When I started this project my goal was to translate up to ten children songs into Arapaho, and provide Indian Education For All (IEFA) appropriate lesson plans to accompany them. I exceeded my goal by translating two dozen children songs. While working on those translations I asked myself what their purpose was. Many of the songs did have original learning goals in place, for example, teaching colors or counting, and I realized that those goals did not have to change with the language. Therefore, I have split lessons. Each song that I have translated will be offered with a pre-school language based lesson plan to the Arapaho immersion preschool, Hinono’eitiit Ho’oowuu, in Ethete, WY. Of the 24 original songs, I have kept 16 for my official project with accompanying IEFA lessons for open use and distribution through MT OPI and beyond. It is my hope that these songs will be a resource for teaching the Arapaho language to our newest generation, as well as being resource for Montana teachers hoping to educate their students about the world of Native Americans.

When beginning this project, my first challenge was picking English children songs that I felt would connect to Native American traditions or culture. To accomplish this I chose mostly songs with animal connections or connections to nature. After selecting the songs, I translated them into the Arapaho language, which posed its own challenges in maintaining linguistic grammatical integrity as well as melodic integrity and original lyrical intent.

Within this document each song is written line by line with the Arapaho language first, then directly below the Arapaho is the exact English translation of the Arapaho lyrics, and directly below that are the original English lyrics. When examining the translations, it can be noticed that while some of the lines translate into Arapaho exactly from the English, much of it does not. I had to take certain liberties with the songs to ensure that each song would still sound melodically and rhythmically close to the original, so the songs would remain recognizable. I also had to take into account Arapaho grammar, which is significantly different from English grammar. Each translation also had to make sense melodically and lyrically in Arapaho. This meant that I had to rearrange lines within songs, or change the lyrics so that they fit the intent of the original song, even if the words were completely changed. A good example of this is song #15 Over in the Meadow which also posed the challenge of following the original rhyme-scheme.

After all of the songs were translated, I listed possible Indian Education For All connections for each song, as well as learning objectives for use within Hinono'eitiit Ho'oowu', the Arapaho immersion preschool in Ethete, WY. After making that list it was easy to see which songs had strong IEFA connections and which songs would be best used for the preschool alone.

From this list I selected sixteen songs to include within my final professional project. I chose sixteen as it is four times four. The number four is a sacred number to the Arapaho people, as it represents the four directions, North, East, South, and West, and is important in storytelling and ceremonies. The number sixteen, being four sets of four, can especially be seen as a culturally significant number for this reason.

After completing all sixteen lesson plans, I recorded the songs for use within classrooms. I knew I wanted some sort of instrumental accompaniment in the recordings, and decided that I wanted to stay as close to traditional instruments as I could, so rather than using a piano for accompaniment and melodic support I chose to use the flute. Although the flute you hear in the recordings is a Western orchestral flute and not a Native American wooden flute, the two instruments are related to each other, as the wooden flute is a predecessor to the orchestral flute. I also chose to add hand drums and shakers to songs to help solidify the steady beat while respecting traditional Native instrumentation.

The lesson plans have multiple learning objectives, which teachers can choose between based on their classroom goals and age ranges. The age ranges that I have laid out are effectively for a minimum teaching age. Many of these lesson plans are completely usable with older children. When approaching each lesson, teachers may find it useful to sing the original English lyrics with their students after listening to the Arapaho recording to help solidify the connection between the unfamiliar lyrics and the known melody. Each learning objective is clearly labeled so teachers can focus on the parts of the lesson that are pertinent to their classroom. These lessons are designed from a music-based perspective, however, the lessons also pair well with other core curricula and offer great opportunities for co-teaching within cross-curricular lessons.

It is important to note that while all of the songs are sung in the Arapaho language, the IEFA connection for each lesson plan can vary culturally. I have attempted to make clear in each lesson that we may be singing in one language while learning about a completely different culture. I have made a point to note if a certain activity has a strong connection or origin to a certain culture or region, and these cultural connections should be pointed out to students as well. While it may have been possible to build IEFA connections to the Arapaho culture alone, I thought it would be more beneficial to students to learn about several cultures rather than limiting them to one. The songs all remain in the Arapaho language because that is the language that I know. I simply don’t have the knowledge-base to translate these songs into other Native languages to match the cultural components, however I give free permission to anyone out there to create new translations in different Native languages, should they have the skill to do so.

Each of the sixteen songs herein has its own IEFA lesson plan included in my final professional project. In addition to the sixteen songs and lesson plans, all of the original songs that I translated will be given to Hinono'eitiit Ho'oowu' and anyone else on the Wind River Reservation who can use them to help in the retention and revitalization of the Arapaho language. It is my hope that this final product will help students around Montana connect with Native American traditions that help make our state and country so diverse, as well as assist in the retention and revitalization of my Native language of Arapaho.

Amber Hiisiino3o’ Greymorning

April, 2018

Acknowledgments

I would like to offer special thanks to Arapaho elder Mary Hedley for ensuring that my translations were grammatically correct and appropriate.

Thank you to Bethany Ordiniza for her beautiful flute playing.

Thank you to my father, Neyooxet Greymorning for his unending advice and support

And thank you Jayne Kelly for the original idea and setting this all in motion.

This would not have been possible without each and every one of you!

Finally, I would like to dedicate this work to my family members on the Wind River Reservation, to all of the speakers who have passed before us, and to the children of the next generation who will carry the language with them always. Hohou.

Teaching Notes

Before teaching any of the lessons in this collection, please read the following information and tips on how to successfully approach each lesson:

Don’t feel restricted by the grade ranges for these lessons. They typically show the recommended minimum age for successfully teaching each lesson. Many of these songs and lessons would be appropriate for older students, especially in a choral setting.

You should begin each lesson by having your students listen to the provided recording of the song which will be sung in the Arapaho language.

Each recording is done in the Northern Arapaho dialect. The Northern Arapaho tribe is located on the Wind River reservation in Wyoming and is shared by the Eastern Shoshone tribe.

When teaching these lessons don’t tell your students what the song is, instead encourage your students to listen to the melody in the Arapaho recordings and figure out what the song is.

If your students struggle to determine the song from the recording, sing the song on Solfege, or play the melody on a pitched instrument to remove the element of the unknown language.
Once your students determine the song it may be useful to sing the original English lyrics with students to help solidify the connection between the unfamiliar lyrics and the known melody.

I recommend providing images for your students to accompany some of the songs, to help your students mentally track songs with multiple verses or animal lists.

There are no images included in this copyrighted collection because I am unable to copyright images not created or commissioned by myself. However, you can find your own with a simple Google Image search.

Deciphering the song lyrics:

Within each of the lessons each song is written line by line with the Arapaho language first, then directly below the Arapaho is the exact English translation of the Arapaho lyrics, then directly below that are the original English lyrics.

You may notice that the direct Arapaho to English translation may differ from the original English lyrics. This is because Arapaho differs grammatically from English, and some changes needed to be made in some places to keep the original rhythmic integrity and rhyme-scheme in place

There are in-time Repeat-After-Me style pronunciation guide recordings that accompany many of the songs. These recordings are intended to assist your students in learning how to properly pronounce the Arapaho words for performance purposes.

Some songs do not have a pronunciation guide due to the length or complexity of the songs in question. If you would like to perform a song without a pronunciation guide, and would like to request the creation one, please contact the author directly at ajgreymo@gmail.com

Learning objectives:

The lesson plans have multiple learning objectives, which teachers can choose between based on their classroom goals and age ranges. Each learning objective is clearly labeled so teachers can focus on the parts of the lesson that are pertinent to their classroom.

Most of the lessons have similar Music objectives such as singing in a Native Language, building connections between known melodies and unknown lyrics, and/or dancing or moving to the songs. However the musical components can be extended for many of the lessons by adding pitched or non-pitched percussion and arranging the song into an “Orffestration”.

You will find more variety of learning objectives within the IEFA and cross-curricular extensions to each lesson.

Each lesson includes a talk-back section where students build connections between the introductory song and a related bit of Native American culture.

It is important to note that while all of the songs are sung in the Arapaho language, the IEFA connection for each lesson plan can vary culturally.

Each lesson is designed to be usable in a variety of settings by a variety of teachers so homeroom teachers without strong music backgrounds can still teach the musical portions of the lessons, and music teachers may also choose to teach cross-curricular parts of the lessons either in part or in their entirety.

While the lessons are designed from a music-based perspective, many also pair well with other core curricula and offer great opportunities for co-teaching within cross-curricular lessons.
If your colleagues don’t want to co-teach you can do it all yourself, or choose just to do the song and cultural talk-back parts, leaving out the lesson extensions.

Language

Are You Sleeping p. 7

Track 1 and 2

Old MacDonald Had a Farm p. 10

Track 3

Are You Sleeping

Track: 1

Round - Track: 2

Grade: Pk-3

Concept/Skill:

Learning a song in a native language
Singing in round

National Music Standards:

Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts.
Understanding music in relation to history and culture.

Learning Objectives:

Students will be able to recognize the song “Are You Sleeping” based on the melody alone
Students will be able to recognize the song when sung in Arapaho
Students will be able to match song movements to the words even when sung in Arapaho
Students will be able to sing in a 2 or 3-part round
Students will learn why translations do not always completely match with the original language

Materials:

Recording of “Are you Sleeping”
A melodic instrument that you are comfortable with

Teaching Sequence:

Begin by playing the melody on an instrument, or singing the song on solfege, then ask the students to name the song
If they guess “Frere Jacques” sing the song in French, then sing it in a two part round, students vs. teacher. (French Lyrics in Lesson Appendix)

If they guess “Are You Sleeping”, sing the song in English, then in a two-part round, students vs. teacher

Play the recording of the Arapaho version and ask if the students recognize the song
Teach the students the pronunciation using the pronunciation guide below
Have the students sing the song with the recording

then sing the song without the recording

Add motions to the words:

Mime sleeping on line 1 and 2
Sit up and stretch on line 3
Jump up on line 4

If students are advanced enough, try having them sing in a round!

Remind the students how well they did singing the song in a round in the other language earlier in the class period, then tell them that they are going to do the same thing, but in Arapaho this time.

Sing 2-part round; students vs teacher (or recording)

If using the recording to sing the round, make sure you start the recording first, then have the students sing second, cuing them when to come in

Once students are comfortable singing against the teacher or recording, have them sing a two part round with students vs students
Finally, sing in a 3-part round; students vs students

Discuss the exact Arapaho to English translation, and compare it to the original English lyrics

How does the Arapaho translation differ from the original English?
Why does the Arapaho translation differ from the original English?

Song:

Koohei nookoh, koohei nookoh,

Are you sleeping, are you sleeping,

Are you sleeping, are you sleeping

Netesei, netesei?

My sibling, my sibling?

Brother John, brother John?

Wow nii’ooke’, wow nii’ooke,

It is a good morning now, it is a good morning now,

Morning bells are ringing, morning bells are ringing,

3oowo3ii, 3oowo3ii!

Stand up, stand up!

Ding-dong ding! Ding-dong ding!

Follow-up Questions:

How is the Arapaho translation different from the original English?

Netesei means “my sibling” instead of “Brother John”
There are no bells in the Arapaho version, it is just announced that it is morning time, and it is time to get (stand) up

Was it harder to sing the song in a round in English, French or Arapaho? Or was it the same difficulty no matter the language?
Why do you think the Arapaho use the word “netesei” meaning “my sibling” in this song instead of saying “my brother” or “my sister”?

Student Assessment:

Can students recognize the song “Are You Sleeping” based on the melody alone?
Do students recognize the song when sung in Arapaho?
Can students match movements to the words?
Can students sing in a 2 or 3-part round?
Can students demonstrate that they understand why translations do not always completely match with the original language?

Teaching Notes:

It can be useful to teach students simple songs using a “repeat after me”, whole-part-whole method.

Start by having the students listen to the entire song, then have them echo the song back to you one line at a time. After they can sing each line individually have them echo two lines at a time, then four etc… until they can successfully sing the entire song.

Use your judgement to determine if your students are advanced enough musically to sing in a round, if not, then leave the round out, and focus on the rest of the lesson.

Extension:

Sing in a 2 or 3-part round

Pronunciation Guide

Kah – hey nah-kuh, Kah – hey nah-kuh,

Koohei nookoh, koohei nookoh,

Are you sleeping, are you sleeping,

Net-ess-say, Net-ess-say,

Netesei, netesei?

My sibling, my sibling?

Brother John, brother John?

Wo-w nee-ee-ah-keh, Wo-w nee-ee-ah-keh,

Wow nii’ooke’, wow nii’ooke,

It is a good morning now, it is a good morning now,

Morning bells are ringing, morning bells are ringing,

Thaw-wuh-thee, Thaw-wuh-thee

3oowo3ii, 3oowo3ii!

Stand up, stand up!

Ding-dong ding! Ding-dong ding!

French Lyrics

Frère Jacques
Frère Jacques
Dormez-vous?
Dormez-vous?

Sonnez les matines
Sonnez les matines
Ding, ding, dong
Ding, ding, dong

Old MacDonald

Track: 3

Grade: Pre-k – 4

Concept/Skill:

Animal recognition
animal sounds
Vocables

National Music Standards:

Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.
Evaluating music and music performances.
Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts.
Understanding music in relation to history and culture.

Learning Objectives:

Students will be able to recognize vocables
Students will be able to explain the historical use and significance of vocables

Materials:

Recording of “Old MacDonald”
Pictures of farm animals (found in Apendix)
Arapaho pow-wow song recording

Recommend: Headley, Stewart G. "Eagle Dance." Recorded January 1, 1976. In Songs of earth, water, fire and sky Music of the American Indian. Northern Arapaho Tribe. Anthology of American Music, 1976, CD.

This song can be purchased on iTunes and can be found on YouTube.

Info on Vocables
Pow-wow story book

Recommend: Hu, Y., Smith, C. L., & Wright, C. V. (2009). Jingle dancer. New York: Morrow Junior Books.

Teaching Sequence:

Play recording of “Old MacDonald” and have students listen for vocables
Ask: “Can anyone guess which part of the song used vocables?”

(EIEIO in the English version)

Explain vocables:

Vocables are words that do not have meaning, sort of like nonsense words, that are used within many powwow songs.
Even though vocables are words that don’t have meaning within a language they aren’t made up or improvised. They are purposefully composed into songs and help singers convey meaning to dancers. Many vocables convey different emotions such as sadness, happiness or pride.
Vocables are very important melodically within many powwow songs. There are hundreds of songs that use only vocables, and hundreds more that combine vocables with Native languages or even with English

There are special songs called forty-nine songs that combine vocables and English. Forty-nine songs are sung at forty-nine dances, which are like powwows, but are just for fun. Powwows are official events that combine dance contests, trade of goods and art, and a social atmosphere, where forty-nine events are unofficial and are just for fun.
Forty-nine events usually feature only social songs and dances, and leave ceremonial songs and dances to official powwows.

