book
11. Solemn
12. Enigmatic
13. Nimble
Synonyms and Antonyms
Follow the directions for each question.
15. Name a synonym of disappointed.
16. Name a synonym of peculiar.
17. Name an antonym of commotion.
18. Name an antonym of ignorant.
Suffixes and Prefixes
Follow the directions with each question.
19. Write the definition of distasteful
20. What does the suffix “-ful” mean?
21. Write the definition of disrespect.
22. What does the prefix “dis-” mean?
Why We Chose…
The Birchbark House by Louise Erdrich
Grade Level: 4-6
We felt that this novel would be a great way for students to see the Native American side of coming and growing up in the new world. Normally all the books are from the pioneer’s prospective, but it is refreshing to read the Native American’s perspective. They had different challenges from the pioneer’s and that is something that every student needs to read about. Omakayas is a great character in the story and while reading this novel we got to watch her grow and see the struggles and hardships she went through. It also is an appropriate book for fourth graders we thought because they could relate this to some of the hardships, not indirectly. This novel is an interesting novel and it is hard to put down once you start to read it. Fourth graders are old enough to understand what is going on and able to understand the circumstances in the story that the family went through.
The Ojibwa Indians by: Bill Lund
Grade Level: 2-4
We choose this book because it gave information about the Ojibwa Tribe, which was the tribe that Omakayas was apart of. It gave information such as where they settled, what they contributed to society today, and other useful information that the students learned about in the internet workshop from the information website. We chose this book because it also told about the struggles this tribe had from settling in northern Michigan and then having to move out West. It gave the Native American perspective about pioneer life instead of the pioneers. It is important for students to see what the Native Americans had to go through once they settled in the “new world” and how they handled those kinds of situations.
**Internet cite used for DRC about Ojibwa Indians: http://www.bigorrin.org/chippewa_kids.htm
Additional Resources
Fiction:
Children of the Longhouse. Written by Joseph Bruchac. 1998. Puffin.
- This book we follow a Native American boy named Ohkwa’ri. He is faced with making a tough decision. He overhears a group of older boys talking about planning a raid and he tells the elders of the Mohawk village. He knows that he did the right thing, but he knows that he has made enemies with those boys. Grabber and his friends will try anything to hurt Ohkwa’ri and get back at him. He especially tries during the village wide game of “tekwaarathon”, which is lacrosse. Ohkwa’ri just wants to make peace with those boys, but will his peaceful ways work against Grabber’s ways?
Soft Rain: A Story of the Cherokee Trail of Tears. Written by Cornelia Cornelissen. 1999. Bantam Doubleday Dell Books for Young Readers, a division of Random House, INC.
- In this book, we meet a young girl named Soft Rain. Her life was forever changed when she was nine years old. White soldiers showed up to her house they tell Soft Rain and her mother to gather all their belongings and come with them. Soft Rain is forced to leave behind her blind grandmother, father, and her brother. She has so many questions “Where they are going?” and “What are they doing?” She lived during a time that the Cherokee were taken from their homes and relocated to the West. Soft Rain endured a long and treacherous journey. Her story is an inspiring testimony to those that suffered along the Trail of Tears.
The Game of Silence. Written by Louise Erdich.2005. Harper Collins Publishers.
- This book is the sequel to The Birchbark House. It picks right where the book leaves off in The Birchbark House. It is 1850, and Omakayas along with the Ojibwa tribe are building their summer houses and prepare for the winter yet to come. During one Omakayas’s normal routine days, she is interrupted by a unknown group of people. It was the white people. She learns that their lives are about to change forever. The white people want them to leave the area of Lake Superior and move out West. Omakayas realizes that something that she has always had, that is so valuable, her home, is about to be taken away. Does she have what it takes to win her home back?
Sootface: An Ojibwa Cinderella Story Written by Robert D. San Souci. 1997. Dragonfly Books.
In Sootface: An Ojibwa Cinderella Story, is a story about a Ojibwa girl who works for her older sisters. She cooks and cleans. She is so tired of being their slave. Sootface dreams of the days when she will have a husband and be married. Soon after that a mighty warrior comes through town and he can make himself invisible. He says that he will marry the girl who can see him. Sootface tries her hardest to see the warrior, despite the people of her village laughing at her. Is she the lucky girl that can see the warrior? We chose this book because even though it is a fiction story, it still gives information about how the girls of Ojibwa tribe live and what is asked of them to do. It is a sweet story that the girls will enjoy reading, but the boys will also enjoy it too.
The Magic Tree House #18: Buffalo Before Breakfast Written by Mary Pope Osborne and Illustrated by Sal Murdocca. 1999. Random House Inc,.
Jack and Annie go back 200 years to the Great Plains. They learn to hunt buffalo from a Lakota boy. Something goes terribly wrong and they need to stop a thousand buffalo from stampeding. We chose this book because it shows the reader how the Lakota people live back then. It gives them a Native American perspective rather than a pioneer’s perspective. They learn what the Lakota people did in order to survive and how they lived.
Non-Fiction:
Shannon: An Obijway Dancer. Written by Sandra King. 1993. Lerner Publishing Compay.
- This non-fiction text is filled with tons of information on the Ojibwa Tribe. It includes lots of great vocabulary words and information on how the Ojibwa Tribe lived. It tells where the Ojibwa Tribe lived and what they did in order to survive. The book is filled with amazing pictures and tons of information on the topic. The book is exciting and is age appropriate for our focus grade.
The Algonquians. Written by Patricia Ryon Quiri. 1992. Franklin Watts
- This non-fiction book is about the Algonquian Indians. It includes information such as where they lived, how they gathered there food, and where they originated. It also includes a glossary with vocabulary words that they used. It is filled with great pictures and information on Native Americans. It is appropriate for our focus grade and is interesting to read.
Native North American Wisdom and Gifts. Written by Niki Walker and Bobbie Kalman. 2005. Crabtree Publishing Company.
- This book gives excellent information about Native Americans that grew up in North American. It tells about all the struggles and trials that they went from moving to one place to another and trying to survive. It also has great information about the different things that they invented such a medicines and ways to survive. It has great illustrations and a helpful glossary of Native American Terms.
These books included as extra resources in the unit offer a great variety of stories and tales about Native Americans and the Ojibwa Tribe, and gives the Native American perspective to pioneer life. . All of these themes are found in The Birchbark House and would be more deeply explored through the selection and use of these texts. Allowing students access to these books gives them a greater understanding and foundation for the story of Omakayas, and would help them appreciate her journey, struggles, and her journey to maturity. They also give more elaboration to the themes only mentioned or discussed subtly in The Birchbark House. These books emphasis the importance, the emotions, and the successes of Native Americans and the Ojibwa Tribe in an exciting and beautifully illustrated manner.
North Carolina Language Arts Standard Course of Study: Grade 4
| Unit Activity | NC Language Arts Grade 4 |
| Students define Tier 2 vocabulary with their student packet and complete vocabulary exercises throughout the unit. This word knowledge is assessed at the end of the unit using a multiple choice vocabulary test. Students also examine the author’s craft by investigating similes within the novel The Birchbark House. Then, students create an artistic representation of a simile found within the text. | 1.01 Use word identification strategies appropriately and automatically when encountering unknown words (graphophonic, syntactic, semantic 1.02 Infer word meanings from taught roots, prefixes, and suffixes to decode words in text to assist comprehension.
1.03 Identify key words and discover their meanings and relationships through a variety of strategies.
1.04 Increase reading and writing vocabulary through:
|
| Students completed a K-W-L before we began the unit to assess what they know, want to know, and learned about Native Americans and the Obijwa Tribe. Students used an array of books to gather their information. Students made predictions about the book by answering questions and completing a vocabogram before reading The Birchbark House. Students also participated in an Internet Workshop to seek additional information on the topic. Students completed a learning log/response journal as a means of connecting the text to the student’s personal experiences. Students also completed two Double Entry Diaries specifically noting the dialect within the book. Students complete a informational Poster on Small Pox, making references to the text by providing the required information. An I-Poem was created using specific information gathered from the text. | 2.01 Use metacognitive strategies to comprehend text and to clarify meaning of vocabulary (e.g., reread the text, consult other sources, ask for help, paraphrase, question). 2.02 Interact with the text before, during, and after reading, listening, and viewing by:
2.03 Read a variety of texts, including:
2.04 Identify and interpret elements of fiction and nonfiction and support by referencing the text to determine the:
|
| Students completed a letter writing activity in which they were asked to take the point of view of Omayakas in writing a letter to her father to let him know what was going on at home while he was away. Students also completed a character sketcher which asked students to focus on implied character traits by looking at a character’s actions and words. Students added to this throughout the entire text. Students supported evidence of implied traits by the citing page numbers and passages on which they found the supporting evidence. Students also completed a DRC using The Birchbark House as well as multiple nonfiction texts and an internet resource. | 3.01 Respond to fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama using interpretive, critical, and evaluative processes by:
3.03 Justify evaluation of characters and events from different selections by citing supporting evidence in the text(s). 3.06 Conduct research (with assistance) from a variety of sources for assigned or self-selected projects (e.g., print and non-print texts, artifacts, people, libraries, databases, computer networks). |
Rubric:
The Birchbark House By: Louise Erdrich
| Activity/Criteria
|
Your points/Total possible points |
KWL
|
/5 |
Pre-reading Activities
|
/10 |
Setting Graphic Organizer
|
/5 |
Character Sketchers 1-3
|
/15 (5 pts. each) |
Vocabulary Activities 1,2,3
|
/15 (5pts. each) |
DRC
|
/10 |
Author’s Craft
|
/5 |
Small Pox Advertisement
|
/5
|
Internet Workshop
|
/5 |
Dialect DED’s
|
/10 (5 pts. per DED) |
Letter of Regret
|
/5 |
I-poem
|
/5 |
Character Map/Cinquain (Angeline)
|
/5 |
Response Journal
|
/5 |
Vocabulary Assessment
|
/20 |
| Total | /125 |
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