American Centuries

Pocumtuck Valley
Memorial Association

American Centuries > Lessons > History Lessons By Teachers > Understanding the Role of Legends in Local History

Understanding the Role of Legends in Local History

Details

Author
Ellen Von Flatern
Topic/Subject Area
Native American
Historical Era
Early Indigenous and European contact, 1565–1619, Colonial settlement, 1620–1762, National Expansion and Reform, 1816–1860
Grade Level
Elementary (K–5)
Creation Date
2002
Last Revision Date
2024

Related items

About This Lesson

Summary and Objective

While reading Sacajawea by Joseph Bruchac, students will be introduced to the importance of legends and oral traditions in Native American history. Students will then further deepen their understanding by connecting a legend to local history and the location in which they live.

Materials & Resources

Books
Collection Items

Teaching Plan

  1. Students will begin reading Sacajawea by Joseph Bruchac. In this story, every chapter in which Sacajawea is speaking begins with a legend that illustrates how Sacajawea and Native Americans understand the world around them.
  2. Students will view the picture “Sugarloaf from Meadows”/ “Millriver Plains” from the online collection, and will share their ideas of how they think Native Americans might have explained how this mountain range came to be.
  3. Discussion will take place with the following questions: How have legends changed? How have they stayed the same? What does this tell you about the oral tradition?
  4. Students will brainstorm other things in nature that could be explained through a legend.
  5. Students will invent their own legend.