Activity: Writing Native American Myths

Prerequisites:  Students must have some knowledge of the history and culture of the Iroquois.

            Students must be familiar with the genres of myths and folktales. They should be given the opportunity to listen to various tales read by the teacher prior to this activity. The Dancing Stars: An Iroquois Legend, by Anne F. Rockwell; Indian Tales by Josephy Raskin; and The Naked Bear: Folktales of the Iroquois, by John Bierhorst are all examples of good read alouds.

Skills:            

• Inventing characters and settings

• Creating events in a plot to explain natural phenomenon

• Sequencing

• Editing and Revising

• Word processing

Procedure:  After listening to several myths and legends from the Iroquois culture, students will be asked to write their own. The following questions should be posed as examples for the children to use:

• Why does the porcupine have quills?

• Why is the sky blue?

• What is lightning, and why does it come with thunder?

• Why does the raccoon wash its food before it eats?

• Why does the moon get bigger and smaller?

• Where does the sun go at night?

• Why does the rabbit have long ears?

• Why does the beaver have a flat tail?

Students should be given time to complete the writing process and publish their final story. Stories should be shared with the class. They may be read aloud or displayed. They may also be illustrated and bound as a class book.