Annie and the Old One: Special People

Curriculum Objective 6020-0201:
    Identify cultural traits and values that are inherited and acquired; i.e.,
family, religious, and cultural traditions, physical characteristics, etc.

My objective:
    By contrasting the students' own culture and values to another, the
Navajo, the students will be able to distinguish differences and
commonalities between the two in both written and oral form.

Materials need:
Annie and the Old One by Miska Miles
overhead projector
overhead transparencies (3)
relative poem handouts

Introduction (20 min) : 

1. Introduce the picture book Annie and the Old One with some
background information about the Navajo people, the setting of the story, and a little about the plot.

2. Discuss unfamiliar vocabulary.
            bluff             mesa
            hogan          solemn
            warp             weft

3. Read the story.

Methods (15 min):

4. After the story, on an overhead, list things about Annie and her family
from the story.
        where she lives             what does her house look like
        school                             chores
        family                              food they eat
        events in story               animals they have

5. Now list things from students' lives using these categories.

6. Read through the lists and mark the things that are similar.

7. On a second transparency, write the items in these lists on a Venn
Diagram. Emphasize the middle/common ground between the students
and Annie.

Conclusion (35 min):

8. Talk about that Annie's family was her grandma and her parents.
Besides being the head of the family, Annie's grandma was her favorite
family member. Ask the students why Annie liked being with her
grandmother so much? (Stories of long ago, laughing together like little

9. Ask the students about their favorite or important family members.
Who are they? What makes them special?

10. Tell students we're going to write a poem about a special relative

11. On an overhead, model what the students are to do with a relative of
your own.

 1) Write their name.                                         Grandpa Suchoski

 2) An object that reminds you of them.     Carpenter's tool bench

 3) A favorite time together.              Picking raspberries in his backyard

 4) A reason they're special.                                Gruff, yet gentle

 5) Their name again.                                         Grandpa Suchoski

12. Pass out poem worksheets.

13. Leave the overhead up so students can have a model.

14. Have students draw a picture of that person in the blank space above
their poem.

Assessment (ongoing throughout lesson):

15. After the story has read and the class is listing things about Annie and
themselves, get a response from each student in order to know if all

16. While students are working on their relative poems, wander and
observe their progress. Help where needed.