by Rita Askew 5th Grade Teacher/ New York Mills
Elementary School.
Subject/Grade level: The Ojibwa and the French Fur Trade 1732 / 5th grade
Minnesota Graduation Standards: Strand-U.S. History/ Sub-strand B/ Pre-history through 1607. The student will demonstrate knowledge of European exploration of the North American continent and there resulting interaction with American Indian Nations. Students will know and explain that interactions between American Indian tribes and European explorers had positive and negative impacts.
Time frame: 2 weeks
Overview: I will be reading the historical fiction book, Trouble at Fort La Pointe by Kathleen Ernst. It is about a 12 year old Ojibwe girl named Suzette Choudoir. She has lived on La Pointe Island for twelve summers. Her father is a French fur- trader. The Ojibwe camp by the French fur-trade fort. Her father is trying to win the prize of the most furs so he can stay with his Ojibwe family instead of having to go to Montreal with the other French voyageurs. A trouble maker sabotages the competition/ and Papa. Only someone Ojibwa and French can save the day. Through this book the students will get a first-hand view of the fur-trade in1732.
Materials: The book Trouble At Fort La Pointe by Kathleen Ernst, French and Indian Fur Trader Discovery Box, Rowing To Old La Pointe kit, Radisson &des Grisailles Fur Traders Of The North by Katherine Bailey, Life In An Annihilable Camp by Nike Walker, Samuel de Champlain From NEW France to Cape Cod by Adrianna Organelle and Famous native Americans by Bobbie Kaman& MollyAloian, Song about Old La Pointe, map of Appointee Island, paper colored pencils crayons etc.
Purpose/Objectives: Students will experience historical fiction as a way to learn history. Students will learn about the fur-trade at this time in history. They will learn about the Ojibwe .They will learn about positive and negative interactions between the Native Americans and the Europeans. Students will learn to enjoy historical fiction as a genre. They will be encouraged to read more from the History Mystery Series by American Girl
Activities:
Day 1- The student will make a historical fiction journal for Trouble at Fort La Pointe. They will take a manila folder, decorate it, and put 5 pages of hand-writing paper in it to use for journaling and other activities. I will introduce the book and have them make a prediction as to what it is about. I will have them do a KWL chart for the fur-trade. I will also have them do one for the Ojibwe. The students will take notes as I read to them. They should listen for information about the fur-trade and the Ojibwe. I will read the first two chapters. Their homework will be drawing a picture of the fort or the Indian camp.
Day 2 – I will read the next 3 chapters while the student’s journal and draw pictures. The students will write down any word or concept they don’t know for a later discussion. The students will draw a character map of Suzette (graphic organizer) after I am done reading. We will discuss any words or concept they don’t understand. Home work will be coming up with 2-5 problems the have discovered in the story so far.
Day 3- I will start the lesson by having them design their own canoe on paper. I will then show them pictures of other canoes from that time .Today when I read chapters 5,6,7 they will journal but they will also stop me when they think they have learned something new and explain it to the class . We will also “Popcorn Read” which is taking turns , if you say Popcorn and call on a person to read and they don’t know the place they have to sing “ Over to Old La Pointe “ song. Homework will be drawing a scene from one of the chapters read.
Day 4 – Today we will draw a map of Fort La Pointe. I will show them an example from the book. I will also show them a map of Madeline Island today. I will then read chapters 8,9,10. They will journal and draw. I will have the students write and discuss what it would have been like to be Suzette, Ojibwe and French. Would they have liked to live her life Why? Or Why not?
Day 5 –We are going to research Fort La Pointe in the computer lab. We will use the Wisconsin Historical site. The will write a one page paper on what they learned. They can also draw a picture.
Day 6 – I will read chapters 11, 12, 13. The students will journal and draw. I will read from the books I listed above in Materials. It will be information on the fur-trade the Ojibwe and their lives and interactions. Homework will be making a map showing the journey of the beaver pelt from the time the animal was trapped to the time it became a felt hat and was shipped across the Atlantic Ocean.
Day 7 – I will finish the book. They will write a summary in their journal. We will read and discuss “A Peek into the Past” from the book. We will start work on our “Flip Books” You take an 18 by 12 piece of paper. Fold it in half, the hot dog way, fold it in half again, and in half one more time. You will now have a book in four sections. One section is for the SETTING, one for CHARACTERS, one for PROBLEMS, and one for SOLUTIONS. You make a title on the front cover. You write 5 things about each area and then below it draw a picture to go along with your ideas. You cut the front cover along the fold lines and you flip up the cover and you have your ideas and your pictures from the book. We will work on this for a day or two.
Day 8 – Work on their “Flip Book”. When they finish they can design their own beaver hat. They must also as part of their assessment answer this question. Was it worth it to kill so many beaver for their hats? Why? or Why not? Can you think of anything we do or use today that compares to the fur-trade of years ago?
Day 9 – I will give the students a short quiz on the book. They can use their notes.
Individual differences- I will read the book to the students for those who have trouble reading themselves. I will shorten some of the assignments. We are going to make an Ojibwe poster with Ojibwe words on it. We will also make a poster on the French Voyageurs and some French words. This will be enrichment or bonus work. Enrichment students can do their own project on the Fur-trade or the Ojibwe if they have extra time. I will encourage them to use primary sources.
Resources
Topic
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KWL Chart
Before you begin your
research, list details in the first two columns. Fill in the last column after
completing your research.
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What
I Know |
What
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What
I Learned |
http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/
