Buffalo Woman

Title for Your Identification and Filing

GRADE LEVEL: PREK-2 3-5 X 6-8 9-12 ______

NYC ARTS BLUEPRINT STRAND or BENCHMARK; STATE STANDARD

For more information:

USING THE BODY AND VOICE IN AN EXPRESSIVE WAY AS INDICATED IN THE “BUFFALO WOMAN”

LITERACY OR SUBJECT AREA STANDARD:

For more information: or

IDENTIFY AND RESEARCH THE NATIVE AMERICAN THEMES ILLUSTRATED IN THIS STORY.

ARTISTIC AIM:

Create and Perform a circle dance using the DEScriptions described in the book,

therefore exploring the native american themes in regards to earth, man and water.

LITERACY/ MATH/ OR SUBJECT AREA AIM:

dANCE AND EXPLORE THE PLAINS INDIANS AS RELATED TO THE bUFFALO AND THE CIRCLE DANCE,

RECOGNIZE THE THEMES OF EARTH, MAN AND WATER DESCRIBED IN THE BOOK.

Motivation:

tHE STORY OF “BUFFALO wOMAN”

RESEARCH ON THE BUFFALO AND THE PLAINS iNDIANS

MATERIALS:

  • THE BOOK
  • PICTURES/AMERICAN PLAINS INDIANS
  • BUFFALO PICTURES AND RECORD
  • THE CLOSING POEM- I RISE, I RISE
  • CD PLAYER AND NATIVE AMERICAN CHANTS (CD)

PROCEDURE

  • VOCAL EXERCISES AND TONGUE TWISTER
  • SIT DOWN/STAND UP EXERCISE
  • READ THE BOOK TO THE CHILDREN
  • INTRODUCE AND IDENTIFY THE THEMES REPRESENTED IN THIS BOOK
  • DISPLAY THE BUFFALO AND OR AMERICAN INDIAN PICTURES
  • BREAK THEM UP INTO GROUPS
  • WALK THEM THROUGH AN ANIMAL EXERCISE AND IMPROVISATION
  • WORK WITH EACH GROUP ON CREATING THE CIRCLE DANCE
  • BRING THE CLASS TOGETHER CREATING DIFFERENT BUFFALO ROLES
  • DIRECT THE CIRCLE DANCE
  • START THE MUSIC
  • RECITE THE POEM
  • ASK THE CHILDREN TO RECITE THE POEM
  • REPEAT THE CIRCLE DANCE ASKING THEM TO EXPAND UPON THE DANCE.
  • FREEZE THEM AND ASK THEM TO IMMEDIATELY SIT DOWN
  • ASK THEM HOW IT FELT “EMOTIONALLY’
  • TAKE QUESTIONS AND SUGGEST READING ON BUFFALO AND AMERICAN INDIAN CULTURE.

CLOSE: ASK THEM TO SIT QUIETLY, AND TO IMAGINE WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO BE ALIVE DURING THIS TIME….

ASK THEM TO INDIVIDUALLY THINK OF WHICH CHARACTER IN THE BOOK THEY FELT MOST DRAWN….

ASK WHAT THEY CAN DO TO HELP BECOME PART OF THE CIRCLE OF LIFE….

Assessment:

IN WHAT WAY DID THE CHILDREN RESPOND TO THE BOOK, AND THE THEMES. WHAT WAY DID THE BUFFALO APPEAR IN THE STORY…

RESOURCES; LINKS- “rATTLESNAKE mESA”, Stories from a native American Childhood

by Ednah New Rider Weber

I Rise,

I rise….Poem from “the Buffalo woman”

Lesson Plan Developed By: AURORA JONES Email address: