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Performances take place in the Todd Wehr Theater of the Marcus Center of the Performing Arts - 929 N. Water St.- Milwaukee
Enrichment
Guide
ACCORDING TO COYOTE brings the ages-old Native
American tradition of storytelling to young people. Coyote
is the mythological trickster/hero of Plains and Plateau
Indian tribes of the Western United States. There are
hundreds of stories telling how Coyote made the world
ready for human beings. He brought fire and death and
the stars and the seasons and all of the natural world
into order; and then Coyote slew a monster—and from
the monster’s body Coyote made the first human beings.
ACCORDING TO COYOTE makes these exciting and
often humorous stories come to life in traditional Native
American style, where the storyteller acts out all the parts
with great dramatic flair.
Playwright John Kauffman—born to a full-blooded Nez
Perce Indian mother—was raised on a tribal reservation
in Idaho in the 1950s and ‘60s. He worked as an actor,
director and arts educator until his death in 1989. His
one-man production, ACCORDING TO COYOTE, is
a collection of some of Kauffman’s favorite Coyote
stories. In sharing these stories, the playwright hopes to
share with young people what it means to be a Native
American today.
Please be sure to share this guide with all teachers who are
taking their students to see this production. Photocopy or
download additional copies from
www.firststage.org
inside the guide
A Note to Teachers and Parents
Dear Teachers and Parents, ACCORDING TO COYOTE is a collection of American Indian Creation
Stories starring the notorious trickster character Coyote. Although
American
Indian tribes all possess different and unique folk tales and myths
setting the stage
highlighting various trickster characters, Coyote is considered the most wellpreparing for the play
known and prevalent trickster in traditional American Indian tales—especially
throughout tribes of the U.S. Southwest. This one-person show retells these
Synopsis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4
adventurous and sometimes humorous tales—bringing Coyote and his exciting
About the Author. . . . . . . . . . 5
escapades to life on stage. Coyote gets himself into many tricky situations, but
Pre-Show Discussion. . . . . . 4
he always learns a lesson and betters himself and others through his follies.
Enclosed in this enrichment guide is a range of materials and activities
intended to help you discover connections within the play and throughout
the curricula. It is our hope that you will use the experience of seeing
For Teachers: ACCORDING TO COYOTE with your students as a teaching tool. As
Curriculum connections
before or after the play educators and parents, you know best the needs and abilities of your students. Use this guide to best serve your students—pick and choose, or adapt, any of
these suggestions for discussions or activities.
Teaching Students about
American Indians . . . . . . . 6-8
LANGUAGE ARTS
Storytelling in the
Classroom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Exploring the
Trickster. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-13
Coyote Biopoem. . . . . . . . . 14
SCIENCE
Coyote Fun Facts . . . . . . . . 10
Storytelling and
Science. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
SOCIAL STUDIES
Hides that Reveal . . . . . . . . 15
Many Tribes,
Many Traits. . . . . . . . . . . 17-19
MATH
Our World Numbers . . . . . . 20
Graphs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Curtain Call
Post-Show
Discussion Questions . . . . 20
. . . . . after the play
Enjoy the show!
Julia Newby
Education Director
414-267-2971
[email protected]
Attending the Play—
Guidelines for Teachers
Discuss proper audience
behavior with your students.
While applause and laughter,
when appropriate, are appreciated and anticipated, unnecessary noise or movement by
audience members can distract
the actors and other audience members and affect the
quality of the performance for
everyone. It is very important
that students understand how
their behavior can affect a live
performance. You, the teacher,
and other adult chaperones for
your group have the primary
responsibility for being sure
your students behave appropriately. We ask that chaperones
sit among the students, and
not together in a group behind
the students. Our ushers
will react to disruptions and
attempt to quell them, and we
reserve the right to remove any
student causing a distraction
from the theater.
Most appreciated by adults,
teens and young people ages 6
and older
First Stage Policies
• Because of union regulations the
use of recording equipment and
cameras is strictly forbidden in
the theater.
• Food, drink, candy and gum are
not permitted in the theater.
• Any portable radios brought to
the theater by students will be
kept by the House Manager during the performance and returned
to the group leader at the conclusion of the play.
• There is no smoking in the theater, by order of the Fire Marshal.