After learning about vocables listen to the song again and this time encourage students to sing the vocables with the recording.

Remind students that they know the song and should be able to recognize when to sing the vocables within the song.

Did you know that there are vocables in the English version of “Old MacDonald”?

The “E-I-E-I-O” part of “Old MacDonald” are nonsense syllables that are composed into the song, just like vocables are composed into Native American powwow songs.

Now listen for vocables in a real powwow song.

Recommend: Headley, Stewart G. "Eagle Dance." Recorded January 1, 1976. In Songs of earth, water, fire and sky Music of the American Indian. Northern Arapaho Tribe. Anthology of American Music, 1976, CD.

Have students analyze and describe the use of vocables in the pow-wow song.
Have students compare use of vocables in “Old MacDonald” and the pow-wow song.

Song:

Beh’iihehi’ ciinooyoobeihii

The old man is a farmer

Old MacDonald had a farm

heiyo’ heiyo’ hou!*

*vocables

EIEIO

Nih’oo3ouwoox heniine’etiit

A pig lived there

And on that farm he had a pig

heiyo’ heiyo’ hou!*

EIEIO

ni’hii’it “oink – oink” hiit,

He said “oink-oink” here

With an “Oink-oink” here

ni’hii’it “oink – oink” huut

He said “oink-oink” there

And an “Oink-oink” there

niiyou “oink”, neeyou “oink”

Here an “oink”, there an “oink”

heeyowuutnei’ii “oink – oink”

Everywhere an “oink-oink”

Beh’iihehi’ ciinooyoobeihii

The old man is a farmer

Old MacDonald had a farm

heiyo’ heiyo’ hou!*

EIEIO

Beh’iihehi’ ciinooyoobeihii

The old man is a farmer

Old MacDonald had a farm

heiyo’ heiyo’ hou!*

*vocables

EIEIO

Wookec heniine’etiit

A cow lived there

And on that farm he had a cow

heiyo’ heiyo’ hou!*

EIEIO

ni’hii’it “Moo-moo” hiit,

He said “moo-moo” here

With an “moo-moo” here

ni’hii’it “moo-moo” huut

He said “moo-moo” there

And an “moo-moo” there

niiyou “moo”, neeyou “moo”

Here an “moo”, there an “mooRow”

heeyowuutnei’ii “moo-moo”

Everywhere an “moo-moo”

Beh’iihehi’ ciinooyoobeihii

The old man is a farmer

Old MacDonald had a farm

heiyo’ heiyo’ hou!*

EIEIO

Beh’iihehi’ ciinooyoobeihii

The old man is a farmer

Old MacDonald had a farm

heiyo’ heiyo’ hou!*

*vocables

EIEIO

Nii’oo3ounieehii heniine’etiit

A chicken lived there

And on that farm he had a chicken

heiyo’ heiyo’ hou!*

EIEIO

ni’hii’it “cluck-cluck” hiit,

He said “cluck-cluck” here

With an “cluck-cluck” here

ni’hii’it “cluck-cluck” huut

He said “cluck-cluck” there

And an “cluck-cluck” there

niiyou “cluck”, neeyou “cluck”

Here an “cluck”, there an “cluck”

heeyowuutnei’ii “cluck-cluck”

Everywhere an “cluck-cluck”

Beh’iihehi’ ciinooyoobeihii

The old man is a farmer

Old MacDonald had a farm

heiyo’ heiyo’ hou!*

EIEIO

Beh’iihehi’ ciinooyoobeihii

The old man is a farmer

Old MacDonald had a farm

heiyo’ heiyo’ hou!*

*vocables

EIEIO

Hote’ heniine’etiit

A sheep lived there

And on that farm he had a sheep

heiyo’ heiyo’ hou!*

EIEIO

ni’hii’it “baa-baa” hiit,

He said “baa-baa” here

With an “baa-baa” here

ni’hii’it “baa-baa” huut

He said “baa-baa” there

And an “baa-baa” there

niiyou “baa”, neeyou “baa”

Here an “baa”, there an “baa”

heeyowuutnei’ii “baa-baa”

Everywhere an “baa-baa”

Beh’iihehi’ ciinooyoobeihii

The old man is a farmer

Old MacDonald had a farm

heiyo’ heiyo’ hou!*

EIEIO

Beh’iihehi’ ciinooyoobeihii

The old man is a farmer

Old MacDonald had a farm

heiyo’ heiyo’ hou!*

*vocables

EIEIO

He3 heniine’etiit

A dog lived there

And on that farm he had a dog

heiyo’ heiyo’ hou!*

EIEIO

ni’hii’it “woof-woof” hiit,

He said “woof-woof” here

With an “woof-woof” here

ni’hii’it “woof-woof” huut

He said “woof-woof” there

And an “woof-woof” there

niiyou “woof”, neeyou “woof”

Here an “woof”, there an “woof”

heeyowuutnei’ii “woof-woof”

Everywhere an “woof-woof”

Beh’iihehi’ ciinooyoobeihii

The old man is a farmer

Old MacDonald had a farm

heiyo’ heiyo’ hou!*

EIEIO

Follow-up Questions:

What are vocables?
How are vocables used?
What similarities or differences did you notice between the vocables in “Old MacDonald” and the pow-wow music?

Student Assessment:

Can students recognize vocables?
Can students define vocables?

Extention:

Read Pow-wow story book

Recommend: Hu, Y., Smith, C. L., & Wright, C. V. (2009). Jingle dancer. New York: Morrow Junior Books.

References:

Headley, Stewart G. (January 1, 1976). Eagle Dance. On Songs of earth, water, fire and sky Music of the American Indian [CD]. Northern Arapaho Tribe.

Hu, Y., Smith, C. L., & Wright, C. V. (2009). Jingle dancer. New York: Morrow Junior Books.

Isaacs, T. (1990). A Brief Introduction to Plains Indian Singing. Retrieved April 23, 2018, from http://www.indianhouse.com/essays-articles/A-Brief-Introduction-to-Plains-Indian-Singing

Perea, J. (2011, December 06). Forty-nine dance. Retrieved April 23, 2018, from https://www.britannica.com/art/forty-nine-dance

Dance

Here Comes a Blue Bird p. 16

Track 4, Round Track 5

London Bridge is Falling Down p. 20

Track 6

Here We Go ‘Round the Mulberry Bush p. 24

Track 7

It’s Raining, It’s Pouring p. 29

Track 8

Here Comes a Bluebird

Track: 4

Dance - Track: 5

Grade: 2-4+

Concept/Skill:

Gross Motor Skills
Counter-clockwise movement to music
Powwows
Native American Social Dances
Seneca Robin Dance

National Music Standards:

Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.
Evaluating music and music performances.
Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts.
Understanding music in relation to history and culture.

Learning Objectives:

Students will understand how to play the “Blue Bird” song game
Students will be able to play the “Blue Bird” song game with the Arapaho Recording
Students will learn about powwows and Native American social dances
Students will learn how to do the Seneca Robin Dance
Students will demonstrate the ability to move counter-clockwise, even when changing the direction they are facing.
Students will draw connections between song games like “Blue Bird” and Native American social dances like the robin dance

Materials:

Recording of “Here Comes a Blue Bird”
Internet access
Computer and projector to watch powwow videos

Teaching Sequence:

Teach the “Blue Bird” song game in English
Listen to the Arapaho recording of “Blue Bird”.

See if students recognize where different parts of the game should happen with the Arapaho recording

Play the “Blue Bird” song game to the Arapaho recording
Talk about powwows and social dances:

Native American powwows became a tradition after WWI when tribal identity started melding into a more pan-cultural sense of kinship instead of staying isolated.
Powwows evolved from individual communities’ dance celebrations. Communities would hold dances as part of religious ceremonies, homecoming celebrations, celebrating successful hunts or war parties, or celebrating new alliances.
In the old days only members of that community or their friends from neighboring communities could attend, but now powwows are open to anyone of any heritage and often draw dancers, singers, artists, traders and spectators from hundreds of miles around! Non-Native people are always welcome to attend because Native Americans want to share their culture with everyone.
Today’s powwows mostly feature songs and dances that were originally practiced by warriors from the Great Plains areas, such as women’s jingle dress dancing, men’s grass dancing, and fancy dancing for both men and women, which were spread and made popular through features in Wild West shows such as Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show from the late 1800’s.

Social dance info:

Native Americans from all tribes have always loved to gather to dance, just like people get together to dance today. A big part of Native American’s historic dances and powwows are the social dances, which can be performed by anyone, men or women, adults or children, Native or non-Native.
Today we are going to learn a social dance from the Iroquois Seneca tribe called the Robin Dance.
There are countless different social dances from tribes around North America. Traditional and social dances from the Iroquois Nation usually tell a story about their hunting and gathering culture and many social dances were referred to as Earth Songs for this reason.

Learn the Robin Dance:
Start by watching a Robin Dance on YouTube:

Recommend: “Iroquois Robin Dance Social Song” - Bill Krause

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_ZCXfxboWA

The Robin Dance is a stomp-type dance of the Iroquois Nation. There is also a fish-step and a side-step shuffle, which is only done by women.

There are no drums for a stomp-dance, only rattles. Instead the drumming sound is made by the dancers stomping their feet in time!

In stomp-type, dances are often performed with men and women facing each other in two lines. The lines travel counter-clockwise.
The dance begins with dancers stomp-stepping forward on their right foot, then when they hear the tremolo signal from the rattles, they turn sideways and continuing with a flat-footed one-two side step, where they stomp with the right foot.
At a signal from the rattles, the dancers turn (sometimes making three little hops) turning to face outwards, and the dance continues traveling counter-clockwise with a left-foot sideways stomp.

The three hops represent a Robin hopping around

Each time the dancers hear a tremolo in the rattles they change the direction they are facing, with the circle always moving counter-clockwise.

Iroquois social dance songs, like the Robin Dance, are usually very short, only about a minute long each, so to keep the dance going different social dance songs are typically played in sets of 7. Dancers will walk forward for the few seconds it takes to start a new song.

Dance the robin dance to the recording of “Here Comes a Blue Bird”.

Remember to make the hops when you hear the tremolo in the rattle!

Talk about similarities and differences between the original game and the Robin Dance.
Discuss similarities and differences between American song games like “Blue Bird” and Native American social dances like the Robin Dance.

Song:

Ceneetee niiheihii, niiniioohut tecenoone’.

The bluebird flies through the doorway.

Here comes a blue bird through the window,

Yeh, niieihii honebeit.

Oh! The bird is happy!

Hey, diddle-dum a day day day.

*Cih benii’iiho neitoei, noh cenoo’oo,

*Find your friend, and jump!

*Take a little partner hop in the garden,

Yeh, niieiihii honebeit!

Oh! The bird is happy!

Hey didile dum a day day day.

Game:

Children hold hands, standing in a circle, with arms raised. Once child walks in and under the arches. *On “take a little partner” this child takes a partner (the child who is directly before them at “take a little partner”) and with two hands joined they face each other and sashay out through the opening where the child was taken from the circle, and back again. The first child joins the ring, and the partner becomes the new bluebird, continuing around the circle in the fashion of the first child.

Follow-up Questions:

What is a powwow?
Who is allowed to dance a social dance?
At what sorts of events or occasions to people dance today?

School dances, weddings, parties, just for fun, competition

How are powwows like other dancing events?

At a powwow there is opportunity to dance for competition, for fun, to dance romantically etc…

How were the “Blue Bird” song game and the robin dance similar? How were they different?
Do you think you would ever want to go to a powwow? Why or why not?

Student Assessment:

Do students understand how to play the “Here Comes A Blue Bird” song game?
Are students able to play the “Blue Bird” song game with the Arapaho Recording?
Can students tell information about pow wows and Native American social dances?
Are students able to do the Seneca Robin Dance?
Are students able to keep moving counter-clockwise, even when facing in a new direction?
Can students draw connections between song games like “Blue Bird” and Native American social dances like the robin dance?

Extension:

This lesson leads well into other lessons within this packet that deal with social dances such as the Seneca Duck Dance and the Round Dance. These dances are introduced with the songs “London Bridge is Falling Down” and “Here We Go ‘Round the Mulberry Bush”.

References:

Browner, T. (2016, March 14). Powwow. Retrieved March 23, 2018, from https://www.britannica.com/topic/powwow

Riemer, M. F. (2018). Drumhop.com. Retrieved March 23, 2018, from http://drumhop.com/music.php?page=189

Riemer, M. F. (2018). Drumhop.com. Retrieved March 23, 2018, from http://drumhop.com/music.php?page=22

Warta, T. (n.d.). Iroquois Traditional Dances. Retrieved March 23, 2018, from https://dance.lovetoknow.com/iroquois-traditional-dances

London Bridge is Falling Down

Track: 6

Grade: 3-4+

Concept/Skill:

Gross Motor Skills
Seneca Duck Dance

National Music Standards:

Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.
Evaluating music and music performances.
Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts.
Understanding music in relation to history and culture.

Learning Objectives:

Students will be able to name the song by recognizing the melody to “London Bridge is Falling Down”
Students will learn history and traditions of the Seneca people
Students will build connections between the original “London Bridge is Falling Down” game and the Duck Dance
Students will be able to perform the duck dance to the song “London Bridge is Falling Down”

Materials:

Recording of “London Bridge”
Computer and projector
Internet access

Teaching Sequence:

Listen to recording of “London Bridge”
Have students determine what song it is by listening to the melody.

If students are struggling, try humming the melody without the recording

Sing “London Bridge” in English, to build the connection between the original lyrics and the Arapaho translation.
Play a few rounds of the “London Bridge” game while singing the English lyrics.
Play the game while listening to the Arapaho recording.

Can students recognize the point in the song when they are supposed to catch someone under the bridge?

Have kids sit down
Tell students:

The “London Bridge” game is very similar to a social dance from the Native American Seneca people called the Duck Dance. Today we are going to learn a little bit about the Seneca people and how to do the Duck Dance.

Seneca facts:

The Seneca people are a tribe of the Iroquois League, also known as the Six Nations. They are historically from the Great Lakes area.

The other members of the Six Nations are the Mohawk, Oneida, Cayuga, Onondaga and Tuscarora.

The Seneca people now live in western New York near Buffalo, NY and on a separate reservation in Oklahoma. Another branch of the Seneca people live in Ontario, Canada.
The Seneca did not live in teepees like Native Americans of the Great Plains did, instead they lived in longhouses. (see image in this lesson’s Appendix)

Longhouses were made with a wooden frame, then covered in elm-bark. Elm-bark is waterproof and was also used for making canoes! (See canoe lesson on page53) Longhouses could be up to 100 feet long and an entire clan would live in it – that could be up to 60 people.

Like all Native people, the Seneca would gather together to sing and dance. Some dances were for hunts, or war, some were ceremonial, and some were just for fun! Those dances are called “social” dances, and they could be danced by anyone. We are going to learn one of the Seneca social dances today.

