In traditional Ute culture, the flute was used for healing ceremonies, or sometimes for courting. A man would play a song to win the heart of a woman. According to tradition, only she could hear the music being played for her.This lesson utilizes a true story of Aldean Ketchum, flute player and storyteller. Aldean is a member of the White Mesa Ute tribe. The White Mesa Utes, located in White Mesa, Utah, are members of the Ute Mountain Ute tribe. The Ute Mountain Ute tribal headquarters are located about 90 miles east, in Towoac, Colorado.Student will learn more about Native American flutes and create a bio poem. 

This lesson will help students review the story elements of fairy tales, using the original version of Cinderella. In subsequent lessons they will be using this information to compare and contrast different multicultural versions of Cinderella.

In this lesson, students are given a description of tribal sovereignty and federal recognition specific to the Confederated Tribes of the Goshute Reservation. They will also be introduced to characteristics of a trickster tale and then write a short story to activate their prior knowledge of specific words. The whole class will then read "Coyote and Mouse Make Snow," a trickster tale shared by the Confederated Tribes of the Goshute Reservation. Students will identify the characters, problems, and solutions within the story by filling out a handout. Possible extensions tie in with the Science Core.

"How Wood Tick Became Flat" is a tale from the Northwestern Band of Shoshone Nation. This tale helps students become familiar with cultural storytelling and its importance in Native cultures. Students will have a brief introduction to the Northwestern Band of the Shoshone Nation and thier location in Utah. This lesson include an experience eliciting discussion and literacy activities. Students will create a diamante poem using a Native American tale. 

These activities can be used for any novel study in the upper elementary grades. Graphic organizers allow students to demonstrate understanding of ELA skills. Book Trailer project shows understanding of the novel.(This resource's preview image was created by the author using iMovie trailer templates.)

"Coyote and the Rock" is a Northwestern Band of Shoshone Nation tale. Many Native American tribes have "Coyote Stories." Coyote stories are traditionally only told in the winter season. Coyote stories are meant to entertain or instruct, or both. After reading the story students will create a "living picture" called a Tableau. A tableau is a representation of a dramatic scene by a person or group, posing silently without moving. In art, tableaus can be seen in the theater when a stage picute shows silent, still, costumed actor in poses creating a scene. Tableaus allows teachers to engage students with multiple learning styles. It can serve as an assessment tool when students "show what they know" as a frozen picture.  Tableau can support literacy when used to comprehend text and analyze literary elements such as character, plot, them, conflict and resolution. Tableaus also supports cooperative learning environments. 

In this lesson, students will create two digital projects using a book of their choice, which will then lead to a digital Book Talk to persuade other students to read their book. This lesson is a fun way for students to think and "talk" about books! The lesson includes multiple digiatl platforms for Mac computers that are sure to spark student engagement, while also encouraging a love of reading.