• Should a student become ill,
suffer an injury or have another
problem, please escort him or
her to the theater lobby and ask
an usher to notify the House
Manager immediately.
• In the unlikely event of a general
emergency, the theater lights will
go on and someone will come
on stage to inform the audience
of the problem. Remain in your
seats, visually locate the nearest
exit and wait for First Stage ushers to guide your group from the
theater.
Seating for people
with disabilities: If you
have special seating needs for
any student(s) and did not indicate your need when you ordered
your tickets, please call the Box
Office at (414) 267-2962 NOW.
Our knowledge of your needs
will enable us to serve you better
upon your group’s arrival at the
theater.
setting the stage: Synopsis
First Stage Children’s Theater • 325 W. Walnut St. • Milwaukee, WI 53212 • Tickets: 414-267-2962 • 06-07 Season • www.firststage.org
This compilation of Native American tales begins
with the description of the Creator making the
Earth out of a woman. The Creator then takes
the Earth’s flesh, rolls it into balls, and creates the
Ancients—which are half-people, half-animal. The
Ancients are hunters who sometimes even kill one
another. In order to aid and assist the Ancients, the
Creator sends them a helper who will teach them
how to live. This helper—who is also a bit of a
trickster—is named Coyote.
no fire and are all very cold. The only
fire in the world is on a snow-covered
mountaintop, which is guarded by
three old, wrinkled sisters called
skookums. The skookums keep the
powerful fire from the people. The
people beg Coyote to go up the
mountain and bring the fire down
to them. Before venturing up the
mountain, Coyote gets advice from
his three huckleberry sisters. They
The first Coyote tale begins on a hot day. tell Coyote that the skookums run very fast, but that only
Coyote has just given his nice, warm blanket to
one guards the fire while the other two sleep. He will have
Grandfather Rock. However, after he gives this
an opportunity to take the fire when the skookum guard
blanket away, Coyote sees a storm on the horizon turns around to wake one of her sisters. With this advice,
and decides that he needs his blanket back. Rock Coyote gathers the fastest animal runners from the village
refuses to give it back. Angered, Coyote runs to
and has them all line up the mountainside. Just as he
Rock and snatches his blanket away. Rock rolls
was told, Coyote hides in the bushes and waits until the
after Coyote. Coyote asks Grizzly Bear, Mountain skookum turns around to wake her sister. As she does
Lion, and Buffalo for help, but no one will come
so, Coyote jumps up and grabs the fire. The skookums
to his aid. Finally, the Nighthawks agree to help
begin to chase Coyote, but he passes the fire to Cougar,
Coyote, and they dive down from the sky and peck and then to Fox, Squirrel, and Antelope. When Antelope
the Rock into little pieces. Yet immediately after
reaches the river, he passes the fire to Frog. Frog spits
the Nighthawks help Coyote, he begins teasing
out the fire, and Wood swallows it. The skookums can’t
them and calling them names. The Nighthawks
figure out how to get the fire out of Wood. They finally
are angry and hurt by Coyote’s actions, so they
give up. Coyote gathers all the animals around explains
put Rock back together again. The rock rolls
that they must rub two dry sticks together to get fire out of
after Coyote again and eventually it catches up
Wood. The fire did come out of Wood, and from that day
to him and squashes him. Coyote’s friend, Fox,
forward, the people were never cold again. finds Coyote and brings him back to life. Fox tells
Coyote that the Great Spirit has called an important In the next story, as Coyote is watching the sky at night,
meeting for all of the animals. The Great Spirit
he falls in love with the most beautiful star in the sky. plans to give all the creatures new names. The first Every night he talks to this star, but she never says
creature to get to the Great Spirit’s lodge will have anything to him. He notices that this star passes a
first choice of a name. Coyote plans on arriving
mountain peak, so Coyote travels to the peak and waits
first, so he may take the name Grizzly Bear, Eagle, for her. Soon the star dances by and she grabs Coyote’s
or Salmon. That paw. In the sky, Coyote becomes dizzy and afraid. At the
night, Coyote
top of the sky, the star lets go of Coyote and he falls for
props his eyelids thirty days and thirty nights. When he hits the Earth, he
