OBJECTIVES:
Students will be able to identify, examine, and share Native
American mythological figures and stories as an important part of their
culture.
RELATION TO ILLINOIS FRAMEWORKS:
4-6: 5C2b Prepare and deliver oral presentations based on inquiry
or research.
4-6: 18A2 Explain ways in which language, stories, folk tales,
music, media, and
artistic creations serve as expressions of culture.
4-6: 27B2 Identify and describe how the arts communicate the
similarities and
differences among various people, places and times.
CONTEXT:
Grade Level: 2-6
Group of 15-25 for StarLab presentation.
PREREQUISITE:
Students should have some knowledge of Native Americans of long ago,
and where they fit on a time line in relation to the present. Students
should have some knowledge of how the earth rotates.
MATERIALS:
StarLab portable planetarium
Native American Mythology Cylinder (home latitude, October 15,
9 P.M.)
Native American music
Prepared cassette for stories and placed into cassette player
(Optional)
Cassette player (Optional)
Red flashlights for reading
Arrow pointers
Native American Mythology script and constellations pictures
PROCEDURE:
1. Turn on Native American music before students enter.
2. As students enter, have side lamps turned up. Turn off music and
begin.
3. Introduce the lesson with this information: The American people
as we think of them (our ancestors) have lived in America for a little
over 500 years, however, the Native Americans were here for hundreds and
thousands of years before that. Today we are going to examine and
enjoy some stories and myths of the Native Americans, and how they used
the stars in their daily lives.
4. As I turn the lamps completely down, imagine that you lived hundreds
of years ago as you listen to the “The Full Dark Story”. Tell
students if they begin to see something in the sky, please wait until the
story is over before saying anything. We will have time for questions
later.
5. Start telling the story, or if using the cassette, turn it on.
6. When the story reaches the part, “It drew up all the water
that was left by the first ball and became Father Sky,” Turn up the brightness
of the cylinder as we continue listening to “The Full Dark Story”.
You will probably hear some “ooohs and ahhhhs” from the children.
Black God (Pac-man) should be directly east.
7. When the story is finished, use the arrow pointer. Point directly
above in the center so all will see the red pointer. Then point to
north (toward the inflation tube), south, east, and west. Do this
slowly. Make sure all see the pointer as you point to these directions.
Give children time to look at the constellations, and explain that the
Native Americans visualized figures by connecting stars. Emphasize
their interpretations were related to their culture at the time they lived.
8. If using the cassette, turn it on now, and follow with the
pointer. If not using the cassette, continue as you tell the stories:
As we look at the Native American constellations, look north (use pointer)
and you will see the Campfire of the North. This contains the North
Star, Polaris, or home star. It never moves. It was a guide
for them when they were lost. All the stars revolve around this star.
The campfire gives warmth and cooking ability.
9. The Navajo’s Revolving Male and Revolving Woman (Cassiopeia) is
called the first man and woman located on each side of the campfire or
home fire. They are the leaders of all other constellations. They
never leave this area, and no other constellation interferes with their
routine. This law is similar to our law that one couple may live
by one home fire.
10. Point to Black God (Navajo) as the creator of fire and light. He
thought he had the power alone to produce constellations for beautifying
the sky.
11. As the lesson proceeds, and as time allows, use the attached script
to point out and tell some of the stories of other constellations such
as Lizard and Butterfly (Navajo), Great Bear, Long Sash (Orion), Dog Star
(Cherokee), Rabbit Tracks (Navajo), Place of Decision or The Twins, Coyote
(Hopi), Porcupine (Navajo), Horned Rattler, (Hydra to the Greeks), Thunderbird
(Navajo), Bear (Navajo), Male with Legs Apart (Navajo), Spider God (Blackfoot),
and the Milky Way Trail (Navajo and Algonquin). Before closing, point out
some constellations, and allow participation in naming them.
12. Begin decreasing the projection lamp and increase lamp brightness
to simulate the rising sun, and say, “ May the Great Spirit bring sunrise
to your hears.
13. Increase side lamp brightness, as students carefully exit the planetarium.
14. As an extension, have students create their own constellation and
write or give an oral presentation to tell about it. Another extension,
would be to make copies of pictures of the constellations, and have students
name as many as they can, and, or, tell the story related to that particular
picture. For a social studies unit, students could be assigned one
constellation to report on, and have information ready for StarLab day
as another extension.
CONTENT BACKGROUND:
The constellations of the Native Americans are different from
the Greek and the Chinese. As the earth rotates (the simulation can
be created by turning on the rotation knob on the projector) the earth
is spinning on its axis. This imaginary line, the axis, goes through
the north and south poles. As you look in the north sky the Native
American constellation Campfire (Polaris) always stays in the same place.
However, as the earth rotates on its axis, the other Native American constellations
rotate.
Native American culture, which has existed for thousands of years,
used the stars to express their beliefs, and daily living needs such as
when to hunt for food, which direction to take when traveling, and to refer
to the seasons. Attached pages offer information on stories and constellations
and include ideas of their beliefs and daily living activities.
APPENDIX:
Script for the StarLab Native American Mythology
Cylinder.
REFERENCE:
Astronomy and More Learning Technologies, Inc., 40 Cameron Avenue,
Somerville, MA, USA Copyright 1997, Learning Tech Inc. USA, http://www.starlab.com.
Explore Our Land Level 4 Teacher’s Edition, Houghton Mifflin
Co., Sarah Bednarz, Boston 1997, pages 208-209, 216, 330-331.