The Seneca Duck Dance was one of several bird-themed dances that were performed to welcome edible birds back in the Spring time.
To do the dance:

Men form two lines, holding hands with the person across from them, and do a jog-like dance counter-clockwise.
Women form pairs and dance backwards at the head of the men’s column. Traveling in the same direction as the men.
At a certain point in the dance the drum signals the women to dance towards the men, who raise their arms. The women dance under the arch made by the men’s arms.
At another signal, then men lower their arms, capturing the women. The women then have to continue to dance backwards while trapped between the men’s arms. (The men and women travel in the same direction, just facing opposite directions, men forward, women backward)
When they hear the signal again, the men raise their arms and the women continue under the arch as before.
After a woman reaches the end of the men’s line they race around back to the beginning to go under the arches again.
At the end of each song the men will quack like ducks!

The women ducking under the men’s arms represents a duck diving under water. The women moving backwards represents the current pushing against the swimming ducks.

If this is confusing, watch a Duck Dance on YouTube before trying it on your own:

Recommend: “The Native American Duck Dance” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1J3Krd_bYoA

Now try performing the Duck Dance with the recording of “London Bridge” where the end of each verse represents the signal to raise or lower your arms.
After trying it out yourself discuss similarities and differences between the original “London Bridge” game and the Seneca duck dance.

Song:

Hooxuu3iiw ceenise’

The bridge is falling down

London Bridge is falling down

ceenise’, ceenise’

falling down, falling down,

hooxuu3iiw ceenise’

The Bridge is falling down

London bridge is falling down

Beebee’eit hisei.

Beautiful woman

My fair lady.

koonootoo’oe nih’oo’ohun

A key locked her up

Take a key and lock her up

nih’oo’ohun, nih’oo’ohun

locked her up, locked her up

Lock her up, lock her up

koonootoo’oe nih’oo’ohun

A key locked her up

Take a key and lock her up

Beebee’eit hisei.

Beautiful woman

My fair lady

Ce’nihniistiit toonounowot

Build it again with

build it up with sticks and stones

Hoo’nookeeno’ noh bexo

Rocks, and sticks

sticks and stones, sticks and stones

Ce’nihniistiit toonounowot

Build it again

build it up with sticks and stones

Beebee’eit hisei.

Beautiful woman

My fair lady.

Game:

Verse 1: two children face each other and form an arch with their arms, the rest of the children take turns walking under the arch

Verse 2: on “lock her up” the arch drops and catches a child between their arms

Verse 3: the arch is raised again releasing the child, the children resume walking beneath the arch

Repeat the verses as much as you like to give multiple children a chance to be caught

Follow-up Questions:

How are the Seneca duck dance and the original “London Bridge” game similar?

How are they different?

Where do the Seneca people live?
How are Seneca homes different from Plains Indians homes?
Was there anything challenging in this lesson?

How did you overcome the challenge?

Student Assessment:

Students can name the song by recognizing the melody to “London Bridge”
Students can tell facts about the history and traditions of the Seneca people
Students can name connections between the original “London Bridge” game and the Duck Dance
Students can perform the Duck Dance to the song “London Bridge”

References:

Freeman, B. (2018). Drumhop.com. Retrieved March 12, 2018, from http://drumhop.com/music.php?page=22

K. (2014, May 24). The Native American Duck Dance. Retrieved March 12, 2018, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1J3Krd_bYoA

Redish, L., & Lewis, O. (2015). Seneca Indian Fact Sheet. Retrieved March 12, 2018, from http://www.bigorrin.org/seneca_kids.htm

Here We Go ‘Round the Mulberry Bush

Track: 7

Grade: Pk-3

Concept/Skill:

Fine motor Skills
Gross Motor Skills
Call and Response
Round Dance

National Music Standards:

Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts.
Understanding music in relation to history and culture.

Materials:

Recording of “Here We Go ‘Round the Mulberry Bush”
Hand drum and beater
Optional internet access for YouTube video/recordings

Teaching Sequence:

Play the recording of “Here We Go ‘Round the Mulberry Bush”

During the chorus: In a circle, hold hands and walk clockwise
For each verse: mime the activity

After listening to a few verses have students sing the line “ne’eestoono tesnokusec” with the recording at the correct time.
This song translates quite well into a Round Dance
Round Dance info:

Recommended: Watch “Round Dance 101: What to Know Before Your First Round Dance” on Youtube (The audio quality isn’t great, but it has great info! Recommend watching this video as a teacher before teaching this lesson. Could also show your class)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=626MhRl6aFQ

A Round Dance is a Native American Plains social dance that can be performed by anyone.
The drum beat to a Round Dance is very distinctive because it sounds like a heartbeat “thump-THUMP, thump -THUMP” and acknowledges the heartbeat of Mother Earth.

Put your hands over your heart (or find a pulse in your neck or wrist), can you feel your heart beat? Does the Round Dance drum beat sound similar to your heart beat?

Round Dances and other social dances aren’t ceremonial, which means you don’t have to wear ceremonial dress, and are invited to dance them while wearing street clothes.
Round Dances often use English words, while other pow-wow songs use native words and vocables.
We move left (Clockwise) around the circle to represent the movement of the Earth traveling around the Sun. Some Native Peoples believe that moving in that direction represents healing of the body or soul.
To dance a Round Dance everyone stands in a circle and joins hands with your left hand facing up and your right hand facing down. You step to the left (clockwise) in time to the drum beat with your left foot stepping first and your right leg dragging to follow.

Play the song recording again, this time have your students do a Round Dance step while the teacher plays a Round Dance beat on a hand drum along with the recording.

Or have students take turns playing the round dance beat on hand drums while the rest of the class dances.

Song:

Chorus: Heniinko’eiseeno’ coo’oo’ee

I go in a circle around the bush,

Here we go ‘round the mulberry bush,

Coo’oo’ee, coo’oo’ee

Bush, bush

The mulberry bush, the mulberry bush

Heniinko’eiseeno’ coo’oo’ee

I go in a circle around the bush

Here we go ‘round the mulberry bush,

Ne’eestoono tesnokusec!

I do it in the morning.

So early in the morning!

Co’ootoeinoo neici3oo

I brush my teeth

This is the way we brush our teeth*,

Co’ooteoinoo neici3oo,

I brush my teeth,

Brush our teeth, brush our teeth,

Co’ootoeinoo neici3oo

I brush my teeth,

This is the way we brush our teeth

Ne’eestoono tesnohkuseic!

I do it early in the morning!

So early in the morning!

(Chorus)

Heniinko’eiseeno’ coo’oo’ee

I go in a circle around the bush,

Here we go ‘round the mulberry bush,

Coo’oo’ee, coo’oo’ee

Bush, bush

The mulberry bush, the mulberry bush

Heniinko’eiseeno’ coo’oo’ee

I go in a circle around the bush

Here we go ‘round the mulberry bush,

Ne’eestoono tesnokusec!

I do it in the morning.

So early in the morning!

Co’ootoeinoo nenii3e’ee

I brush my hair

This is the way we brush our hair

Co’ootoeinoo nenii3e’ee,

I brush my hair,

Brush our hair.

Co’ootoeinoo nenii3e’ee,

I brush my hair,

This is the way we brush our hair.

Ne’eestoono tesnohkuseic!

I do it early in the morning!

So early in the morning!

(Chorus)

Heniinko’eiseeno’ coo’oo’ee

I go in a circle around the bush,

Here we go ‘round the mulberry bush,

Coo’oo’ee, coo’oo’ee

Bush, bush

The mulberry bush, the mulberry bush

Heniinko’eiseeno’ coo’oo’ee

I go in a circle around the bush

Here we go ‘round the mulberry bush,

Ne’eestoono tesnokusec!

I do it in the morning.

So early in the morning!

Ne’eestoonoo cii3ibiinoo,

I get dressed

This is the way we get dressed

Cii3ibinoo, cii3ibiinoo.

I get dressed, I get dressed,

Get dressed, get dressed.

Ne’eestoonoo cii3ibiinoo,

I get dressed

This is the way we get dressed

Ne’eestoonoo tesnohkuseic!

I do it in the morning!

So early in the morning!

(Chorus)

Heniinko’eiseeno’ coo’oo’ee

I go in a circle around the bush,

Here we go ‘round the mulberry bush,

Coo’oo’ee, coo’oo’ee

Bush, bush

The mulberry bush, the mulberry bush

Heniinko’eiseeno’ coo’oo’ee

I go in a circle around the bush

Here we go ‘round the mulberry bush,

Ne’eestoono tesnokusec!

I do it in the morning.

So early in the morning!

Ne’eestoonoo heeiisii’ouhnoo

I wash my face

This is the way we wash our face

Heeiisii’ouhnoo, heeiisii’ouhnoo.

Wash my face, wash my face,

Wash face, wash our face

Ne’eestoonoo heeiisii’ouhnoo

I wash my face

This is the way we wash our face

Ne’eestoonoo tesnohkuseic!

I do it in the morning!

So early in the morning!

(Chorus)

Heniinko’eiseeno’ coo’oo’ee

I go in a circle around the bush,

Here we go ‘round the mulberry bush,

Coo’oo’ee, coo’oo’ee

Bush, bush

The mulberry bush, the mulberry bush

Heniinko’eiseeno’ coo’oo’ee

I go in a circle around the bush

Here we go ‘round the mulberry bush,

Ne’eestoono tesnokusec!

I do it in the morning.

So early in the morning!

Nebii3noo nebii3woo

I eat my food

This is the way we eat our food

Nebii3noo, nebii3woo.

My food, my food,

Eat our food, eat our food.

Nebii3noo nebii3woo

I eat my food

This is the way we eat our food,

Ne’eestoonoo tesnohkuseic!

I do it in the morning!

So early in the morning!

Follow-up Questions:

Put your hands over your heart, can you feel your heart beat?
Does the Round Dance drum beat sound similar to your heart beat?
Who can dance a Round Dance?

Anyone!

What makes a Round Dance drum beat special?

It sounds like a heartbeat

Student Assessment:

Can students sing “ne’eestoonoo tesnookuusec” at the correct time throughout the song?
Can students dance a Round Dance with their feet stepping in time?
Can students play a Round Dance drum beat?

Extension:

Dance a Round Dance to an actual Round Dance song. Chose from below, or search YouTube

Recommended songs:

“Back in Time” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nk_syjCMJxI
“I Will Always Stay” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7c3XVkkR8_M
“Come on Over” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3XoyYyX3nI

The Round Dance also pairs well with the circle game “All Take Hands and Circle to the Left”

References:

Doyle, S., Dr. (2017, October 20). Social Music and Dance of the Northern Plains. Lecture presented at Montana Music Educators Association Annual Conference in Montana, Bozeman.

University of Alberta (2017, January 18). “Round Dance 101: What to Know Before Your First Round Dance” Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=626MhRl6aFQ

It’s Raining It’s Pouring

Track: 8

Grade: K-4

Concept/Skill:

Singing in a Native Language
Steady beat
Accelerando
Rain Dance

National Music Standards:

Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
Improvising melodies, variations, and accompaniments.
Evaluating music and music performances.
Understanding music in relation to history and culture.

Learning Objectives:

Students will be able to sing the song in Arapaho
Students will be able to keep a steady beat while singing the song
Students will be able to perform an accelerando on hand drums
Students will be able to perform a rain dance

Materials:

Recording of “It’s Raining, It’s Pouring”
Hand drums
Shakers
Recording
Flat, open, treeless space outdoors

Teaching Sequence:

Learn and sing the song in Arapaho.
Practice singing the song with the recording while keeping a steady beat
See if anyone recognizes the melody and can name the song.
Once students figure out what the song is, sing it again in English.
Ask: What is this song about?

Rain

Talk about the rain dance tradition:

Several Native American tribes, particularly from the Southwest United States region believed that they could call rain during times of drought through a ritual called a “rain dance”.

Some notable rain dancing tribes are the Osage and Quapaw in Modern Missouri and Arkansas, and the Zuni of modern-day New Mexico.

The rain dance was traditionally done in late summer, to call down rain to end summer droughts and ensure a good harvest.
Traditionally people would wear feathers and turquoise to represent the wind and rain when performing the rain dance.
The dance is performed outside in a flat, dry, open space, where the view of the sky is unimpeded by trees
To do a rain dance spin clockwise at a slow, steady pace while chanting for rain. Keep your arms up and out, inviting the rain down.
The longer you spin, the faster you should spin and chant. Keep your eyes closed during the dance.
When you feel you are done, suddenly drop down and silently kneel on the ground until your balance returns.

Go outside and perform a rain dance with your class!

Split the class into two groups – one group will dance, while the other group performs steady beat on hand drums and shakers.

Students playing drums and shakers should also sing.

Speed up the drumming through a long, drawn out accelerando.

Explain how in music, when you start slow and gradually get faster it is called an “accelerando”

Switch dancers and drummers so everyone gets a turn.

Song:

Honooso, honooso

It’s raining, it’s raining

It’s raining, It’s pouring

Hinee hinen heesoowo’biet

That man is sick

The old man is snoring

Heniise’bit, too’oobetit

He went to bed, He hit himself

He went to bed And bumped his head

Wow howuuni 3oowoo3ii

Now he won’t get up.

And couldn’t get up in the morning.

Follow-up Questions:

What part of the United states did the rain dance come from?
Why might it be important to pick a large, flat, treeless area to perform a rain dance?

So you don’t fall or hurt yourself
So you can see the sky!

What direction do you spin when doing a rain dance?

What might happen if you spin the opposite direction?

It is believed that performing a rain dance counter clockwise while chanting backwards sends rain away rather than calling rain.

What is it called in music when you start slow then gradually speed up?

Accelerando

Student Assessment:

Can students sing the song in Arapaho?
Can students keep a steady beat while singing the song?
Can students perform an accelerando on hand drums?
Can students perform a rain dance?

Teaching Notes:

You may want to chant the words “Honooso, honooso” over and over instead of singing the entire song if you find it is too complicated. Also, rain dance chants are traditionally simple and rhythmic, so this simplification is culturally appropriate!

References:

How to Perform a Native American Rain Dance [VIDEO]. (2012, June 14). Retrieved March 29, 2018, from http://thexfrontrange.com/how-to-perform-a-native-american-rain-dance-video/

How to Do a Rain Dance ~ Native American Rain Dance. (2013, June 28). Retrieved March 29, 2018, from https://sonocarina.wordpress.com/2012/07/18/how-to-do-a-rain-dance-native-american-rain-dance/

Oral Tradition

Tiny Tim p. 33

Track 9

Itsy Bitsy Spider p. 37

Track 10

Old Bald Eagle/Flies High Story p. 41

Track 11, Translation Track 12

Tiny Tim

Track: 9

Grade: K-4th

Concept/Skill:

Fine Motor Skills
Creation Stories

National Music Standards:

Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.
Evaluating music and music performances.
Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts.
Understanding music in relation to history and culture.