open so he will
creates a giant hole, which becomes Crater Lake. not sleep. Yet
Coyote falls
One day Coyote
asleep anyway. sees Rabbit and
When he
decides he wants to
finally wakes,
eat him. Rabbit tells
Coyote rushes to the Great Spirit to find that all of
Coyote not to eat
the names have already been taken—except for
him because there
Coyote. Coyote is very sad, so the Great Spirit
are others cooking
gives Coyote a very important task. The Great
chicken for him. Spirit tells Coyote that the New People on the Earth Rabbit tells Coyote
don’t know how to do anything. It will be Coyote’s to wait there, and he
job to teach them how to live. will go off and get the
In another tale featuring Coyote, the animals have chicken for Coyote. page 3
setting the stage: Synopsis
First Stage Children’s Theater • 325 W. Walnut St. • Milwaukee, WI 53212 • Tickets: 414-267-2962 • 06-07 Season • www.firststage.org
Coyote waits for a very long time, but Rabbit never comes back with the chicken. Coyote
leaves to find Rabbit, and he finds Rabbit leaning against a cliff wall. Rabbit says that couldn’t
get the chicken because he is holding the cliff up. Rabbit asks Coyote to hold up the cliff while
he fetches the chicken. Coyote holds the cliff for a very long time, but Rabbit never returns. Coyote leaves again to find Rabbit without any chicken in his possession. Rabbit tells Coyote
to wait again. As Coyote waits, Rabbit sets a ring of fire around him. Coyote is burned up and
Fox has to bring him back to life once again.
In another story, Coyote is very sad and mourning his wife’s death. The Death Spirit offers Coyote another
chance to see his wife. The Death Spirit tells Coyote to follow him across the prairie. While in the middle of
the prairie, Coyote must eat service berries, open a special door, and sit and wait. That night, as he is sitting
and waiting alone in the prairie, the prairie comes alive and turns into a village. Coyote sees his wife and his
friends who have all died. Every night for a whole week, Coyote sees his wife in the village. One night the
Death Spirit tells Coyote that he can take his wife home with him, but he cannot touch her before they cross the
fifth mountain. On the fourth mountain, as Coyote is bringing his wife home, he becomes too tempted and he
touches his wife. She disappears into Shadowland and Coyote never sees her again. Coyote goes to Monster of Kamiah, which has swallowed up all of the people near it. Coyote asks the Monster
to swallow him too. Once inside the Monster, Coyote travels to its heart and cut it out. As he does this, New
People are released from the monster; the Sioux from the legs, the Cayuse from the arms, the Cree from the
stomach, the Flatheads from the bones, the Klickitat, Yakima, and Colville from the body, and the Nez Perce
from the blood. After releasing the New People from the Kamiah, Coyote sees a rope hanging from the sky. The rope hangs from Heaven for Coyote to climb up to join the Great Spirit. After confessing all of the tricks
he played, Coyote grabs onto the rope and climbs higher and higher. Some of the people in Heaven were
those that Coyote played tricks on, so when they hear that Coyote is coming up to Heaven, they cut the rope. Coyote falls to the Earth and changes into a normal Coyote without any power. Pre-Show Discussion Questions
First Stage Children’s Theater • 325 W. Walnut St. • Milwaukee, WI 53212 • Tickets: 414-267-2962 • 06-07 Season • www.firststage.org
1. According to Coyote is a compilation of many different stories that teach lessons. What stories do
you know that teach a lesson? What lessons do these stories teach?
2. The stories in According to Coyote are from many different American Indian tribes. There are
over 500 tribes recognized by the United States government. Can you name at least two different
American Indian tribes?
3. A myth is a traditional story that is passed down through generations in a culture that explains
beliefs or events in nature. Why do you think people still pass these stories on from generation to
generation?
4. Have you ever had to creatively solve a problem? What was the problem and what steps did you take
to solve it? Did you solve it by yourself or did you need help
from others?
5. The main character of the play, Coyote, is described as a
trickster and a hero. How would you define a trickster? How
would you define a hero? How is it possible that Coyote can
be both at once?
6. Try to recall the Loony Tunes Roadrunner and Coyote
cartoons. How does the Coyote act towards the Roadrunner?
