Native American History in 4th and 5th Grade

Using Oral History in the Classroom

In your table groups, please discuss:• When during the year and how much do you teach

the history of Indians in your classroom?

• How do you teach Native American history? What materials and/or activities do you use?

• Do you have Indian children in your classes?

• Have you had a chance to talk with a Native American person about his or her heritage?

• What goals do you have when you teach Indian history? (e.g. cover curriculum, cultural awareness, etc.)

Native American History in the 4th grade

• 4.2 Major nations of California Indians & lifeways; Interactions among Indians, explorers, Spanish missionaries, and rancheros

• 4.5 Systems of California governance including Indian rancherias

Native American History in the 5th grade

• 5.1 Describe major pre-Columbian settlements & lifeways

• 5.3 Conflict & cooperation among Indian nations and between Indian nations and European settlers, including competition to control North America, fur trade, cultural interchanges, broken treaties, resistance to encroachments & assimilation, and significant leaders

• 5.6 Impact of early U.S. land policies on Indian lands

Challenges to teaching Native American History

• “Vanishing Indian” myth– Physical destruction (disease, warfare, etc.)– Cultural destruction

• Lack of Good Information & Resources– See handout

• Not enough time/not covered in standards

Native Americans Today

• Who are Native Americans today? Where do they live? What do they do for a living? Where do they go to school? In what ways do their cultural traditions shape their lives? How do Indian tribes govern themselves? What is their relationship with state & federal governments? What do Native Americans today think about their history in the U.S. and the way in which that history is taught in the classroom?

Oral History is . . . • The recollections & reminiscences of

living persons about their past;

• Historical inquiry that is undertaken by interviewing individuals about the events they have personally experienced;

• A collaboration between the interviewer (who asks the questions) and the person being interviewed (who tells the stories).

Oral History is NOT . . .

• Role-playing (answering questions in the personal of a historical character);

• Oral tradition (carefully handed down stories & traditions, according to strict rules, within an oral culture).

Benefits of Oral Histories in the Classroom

• Brings the social studies curriculum alive

• Involves active learning

• Builds critical thinking skills

• Suited to non-native English learners and young children

• Develops strong oral language skills

A Variety of Types of Data Collection related to Oral History• Group Interview

• Individual Interviews

• Survey Sent Home

• “Object” Interview

• Field Trip Interview

Oral History Manners

• Be on your best behavior– Be polite and friendly– Be on time– Be respectful– Make the interview a pleasant experience

• Do not argue with the person you interview

• Listen, listen, listen

Some Dos and Don’ts for Oral Interviewing

• Come well prepared; know your subject and your equipment• Be polite & friendly• Begin with simple, comfortable questions• Ask questions one at a time• Allow silences; give interviewee time to think• Speak clearly so the narrator can understand and hear you• Ask clear, brief questions• Ask open-ended questions, not yes-or-no questions• Listen actively and ask follow-up questions• Do not contradict or correct the narrator; keep personal

opinions to yourself• Avoid asking leading questions• Do not rush the end of the interview. End on a positive note.

Practicing Oral Interviews: Bloopers

• Choose one of the items on the dos and don’ts handout

• Interview a partner doing the opposite of what you should do.– For example, ask only yes-or-no

questions, OR argue with the speaker

Practicing Oral Interviews: Mock Interviews

• Each take 3-5 minutes to interview the other on one of the following subjects. Practice as many good interviewing techniques as possible, especially—active listening and follow up questions

• Topics:– Why you became a teacher– Your first work experience– Your dream trip or vacation

Generating Questions for the Group Interview

• Big Question: Who are Native Americans today? How does their cultural heritage shape their lives?

• What do we know about Charlie Toledo? (Handouts)

Generating Questions for the Group Interview

• In your group: – What is your goal—the main topic you want to cover?

– Generate 1 question you want to have answered for sure;

– Generate 2-3 questions you would like to have answered if there is time;

– Imagine kinds of follow up questions you might ask

– Decide: Who will ask the first question? Who will ask follow up questions? Who will take notes?

Assign Roles for the Group Interview

• Greeters: Greet our guest, escort her to her seat, provide her with water and anything she needs

• Consent Form: Go over the consent form with our guest and ask her to sign it

• Recorders: Operate the tape recorder, make sure it is working, make sure to flip the tape in the middle

• Time Keepers: Make sure each group gets a turn to ask questions; make sure interview ends on time

• Escorts: Thank our guest, escort her to lunch

Follow Up Options with Oral Interviews

• Writing—e.g. essays, research papers

• Math exercise—tally and graph findings

• Poetry—e.g. found poem

• Visual Arts—portraits, maps, posters

• Theater—monologues, dramatizations, vignettes

• Music/Dance

• Class Book

• And More!

Our Class Book

• In your group:– Divide into 3 working teams– Team 1: Using the handout, create a page

on the early history of the Indian community you have been assigned.

– Team 2: Using the handout, create a page on the more recent history of the Indian community.

– Team 3: Choose one question and one quote from your table’s section of today’s interview to include in the book and copy it onto the book paper.