Learning Objectives:

Students will be able to keep a steady beat during the “bubble” part of the song
Students will be able to predict when to “pop” the bubble
Students will be able to tell how Turtle is important to the Iroquois creation story (and other Native American cultures)

Materials:

Recording of “Tiny Tim”
Iroquois creation story

Teaching Sequence:

Do motions along with “Tiny Tim” recording
Tiny Tim is a song about a turtle. Does anyone know why turtles are important in many Native American cultures?

Turtles are very important to many Native American peoples because so many Native American cultures use Turtle as part of their Creation Story.
In the Arapaho culture the turtle represents the Earth. The turtle’s legs represent the Four Old Men and the shell represents the mountains and rivers.

Read Iroquois creation story.
Discuss Iroquois creation story

What role does Turtle play in this creation story?
What other people or animals play an important role in the Iroquois creation story?

Song:

Niitou heeces be’enoo

I have a little Turtle

Henee3enee biixoo3oot

I love him a lot

I named him Tiny Tim

3eneise nookoh’einooo

He is in a bucket

I put him in the bathtub

Hookoo heet heniinoowut

Because he will swim

To see if he could swim

Niibene beisiihii nec

He drank all the water

He drank up all the water

Noh bii3ii’it he’hiisi’ohut

And he ate the soap

He ate up all the soap

Noh wow konoote’ 3eneisi

And now it is bubbling

And now he has a bubble,

be’enoo hiitooo

in the turtle’s throat

a bubble in his throat

Konoote’, konoote’, konoote’,

Bubbling, bubbling, bubbling,

Bubble, bubble, bubble,

Konoote’, konoote’, konoote’,

Bubbling, bubbling, bubbling,

Bubble, bubble, bubble,

Konoote’, konoote’, konoote’,

Bubbling, bubbling, bubbling,

Bubble, bubble, bubble,

Konoote’ niih’eiko’itee’! (clap)

Bubbling, it burst!

Bubble, bubble, Pop!

Finger Play:

Hold hands on top of each other, both palms down, with thumbs out to make a turtle.

Hold arms in a circle to make a tub, then “swim arms”

Mime drinking water

Mime eating

Make a circle with your hands, under your chin

Rock circle back and forth to the beat

Clap hands on “Pop!”

Story:

Iroquois Creation Myth

Long before the world was created there was an island, floating in the sky, upon which the Sky People lived. They lived quietly and happily. No one ever died or was born or experienced sadness. One day one of the Sky Women realized she was going to give birth to twins. She told her husband, who flew into a rage. In the center of the island there was a tree which gave light to the entire island since the sun hadn't been created yet. He tore up this tree, creating a huge hole in the middle of the island. Curiously, the woman peered into the hole. Far below she could see the waters that covered the earth. At that moment her husband pushed her. She fell through the hole, tumbling towards the waters below.

Water animals already existed on the earth, so far below the floating island two birds saw the Sky Woman fall. Just before she reached the waters they caught her on their backs and brought her to the other animals. Determined to help the woman they dove into the water to get mud from the bottom of the seas. One after another the animals tried and failed. Finally, Little Toad tried and when he reappeared his mouth was full of mud. The animals took it and spread it on the back of Big Turtle. The mud began to grow and grow and grow until it became the size of North America.

Then the woman stepped onto the land. She sprinkled dust into the air and created stars. Then she created the moon and sun.

The Sky Woman gave birth to twin sons. She named one Sapling. He grew to be kind and gentle. She named the other Flint and his heart was as cold as his name. They grew quickly and began filling the earth with their creations.

Sapling created what is good. He made animals that are useful to humans. He made rivers that went two ways and into these he put fish without bones. He made plants that people could eat easily. If he was able to do all the work himself there would be no suffering.

Flint destroyed much of Sapling's work and created all that is bad. He made the rivers flow only in one direction. He put bones in fish and thorns on berry bushes. He created winter, but Sapling gave it life so that it could move to give way to Spring. He created monsters which his brother drove beneath the Earth.

Eventually Sapling and Flint decided to fight till one conquered the other. Neither was able to win at first, but finally Flint was beaten. Because he was a god Flint could not die, so he was forced to live on Big Turtle's back. Occasionally his anger is felt in the form of a volcano.

Follow-up Questions:

What culture is this creation story from?
What other creation stories do you know?
How is Turtle important to this creation story?
Are there other characters who are important to this creation story?

Who?

Student Assessment:

Can students accurately predict when to pop the bubble?
Can students keep a steady beat during the Bubble part of the song?
Can students explain why Turtle is important in the Iroquois creation story?

Teaching Notes:

You may choose to listen to the recording a few times until students are comfortable with the motions. They may even want to sing along to all the bubbles at the end.
After listening to the Arapaho version you may sing the English version as a class and compare the Arapaho translation to the English words – what parts are different? What parts are the same?

Extension:

How is the Iroquois creation story different from other creation stories?

The Bible? Evolution and the Big Bang? Others?
This could be expanded into a research project where students find other creation stories and share them in class.

Have students draw pictures to go with the Iroquois creation story and create a classroom picture book.

References:

"Iroquois Creation Myth." Creation Myths -- Iroquois Creation Myth. Accessed January 28, 2018. http://dept.cs.williams.edu/~lindsey/myths/myths_12.html.

U. (Ed.). (n.d.). The Significance of Plants and Animals. Retrieved February 25, 2018, from https://www.colorado.edu/csilw/arapahoproject/nature/naturereference.html

Itsy Bitsy Spider

Track: 10

Grade: 3-4

Concept/Skill:

Synchronizing movements to music
Fine motor skills
Niioo3o/Trickster Stories

National Music Standards:

Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts.
Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.
Evaluating music and music performances
Understanding music in relation to history and culture.

Learning Objectives:

Students will recognize the melody to “The Itsy Bitsy Spider”
Students will be able to do “The Itsy Bitsy Spider” finger play motions in time to the Arapaho song
Students will learn about Native American trickster stories
Students will research online and find a trickster story from a Native American culture, then share their story and what they learned in a presentation to the class

Materials:

Recording of “Itsy Bitsy Spider”
Computers for research
Paper to draw and write on
Drawing supplies

Teaching Sequence:

Part 1 - IEFA:

Listen to song. Ask if anyone recognizes the melody

students should recognize it as the “Itsy Bitsy Spider”

Listen to song again, but this time do the motions with the recording
Ask students: “What is this song about?”

a spider

In the Arapaho culture the spider, Nihoo3o’ is a trickster. Nihoo3o’ usually goes around making harmless mischief, but sometimes he can be violent or cruel.
Trickster stories always teach a lesson. Sometimes it is Nihoo3o’ who learns the lesson when his tricks backfire, sometimes the lesson is learned by the people being tricked, and sometimes it is the audience listening to the story who learns something.
Today we are going to listen to an Arapaho Nihoo3o’ story.

(Read Nihoo3o’ story, found below)

After reading the story ask: “What is the lesson in this story? Who learns the lesson?”
There are Trickster stories and legends from cultures all around the world! A lot of Arapaho Nihoo3o’ stories are similar to the Sioux Iktomi stories – especially the more violent ones. There is often a lot of overlap within Trickster stories, even if it is a different trickster.
Trickster isn’t always a spider, many Native American cultures’ trickster is a Coyote or other animal.

Song:

Heces nih’oo3o’ honou’uhuutonooto’

The little spider climbed up

The itsy bitsy spider, went up the water spout

nih’oo3o’ ceenisi hookoh nihnooso

the spider fell down because it was raining

down came the rain and washed the spider out

nii’bisiseet noh heeniixooneetee

The sun came up and it was dry

Out came the sun and dried up all the rain

noh heces nih’oo3o ce’no’uhutonoot

And the little spider climbed up again

And the itsy bitsy spider went up the spout again

Finger Play:

Line 1: Thumb to index finger, “climb” fingers up

Line 2: “rain” fingers down

Line 3: Arms in arch overhead, circle hands “Dry”

Line 4: climb fingers up

Story:

Nih’oo3o’ and the Coyote

One day Nih’oo3o’ was traveling East when he came upon a herd of buffalo. As he watched the buffalo grazing he thought to himself, “How can I get at them?” He began looking for a high cliff, and when he found one he made a marker with his robe near the cliff edge. After he had done this he went back to the buffalo.

“I have come to race with you,” Nih’oo3o’ said to them. “I have heard you are very fast.”

“No. We don’t want to run,” the buffalo replied. “We are still enjoying our grazing.”

“I am going to race with you for only a short distance,” Nih’oo3o’ insisted, so the buffalo agreed. “There is one thing you cannot do,” Nih’oo3o’ continued. “When you get near my robe you must close your eyes. You can’t open them until I tell you. We will turn around when we get to my robe.”

The buffalo stood in a row, and when Ni’oo3o’ told them to start, they all began running. He ran with them. As they neared the robe marker Nih’oo3o told the buffalo to close their eyes. The buffalo did as they were told and kept running. They did not see the cliff because their eyes were closed, and they fell over the cliff and were killed by the fall. Nih’oo3o’ was pleased by his trick and he took his robe and went down the cliff.

A river lowed nearby, and Nih’oo3o’ began to butcher the buffalo. After he had butchered a few buffalo a coyote appeared. The coyote limped toward him and pleaded, “Please give me something to eat. I am very hungry and thin! I am never able to find anything to eat.”

“Go away,” said Nih’oo3o’, who was annoyed at the sudden appearance of the coyote.

“Please, Nih’oo3o’, feed me scraps or bones,” begged the coyote. Nih’oo3o’ just told him to go away, but the coyote would not leave. Finally Nih’oo3o’ became tired of the coyote’s begging, so he gave him a piece of tripe, saying, “Here is some tripe. Go and wash it.”

So the coyote took the tripe and dragged it down to the river. Then he hid behind a bush and ate the tripe. When he had finished eating he went back to where Nih’oo3o’ was butchering the buffalo.

“Nih’oo3o’,” coyote said, “The fish took the tripe away from me and ate it up. They are tough. They must have been hungry.”

“Her is another one that you can go and wash,” Nih’oo3o’ told they coyote. The coyote took the tripe and went off behind a bush and ate the second piece of tripe. After he had eaten it he went back to Nih’oo3o’ and told him the same story about the fish.

Nih’oo3o’ gave him a third piece of tripe and the coyote went through the same routine as before. This time Nih’oo3o’ noticed that the coyote looked full, with his belly bulging out. Nih’oo3o’ became suspicious and jumped up to follow the coyote. He saw the coyote eating behind the bush, so he picked up a big stick then he went back to the buffalo and pretended to slice meat.

When the coyote came back his belly was really bulging out from being so full. He told Nih’oo3o’ the same story about the fish eating the tripe.

“Here is another piece,” Nih’oo3o’ said, then he grabbed the big stick and hit the coyote with it, knocking him out.

Towards evening the coyote regained consciousness. Nih’oo3o’ was still busy butchering and slicing meat and didn’t notice when the coyote ran away and howled to call the rest of the coyotes.

The coyotes all gathered, asking, “What is it?”

“Nih’oo3o’ knocked me out,” the coyote told his friends. “Tonight we will go and eat up all his meat when he falls asleep. That will teach him!”

The coyotes waited until nightfall, and by then Nih’oo3o’ was very tired and fell asleep. As soon as he fell asleep the coyotes sneaked up and ate all of the meat and carried the bones away.

When Nih’oo3o’ woke up he looked around, and much to his surprise, he did not see any meat. “It seemed like I had a lot of meat yesterday,” he thought. “I even had some sliced meat, but now I do not see any. I should have shared some meat with that coyote, then maybe he would not have taken it all when I was asleep!”

That is the story of Nih’oo3o’ and the coyote.

Follow-up Questions:

What kind of creature is Nihoo3o’?
Are Tricksters always represented by a spider?
What is the lesson in our Nihoo3o’ story?
Who learns the lesson?

Student Assessment:

Can students recognize the melody to “The Itsy Bitsy Spider” when listening to the Arapaho lyrics?
Can students do the “Itsy Bitsy Spider” finger play along with the Arapaho recording?
Can students decipher what the lesson is in the Nihoo3o’ story?
Can students decipher who learns the lesson in the Nihoo3o’ story?

From research assignment:

Did students find a Native American trickster story?
Did students include what culture/tribe their story is from?
Did students find where that tribe is located geographically?
Did students determine what creature represents the trickster in their story?
Did students identify the lesson in their story and who learned the lesson?
Did student read their story to the class?
Did student draw a picture of a scene from their story?

Teaching Notes:

This project will likely take 3-5 days to complete.
In synopsis:

Use the “Itsy Bitsy Spider” song to introduce the concept of Nihoo3o’ and Native American trickster stories.
Read “Nihoo3o’ and the Coyote” and discuss the story as a class
Students find their own trickster story and write a report about what they learned
Students share their story and what they learned with the class.

Extension: Research project

Individually, or in small groups, have students find other Native American Trickster stories online, learn about them and share the stories with the class.

Make sure to find out what culture or tribe the story is from, what kind of creature the Trickster is, and what the lesson of the story is.

Project gradable content:

What culture/tribe is this story from?
Where is this culture/tribe located?
What kind of creature represents the Trickster?
What was the moral of the story?
Draw a picture of a scene from your story

References:

Cedartree, H., & Woodenlegs, M. (1983). Arapaho Legends. Ethete, WY: Wyoming Indian High School.

Redish, L., & Lewis, O. (2015). Legendary Native American Figures: Nihancan (Niatha). Retrieved November 23, 2017, from http://www.native-languages.org/nihancan.htm

Flies High/Old Bald Eagle

Track: 11

Translation - Track: 12

Grade: 2-4

Concept/Skill:

Call and response
Oral History/storytelling

National Music Standards:

Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts.
Understanding music in relation to history and culture.

Learning Objectives:

Students will be able to sing “Bald Eagle” – either entire verse, or just response
Students will listen for cues to know when to start singing
Students will be able to explain the concept of oral history

Materials:

Recording of “Old Bald Eagle” and Co’ou3iioohut (Flies High) story
Images
Hand drums

Teaching Sequence:

This song has been adapted to fit with the Arapaho legend of Co’ou3iioohut/Flies High. Listen for the drum to begin singing
Teach the song to the students

The song changes slightly on every verse, if it is too difficult for students simply have the students learn the repeated response part: “Hiisiis Biisiseet”, “Hiisiis Nee’iseet” (the sun is rising, the sun is setting)

Explain oral tradition to the students:

Many Native cultures use oral history and storytelling to keep their culture alive instead of writing things down. Many Native cultures didn’t have a written alphabet in order to write things down until very recently in history. The Arapaho people developed their writing system and alphabet in the 1970s with the help of a linguist named Zdenek Salzmann. Until the 1970s when they developed the alphabet all history and culture was kept alive through storytelling and memory.

Co’ou3iioohut is a children’s story about an eagle who has been separated from his mate. He searches all over looking for her and receives help from all sorts of different animals.
Sing the song “Bald Eagle” at the end of every page when you hear the drum

Listen to the story in Arapaho and in English!

Song:

p 1) Heetesee’eit heniinih’ohuut; hiisiis biisiseet

Old bald eagle sails around, Daylight is gone;

Bald eagle flies around, The sun is rising

Heetesee’eit heniinih’ohuut, hiisiis nee’iseet

Old bald eagle sails around, Daylight is gone.

The bald eagle flies around, The sun is setting

P 2) Heetesee’eit nootiihoot, hiisiis biisiseet

Bald eagle is looking for her, the sun is rising

Heetesee’eit nootiihoot, hiisiis nee’iseet

Bald eagle is looking for her, the sun is setting

P 3) Too3iihit, Heniinih’ohuut; hiisiis biisiseet,

He is flying around, he is near, the sun is rising

He flies near, daylight is gone,

beebei’oon, heniinih’ohuut; hiisiis nee’iseet

he flies far, the sun is setting

p 4) Niinootiihoot huu3obe, hiisiis biisiseet

he looks over there, daylight is gone

niinootiihoot huutiino, hiisiis nee’iseet

he looks here, daylight is gone

P 5) Heetesee’eit benii’iihoot, wow hoonobeit!

Bald eagle has found her, now he is happy!

Heetesee’eit benii’iihoot, wow hoonobeit!

Bald eagle has found her, now he is happy!

Follow-up Questions:

How many animals are in the story?
What kind of animal is Coo’ouu3ih’ohut?
Why is it so important for Coo’ouu3ih’ohut to find his mate?

Eagles mate for life

What is oral tradition?

Student Assessment:

Can students sing the “Bald Eagle” song?

At the correct time? (listen for cues and come in at correct time on call or response)

Can students keep a steady beat while singing?
Can students explain the concept of oral history?

Teaching Notes:

The song is inspired by the “Old Bald Eagle” folk song. While the melody remains, the words have been changed enough to be considered a new song.
This song has been adapted to fit with the Arapaho legend of Co’ou3iioohut/Flies High. You sing the song on each page turn. Listen for the drum to know when to sing.
You may also like to have to students keep the beat to the song using their bodies, or on hand drums
You can show pictures of each of the animals on each page:

Bald Eagle
Mountain Sheep
Grizzly Bear
Bull Elk
River Otter
Coyote

Extension:

Research each animal from the story – where do they live? What do they eat? etc..
Write your own story about animals as a class or in groups.

Draw pictures for it. Is it a musical story like Coo’ouu3ih’ohut?

References:

Goggles, G., Goggles, C., & Goggles, C. (1994). Coo'ouu3ih'ohut. Ethete, WY: Wyoming Indian Schools: Title 5.

Lifestyle

Where is Thumbkin p. 45

Track 13

Johnny Hammers with One Hammer p. 50

Track 14

Row, Row, Row Your Boat p. 53

Track 15, Round Track 16

I’m a Little Tea Pot p. 57

Track 17

Oh Where, Oh Where has My Little Dog Gone p. 60

Track 18

Over in the Meadow p. 63

Track 19

How Much is that Doggy in the Window p. 74

Track 20

Where is Thumbkin

Track: 13

Grade: PreK – 4th

Concept/Skill:

Fine motor skills
Echoing
Native American Hand Games

National Music Standards:

Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
Performing on instruments, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
Improvising melodies, variations, and accompaniments.
Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts.
Understanding music in relation to history and culture.

Learning Objectives:

Students will be able to echo each line of the song in the Arapaho language
Students will be able to do the finger play with the recording
Students will be able to play a Native American hand game

Materials:

Recording of “Where is Thumbkin”
4 “Bones”- any small objects that can be hidden in your hands. Must be able to differentiate between them by color or marking
10 sticks of 2 different colors (5 of each color)
Shakers, drums, clappers, rhythm sticks etc to play while distracting guessers during hand game play.

Teaching Sequence:

Play the recording and have students do the finger play with the recording.

Encourage students to try to echo each line with the song.

Finger-Play:

Hide hands behind your back. As you name each finger bring out one hand at a time with that finger raised, as lines repeat bring out the other hand to join the first. Nod fingers at each other as they “speak” to each other. On “now go home” return your hands behind your back, one at a time.

Play a hand game:

Teacher: “This song is called a finger-play. That means there are actions you do with your hands when you sing the song. We have a big tradition of finger-play songs in Western culture. Who can think of another song that uses hand motions?”

Pat-a-Cake, 5 Green and Speckled Frogs, Here is the Church etc…

T: “In Native American cultures many tribes had songs that they sang while moving their hands. These songs were for hand games.
Watch a hand game in action: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BBHge8wzR0
Here is how to play hand games:

Any number of people can play the Hand Game, but each team (the “hiding” team and the “guessing” team) must have one leader each.
The Hand Game is played with two pairs of ‘bones’, each pair consisting of one plain and one striped bone.
Typically, ten sticks are used as counters. The counting sticks will be divided evenly between both opposing teams.

Different rules such as which bone will be guessed, the plain or striped bone, is determined by the traditional format of the tribe or region – the plain bone or the striped bone. California, Oklahoma, and Dakota Indians generally call for the striped bone, whereas most other tribes prefer to guess for the plain bone.

The two teams, one “hiding” and one “guessing,” sit opposite one another; two members of the “hiding” team take a pair of bones and hide them, one in each hand, while the team sings, and uses traditional instruments (drums, sticks, rattles, clappers), to attempt to distract the “guessing” team.
The leader of the “guessing” team, must then guess the pattern of the hidden bones. Since each hider holds one plain and one striped bone in each hand, there are initially four possibilities: both to the left, both to the right, both inside, or both outside. A gesture with a stick or hand generally accompanies each call.
For each hider miss-guessed, the calling team must turn over one stick to the hiders.
If a hider is guessed, he must surrender the guessed bones to the calling side.
The side continues hiding and singing until both pairs of bones have been guessed and surrendered. Then the teams reverse roles, and the game continues in this manner until one team holds all the sticks.

Song:

Totou bees3ee3oo, totou bees3ee3oo?

Where is big finger, where is big finger?

Where is Thumbkin, Where is Thumbkin?

Heenteenoo! Heenteenoo!

Here I am! Here I am!

Ko’ne’iinii neite’ei?

Are you well, my friend?

How are you today, sir?

Oh’ (hee) neii’nii neite’ei.

Yes, I am well, my friend.

Very well, I thank you.

Heeckoohuu, heeckoohuu.

Run home, run home.

Run away, run away.

Tootou cheesei3ee3oo? Tootou cheesei3ee3oo?

Where is first finger? Where is first finger?

Where is Pointer? Where is Pointer?

Heenteenoo! Heenteenoo!

Here I am! Here I am!

Ko’ne’iinii neite’ei?

Are you well, my friend?

How are you today, sir?

Oh’ (hee) neii’nii neite’ei.

Yes, I am well, my friend.

Very well, I thank you.

Heeckoohuu, heeckoohuu.

Run home, run home.

Run away, run away.

Tootou niis3ee3oo? Tootou niis3ee3oo?

Where is second finger? Where is second finger?

Where is Tall One? Where is Tall One?

Heenteenoo! Heenteenoo!

Here I am! Here I am!

Ko’ne’iinii neite’ei?

Are you well, my friend?

How are you today, sir?

Oh’ (hee) neii’nii neite’ei.

Yes, I am well, my friend.

Very well, I thank you.

Heeckoohuu, heeckoohuu.

Run home, run home.

Run away, run away.

Tootou nees3ee3oo? Tootou nees3ee3oo?

Where is third finger? Where is third finger?

Where is Ring Finger? Where is Ring Finger?

Heenteenoo! Heenteenoo!

Here I am! Here I am!

Ko’ne’iinii neite’ei?

Are you well, my friend?

How are you today, sir?

Oh’ (hee) neii’nii neite’ei.

Yes, I am well, my friend.

Very well, I thank you.

Heeckoohuu, heeckoohuu.

Run home, run home.

Run away, run away.

Tootou heeces3ee3oo? Tootou heeces3ee3oo?

Where is little finger? Where is little finger?

Where is Pinky? Where is Pinky?

Heenteenoo! Heenteenoo!

Here I am! Here I am!

Ko’ne’iinii neite’ei?

Are you well, my friend?

How are you today, sir?

Oh’ (hee) neii’nii neite’ei.

Yes, I am well, my friend.

Very well, I thank you.

Heeckoohuu, heeckoohuu.

Run home, run home.

Run away, run away.

Follow-up Questions:

How are the hand motions to the song and the hand game similar?
How are they different?

Student Assessment:

Can students echo each line of the song?
Can students isolate fingers in finger-play?
Can students play hand games?

Teaching Notes:

For younger students leave out Hand Game extension if it is beyond their development.
Popsicle sticks and large wooden beads would work well to play the hand game with.

Extension:

Play a hand game in class

References:

F. (2009, April 30). Lahal: A Close Look at the Bone Game. Retrieved January 21, 2018, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BBHge8wzR0

“Handgame.” Wikipedia. January 10, 2018. Accessed January 28, 2018. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Handgame.

Johnny Hammers with One Hammer

Track: 14

Grade: 2-4

Concept/Skill:

Gross Motor
Steady beat
Traditional Native American tools

National Music Standards:

Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.
Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts.
Understanding music in relation to history and culture.

Learning Objectives:

Students will be able to keep a steady beat
Students will be able to keep a steady beat with increasing number of body parts
Students will learn about and describe traditional native American tools and their uses.

Materials:

Recording of “Johnny Hammers With One Hammer”
Pictures (or hands-on examples) of traditional native American tools

ie: arrow-heads, stone hammers, fishing tools etc…

Website to research Native American tools

Recommend: Alchin, L. (2018, January 01). Stone Tools. https://m.warpaths2peacepipes.com/native-indian-weapons-tools/stone-weapons.htm
Recommend: Reddish, L., & Lewis, O. (2015). Native American Indian Weapons. Retrieved April 23, 2018, from http://www.native-languages.org/weapons.htm

Teaching Sequence:

Sing the song/ move to the recording
After doing the song in Arapaho and English ask, “what is the person in the song doing?”

Response: “hammering”

What kind of tool do you use to hammer?

Response: a hammer

What kinds of tools do you have in your house?
Native Americans used lots of different tools like those too, the difference was, that they had to use materials they had access to in order to make their own tools.
What sorts of things do you think Native Americans could use as tools?

Answer: Stone, wood, bones, antlers, animal skins etc…

Song:

(Hiisiino3o’)* insert child’s name woteiheiht neniisitii to’uutot

(child’s name) is pounding with one hammer

Johnny hammers with one hammer, one hammer one hammer,

Hiisiino3o’ woteiheit nuuhuu’ hiisii!

(Child) is pounding today!

Johnny hammers with one hammer all day long!

Hiisiino3o’ woteiheit neniisei’ii to’uutono,

(Name) is pounding with two hammers

Johnny hammers with two hammers, two hammers, two hammers,

Hiisiino3o’ woteiheit nuuhuu hiisii!

(name) is pounding today!

Johnny hammers with two hammers all day long!

Hiisiino3o’ woteiheit neneesei’ii to’uutono,

(Name) is pounding with three hammers

Johnny hammers with two hammers*, two hammers, two hammers,

Hiisiino3o’ woteiheit nuuhuu hiisii!

(name) is pounding today!

Johnny hammers with two hammers all day long!

Hiisiino3o’ woteiheit yeinei’ii to’uutono,

(Name) is pounding with four hammers

Johnny hammers with two hammers*, two hammers, two hammers,

Hiisiino3o’ woteiheit nuuhuu hiisii!

(name) is pounding today!

Johnny hammers with two hammers all day long!

Hiisiino3o’ woteiheit yoo3onei’ii to’uutono,

(Name) is pounding with four hammers

Johnny hammers with two hammers*, two hammers, two hammers,

Hiisiino3o’ woteiheit nuuhuu hiisii!

(name) is pounding today!

Johnny hammers with two hammers all day long!

Hiisiino3o’ neneeteiht, neneetieht, neneeteiht,

(Name) is tired, tired, tired,

Johnny is tired out, tired out, tired out

Hiisiino3o’ neneetieht, heet nooko’hut.

(name) is tired, so he/she will go to sleep

Johnny is tired out so he’ll go to sleep.

*Hiisiino3o’ is the Author’s name. You may choose to insert the names of your students instead

Game: played sitting on the floor.

At one hammer the child pounds one fist on the floor in time to steady beat; two hammers, pound two fists; three hammers, two fists and one foot; four, both hands and feet; five, hands, feet and nod head. At “tired out” child mimes falling asleep on the floor.

Follow-up Questions:

After doing the song in Arapaho and English ask, “what is the person in the song doing?”

Response: “hammering”

What kind of tool do you use to hammer?

Response: a hammer

What other tools do you have in your house?
What sorts of things do you think Native Americans could use as tools?

Answer: Stone, wood, bones, antlers, animal skins etc…

This is an informative website where you can find information about many traditional Native American tools. https://www.warpaths2peacepipes.com/native-indian-weapons-tools/stone-tools.htm

Using the information on the website to jigsaw the lesson.
Individually, or in small groups have students pick a tool from the list to learn about then present what they learned to the class.

What is the name of your tool?
How is the tool used?
What is the tool made of?
Are there modern tools that are similar to this traditional tool?
Provide a picture of the tool – find a picture online or draw a picture of the tool yourself.

Student Assessment:

Can students keep a steady beat to the song with one or more parts of their body?
Can students name their tool and describe what it is made out of and its uses?

Teaching Notes:

This song may be repeated until every child’s name has been called, or it may be finished after completing each verse through “tired out” once.

Extension:

Have students present their findings to the class.

Student presentations can be done in many different ways. Traditional public speaking or creating a poster/trifold poster about the tool are two possibilities.

References:

Alchin, L. (2018, January 16). Native Indian Weapons and Tools. Retrieved February 20, 2018, from https://www.warpaths2peacepipes.com/native-indian-weapons-tools/stone-tools.htm

Row, Row, Row Your Boat

Track: 15

Round - Track: 16

Grade: 1-4

Concept/Skill:

Singing in a Native language
Canoes

National Music Standards:

Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts.
Understanding music in relation to history and culture.

Learning Objectives:

Students will be able to sing “Row, Row, Row Your Boat” in Arapaho
Students will learn about how Native American canoes were traditionally made.
Students will connect what they have learned about traditional canoes to experiences they have had on modern canoes or other boats

Materials:

Recording of “Row, Row, Row, Your Boat”
Canoe images
Canoe craft materials (listed in “Extension”)

Teaching Sequence:

Teach the song “Row Your Boat” and sing along with the recording.

If students are doing well, try singing it in a round!

Ask – what is this song about?

Boats

Who can think of a type of boat that Native Americans would have traditionally used?

Canoes

Canoe Facts:

Canoes were the most common type of boat to be used by Native people throughout North, Central and South America, as well as the Caribbean.
Canoe styles are very different depending on who used them.

Tribes could identify each other just based on the shape and design of their canoe!

