Sacred Images - Medicine Wheel, Four Areas of Health

Summary

Students will understand the medicine wheel and how it relates to the health triangle.

Materials

• Large paper or poster board
• Colored pencils or markers
• Health textbook

Background for Teachers

Refer to lesson on Sacred Images - Rock Art: Students trace the development of culture by Joyce Kelen.

Read "Exile and Ascent" pgs. 113 -115 in the book Through Indian Eyes.

Dine` (NAVAJO) believe in Hohzo or the Beauty way which keeps life in balance and harmony.

The medicine wheel is divided into four areas:

• Beauty - Physical
• Peace - Social
• Happiness - Emotional
• Unity - Spiritual

If an individual spends a large amount of energy in any of the four areas he/she will become unbalanced or out of harmony in life.

Student Prior Knowledge

Students should be familiar with the health triangle.

Intended Learning Outcomes

Students will be able to list four areas of the Medicine Wheel.
Students will be able to compare the Health triangle to the Medicine Wheel.

Instructional Procedures

Students will write a definition for each of the following terms; Health Triangle, Medicine Wheel, Emotional Health, Mental Health, Physical Health, Social Health, Spiritual Health, Hohzo Beauty Way.

Activity 1:
Students will examine plate 22, pg. 52 in Sacred Images.

Teacher will give explanation of the medicine wheel and the Dine` (Navajo) philosophy of the Hohzo or Beauty Way.

An introduction of the health areas should be included;

• Beauty-Physical
• Peace-Social
• Happiness-Emotional
• Unity-Spiritual

How does this compare with the health triangle?

There are many activities happening in this petroglyph. Using your imagination, list two activities on the petroglyph that could be categorized in each area of the Medicine Wheel.

Example: the bottom right corner has an image of a being holding up an object that resembles a tennis racket. The student might place this activity in the physical category.

Activity 2:
Students will be paired up and interview each other. Students will find out hobbies, extracurricular activities, likes and dislikes, favorite foods, music, or family. Students should take notes about their findings.

Using the poster/paper students will draw a huge circle on the paper. Divide the paper into four sections. Using the notes from the interview, students will draw a pictograph of their partner.

Activities will be placed into one of the four areas of health.

After the pictograph is complete each student will examine the artwork and answer the following questions.

• What area is lacking?
• What area has too much activity?
• What would you have included in each area?
• What would you have left out?
• What will you do to become more balanced in your life?

Extensions

Bibliography

Sacred Images: A Vision of Native American Rock Art.
The Sacred Tree, by Lane, Bopp, Brown and elders.
Through Indian Eyes, Available on USOE-Indian Education Web site www.schols.utah.gov/curr/indianed/