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The Voices Ricochet: Dissecting Myths and Stereotypes By Establishing Awareness of Indigenous Groups Among Youth

 

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Curriculum Level: 9-12

By Tiekena McKoy-Harriott, White Oak High School, Onslow County Schools, North Carolina

OVERVIEW OF LESSON: 
The voices of Indigenous groups globally still ricochet amidst paradigm shifts. This lesson is designed to raise awareness of their existence among youth. To equip students with the skills needed to function effectively in the 21st century, this lesson is designed to help students understand the realities surrounding Indigenous groups globally. Students will collaboratively research seven (7) Indigenous groups (one from each continent). Their research will be supplemented with testimonials and an excerpt from a selected text. For a three (3) day lesson plan, students will do mostly group work using cooperative learning strategies. Students will do group presentations as their final activity.

SUGGESTED GRADE LEVELS: Grades 11-12

SUBJECT: English Language Arts

CORRESPONDING NATIONAL AND/OR STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA STANDARDS:

North Carolina ELA Standards

RI.11-12.3 Analyze a complex set of ideas or sequence of events and explain how specific individuals, ideas, or events interact and develop over the course of the text.

W.11-12.5 Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.

SL.11-12.1 Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 11–12 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:

  1. What is global Indigeneity?
  2. How can secondary students in the 21st century relate or connect to aspects of culture in select Indigenous groups?
  3. What similarities and differences exist between Indigenous groups and youth in the 21st century?

LESSON OBJECTIVES:

At the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

  1. Explain what global Indigeneity entails
  2. Compare and contrast Indigenous groups
  3. Define culture and the role it plays in our identity
  4. Relate to Indigenous groups

BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOR THE EDUCATOR or RESOURCES TO EXPLORE FURTHER:

The following are helpful resources:

  1. Indigenous Peoples, Indigenous Voices Factsheet from the United Nations
  2. ‘Let us learn from indigenous peoples’, UN chief declares | UN News
  3. It’s Time to Rethink the Idea of the “Indigenous” | The New Yorker
  4. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: The danger of a single story | TED (youtube.com)
  5. Indigenous In Plain Sight | Gregg Deal | TEDxBoulder – YouTube
  6. S. Perceptions of Indigenous Peoples: The Epic Mistory | Jodi Gillette | TEDxBismarck – YouTube

SPECIFIC STUDENT STRATEGIES & ACTIVITIES:

Day 1 

  1. WARM-UP: Teacher shows students a video. What is Indigeneity? with Janene Yazzie – YouTube.
    During or after the video, students should fill out a review sheet. When complete, students share the contents of their sheets. Teacher tells students about the concept of Global Indigeneity.
  2. TASKS:
    • Students should activate prior knowledge and share what they may know about Indigenous groups globally by using a KWLQ chart.
    • Students form seven groups. Each group will research an Indigenous group living on one of the seven continents. Each group will have a different continent assigned to them.
    • Groups will delegate roles.

Group roles:
Facilitator/Leader(s)
Timekeeper(s)
Researcher(s)
Recorder/Note-taker(s)
Reporter(s)
Wildcard

    • Group research will commence. The following criteria will be considered for each Indigenous group during research:

-Name of Indigenous group
-Geographical location of Indigenous group
-Demographics/Population
-History/Historical facts of the Indigenous group
-Language
-Religion(s)
-Other aspects of culture/tradition: food, flags, etc.
-Visual/images/videos of members of the Indigenous group
-Comment on the relevance/impact of recognizing diversity

Day 2 

  1. WARM-UP: Students will listen to or view the testimonial, A Brief But Spectacular take on Indigenous cultures and struggles and share their opinions on what they have viewed. Questions to focus the discussion are:
    a) What are the issues addressed or mentioned in the testimonials?
    b) How do you feel about the issues addressed?
  2. TASKS:

