A guide for using our resources

Students will develop awareness of a Native American tradition.

Vocabulary: traditions, decorate, perform

Social Studies Focus: traditions

CCSS (and states that have similar standards): RI.1.1 key details; RI.1.3 sequencing; RF.1.3 phonics and word analysis; SL.1.1 collaborative conversations; L.1.2 standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling; L.1.6 use new vocabulary; W.1.8 write to answer questions

Simple, spectacular ideas to boost your lessons.

• Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story by Kevin Noble Maillard. This beautiful book is not only about the traditional food, but also about history, memory, and community.
• First Laugh Welcome, Baby! by Rose Ann Tahe and Nancy Bo Flood. In Navajo families, the first person to make a baby laugh gets to host the First Laugh Ceremony. Who will make the baby in this story laugh?
• You Hold Me Up by Monique Gray Smith. Simple text and gorgeous illustrations grace this book about empathy, respect, and love.
• Sometimes I Feel Like a Fox by Danielle Daniel. The Anishinaabe tradition of totem animals comes to life in this delightful and simple book.

• Ask students to use transition words first, next, then, and finally, or use numbers 1-4, to list the steps they read about in the article.
• Model writing complete sentences. For example: First, the children learn the dances. Next, the kids decorate their hoops.

• A tradition is a meaningful activity we repeat for a special reason. Hoop dancing is a tradition for the kids in the article.
• Ask students to think about something special they do with their families many times. Start by sharing a tradition you cherish!

Skills: self-awareness, writing how-to texts, speaking and listening

Materials: Share Your Skills! sheet, crayons or colored pencils

• This activity lets students take center stage to show off something special they can do!
• Tell students that everyone has a special skill. Therese and her siblings hoop dance. Have children think of a special skill they have. Then give each child a copy of the skill sheet.
• Ask students to think about how they learned that skill. Did they need special tools or materials? Did they watch someone else do it first? Did they practice many times? Have them write three steps they took to learn the skill.
• To expand the activity, have a class show-and-tell. Kids can show off their skill and/or tell about how they learned it.