Native American Story Elements

Teacher Goals

• Students will be able to identify the major story elements in a Native American legend.

  • Story Elements Checklist
• Using basic story elements, students will create a legend based on their own culture.

Required Resources

• Listening Antennas This is something that can't be purchased. Students carry them at all times. They just need to put their hands on their ears and tune the antennas in.
• Local Native American Elder Invite a Native American to share a legend with the class.

• Native American Lore Index Page:   This site has a wealth of legends to tell to the class, if a Native American cannot personally share a legend. The site freely shares the stories, but some parts have strict copyrights.

Optional Resources

• First People: American Indian Legends:  Native American legends, stories, and poems can be found here, for possibe use by the class. The contents are copyrighted.

• Native American Authors Online

Steps

1. Listen to the Story.

   If a Native American speaker cannot tell the story, your teacher will read or tell one.

2. Complete the Story Elements Checklist.

   After listening to the story, complete the section of the Story Elements checklist for the story you heard. Later you will complete the elements for the story YOU write.

3. Find Story Information in Your Community.

   Through your local library, teachers, family members or others in your community, find out about any Native Americans in the area. See if you can find enough information to write a story telling about something in the Native American culture. (NOTE: If no Native Americans are in the area, perhaps you could write about some other culture that is represented in your area.)

4. Complete the Story Element Checklist

   Using the Story Element checklist and the information you found, fill in the area for the story you will write.

   • Story Elements Checklist

5. Create Your Own Story.

   Use the information that you filled in on your own section of the Story Elements Checklist to create a story of your own. Share the stories in class, in groups, if the teacher chooses.

6. Share with Others.

   Upload in the Data Form below the stories or legends that the class selects to be shared with people in other communities.

   • Sharing Legends/Stories (Native American)

Teacher Notes

• This will be good opportunity for you to teach about the cultures of others and about appreciation and tolerance of differences. Be sure to work with the parents and others in the community.