English IV: Life on the Rez

Reading Journal Expectations:
As this novel has a nonlinear plot and POV-shifting narrative, it can be difficult to synthesize your understanding of it as a whole. Therefore, it is important for readers to track characters, symbols, themes, and motifs.

For each chapter in There There, please use your Reading Journal (RJ) to keep track of themes, symbols, character development, or anything that is of interest to you. Since we will be using classtime to work on many other activities, the RJ will be an independent activity to do at home in conjunction with the reading schedule. I will check them on Fridays (100 point Practice Assessments)

Each journal entry will contain only the following:

SWBS summary statement (modeled after our work with Reservation Dogs).
Identify a theme from the list below .
Pair it with evidence from the text (list the thematic topic and then transcribe the quote, using ellipses if necessary, and cite the page). There is NO need for analysis at this point; this is for tracking puposes only.

Thematic Topics:

Cultural Identity vs. Personal Identity
Storytelling
Interconnectedness, Coincidence, and Chance
Generational Trauma

Final Performance Assessment
Select one of the essay prompts listed below. You may want to consider which theme you connected with the most while reading There There. It may be best to wait until you are closer to the end of the novel so that you can have these essay prompts in the back of your mind as you read.

Reservation Dogs Materials and Resources

Main Character List:

Bear Smallhill played by D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai (Ojibwe/Anishinaabeg)
Elora Danan played by Kawennáhere Devery Jacobs (Kanien’kehá:ka Mohawk)
Willie Jack played by Paulina Alexis (Nakota Sioux Nation)
Cheese played by Lane Factor (Caddo/Seminole Creek)

Supporting Character List:

William Knifeman "Spirit" played by Dallas Goldtooth (Mdewakanton Dakota/Dińe)
Officer Bigs played by Zahn McClarnon (Hunkpapa Lakota)
Mose and Mekko played by real-life rappers Lil’ Mike and Funnybone (Pawnee/Choctaw)
Rita played by Sarah Podemski (Muscowpetung First Nation)
Dr Kang played by Bobby Lee
Uncle Brownie played by Gary Farmer (Haudenosaunee/Iroquois Confederacy)
Jackie played by Elva Guerra (Ponka)
White Steve played by Jack Maricle
Bone Thug Dog played by Jude Barnett
Weeze played by Xavier Bigpond
Daniel played by Dalton Cramer
Kenny Boy played by Kirk Fox
Ansel played by Matty Cardarople
Leon played by Jon Proudstar (Pascua Yaqui)
Auntie B played by Kimberly Guerrero (Colville/Salish–Kootenai)
Grandmother at Clinic played by Casey Camp-Horinek (Ponca)
Danny Bighead played by Keland Lee Bearpaw (Euchee)
Deer Lady played by Kaniehtiio Horn (Mohawk)
Punkin Lusty played by Sten Joddi (Mvskoke Creek)

Producers, Directors, and Screenwriters:

Sterlin Harjo (Seminole/Muskogee)
Taika Waititi (Maori)

Click on the image above to watch "Inside Look: Our Voices-Reservation Dogs."

Short Fiction

Click on the image above to read "Welcome to Your Authentic Indian Experience" by Rebecca Roanhorse.

Click on the image above to read "This Is What It Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona" by Sherman Alexie.

Click the image above to read "Indian Education" by Sherman Alexie.

Click the image above to read "After 'While" by Cherie Dimaline.

Click the image above to read "The Team" by Tommy Orange.

Click on the image above to go to Geek Girl Authority's page tracking Indiginous Representation in society.

Unit Activities

Essential Questions:

How can stereotypes, even positive ones, hurt cultural identity?
How does our definition of "home" form a foundation for our individual and cultural identities?

Enduring Understandings:

People live in many different kinds of homes, but “home” is not always a place – sometimes it is a person (or people) or a feeling.
People may leave their homes for many reasons. Some leave by choice and others because they have to—for example, because of a fire or the loss of a job.

Activities:

For EACH episode, students will compose and create a "Someone-Wanted-But-So" (SWBS) Worksheet.
For EACH of the four main charcaters, students will complete a character development SWBS Worksheet.
Students will select one of the four MAIN CHARACTERS to create a brief Character Analysis Project (Bear, Elora, Cheese, Willie Jack).
Students will synthesize their understandfing of each episode's thematic meaning into an overall thematic understanding of the series (short essay 300-500 words).
Final Performative Assessment: Choice Board allowing students to select the method through which they will answer the Essential Question. Students MUST use two of the five nonfiction articles and one of the short stories as evidence to support their argument. Additionally, students may decide to focus upon a cultural identity different than that used in Resevation Dogs.

*PLEASE NOTE: All Practice and Performance Assignments are located on Google Classroom.