Cultural Lit. 42: Athabaskan Migration & Bering Strait

Summary

Students will: Comprehend Athabaskan migration patterns and the Bering Strait Land Bridge theory after receiving direct instruction from instructor, reading selected texts, and working in group structures, within two class periods.

Materials

1. World Map, Map of North America, showing the Bering Strait.
2. Cuch, Forrest S. 2000. A History of Utah's American Indians. Salt Lake City, Utah: Utah State Division of Indian Affairs.
3. DeLoria, Jr. Vine. 1995. Red Earth, White Lies: Native Americans and the Myth of Scientific Fact. New York: Scribner.
4. Marzano, Pickering, and Pollock. 2001. Classroom Instruction that Works. Alexandria, Virginia: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
5. Stephens, E. and Brown, J. 2000. A Handbook of Content Literacy Strategies. Norwood, MA: Christopher Gordon.
6. Journal or notebook.

Instructional Procedures

Anticipatory Set:
Post the words 'Athabaskan, migration, Bering Strait' on the board, on a flipchart or on a projection device and ask the class if they are familiar with these words and their meaning. Conduct a collective brainstorming session (utilizing group structures) and add the generated vocabulary words to posted ones allowing students to postulate the meaning of words and their understanding of concepts.

Activities:
1. Instructor will read aloud, while student's follow along, from Cuch pp. 271-273, Athabaskan Heritage and Migration Theories.

2. Utilizing group structures instructor will ask students to compare the differences between American Indian oral tradition accounts of origin and "Scientific" postulations of theory. Students will record ideas in their journals (see Stephens & Brown--Content Journal, p. 28) and report to class from groups.

3. Instructor will read aloud, while student's follow along, from Deloria, Chapter 4, Low Bridge, Everybody Cross, p. 91--3rd paragraph, to p. 94--end of 1st paragraph. Students will take notes (see Marzano, Pickering and Pollock p. 39, Argumentation Note Taking Frame) while instructor reads.

4. Utilizing group structures, instructor will ask students to use their notes and evaluate the Land Bridge theory.

5. Students will write their personal opinion of the Bering Strait migration theory in their journals

Assessment Plan

Students will take notes utilizing note taking frames and record in their journals their ideas and personal opinions regarding theory.