by Mary Fried, Andrew Overland and Heather Overland
Wakpala School
Standard:
CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.4.NF.B.4
Apply and extend previous understandings of multiplication to multiply a fraction by a whole number.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.5.3 Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening.
Oceti Sakowin Essential Understandings Standard 2.3 – Recognize that there is a continuum of tribal identity, ranging from traditional to contemporary lifestyle that includes the challenges of living in two worlds.
Technology Required
Students will need a Mac or Windows computer or an iPad to play the Fish Lake game. Alternatively, students can play Forgotten Trail on the web using Chromebooks or any computer with a web browser.
Technology Required
Students will need a Chromebook, Mac or Windows computer and an Internet connection to play the game and search dictionaries online. Videos can be watched on a smart board or projector as a whole class or individually by students on their devices. Access to a kitchen is required for cooking.
Time Required
4-6 hours over several days. Time depends on selection of optional activities.
Materials needed
- Chokecherries – these will need to be picked before school starts and can be frozen until needed.
- Large pot
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Sugar
If making syrup
- Steam juicer to extract the juice
- 4oz. canning jars with lids and rings
- Pectin
If making pemmican
- Dehydrator or oven,
- Buffalo meat,
- Food processor
- Lard (not butter or shortening)
Paper and pencil if not using Google docs for dictionary assignment.
Lesson Summary
In this hands-on, cross-curricular unit students learn about chokecherries using all of their senses. Teachers will probably want to space these lessons over a few days and select whichever activities are a best fit for their class. Students begin by playing the Plant Knowledge game through the chokecherry level. They discuss the significance of chokecherries in Lakota culture, then make pemmican, chokecherry wojape and syrup. They apply their knowledge of fractions to compute the correct measurements for each recipe. In English Language Arts class, students read the book, When the Chokecherries Bloom and complete a vocabulary quiz.
Lesson
In this hands-on, cross-curricular unit students learn about chokecherries using all of their senses. Teachers will probably want to space these lessons over a few days and select whichever activities are a best fit for their class. While not everyone will have access to buffalo meat, food processor or a dehydrator to make pemmican, we do think including a cooking activity adds significantly to this unit.
Fun fact: chokecherries grow in 44 of the 50 states. They can be ordered online, but that’s a little pricey (about $12 a pound.) An optional addition to this unit would be a field trip with students to gather the chokecherries themselves.
- Begin by playing the Plant Knowledge game as a bell ringer. Play through the introduction and then select the level for chokecherries as shown. (5 minutes)
- Give a short presentation to the students on what they will learn and do in this unit. (3 minutes)
- Watch Chokecherry Patties video with elder Joseph Naytowhow . A cautionary tale on eating too many patties (6 minutes)
- Read the book When the Chokecherries Bloom, aloud for the first eleven pages (Chapter 1). From the publisher’s description – When the Chokecherries Bloom is Shining Water’s story – a year in the life of a Lakota girl on the Dakota plains. A year of growth and transformation as she learns to adapt and thrive in her new world. (10 minutes)
- Watch the video Chokecherry Wojapi with Mavis Two Bulls and Rachel Nava, from South Dakota Public Broadcasting. (8 minutes)
- Dictionary activity: If they have not already created a personal dictionary for another assignment, have them create one now and add these words they will encounter in the Chokecherry Syrup Recipe page. This can be done as a Google doc or as sheets of paper in a folder or stapled together. If a classroom or library has access to a set of dictionaries, these can be used in place of online search. Time for this activity may vary depending on students’ reading and writing ability and whether artwork is including for the cover sheet or to illustrate definitions (20- 25 minutes)
- Read the web page Chokecherry syrup recipe – students can read this on their Chromebook or other device or it can be printed out in advance. (5-10 minutes).
- Read Chapter 2 of When the Chokecherries Bloom aloud. (10 minutes)
- Read the pemmican recipe. (5 minutes)
- Cook wojapi (chokecherry syrup) with students. (Allow 1 hour for preparation, cooking and clean up)
- The wojapi recipe provided makes 7 pints. Have students solve these math problems to compute the ingredients needed for different numbers of pints or cups of syrup. Answers to the questions and explanations can be found here. NOTE: The problems on the first page require dividing by an integer with a fraction quotient or multiplying by a unit fraction. Problems on the second page require multiplying by a fraction a/b and converting to a mixed number. If your students have difficulty with that concept, you may want to have them watch the Multiplying Whole Numbers by Fractions video. (30 minutes)
- Dictionary activity: Add additional words to their personal dictionary. This assignment has four words and provides a start to definitions for two Lakota words. Language teachers may wish to add to this assignment (10 minutes)
- Read Chapter 3 of When the Chokecherries Bloom aloud. (10 minutes)
Optional : If you have access to buffalo meat, a food processor and dehydrator, making pemmican is another recommended activity and would require an additional hour.
Finishing the book- There are two options. First, reading aloud to students can be a good way to begin or end a class, even for fifth graders, depending on the level of interest your students show in the book. Second, have one or more copies available for students to read during silent reading time in the classroom or at home. We do not recommend having every student read the same book during silent reading time simply because we agree with this teacher that this should be a time students exercise their free choice to read at any level and interest.
