Lesson Title: The Stolen Sun

Lesson #:

Date:

Nov 18

Subject: Language Arts/Social Studies

Name(s): Ben
Grade(s): Grade 6/7

Rationale: (lesson context and reasons why lesson matters)

- To introduce students to the richness of local First Nations literature
- To provide a different avenue to students for language acquisition
- To develop students listening skills, so that they develop effective and responsible listening behaviours
- Help students recognize the importance of First Peoples use of storytelling.

Curriculum Connections : (which can be: big ideas / learning standards /curricular competencies/core
competencies)
https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca/
*Big Idea: (grades 6-7)
-Exploring stories and other texts helps us understand ourselves and make connections to others and to the
world.
-Exploring and sharing multiple perspectives extends our thinking.
-Language and text can be a source of creativity and joy.
-Questioning what we hear, read, and view contributes to our ability to be educated and engaged citizens.
*Curricular Competency:
Comprehend and Connect:
- Recognize and appreciate the role of story, narrative, and oral tradition in expressing First Peoples
perspectives, values, beliefs, and points of view
- Recognize the validity of First People's oral tradition for a range of purposes.
- Apply appropriate strategies to comprehend written, oral, and visual texts, guide inquiry, and extend thinking
Create and communicate:
-Use and experiment with oral storytelling processes
*Context:
Text form: Narrative text
Strategies and processes: oral language strategies, Metacognitive strategies
Language features, structures and conventions: features of oral language
Learning Intentions
Students will be able to:
-can participate actively in oral
activities
-can respond to text in personal
and creative ways
-can use and experiment with oral
storytelling processes
-can work collaboratively with a
group

Activity
-participation in visualization,
listening and representation
activities.
-active participation in discussions
-learners produce an oral/visual
piece of work within their group

Assessment
-demonstrates active listening
skills and focus throughout whole
story
-contributes to pair and group
activities
-completes group group or solo
activity
-can think critically to explore
ideas within and beyond the text

Prerequisite Concepts and Skill : (for student success)

-ability to comprehend and speak english
- ability to listen and remember story, and respond visually or physically
Materials and Resources with References/Sources:
Teacher

Students

-Kwulsulwut, Stories From The Coast Salish, Ellen

White. The Stolen Sun pg 7
-Story Telling aids, Sun, Feathers (black/white), ant,
Fish scales

Pen and Paper

Stuff to draw with *optional

Differentiated Instruction (DI): (accommodations)

-Copies of the narrative for those who would prefer to read the text
- Power Point with picture of the sun, seagull, raven, ants, nighttime, pictures blown up from the story itself
(I was told from an Elder that she uses powerpoint for stories to help children stay engaged)
- Have students who might not be engaged or who are acting out, to take on a role as one of the characters
- Encourage participation in group activity by asking catalytic questions.

Organizational/Management Strategies: (anything special to consider?)

-Prearrange desks into circle
-Teacher will use grouping strategy to form small groups
-Teacher will use attention strategy (and share with class pre-activity)
-Attention/ strategy will be putting on Lakota Sundance Song

Possible Aboriginal Connections / First Peoples Principles of Learning

http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/abed/principles_of_learning.pdf and
https://curriculum.gov.bc.ca/sites/curriculum.gov.bc.ca/files/pdf/aboriginal_education_bc.pdf
Learning is holistic, reflexive, reflective, experiential, and relational
Learning recognizes the role of indigenous knowledge
Learning is embedded in memory, history, and story
Learning involves patience and time

Lesson Activities:

Teacher Activities

Student Activities

Pacing

Introduction (hook/motivation/lesson
overview)
Hook
(Play Lakota sundance song to gain attention,
while holding the Eagle Feather in the air)
Explain that the Eagle feather will be today
talking stick, and the Lakota song will be the
prompt for their attention.
-Turn down music, but let it continue to play
-Visualization exercise - Departure bay 250
years ago
Lesson Introduction
-What is storytelling?
-What do we think of when we hear Indigenous
Stories?
*Are these stories fiction or non-fiction? Says
who
*Caution: many people think of this from a
western perspective (imaginary stories, fairy
tales, creation myths)
*Whereas to First Nations cultures storytelling
represents so much more (their perspectives on
spirituality, moral principles, their history)

Students listening
Have Students sit up straight and close their
eyes, experience visualization. Some
Students make predictions on todays lesson

15 min

Students can open eyes, listen to introduction

of storytelling

Share with a partner to your left your thoughts

on the validity and importance of storytelling

Introduce Storyteller :
-The Stolen Sun. Coast Salish Story. Ellen
White Snuneymuxw First Nations Elder.
Explain how this is a local story
Body
(lesson flow/ management)
Read narrative to group
*ask learners to turn on their listening ears, and
listen carefully, try to think about the meaning.
Engage the group my walking around, changing
tones for different characters, stopping to
deepen inquiry. Using Story telling aids

-------35 min

Listen to story

Read to The seagull tied the salmon by their

tails.. (Pg 9) Ask briefly what their impression of
the Seagull is.
Reflect on the story

Students reflect with partner to the left and

some students share

Group Reflection. What was the meaning of the

story, is the seagull bad? Or was he just lost in
ignorance? Did their impression of the seagull
change as the story ended? Can you find any
morals in this story?

Working alone or with the partner to your left

Re-tell the story, (either my drawing, or writing,
or orally)
*Encourage students to:
-use vocal expression
-differentiate the characters voices
-keeping the listeners interest throughout
-other groups members: listen close, be
respectful

With the partner to your left come up with 2

lessons in the story

Circle Sharing, Using the Eagle Feather as the

talking stick

-use language to retell

-use art to retell
-use drama to retell

Closure ( connections within lesson or between

lessons, sharing successes, summaries)
Turn back up the Lakota Sundance Song,
While Holding the Eagle Feather in the air

BRIEFLY discuss the importance of:

-letting the story speak for itself
-letting the listeners learn from it in their own
way
*Remember, the stories will mean different
things to different people

--------5 min

With your partner, reflect on the benefits of

oral storytelling. Come up with 3 benefits or
uses.
Close by showing respect to the land and the
ancestors that shared the story with us.

*Students make a circle standing up, and

share one word about how they felt about the
lesson (going to the right)

--------Total
55 min
Extensions:
**The theme of Re-telling
Give students opportunities to apply and demonstrate the skills associated with oral storytelling: memorize,
internalize, and present (re-tell exactly).
J http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/abed/awp_moving_forward.pdf
-Discuss themes and messages in narratives
-End the lesson with the Story of the grouchy bear. Leave as a cliffhanger to as to what happens, lead into next day's
lesson.