There are three types of canoe: Dugout canoes, bark canoes and plank canoes.
Dugout canoes are simply a hollowed out log, although they could be decorated and made to be quite fancy!
Bark Canoes were used mainly in the Northeast Woodlands and Great Lakes areas.

Usually made from birch-bark or elm-bark stretched over a wooden frame.

Plank canoes are the least common style.

Used mainly by West Coast tribes
Made from cedar planks that were “glued” together rather than hollowing out a single log

Some plains tribes used bullboats to transport goods down rivers.

Bullboats were round, rather than long and pointy like a canoe. Made with a wooden frame and covered in an entire buffalo hide, fur side out.
While they were bulky and hard to steer, they were light-weight enough for one person to carry on land, but strong enough to float up to a half ton of goods!
These boats were generally made and operated by women.

Many South American tribes made canoes out of reeds – called reed boats.

Made by bundling totora bulrushes together into a canoe shape.

Watch a short video of Tom Byers making a traditional birch-bark canoe.

“Make a Birch Bark Canoe with Tom Byers” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2leKfPyBbU
Additional Tom Byers and birch-bark canoe facts can be found in this lesson’s “appendix” section.

Canoes are still used today, for fishing, adventure, and leisure.
Modern canoes can be made out of fiberglass, Kevlar composites, plastics, wood, polyethylene, or aluminum
Write a story about a time you went on a canoe or other boat

Or make up a story about a boat trip!

Make your own model canoes! (Directions in the “Extension”)

Song:

Coowouhei he3iiw

Row your boat

Row, row, row your boat

hoowuniihiihi'

Down the stream

Gently down the stream.

Hoonobeih, hoonobeih, hoonobeih, hoonobeih,

Happy, happy, happy, happy

Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily

hiine'tiit toh ni’iini!

Life is good!

Life is but a dream!

Follow-up Questions:

What might Native Americans have used canoes for in the past?

Fishing, traveling, carrying goods

Have you ever been on a canoe or other type of boat?

Tell us about it/Write about it – ELA/creative writing connection

What sorts of things did Native Americans use to make their canoes?
What sorts of things do we use to make canoes today?
How are modern canoes similar to traditional Native American Canoes?

Student Assessment:

Can students sing “Row Your Boat” in Arapaho?
Can students sing “Row Your Boat” in Arapaho in a round?
Can students show connections between traditional Native American canoes and an experience they may have had on a modern canoe or other boat?
Can students write about a boating experience, real or imaginary?
Can students make a model canoe out of tagboard?

Teaching Notes:

If a student has never been on a boat have them make up a story about what they imagine it would be like to go on a boat ride, or make up a story about what it might have been like to be a Native American long ago using a canoe.

Extension:

Make model canoes!

Materials:

Tagboard
Crayons, paint, markers etc (to decorate canoes)
Scissors
Yarn
Single whole punch
Mod Podge Clear Acrylic Sealer Spray

Procedure:

Fold the tag board in half the long way
About a half-inch from the fold line, make another fold.

Do this on both sides of the original fold. The paper should look like a “W”. The folds will be the bottom of the canoe.

With the paper folded, draw a curve at the front and back making a canoe shape on one side of the paper. Make sure the folds are on the bottom.
Cut along the curved lines, removing the bottom corners. You now have a canoe shape.
Glue front then back edges of the canoe together
Punch a few holes along the front and back edges and lace through the holes.
Push the floor flat so that the canoe sits upright.
Decorate your canoe using crayons, paint, markers etc.
Spray with Mod Podge Clear Acrylic Sealer Spray to waterproof your canoes

You can find images for the procedure at this website: http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/na/canoe/
Your finished canoe should look something like this:

References:

E. (2000). Birch Bark Canoe. Retrieved February 22, 2018, from http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/na/canoe/

Nay, E. (2014, July 25). The Birchbark Canoe, A Sustainable Design Classic. Retrieved February 22, 2018, from http://www.alternativesjournal.ca/community/blogs/made-canada/birchbark-canoe-sustainable-design-classic

Redish, L., & Lewis, O. Native American Boats. (2015). Retrieved Feb 22, 2018, from http://www.native-languages.org/boats.htm

T. (2012, March 20). WOYWW: A Native American Craft For Kids! Retrieved March 29, 2018, from https://thefrugalcrafter.wordpress.com/2012/03/21/woyww-a-native-american-craft-for-kids/

Timber, T. (2016, November 25). Making a Birch Bark Canoe with Tom Byers. Retrieved February 22, 2018, from https://m.youtube.com/

Apendix:

Additional canoe facts:

A typical birch-bark canoe consists of selected high grade birch bark, over 35 hand-split cedar ribs, 50 wafer-thin strips of cedar sheathing, full-length gunwales and caps, deck ends, birch thwarts, about 500 feet of spruce or jack pine root lacing, and two quarts of waterproofing made from spruce gum and bear fat. The variability of the natural materials means that each canoe’s shape and character is always unique and no two canoes will ever be alike.
Tom Byers is a Metis craftsman living in Whitefish, Ontario. He has been making birch-bark canoes since 1994
Tom uses just a few simple tools, such as the crooked knife, froe, hatchet, wood mallet, awl and shaving horse in his work. His process incudes collecting materials from the forest and then hand building each canoe, which takes a minimum of 350 hours to complete.

I’m a Little Teapot

Track: 17

Grade: 1-4

Concept/Skill:

Gross Motor Skills
Traditional Native American uses for tea

National Music Standards:

Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.
Evaluating music and music performances.
Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts.
Understanding music in relation to history and culture.

Learning Objectives:

Students will be able to sing and dance along with a recording of “I’m a Little Tea Pot”
Students will learn about and be able to talk about different uses for herbal teas.
Students will build connections between the teas in this lesson and other experiences they may have had with tea in their own lives.

Materials:

Recording of “I’m A Little Teapot”
Chamomile and peppermint teas
Cups
Boiled water
Honey or sugar
Pictures of plants (found in this lesson’s appendix)

Teaching Sequence:

Write the following quote on the board for the students to see when they walk into the room:

“All plants are our brothers and sisters. They talk to us, and if we listen, we can hear them”. — Arapaho Proverb

Sing and dance along with the recording
After singing and dancing, invite students to drink a small cup of chamomile or peppermint tea while you teach them about traditional Arapaho teas, the plants they were made from, and their uses.
The Arapaho, and other Native American peoples, used many different plants in teas as medicine to heal ailments. Here are a few examples:

Peppermint tea soothes an upset stomach and aids in digestion. It has a calming effect and can be used to treat headaches, nausea and anxiety among other ailments.
Chamomile tea has a calming effect and can help with anxiety and insomnia, and is an anti-inflammatory and can lessen hay fever allergy symptoms.
Birch: As a medicine, the bark is used for a tea to help the stomach, or as a general tonic to be drank when one was feeling sick or generally in need of a boost. The bark can also be dried and then used to make a decoction in which sore feet could be soaked.
Juniper is used mainly as a medicine for the treatment of colds, respiratory congestion, coughs, and sore throats. Placing a blanket or towel over boiling needles and inhaling the steam relieves congestion. A tea to treat coughs and sore throats is made by boiling the berries, and is also used as a gastrointestinal aid.
Rose Petals: Arapahos eat rose petals to promote wellness, and also use the plant as a medicinal tonic. The bark is used to make a tea that was used as a stomach medicine. The bark is scraped off, dried, and then boiled. It is used to flush out the intestines.
Sagebrush: is used for many medicinal purposes. It can be boiled and used for asthma and colds, perhaps by means of an herbal steam bath. It can also be snuffed for headaches, and sagebrush tea is drunk to cure indigestion. To help external sores it is boiled and then applied to the wound.

Song:

Neneeninoo heecis biiciixoo3eiyoo

I am a little tea pot

I’m a little tea pot, short and stout

Niiyou tonounowne’

Here is where you hold me

Here is my handle

Neeyou couscuutone’

There is where I pour from

Here is my spout

Tih’xonouu’oo’noo

When I steam

When I get all steamed up

Niitoni niitounoo

Listen to me shout:

Hear me shout:

“Chi’ i3ecinoo’oo noh couscuutinoo!”

“Tip me over and pour me out!”

Dance:

Line 1: hands on knees, bounce to the beat

Line 2: right hand on hip

Line 3: left hand curved up into a “spout”

Line 4/5: lean to the left (towards your “spout”)

Follow-up Questions:

Do you or your parents ever drink tea at home?
Why do you drink tea?
After learning about tea today do you think you would drink tea more often? Why or why not?
What sorts of things can tea help you with?

Digestion, calming, sleep, headache etc…

Student Assessment:

Are students able to sing and/or dance along with a recording of “I’m a Little Tea Pot”?
Are students able to talk about different uses for herbal teas?
Have students built connections between the teas in this lesson and other experiences they may have had with tea in their own lives?

Teaching Notes:

Drinking tea while learning about different traditional tea uses is a good way to get kids engaged in the lesson, but make sure that drinking any tea is the child’s choice. Allow them to choose which tea to sample and whether to add sweetener so they can feel ownership within the activity.

Extension:

drink tea, talk about tea uses.
If time you can invite students to share stories about their own experiences with tea – ie: Drinking tea at a Chinese restaurant, grandma has fancy tea cups etc…

References:

U. (Ed.). (n.d.). The Significance of Plants and Animals. Retrieved February 25, 2018, from https://www.colorado.edu/csilw/arapahoproject/nature/naturereference.html

Oh Where, Oh Where Has My Little Dog Gone?

Track: 18

Grade: 3/4

Concept/Skill:

Singing in a Native language
Native American’s traditional relationship with dogs

National Music Standards:

Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts.
Understanding music in relation to history and culture.

Learning Objectives:

Students will be able to sing “Oh Where, Oh Where has my Little Dog Gone?” in Arapaho
Students will learn about traditional relationships between Native Americans and dogs
Students will learn about travois.
Students will build connections between traditional jobs for dogs, and modern jobs for dogs

Materials:

Recording of “Oh Where, Oh Where Has My Little Dog Gone?”
Two 2-inch diameter dowels about 4-feet long each
A canvas bag
A 30lb weight (or weights adding up to 30lbs)
Paracord or other thin rope.

Teaching Sequence:

Learn and sing “Oh Where, Oh Where Has My Little Dog Gone?” in Arapaho with the recording.
Ask: “What is this song about?”

A dog

“Do any of you have a dog?”
“What sorts of things do you do with your dog?”
“Does your family ever take your dog hunting?”
“Does your dog help keep your home safe?”
“Let’s learn about what sorts of things dogs would help Native Americans with long ago.”

Dogs were held in high esteem by most Native American tribes, even tribes who ate dog respected them very much, just like the buffalo were respected.

In Arapaho the custom is to pray before eating a dog, so that the good from the dog can be taken into the person eating it, because the dogs are considered sacred.

Stories about dogs usually showed dogs in the role of loyal helpers and friends to people. In stories people who treated their dogs well were rewarded, but people who disrespect dogs were harshly punished.
Dogs were the only domesticated animal in North America before settlers came and introduced horses, cows and other farming animals. Dogs were hunting companions, pack animals and camp guards.
Before horses were introduced to Native American people by white settlers, people would use dogs to help transport goods across distances by using a tool called a travois.
Travois, also known as drag sleds, were used by Native Americans to carry goods on land. Made of two wooden poles crossed over a dog’s back, and dragging behind it on the ground. A platform, basket or netting was suspended between the poles which the goods were loaded onto.
Travois were used to carry meat back from a hunt, or for nomadic tribes, such as those on the Great Plains, to move their campsites.
While not as efficient for carrying goods as a sled with runners, it did allow for goods to be transported over distances when there was no snow.
Dogs are very strong and good at pulling. A dog can pull 20-30 pounds using a travois.

Discuss similarities between traditional jobs for dogs and modern jobs for dogs.

Song:

Teetehek, teetehek, nete3ebiib,

Where, where is my dog?

Oh where, oh where has my little dog gone?

Teetehek, teetehek hinee he3?

Where, where is that dog?

Oh where, oh where could he be?

Toonineet, noh heeyeteet

His tail is short and is ears are long.

With his ears cut short and his tail cut long,

Teetehek? Niibeet ceh no’useet!

Where is he? I want him to come back!

Oh where, oh where could he be?

Follow-up Questions:

Who here has a dog?
What sorts of things do you do with your dog?
Does your family ever take your dog hunting?
Does your dog help keep your home safe?
What other jobs to dogs have?

Seeing eye dog, police dog, search and rescue, stunt dog in movies etc…

Do dogs still help people in some of the same ways now as they did for traditional Native Americans?

Yes! Guard dogs, hunting partners…

Student Assessment:

Can students sing “Oh Where, Oh Where has my Little Dog Gone?” in Arapaho?
Can students tell about traditional relationships between Native Americans and dogs?
Do students understand about travois and their uses?
Have students built connections between traditional jobs for dogs, and modern jobs for dogs?

Teaching Notes:

For the extension build one travois in advance. Take turns trying out the activity individually and recording individual answers, then compare results as a class.

Extension: cross curricular connection to the scientific method.

Build your own travois and see if it makes it any easier to move heavy things from one place to another.

Take two, 2”, 4’ long dowels and tie them together so they cross about 10” from the end to make a wedge shape. Tie the handles of the canvas bag to each dowel to make a sack hammock in the space between the dowels. You now have a travois.

Make a hypothesis: do you think that using a travois will make it easier or harder to move 30lbs from one end of the room to the other? Or do you think it won’t make a difference using a travois or not?

Try carrying a 30lb weight in your arms moving it from one end of the room to the other.

Was it hard or easy?

Now load the weight into your travois and see if it is easier, harder, or the same difficulty to move.

Did you prove your hypothesis correct? Or was your hypothesis incorrect?

References:

Redish, L., & Lewis, O. (2015). Native American Dog Mythology. Retrieved March 12, 2018, from http://www.native-languages.org/legends-dogs.htm

Redish, L., &Lewis, O. (2015). American Indian Travois. Retrieved March 12, 2018, from http://www.native-languages.org/travois.htm

Over in the Meadow

Track: 19

Grade: 4

Concept/Skill:

Comparing language use in song translations
Rhyme Scheme/form
Prepositions
Cultural significance of animals

National Music Standards:

Singing, alone and with others, a varied repertoire of music.
Improvising melodies, variations, and accompaniments.
Composing and arranging music within specified guidelines.
Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.
Evaluating music and music performances.
Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts.
Understanding music in relation to history and culture.

Learning Objectives:

Students will be able to recognize rhyme scheme in English and Arapaho
Students will be able to describe differences in song translations
Students will be able to recognize prepositions within the song
Students will be able to compose a four-line rhyming poem using a preposition
Students will learn about culturally significant animals and their natural habitats

Materials:

Recording of “Over In The Meadow”
Pictures of each of the animals in the song
Original “Over in the Meadow” song and/or book
Map of the United States

Teaching Sequence:

Listen to the English version of the song
Determine the rhyme scheme in the English version of the song

The last word on each line rhyme with each other

Listen to the Arapaho version of the song

Encourage students to sing along with repeating lines once they feel comfortable

Determine the rhyme scheme of the Arapaho version of the song

Does it follow the same rhyme scheme as the English version?