What types of problems does he encounter, and what is the
common outcome?
page 4
setting
the
stage:
About
the
Author
John Kauffman, a Nez Perce Indian
First Stage Children’s Theater • 325 W. Walnut St. • Milwaukee, WI 53212 • Tickets: 414-267-2962 • 06-07 Season • www.firststage.org
Playwright John Kauffman was born to a full-blooded Nez Perce Indian mother and was raised on a
tribal reservation. Here is some historical information on the Nez Perce Indians.
About the Nez Perce Indians
Adapted from http://www.nezperce.org/History/MainHistory.html, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nez_Perce
The Nez Perce inhabited the Pacific Northwest region of the United States at the time of the Lewis and Clark
Expedition. The Nez Perce’s name for themselves is Ni-Mii-Puu (pronounced nee-mee-poo), which means
“the People.” The Nez Perce people helped Lewis and Clark in their travels in the Northwest. Lewis and
Clark recorded how peaceful and helpful the Nez Perce people are, in their journal. For more information,
look up Lewis and Clark journals.
Nez Perce Geography
The Nez Perce territory at the time of Lewis and Clark was approximately 17,000,000 acres, or 27 thousand
square miles, covering parts of Washington, Oregon,
and Idaho. Nez Perce, as many Western and Plains
American Indian tribes, were migratory. They would
travel with the seasons, according to where the most
abundant food was to be found at a given time of year.
They would hunt American Bison in the Great Plains,
and fish for salmon at Celilo Falls on the Columbia
River. Today the Nez Perce live all over the world, but
the Nez Perce Reservation is located in North Central
Idaho. Currently (as of November 2004) the enrollment
for the Nez Perce Tribe is 3,363.
Nez Perce Homes
The Nez Perce lived in groups of extended families,
in small villages along streams and rivers. The
principal Nez Perce house was the tule mat-covered
long house. The length varied, but could be over 100
feet long. These dwellings were used for ceremonial
purposes, and for winter housing by several families.
Tipis were also used by families. The tipi is made using
twelve wood poles with tule mat covers which were
eventually replaced by bison skins during the late 18th
century. After the introduction of trade, canvas covers
replaced the bison skin and tule mats.
Nez Perce Traditional Clothing
The Nez Perce men wore long, fringed buckskin shirts,
leggings, belts, a breech cloth, and several types
of moccasins. Gloves were also occasionally worn
by the men. The feathered bonnet was also a trait
common to the Plains culture. In the cold weather, Nez
Perce men wore bison skin robes. Women wore long,
belted buckskin dresses, corn husk basketry hats, and
knee length moccasins. The dresses were decorated
with elk teeth, beads made of shell, bone, and later
glass, porcupine quills, and vegetable and mineral
dyes. Men and women painted their faces for certain
ceremonies or occasions. The traditional regalia is still
worn today at pow wows, ceremonies, memorials, and
other special events.
page 5
Teaching
Students
about
American
Indians
IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR TEACHERS AND PARENTS
First Stage Children’s Theater • 325 W. Walnut St. • Milwaukee, WI 53212 • Tickets: 414-267-2962 • 06-07 Season • www.firststage.org
Teaching Kids the Wonderful Diversity of American Indians
By Bernhard Michaelis, Founder, Native Child
http://www.nativechild.com/resources/article.html
This article is reprinted from Children and Families, Vol.XVI No.4 , Fall 1997, the journal of the National Head Start Association. Children and Families is published quarterly for NHSA members. For information on joining NHSA, please call (703)
739-0875.
“Don’t yell like a bunch of wild Indians!” shouts a mother trying to quiet her children in a supermarket in Cortez,
Colorado. A long- time American Indian Head Start teacher from the Navajo Reservation is standing close by,
feeling hurt and insulted. “We would never say that to our Head Start kids,” the teacher explains. “But I hear
things like that all the time when I go shopping off the Reservation.” The teacher’s frustration is understandable.
Throughout our lives, we have been bombarded by stereotypical portrayals of American Indians. Books, television programs, movies, and toys tend to depict Native Americans as oversimplified feather-wearing characters.
Inaccurate and often offensive representations of American Indians are deeply rooted in the American consciousness.
As a result, we have become desensitized to terminology and imagery that is offensive to American Indians.
For example, we might not think it’s odd to ask our kids to line up Indian file. And we might not see any reason
our kids shouldn’t dress up and play Indians.
