In this unit, students will be asked to understand the role nature play in both Native American origin stories as well as in their learning process. As a part of developing their own mindset regarding nature, students will explore multiple viewpoints on nature (Euro-centric and Native American) to consider their own views on nature. This understanding will be beneficial when the students examine the stories to reflect on the science of nature as it relates to land formation and how elements of the natural world came to be the way they are. Also, students will reflect on what role nature plays in their own learning by considering the impact setting has on their comprehension of new information.
Secondly, a chief learning strategy that will be used in this unit will be visual note-taking. Students will learn how to make sketch notes that use both words and pictures to develop an understanding of nature. Students will consider what role sketch-notes could play in their learning process as thinking about learning is already an embedded concept with their reflection on the role of place.
Finally, a central goal to this unit is the creation of a student-generated origin story. To achieve this goal, students will study the Trickster archetype and use stories within the text Trickster to develop modern day retellings of the text. By the end of the unit students will also be expected to develop an origin story using all that they have learned in the unit. As part of their final presentation, students will be expected to read their stories to students in a younger grade after having first practiced this with a story or two from the core text.