Yes, with an implied rhyme on line one

Read the English translation of the Arapaho version

It may be helpful to compare this translation with the original English side-by side with print-outs or by projecting it for the class.

Compare the Arapaho to English version with the original English version.

How are they different? How are they similar?

What animals are used in this song?
What connects all of these animals?

They are all animals that Native Americans would have interacted with – especially Plains peoples

See “Extension” for cross-curricular collaborative project, or tell students about cultural significance using notes from the lesson Appendix.

Define the concept of prepositions

Find all of the different prepositions in the song
In small groups write a four-line rhyming poem using at least one preposition from the song
Define the rhyme scheme of your composition

ie: AAAA, ABAB, ABBA

Perform the song using a mi-sol-la melody.

Song:

Huu3oobe’ toonoxteni’, nonooni hiinon,

In that meadow over there, a buffalo mother

Over in the meadow in the sand, in the sun

Noh neniisiti’ nihoonou’u biihi3ii woxu’uno.

And her one baby buffalo are eating grass.

Lived an old mother buffalo and her little buffalo one.

“Cih nihi’koohuu,” heehehk hiinon, “Niini’ nihi’koohuunoo!”

“Run,” said the mother, “I can run!”

“Run,” said the mother, “I run,” said the one

Noh hiinoon noh nihoonou’u niihehk, “Wow hoonobeihino’!”

And the mother and baby buffalo say, “Now we are happy!”

And they ran and were glad in the sand in the sun!

Huu3oobe’ toonoxteni’, wox hiinon

In that meadow over there, a bear mother

Over in the meadow by a stream of blue

Noh neniisi3i’ woxuusoono’ teesiihii woxu’uno.

And her two baby bears are on the grass.

Lived an old mother bear and her little bears two.

“Cihnookoohuu3ii,” heehehk hiinon, “Niini’ nookoohuu3iinoo!”

“Go to sleep,” said the mother, “We can sleep!”

“Sleep,” said the mother, “We sleep,” said the two,

Noh hiinoon noh woxuusoono’ niihehk, “Wow hoonobeihino’!”

And the mother and the baby bears say, “Now we are happy!”

And they slept and were glad by the stream of blue.

Huu3oobe’ toonoxteni’, heeyei hiinoon

In that meadow over there, a hawk mother

Over in the meadow in a tall oak tree

Noh neneesi3i’ heeyeisoono’ hicebe woxu’uno.

And her three baby hawks are above the grass.

Lived an old mother hawk and her little hawks three.

“Cih ninii’oohuu3ii” heehehk hiinon, “Niini’ ninii’oohuu3iinoo”

“Fly,” said the mother, “We can fly!”

“Fly,” said the mother, “We fly,” said the three,

Noh hiinon noh heeyeisoono’ niihehk, “Wow hoonobeihino’!”

And mother and baby hawks say, “Now we are happy!”

And they flew and were glad above the old oak tree

Huu3oobe’ toonoxteni’, siisiiyei hiinon

In that meadow over there, a snake mother

Over in the meadow on the cool forest floor

Noh yeini3i’ siisiiyeisoono’ 3eneisi woxu’uno.

And her four baby snakes are in the grass.

Lived an old mother snake and her little snakes four.

“Cih coowooceisee3ii” heehehk hiinon, “Niini’ coowooceisee3inoo”

“Crawl on your stomachs,” said the mother, “We can crawl on our stomachs!”

“Slither,” said the mother, “We slither,” said the four

Noh hiinoon noh siisiiyeisoono’ niihehk, “Wow hoonobeihino’!”

And the mother and baby snakes say, “Now we are happy!”

And they slithered and were glad on the cool forest floor.

Huu3oobe’ toonoxteni’, koo’oh hiinon

In that meadow over there, a coyote mother

Over in the meadow by a busy bee hive

Noh yonoo3ooni3i’ koo’ohwuusoono’ neehii3ei woxu’uno.

And her five baby coyotes are between the grass.

Lived an old mother coyote and her little coyotes five.

“Cih niini3i,’” heehehk hiinoon, “Niini’ niini3ino’!”

“Howl,” said the mother, “We can howl!”

“Howl,” said the mother, “We howl,” said the five

Noh hiinoon noh koo’ohwuusoono’ niihehk, “Wow hoonobeihinoo’!”

And the mother and baby coyotes say, “Now we are happy!”

And they howled and were glad near the busy bee hive.

Huu3oobe’ toonoxteni’ hooxei hiinoon

In that meadow over there, a wolf mother

Over in the meadow near a pile of sticks

Noh niitootuxuu3i’ hooxeisoono’ nee’eeteebe’ woxu’uno.

And her six baby wolves are in the behind of the grass.

Lived an old mother wolf, and her little wolves six.

“Cih’noo’ei3i,” heehehk hiinon, “Niini’ hinoo’ei3iino’!”

“Hunt,” said the mother, “We can hunt!”

“Hunt,” said the mother, “We hunt,” said the six,

Noh hiinoon noh hooxeisoono’ niihehk, “Wow hoonobeihino’!”

And the mother and her baby wolves “Now we are happy!”

And they hunted and were happy by the pile of sticks.

Huu3oobe’ toonoxteni’, nisice hiinoon

In that meadow over there, an antelope mother

Over in the meadow in a warm, sunny heaven,

Noh niisootuxuu3i’ nisicesoo’ho’ no’oeniihii woxu’uno.

And her seven baby antelope are around the grass.

Lived an old mother antelope and her little antelopes seven.

“Cih hii’iniketi3ii” heehehk hiinon, “Niini’ii’iniketiino’!”

“Play,” said the mother, “We can play!”

“Play,” said the mother, “We play,” said the seven

Noh hiinoon noh nisicesoo’ho niihehk, “Wow hoonobeihino’!”

And the mother and her baby antelope say, “Now we are happy!”

And they played and were happy in their warm, sunny heaven.

Huu3oobe’ toonoxteni’, noowo’ hiinoon

In that meadow over there, a fish mother

Over in the meadow as the day was getting late,

Noh neesootuxuu3i’ cihi’noowou’u nooneeet woxu’uno.

And her eight minnows are near the grass.

Lived an old mother fish and her little fishes eight.

“Cih heniinoowu3ii” heehehk hiinoon, “Niini’ heniinoowu3iino’!”

“Swim,” said the mother, “We can swim!”

“Swim,” said the mother, “We swim,” said the eight

Noh hiinoon noh cihi’noowou’u niihehk, “Wow hoonoobeihino’!”

And the mother and minows say, “Now we are happy!”

And they swam and were glad as the day was getting late.

Huu3oobe’ toonoxteni’, nouciitoo3eihii hiinoon

In that meadow over there, a gopher mother

Over in the meadow along a crooked fence line

Noh 3ii’otuxuu3i nouciitoo3eihiisoono’ hi3oobe woxu’uno.

And her nine baby gophers are under the grass.

Lived an old mother gopher and her little gophers nine.

“Cih nonooxci3eit,” heehehk hiinoon, “Niini’ nonooxci3ei’iinoo!”

“Dig,” said the mother, “We can dig!”

“Dig,” said the mother, “We dig,” said the nine

Noh hiinoon noh nouciitoo3eihiisoono’ niihehk, “Wow hoonobeihino’!”

And the mother and baby gophers say, “Now we are happy!”

And they dug and were glad along the crooked fence line.

Huu3oobe’ toonoxteni’, nokuu hiinon,

In that meadow over there, a rabbit mother

Over in the meadow in a snug little den

Noh beeteetuxuu3ii nokuusoono’ teesiihii woxu’uno.

And her ten baby rabbits are on the grass.

Lived an old mother rabbit and her little rabbits ten.

“Cih ceenoo’oo” heehehk hiinoon, “Niini’ ceenoo’oono’!”

“Jump,” said the mother, “We can jump!”

“Jump,” said the mother, “We jump,” said the ten

Noh hiinoon noh nookuusoonoo niihehk, “Wow hoonobeihino’!”

And the mother and baby rabbits say, “Now we are happy!”

And they jumped and were glad in their snug little den.

Follow-up Questions:

How is the Arapaho version different from the English version?
What words rhyme in the English version?
Do the Arapaho words rhyme?
Is the rhyme pattern the same in the English and Arapaho versions of the song?
Does the English translation of the Arapaho words rhyme?
How are the two versions of the song different?
Why do you think the versions are different?
What do you notice about where you might find the animals used in the Arapaho version?

Could be:

All are around grass,
Or: all are found in the Plains and Western Mountainous areas of America – ie: an area around the Dakotas, Wyoming, Colorado

point out the area on a map

Student Assessment:

Can students identify rhyme scheme in both English and Arapaho?
Can students describe the differences in rhyme scheme and different translations?
Can students determine why the translations are different?
Can students identify prepositions?
Can students compose a four-line poem with a set rhyme-scheme?
Can students relate information about culturally significant animals?

Extension: Opportunity for cross-curricular collaboration:

In groups of two or three, have students pick one animal from the song to research and learn more about.

Where does the animal live?
What type of home does the animal dwell in?
What does the animal eat?
How would native people traditionally interact with the animal?

Ie: the animal was food, the animal was considered sacred, the animal was feared etc…

After learning more about the animal have each group present their findings to the class.

Could include public speaking, written and visual art aspects in the presentation.

References:

B. (2016). Bison or Buffalo & Native Americans. Retrieved March 05, 2018, from http://buffalofieldcampaign.org/about-buffalo/buffalo-and-native-americans

D. (2016, September 19). Basic Facts About Bison. Retrieved March 05, 2018, from https://defenders.org/bison/basic-facts

D. (2018). Places for Wolves. Retrieved March 05, 2018, from https://defenders.org/places-for-wolves/cultural-significance-wolves

F. (2016, June 09). What Do Trout Eat. Retrieved March 5, 2016, from http://www.flyfisherman.com/how-to/beginners/what-do-trout-eat/

N. (2011, May 10). Coyote. Retrieved March 5, 2018, from https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/c/coyote/

Redish, L. (2015). Native American Bear Mythology. Retrieved March 05, 2018, from http://www.native-languages.org/legends-bear.htm

Redish, L., & Lewis, O. Native American Rattlesnake Mythology. (2015). Retrieved March 05, 2018, from http://www.native-languages.org/legends-rattlesnake.htm

Redish, L., & Lewis, O. Native American Wolf Mythology. (2015). Retrieved March 05, 2018, from http://www.native-languages.org/legends-wolf.htm

Redish, L., & Lewis, O. Native American Antelope Mythology. (2015). Retrieved March 05, 2018, from http://www.native-languages.org/legends-antelope.htm

Reddish, L., & Lewis, O. (2015). Native American Coyote Mythology. Retrieved March 5, 2018, from http://www.native-languages.org/legends-coyote.htm

Reddish, L., & Lewis, O. (2015). Native American Fish Mythology. Retrieved March 5, 2015, from http://www.native-languages.org/legends-fish.htm

Redish, L., & Lewis, O. (2015). Native American Gopher Mythology. Retrieved March 05, 2018, from http://www.native-languages.org/legends-gopher.htm

Redish, L., & Lewis, O. Native American Rabbit Mythology. (2015). Retrieved March 05, 2018, from http://www.native-languages.org/legends-rabbit.htm

Red-Tailed Hawk. (2010, November 11). Retrieved March 05, 2018, from https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birds/r/red-tailed-hawk/

W. (2017). All About Gophers | Gopher Facts | Gopher Trap from Victor®. Retrieved March 05, 2018, from http://www.victorpest.com/advice/rodent-library/gophers

Appendix:

Side by side English translations
Animal facts

Original English Lyrics

Arapaho to English Translation

Over in the meadow in the sand, in the sun

Lived an old mother buffalo and her little buffalo one.

“Run,” said the mother, “I run,” said the one

And they ran and were glad in the sand in the sun!

In that meadow over there, a buffalo mother

And her one baby buffalo are eating grass.

“Run,” said the mother, “I can run!”

And now the mother and baby buffalo are happy!

Over in the meadow by a stream of blue

Lived an old mother bear and her little bears two.

“Sleep,” said the mother, “We sleep,” said the two,

And they slept and were glad by the stream of blue.

In that meadow over there, a bear mother

And her two baby bears are on the grass.

“Go to sleep,” said the mother, “We can sleep!”

And now the mother and the baby bears are happy!

Over in the meadow in a tall oak tree

Lived an old mother hawk and her little hawks three.

“Fly,” said the mother, “We fly,” said the three,

And they flew and were glad above the old oak tree

In that meadow over there, a hawk mother

And her three baby hawks are above the grass.

“Fly,” said the mother, “We can fly!”

And now the mother and baby hawks are happy!

Over in the meadow on the cool forest floor

Lived an old mother snake and her little snakes four.

“Slither,” said the mother, “We slither,” said the four

And they slithered and were glad on the cool forest floor.

In that meadow over there, a snake mother

And her four baby snakes are in the grass.

“Crawl on your stomachs,” said the mother, “We can crawl on our stomachs!”

And now the mother and baby snakes are happy!

Over in the meadow by a busy bee hive

Lived an old mother coyote and her little coyotes five.

“Howl,” said the mother, “We howl,” said the five

And they howled and were glad near the busy bee hive.

In that meadow over there, a coyote mother

And her five baby coyotes are behind the grass.

“Howl,” said the mother, “We can howl!”

And now the mother and baby coyotes are happy!

Over in the meadow near a pile of sticks

Lived an old mother wolf, and her little wolves six.

“Hunt,” said the mother, “We hunt,” said the six,

And they hunted and were happy by the pile of sticks.

In that meadow over there, a wolf mother

And her six baby wolves are between the grass.

“Hunt,” said the mother, “We can hunt!”

And now the mother and her baby wolves are happy!

Over in the meadow in a warm, sunny heaven,

Lived an old mother antelope and her little antelopes seven.

“Play,” said the mother, “We play,” said the seven

And they played and were happy in their warm, sunny heaven.

In that meadow over there, an antelope mother

And her seven baby antelope are around the grass.

“Play,” said the mother, “We can play!”

And now the mother and her baby antelope are happy!

Over in the meadow as the day was getting late,

Lived an old mother fish and her little fishes eight.

“Swim,” said the mother, “We swim,” said the eight

And they swam and were glad as the day was getting late.

In that meadow over there, a fish mother

And her eight baby fish are near the grass.

“Swim,” said the mother, “We can swim!”

And now the mother and baby fish are happy!

Over in the meadow along a crooked fence line

Lived an old mother gopher and her little gophers nine.

“Dig,” said the mother, “We dig,” said the nine

And they dug and were glad along the crooked fence line.

In that meadow over there, a gopher mother

And her nine baby gophers are under the grass.

“Dig,” said the mother, “We can dig!”

And now the mother and baby gophers are happy!

Over in the meadow in a snug little den

Lived an old mother rabbit and her little rabbits ten.