American Indian children who frequently encounter stereotypical images of their cultures are hindered in developing a feeling of pride in their heritage and a healthy self-image. When asked, there are American Indian
children who will say they are not Indians. Why? Because they have already learned from popular movies and
cartoons that Indians wear feathers and face paint and live in tipis and carry tomahawks. These children don’t
look like that, so they don’t consider themselves Indians.
Young children believe what they see and hear. As teachers, we are in an excellent position to teach children
factual information about American Indians and at the same time dispel any myths or stereotypes that have
entered our classrooms.
American Indians are not all the same
One of the most popular misconceptions about American Indians is that they are all the same - one homogenous group of people who look alike, speak the same language, and share the same customs and history.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
Although American Indians make up less than one percent of the U.S. population, American Indians represent
half of the nation’s languages and cultures. This statistic may seem incredible, but remember that American
Indians were the soul inhabitants of this continent until Europeans arrived only five centuries ago. Before that,
Native Americans had thousands of years to migrate across the country in small groups and, in relative isolation from one another, develop unique cultural identities.
Today there are about 500 American Indian tribes, each with its own language and cultural traditions. The Diné
Nation (Navajo) is by far the largest, with 170,000 members. Other large tribes include the Oglala Sioux, Cherokee Nation, Blackfeet, Fort Apache, Gila River, Hopi, Papago, San Carlos Apache, Rosebud Sioux, and Zuñi
page 6
Teaching
Students
about
American
Indians
IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR TEACHERS AND PARENTS
First Stage Children’s Theater • 325 W. Walnut St. • Milwaukee, WI 53212 • Tickets: 414-267-2962 • 06-07 Season • www.firststage.org
Pueblo. Almost half of all tribes have fewer than 1,000 members, but they still have their own unique identity.
From tribe to tribe, there are large differences in clothing, housing, life-styles, and cultural practices.
Sadly, these differences are not appreciated by most non-Native Americans, because the rich diversity of
American Indians is not reflected, nor is it presented accurately, in readily available teaching materials, popular
entertainment, and children’s toys. Toy manufacturers typically misrepresent American Indians by creating toys
that, for example, mix the tipi from the Plains culture or the totem pole from the Northwest Pacific Coast groups
with the Navajo rug, loom, or desert plants from the Southwest groups.
The truth about feathers and headbands
We are all familiar with the popular use of a headband with one feather or a headdress containing numerous
feathers (warbonnet) as symbols for Indian imagery. And many of us encourage our children to make feather
headbands - after all, we made them when we were kids. But these headbands are a trite representation of
American Indians.
Historically, eagle feathers were worn only by certain members of the Plains cultural groups who had distinguished themselves as worthy of such adornment. Feathered headdresses were not worn as everyday clothing, but rather for special ceremonial occasions. Today, feathers still carry highly religious meaning in most
tribes. Making feathered fans in tribes for Pow Wows and religious ceremonies is accompanied by appropriate
prayers and songs. Handling feathers is not taken lightly.
Despite the purpose of feathers in certain American Indian cultures, it might seem a little severe to stop making
feather headbands in Head Start classrooms. After all, it’s just a fun way of introducing our children to Indians.
But as teachers, would we put a Catholic priest’s robe in the dramatic play area?
Strategies for teaching about American Indians accurately
American Indian tribes all over this country are putting enormous effort into preserving, restoring, and reviving
their cultural heritages for future generations. There are specific strategies Head Start teachers and parents
can embrace to assist in this process.
For instance, instead of teaching children that “Indians lived in tipis,” which incorrectly implies that all American
Indians lived in tipis, explain that different tribes lived in different dwellings. For example, the Pueblo Indians
lived (and some still do) in terraced-style stone and adobe houses. The people of the Northwest lived in spacious buildings made of wood. Some tribes in the East lived in huge longhouses constructed of tree poles and
bark. The Navajos (Diné) of the Southwest lived in hogans, a hexagon tree pole structure covered with mud.
Still others lived in structures adapted to nomadic life, using wooden poles and coverings available from the
surrounding environment.
Today, of course, Native Americans live in houses, apartments, and mobile homes. It is important to point this
out to children and teach them about the many aspects of life among contemporary Native Americans. Otherwise, children may think that Indians are extinct.
When referring to one tribe or Indian nation, use its correct name: Cheyenne, Hopi, Apache, and so forth.
