Philosophies of Land EssayPublished on Lessons of Our Land (http://www.lessonsofourland.org)

Grades: 9th - 12th Grade Lesson: 1Unit: 1: American Indian traditional land valuesSubject: English Language ArtsAchievement Goal: Study the philosophies of various tribal leaders and thinkers regardingtraditional Indian land values and discuss the modern day relevance of those philosophies.Time: One class period

Lesson Description:Students learn Native American philosophy regarding land by researching various organizations, tribes,and leaders. Students write an essay on their finidngs.

Teacher Background:American Indian cultures—past and present—are a manifestation of sophisticated systems ofenvironmental knowledge, wisdom and values. These systems operated at several levels: in the specificpractices that guided hunting, fishing, gathering and farming; in how underlying understandings of thenatural world informed Native spirituality; and in the social organization through which nature’s giftswere obtained and distributed.

This lesson will have the students examine aspects of American Indian land knowledge, wisdom andvalues, with an emphasis on the practical lessons these offer in the search to create sustainable ways oflife. Students are encouraged to explore the application and adaptation of traditional knowledge andpractices in contemporary tribal resource management, and the relevance of traditional Nativeknowledge to modern life in general.

Standards:This lesson aligns with Common Core standards RI1, RI4, RI7, W2, W4, W7, W9.

9-10th Grade

RI1 Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly aswell as inferences drawn from the text.

RI4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative,connotative, and technical meanings; analyze the cumulative impact of specific word choices onmeaning and tone (e.g., how the language of a court opinion differs from that of a newspaper).

RI7 Analyze various accounts of a subject told in different mediums (e.g., a person's life story in bothprint and multimedia), determining which details are emphasized in each account.

W2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, andinformation clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.A. Introduce a topic; organize complex ideas, concepts, and information to make important connectionsand distinctions; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics (e.g., figures, tables), and multimediawhen useful to aiding comprehension.B. Develop the topic with well-chosen, relevant, and sufficient facts, extended definitions, concretedetails, quotations, or other information and examples appropriate to the audience's knowledge of thetopic.C. Use appropriate and varied transitions to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, andclarify the relationships among complex ideas and concepts.D. Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to manage the complexity of the topic.E. Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms andconventions of the discipline in which they are writing.F. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the information orexplanation presented (e.g., articulating implications or the significance of the topic).Copyright © Indian Land Tenure Foundation, 2014

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Philosophies of Land EssayPublished on Lessons of Our Land (http://www.lessonsofourland.org)

W4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style areappropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined instandards 1-3 above.)

W7 Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesizemultiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.

W8 Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources, using advancedsearches effectively; assess the usefulness of each source in answering the research question; integrateinformation into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas, avoiding plagiarism and following astandard format for citation.

W9 Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.A. Apply grades 9-10 Reading standards to literature (e.g., "Analyze how an author draws on andtransforms source material in a specific work [e.g., how Shakespeare treats a theme or topic from Ovidor the Bible or how a later author draws on a play by Shakespeare]").B. Apply grades 9-10 Reading standards to literary nonfiction (e.g., "Delineate and evaluate theargument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is valid and the evidence isrelevant and sufficient; identify false statements and fallacious reasoning").

11-12th Grade

RI1 Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly aswell as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters uncertain.

RI4 Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative,connotative, and technical meanings; analyze how an author uses and refines the meaning of a keyterm or terms over the course of a text (e.g., how Madison defines faction in Federalist No. 10).

RI7 Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in different media or formats(e.g., visually, quantitatively) as well as in words in order to address a question or solve a problem.

W2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas, concepts, andinformation clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.A. Introduce a topic; organize complex ideas, concepts, and information so that each new elementbuilds on that which precedes it to create a unified whole; include formatting (e.g., headings), graphics(e.g., figures, tables), and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.B. Develop the topic thoroughly by selecting the most significant and relevant facts, extendeddefinitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples appropriate to theaudience's knowledge of the topic.C. Use appropriate and varied transitions and syntax to link the major sections of the text, createcohesion, and clarify the relationships among complex ideas and concepts.D. Use precise language, domain-specific vocabulary, and techniques such as metaphor, simile, andanalogy to manage the complexity of the topic.E. Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms andconventions of the discipline in which they are writing.F. Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the information orexplanation presented (e.g., articulating implications or the significance of the topic).

W4 Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style areappropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined instandards 1-3 above.)

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Philosophies of Land EssayPublished on Lessons of Our Land (http://www.lessonsofourland.org)

W7 Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesizemultiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.

W8 Gather relevant information from multiple authoritative print and digital sources, using advancedsearches effectively; assess the strengths and limitations of each source in terms of the task, purpose,and audience; integrate information into the text selectively to maintain the flow of ideas, avoidingplagiarism and overreliance on any one source and following a standard format for citation.

W9 Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.A. Apply grades 11-12 Reading standards to literature (e.g., "Demonstrate knowledge of eighteenth-,nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century foundational works of American literature, including how two ormore texts from the same period treat similar themes or topics").B. Apply grades 11-12 Reading standards to literary nonfiction (e.g., "Delineate and evaluate thereasoning in seminal U.S. texts, including the application of constitutional principles and use of legalreasoning [e.g., in U.S. Supreme Court Case majority opinions and dissents] and the premises, purposes,and arguments in works of public advocacy [e.g., The Federalist, presidential addresses]").