Day 3 

  1. WARM-UP: Students watch the TED Talk by author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, The Danger of a Single Story After viewing the video, the teacher will lead a discussion with students on how they can actively paint better pictures of Indigenous groups.
  2. TASKS:
    • Groups will choose one final activity from the list below to create a final product to showcase their research done on Days 1 and 2 and the Indigenous group that was researched.
      1. Podcast (Group task)
      2. Talk-show (Group task)
      3. Game-show (Group task)
      4. Poster-board (Group task)
      5. CommonLit: The Danger of A Single Story (Individual completion)
    • Students with Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) who may not be adequately served by the group activities may choose an Indigenous group of their choice and present their findings in the form of a slide deck.
    • Students will receive a copy of the Group Research and Final Product Rubric.
    • In addition to presenting the final product to the teacher, each student will turn in the Note Taking document accompanied by the checklist to the teacher so that all students are accountable for their sound research.
    • These assessments are a summary and reflection on the whole lesson. There should be accommodations made for whole class participation as well as a Q/A section. Each group presentation or product should end with a charge for people to be more responsible in how they label, address and perceive Indigenous groups.
    • Students complete an exit ticket.

ASSESSMENT:
Student research groups will produce a final product or presentation based on the choices allowed. A rubric will be used to assess the final product.

LEARNING EXTENSION:
Students will write an expository essay about the knowledge of Indigenous groups garnered from their group research and group discussions. An example of an essay prompt may be:
a) How my research on Indigenous groups globally changed my perspectives on embracing peoples
b) The ways I have been impacted by my study of Indigenous groups across the globe
c) Indigenous groups: How this awareness changed my life

MATERIALS:

  1. Poster boards
  2. Pencils
  3. Colored pencils
  4. Video Review Sheet
  5. KWLQ Chart
  6. Exit Ticket
  7. Research Checklist
  8. Note Taking Handout
  9. Group Research and Final Product Rubric
  10. Ten (10) facts about Indigenous groups 10 things to know about Indigenous peoples by United Nations Development Programme – United Nations Development Programme | UNDP – Exposure
  11. Testimonial: A Brief But Spectacular take on Indigenous cultures and struggles (youtube.com)

REFERENCES:
Amnesty International. (2018). Retrieved from: https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2018/05/kenya-sengwer-evictions-from-embobut-forest-flawed-and-illegal/ on March 1, 2024.

Augustyn, Adam. (2024). Retrieved from: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Sami on March 1, 2024.

BBC News. Retrieved from: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-22278037 on March 1, 2024.

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Retrieved from:  https://www.fao.org/indigenous-peoples/en/ on March 1, 2024.

International Labor Organization. Retrieved from https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/—dgreports/—gender/documents/publication/wcms_545484.pdf on March 1, 2024.

Kipuri, Naomi. (2011). Culture defined. Retrieved from:  https://www.un-ilibrary.org/content/books/9789210548434c005#:~:text=Culture%20encompasses%20all%20that%20human,techniques%20of%20survival%20(technology). On March 1, 2024.

Langat, Anthony. (2020). The Indigenous Wisdom that can save forests from destruction. Retrieved from: https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20201103-the-indigenous-wisdom-that-can-save-forests-from-destruction on March 1, 2024.

Minority Rights Group. (2021). Retrieved from:  https://minorityrights.org/communities/sengwer/ on March 1, 2024.

The World Bank. Retrieved from: https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/indigenouspeoples on March 1, 2024.

UNESCO. Retrieved from: https://www.unesco.org/en/indigenous-peoples on March 1, 2024

United Nations. Retrieved from: https://www.un.org/en/fight-racism/vulnerable-groups/indigenous-peoples on March 1, 2024.

Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organizations. Retrieved from: https://unpo.org/members/7891 on March 1, 2024.

World View, a public service program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, equips K-12 and community college educators with global knowledge, best practices and resources to prepare students to engage in our interconnected and diverse world.

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