“Jump,” said the mother, “We jump,” said the ten

And they jumped and were glad in their snug little den.

In that meadow over there, a rabbit mother

And her ten baby rabbits are on the grass.

“Jump,” said the mother, “We can jump!”

And now the mother and baby rabbits are happy!

Bison:

Habitat: The Great Plains. (See map). It is believed that there were once as many as 40 million in N. America. During the late 1800s the bison were almost completely wiped out by white hunters and ranchers in the push for western civilization. Today Yellowstone National Park is home to about 4,000 bison, the largest population in the world.

Diet: Grasses

Cultural Significance: Plains Indians relied upon the bison for their livelihood. Eating the meat, using the hides for tepees, as sleeping mats and in ceremonial dress, and even used the horns as eating utensils. Because the bison were so essential to the livelihoods of Native Plains Indians, the bison were also very important religiously and were considered sacred.

“The buffalo gave us everything we needed. Without it we were nothing. Our tipis were made of his skin. His hide was our bed, our blanket, our winter coat. It was our drum, throbbing through the night, alive, holy. Out of his skin we made our water bags. His flesh strengthened us, became flesh of our flesh. Not the smallest part of it was wasted. His stomach, a red-hot stone dropped in to it, became our soup kettle. His horns were our spoons, the bones our knives, our women's awls and needles. Out of his sinews we made our bowstrings and thread. His ribs were fashioned into sleds for our children, his hoofs became rattles. His mighty skull, with the pipe leaning against it, was our sacred altar. The name of the greatest of all Sioux was Tatanka Iyotake—Sitting Bull. When you killed off the buffalo you also killed the Indian—the real, natural, "wild" Indian.”

– John Fire Lame Deer

B. (2016). Bison or Buffalo & Native Americans. Retrieved March 05, 2018, from http://buffalofieldcampaign.org/about-buffalo/buffalo-and-native-americans

D. (2016, September 19). Basic Facts About Bison. Retrieved March 05, 2018, from https://defenders.org/bison/basic-facts

Grizzly Bears:

Habitat: In N. America they ranged from Alaska, through western Canada and in the NW United States (See map)

Grizzly Bears hibernate for 5-7 months of each year in a den.

Diet: they are omnivores, meaning they eat both plants and animals. They eat deer, fish, rodents, birds, eggs, berries, pine nuts, grasses, tubers and even moths.

Cultural Significance: Some tribes would eat bear, if they had access. Bear meat was a very good nutrition source to survive winter. Hides would be used for bedding. Some tribes also believed bears to be sacred. Bears are considered to be medicine beings by most native cultures, and are believed to have magical powers. Bears are a symbol of strength and wisdom and are associated with healing and medicine.

Redish, L. (2015). Native American Bear Mythology. Retrieved March 05, 2018, from http://www.native-languages.org/legends-bear.htm

Hawk:

Habitat: They are found all over North America, and into Central America and the Caribbean. They live in a wide range of habitats including deserts, grasslands, and coniferous and deciduous forests. Unlike many other wild animals, they have adapted well to modern civilization and are not considered threatened or endangered.

Diet: Carnivores. They prey most often on rodents and other small mammals, as well as birds and reptiles. They rarely eat amphibians or fish.

Cultural Significance: also known as the chickenhawk – there is a traditional pow-wow chickenhawk dance which mimics some of the bird’s behaviors. Hawk feathers are considered sacred to many tribes and are used in some sacred ceremonies and in ceremonial dress.

Red-Tailed Hawk. (2010, November 11). Retrieved March 05, 2018, from https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birds/r/red-tailed-hawk/

Snake:

Habitat: rattlesnakes are native to the Americas, and can live in many environments. Most live in open, rocky areas, although they can also be found in prairies, marches, deserts and forests.

Diet: small rats, mice, birds and other small animals.

Cultural Significance: Many tribes viewed rattles snakes as powerful and dangerous, and were associated with witchcraft, violence and revenge. Some legends say that rattlesnake was the first to bring death into the world.

Redish, L., & Lewis, O. Native American Rattlesnake Mythology. (2015). Retrieved March 05, 2018, from http://www.native-languages.org/legends-rattlesnake.htm

Coyote:

Habitat: most numerous in grasslands with bison, antelope, elk, deer, and prairie dogs, although they are found all over North and Central America. While many other wild animals have become threatened by humans and modern civilization, coyotes have thrived, largely due to their competitors’ downfalls.

Diet: deer, rabbits and other rodents, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish

Cultural Significance: serves as the Trickster God to many tribes

N. (2011, May 10). Coyote. Retrieved March 5, 2018, from https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/c/coyote/

Reddish, L., & Lewis, O. (2015). Native American Coyote Mythology. Retrieved March 5, 2018, from http://www.native-languages.org/legends-coyote.htm

Wolf:

Habitat: Wolves used to cover effectively all of North America and Mexico, but are now threatened by civilization. Today they are found in Alaska, parts of Canada, northern Minnesota and Wisconsin, and parts of Washington, Idaho, Oregon and Montana. grey wolves are found in deserts, grasslands, forests and the arctic tundra. Females make dens for their cubs in the summer time, frequently evicting other animals from a pre-made den and enlarging it rather than digging their own.

Diet: wolves are predators. They used to rely heavily on Bison as a main food source. Wolves also eat all manner of dee-like animals including moose, small and large rodents, waterfowl and their eggs, lizards, snakes, frogs, and even carrion if times get tough.

Cultural Significance: Some Plains tribes believe that a wolf-man spirit created the Great Plains for them. In most Native American cultures the Wolf is considered a medicine being, and are associated with courage, strength, loyalty and success at hunting. In Washington, the Quileute tribe believe that they are descended from wolves and were transformed into men. (Yes, the legends written about in Twilight are based on actual lore, that stuff about werewolves wasn’t invented by Stephanie Meyer, she borrowed it.) Wolves are also believed to be closely related to people.

D. (2018). Places for Wolves. Retrieved March 05, 2018, from https://defenders.org/places-for-wolves/cultural-significance-wolves

Redish, L., & Lewis, O. Native American Wolf Mythology. (2015). Retrieved March 05, 2018, from http://www.native-languages.org/legends-wolf.htm

Antelope:

Habitat: Pronghorn Antelope are found in the central strip of N. America, ranging from Saskatchewan and Alberta, through Minnesota, Texas, California, and into the Northern part of Central America and Mexico. (see map)

Diet: plants including wildflowers, grasses, shrubs, and cacti

Cultural Significance: Some tribes believe the antelope are messengers from the spirit world. Antelope were also a food-source for many tribes.

Redish, L., & Lewis, O. Native American Antelope Mythology. (2015). Retrieved March 05, 2018, from http://www.native-languages.org/legends-antelope.htm

Fish:

Habitat: trout are freshwater fish found in lakes and rivers

Diet: typically eat other smaller fish, insects such as flies, mayflies and dragonflies and zooplankton

Cultural Significance: major food source to fishing tribes.

F. (2016, June 09). What Do Trout Eat. Retrieved March 5, 2016, from http://www.flyfisherman.com/how-to/beginners/what-do-trout-eat/

Reddish, L., & Lewis, O. (2015). Native American Fish Mythology. Retrieved March 5, 2015, from http://www.native-languages.org/legends-fish.htm

Gopher:

Habitat: gophers live throughout N. America in woodlands, prairies, and mountainous areas. They live in self-made tunnels and burrows under the ground. Gophers and prairie dogs prefer land that is grazed by Bison because it keeps the grass short, making it easy to watch for predators.

Diet: considered omnivores, eating nuts, berries, grass, bulbs, leaves and insects

Cultural Significance: many tribes consider gophers to be messengers of the underworld and are sometimes considered a symbol of death. Some cultures consider gophers medicine people and believed that gophers could cause or cure illnesses. A gopher digging near a home was considered a bad omen of sickness or death, and birth defects were believed to be caused by eating a vegetable that a gopher had touched. It is taboo to eat a gopher in many tribes.

Redish, L., & Lewis, O. (2015). Native American Gopher Mythology. Retrieved March 05, 2018, from http://www.native-languages.org/legends-gopher.htm

W. (2017). All About Gophers | Gopher Facts | Gopher Trap from Victor®. Retrieved March 05, 2018, from http://www.victorpest.com/advice/rodent-library/gophers

Rabbit:

Habitat: rabbits live in meadows, woods, forests, grasslands, deserts and wetlands. More than half of the world’s rabbit population live in N. America, although they also live in Europe, Asia, Africa, South America and Australia.

Diet: plants including roots, tubers, grasses and flowers

Cultural Significance: Many tribes (especially Eastern tribes) consider the Rabbit to be a trickster god. Many Mexican and Central American tribes view the rabbit as a symbol of fertility. Plains Indians have a social rabbit dance that can still be seen danced at pow-wows.

Redish, L., & Lewis, O. Native American Rabbit Mythology. (2015). Retrieved March 05, 2018, from http://www.native-languages.org/legends-rabbit.htm

How Much is that Doggy in the Window

Track: 20

Grade: 4+

Concept/Skill:

6/8 time
Traditional bartering system

National Music Standards:

Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.
Evaluating music and music performances.
Understanding relationships between music, the other arts, and disciplines outside the arts.
Understanding music in relation to history and culture.

Learning Objectives:

Students will be able to pat strong and weak beats in 6/8 time
Students will demonstrate understanding of the bartering system through an interactive bartering activity.

Materials:

Recording of “How Much Is That Doggy In The Window”
Plastic baggies

Items for bartering activity

Bring in representative items (ie: pennies for copper, pieces of felt for blankets etc)
Or print slips with items written on them
Or print small images of each item, such as the ones found in the appendix

Teaching Sequence:

Listen to recording of “How Much is that Doggie in the Window” while keeping the beat in 6/8 time

1-2-3, 4-5-6

After figuring out how to show strong and weak beats in 6/8 time sing the song in English.
Ask: what is this song about?

Someone who wants to buy a puppy.

Ask: how do people purchase things they need or want?

Go to a store, pay money

Ask: how would people have been able to purchase things they needed or wanted without money?
Before white settlers came, Native American people didn’t have money. Instead, if they needed or wanted something they couldn’t get for themselves from their own land they would trade with other tribes for those things.
This is called the bartering system.
There are no set prices in a barter system. Instead, goods and services are traded for other goods and services, and the two groups making the trade decide on how much the goods are worth when they are making the trade.
The bartering system works by trading or sharing, and you have all probably already been using the bartering system without even realizing it!
Ask: Have you ever traded candy or food with your friends? Say you have chocolate in your lunch and your friend has skittles, have you ever pooled your chocolate and skittles so you could both have some of each? Or traded your chocolate for your friend’s skittles?

Offer examples of bartering that children will understand such as:

“Have you ever shared or taken turns on the playground? Maybe you have made a deal with a friend that you play kickball for part of a recess then play tetherball for the other part of recess.”
Or “Maybe you have offered to take out the trash at home in exchange for extra time playing before bed?”
These are all examples of bartering!

Ask: Who can think of a time when you have bartered for something?

Allow students the opportunity to share bartering stories from their own experience

Classroom bartering activity:

Break the class into 5 groups which will represent 5 different Native American cultural regions in the United states.

Each group will be given baggies with picture representations of different items that tribes from the different areas would have access to.

The goal is to have each group trade items that they have for items that they want

Try not to give away everything that you have
Try to get everything on the list of what you want within the given time

Give about 20 minutes for this activity

Tradable goods and wants for each region:

Northwest coast:

Have: woven mats, woven blankets, shells, dried salmon
Want: bison hides, obsidian, copper

Great Basin:

Have: obsidian, dried salmon, porcupine quills
Want: woven mats, woven blankets, pottery, bison hides, tobacco

Southwest:

Have: corn, beans and squash (single tradable group), pottery, turquoise, feathers
Want: shells, porcupine quills, bison hides, copper, obsidian

Great Plains:

Have: Bison hides, tobacco, porcupine quills
Want: corn, beans and squash, shells, woven blankets, turquoise, dried salmon

Eastern Woodlands:

Have: corn, beans and squash, copper
Want: bison hides, turquoise, obsidian

After the activity ask each group:

Did you get everything that you wanted from your list?

How did you manage to get all the items?
Or: why were you unable to get all of the items?

Were you able to keep some of each tradable item?

Why or why not?

How did you work with the trading partners in your group in order to collect everything you needed?

Go as a group to talk to other groups and trade?
Split up and have each person go for a specific item?

What works well about the bartering system?
What is challenging about the bartering system?
Do you think we should go back to bartering, or should we stick with the money system we have now?

Song:

Heetou3u hinee he3? Heet nootoonoo3o’

How much is that dog? I’m going to buy him,

How much is that doggy in the window,

To’oonineihit hinee he3?

That dog with the short tail?

The one with the waggily tail?

Heetou3u hinee he3? Heet nootoonoo3o’

How much is that dog? I’m going to buy him.

How much is that doggy in the window?

Niibeet nootoonoo3o’ hinee he3!

I want to buy that dog!

Please tell me that dog is for sale!

Follow-up Questions:

How do people purchase things they need or want?

Go to a store, pay money

How would people have been able to purchase things they needed or wanted without money?

They traded for them

Who can think of a time when you have bartered for something?
Did you get everything that you wanted from your list?

How did you manage to get all the items?
Or: why were you unable to get all of the items?

Were you able to keep some of each tradable item?

Why or why not?

How did you work with the trading partners in your group in order to collect everything you needed?

Go as a group to talk to other groups and trade?
Split up and have each person go for a specific item?

What works well about the bartering system?
What is challenging about the bartering system?
Do you think we should go back to bartering, or should we stick with the money system we have now?

Student Assessment:

Can students subdivide in 6/8 time?
Can students explain how bartering is different from the money system?
Were students able to work together in order to make trades?
Were students able to attain all items from their list without using up all of their resources within the allotted time?

Teaching Notes:

You will have to create manipulatives for this activity. You could print pictures of each object, or provide stand-in objects such as pennies for copper or squares of felt to represent blankets etc..
Make several copies of each item to trade as some items (such as bison hides) are in high demand.
There are actually 8 official Native American cultural regions in the United States, but I chose to reduce the number to five in order to keep things more manageable in an elementary age classroom setting.
Take as much or as little time as you need for this lesson in order to fully absorb the content. This lesson will likely take more than one class period.

Extension:

Try the bartering activity again with new groups using what you learned from the first time to try to improve your outcome the second time around
As a class discuss how things went differently the second time

Was it easier to make trades? Why or why not?
Did you change your bartering approach? If so, how and why?

Were the changes effective?

References:

Oregon's First People: Native American Barter and Exchange. (2015, May 25). Retrieved March 19, 2018, from https://odnp.uoregon.edu/2015/05/26/oregons-first-people-native-american-barter-and-exchange/

Montana Historical Society. (n.d.). Retrieved March 19, 2018, from https://mhs.mt.gov/Portals/11/education/docs/IEFALessonPlanTradeBarter.pdf