Associated California State Academic Content Standards

For general guidelines for aligning discussions with English-Language Arts Standards, see Using Lessonsof Our California Land to Help Students Meet California State Content Standards.

Teacher Preparation Resources:

Obtain copies of the book Wisdom of the Elders: Sacred Native Stories of Nature by Suzuki andKnudson. Make copies of the chapters “Indigenous People—Caretakers of All Life” and“Communicating a Sense of the Sacred” for the students to read.If this text is not available, there are several quotes from a variety of tribal members attached tothe end of this lesson for the students to read and discuss.For initial insights into North Fork Mono Land Wisdom, see the creation story with Ron Goode’scommentary and the “Gathering Philosophy and Practice” document listed in the LessonResources section.Before assigning these documents for students to read, see also “Suggestions for Effective,Respectful Teaching of American Indian Origin Stories in Diverse Classroom listed in the LessonResources section.Review the lesson plan “Ecological Viewpoints: Connecting with Nature” found in the LessonResources section.

Student Activity:

1. Follow the Northwest Indian Applied Research Institute lesson plan listed in the LessonResources section by assigning students the chapters specified from Wisdom of the Eldersand/or the attached “American Indian Land Wisdom”—a compilation of contemporary andhistorical quotations from American Indian leaders and thinkers reflecting land knowledge,wisdom and values. Ask the students to look for common or shared values in the quotations thatcome from a variety of tribal origins.

2. Have students conduct a brief internet search to seek modern positions and view points fromAmerican Indian tribal leaders on the subject of lands and gifts of nature. For example, thewebsite of the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission contains information on how traditionalbeliefs and connections drive the commission’s conservation and restoration efforts. For initialinsights into North Fork Mono Land Wisdom, students can read the creation story with RonGoode’s commentary and the Gathering Philosophy and Practice document listed in the LessonResources section.

3. Assign the students the task of writing a brief essay exploring one particular traditional NativeCopyright © Indian Land Tenure Foundation, 2014

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Philosophies of Land EssayPublished on Lessons of Our Land (http://www.lessonsofourland.org)

belief related to the environment and its relevance to modern Native stewardship and practices.However, this lesson may best be concluded with students presenting their findings from theirinternet research to their classmates and then discussing the relationship between traditionalNative ecological viewpoints and modern life.

Evaluation:

1. Evaluate the students’ capability of studying the assigned materials and conducting internetsearches.

2. Assess, through class discussions, how they are able to grasp the concepts of indigenousknowledge, wisdom and values, and how readily they can apply those philosophies to modernattempts at conservation and restoration.

3. Evaluate students based on the California Standards and the Achievement Goal for this lesson.

Lesson Resources:

Northwest Indian Fisheries CommissionNorthwest Indian Applied Research Institute, Evergreen State Universit, Culturally ResponsiveCurriculum for Secondary Schools Ecological Viewpoints: Connecting with NatureThe Making of the World a North Fork Mono creation story with Ron Goode’s commentaryNorth Fork Mono Gathering Philosophy and PracticeSuggestions for Effective, Respectful Teaching of American Indian Origin Stories in DiverseClassroomAmerican Indian Land WisdomKnudtson, Peter and David Suzuki. Wisdom of the Elders: Sacred Native Stories of Nature. NewYork: Bantam, 1993.

Source URL: http://www.lessonsofourland.org/lessons/philosophies-land-essay

Links:[1] http://nwifc.org/[2] http://nwindian.evergreen.edu/curriculum/ecologicalviews.html[3] http://www.lessonsofourland.org/sites/default/files/MonoMakingoftheWorld_1.pdf[4] http://www.lessonsofourland.org/sites/default/files/MonoGatheringPhilosophyandPractice_0001_1.pdf[5]http://www.lessonsofourland.org/sites/default/files/SuggestionsTeachingStoriesDiverseClassrooms_0.pdf[6] http://www.lessonsofourland.org/sites/default/files/American%20Indian%20Land%20Wisdom_0.pdf[7] http://www.lessonsofourland.org/grade-level/9th-12th-grade[8] http://www.lessonsofourland.org/flag/unflag/recently_viewed/381?destination=printpdf/381&token=R_a268a1PdDjrY3p_P5_YWdtFpsKONG3mFZyiOJzas8[9] http://www.lessonsofourland.org/flag/flag/lessons/381?destination=printpdf/381&token=R_a268a1PdDjrY3p_P5_YWdtFpsKONG3mFZyiOJzas8[10] http://www.lessonsofourland.org/subjects/english-language-arts[11] http://www.lessonsofourland.org/states/california[12] http://www.lessonsofourland.org/states/north-fork-mono[13] http://www.lessonsofourland.org/units/1-american-indian-traditional-land-values[14] http://landlessons.org/UsingLessonstoHelpStudentsMeetStandards.pdf

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