Choose books that focus on a single tribe. Make sure that the depiction of housing, life-style, clothing and so
forth is accurate for the specific group.
Make sure your books portray Indians in a respectful manner. For example, books with illustrations of animals,
cartoon characters, or children at play wearing headdresses, pipes, or other items sacred to American Indians
page 7
Teaching
Students
about
American
Indians
IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR TEACHERS AND PARENTS
First Stage Children’s Theater • 325 W. Walnut St. • Milwaukee, WI 53212 • Tickets: 414-267-2962 • 06-07 Season • www.firststage.org
are especially offensive and disrespectful. Such illustrations do not encourage us to view Native Americans as
human beings.
When evaluating books, toys, or play activities, ask yourself these questions: Is there anything that would embarrass or hurt a Native child? Is there anything that would foster stereotypical thinking in a non-Indian child?
In the dramatic play area, dress your American Indian dolls in the same clothing as your other dolls. Bring out
native clothing, such as moccasins, dancing shawls, and so forth, only on special occasions.
When purchasing posters and pictures of children for your classroom, choose ones with multiracial groups,
including American Indians. This will help give the children, staff, parents, and visitors in your classroom a
greater appreciation for the wonderful racial diversity of Americans.
At Thanksgiving time, shift the focus away from reenacting the First Thanksgiving and decorating your classroom with Pilgrims and Indians. Instead, focus on things the children can be thankful for in their own lives.
Teaching about American Indians only at Thanksgiving exclusively from a historical perspective will promote
the idea that they exist only in the past.
Increase your knowledge about American Indians by looking for Pow Wows - social or religious gatherings - in
your area. Contact the organizers and ask whether you and your students can attend. Invite American Indians
to your classroom to discuss their culture. Treat them as educators for your children, not entertainers.
A challenging and rewarding undertaking
Not all American Indian communities have had the same historical experience and because each American
Indian is unique, what may be offensive to one may not be offensive to another. For example, most Native
Americans find the popular song “Ten Little Indians” offensive. But others don’t mind it. One American Indian
teacher sings an enlightening variation of the song in which she adds verses for “Ten Little Mexicans,” “Ten
Little African-Americans,” and so on.
The diversity of American Indian cultures is so grand that it may be challenging to comprehend. Yet, as educators and parents, it is our responsibility to try. Just the act of trying to inform ourselves about American Indians
is a great sign of respect. And using your new knowledge and common sense will go a long way in helping us
successfully determine how to best teach our children about American Indians.
page 8
Storytelling
in
the
classroom
LANGUAGE ARTS-CLASSROOM ACTIVITY
First Stage Children’s Theater • 325 W. Walnut St. • Milwaukee, WI 53212 • Tickets: 414-267-2962 • 06-07 Season • www.firststage.org
Educators have long known that the arts can contribute to student academic success and emotional well being. The ancient art of
storytelling is especially well-suited for student exploration. As a folk art, storytelling is accessible to all ages and abilities. No special
equipment beyond the imagination and the power of listening and speaking is needed to create artistic images. As a learning tool,
storytelling can encourage students to explore their unique expressiveness and can heighten a student’s ability to communicate thoughts
and feelings in an articulate, lucid manner. These benefits transcend the art experience to support daily life skills. In our fast-paced,
media-driven world, storytelling can be a nurturing way to remind children that their spoken words are powerful, that listening is important,
and that clear communication between people is an art.” –ProTeacher
Adapted from: http://www.proteacher.com/cgi-bin/outsidesite.cgi?id=10534&external=http://www.storyarts.org/classroom/roots/index.html&original=http://www.proteacher.com/070163.
shtml&title=Exploring%20Cultual%20Roots%20Through%20Storytelling
Storytelling Activities for the Classroom:
Circle Story
1. Have students sit on the floor in a circle.
2. Ask the students for a list of nouns and prepositions. As a class, choose two nouns and one
preposition—this is the title of your class story (noun, preposition, noun)!
3. Explain to students that together they will be creating this story, one sentence at a time.
Beginning with the teacher, each student will tell one sentence of the story. Once one person is
finished with their sentence, the next person in the circle will add a sentence onto the story.
a. Before beginning the Circle Story, remind students of the important elements necessary in
creating a story: beginning, middle, end, characters, location, problem/conflict, resolution,
etc.
b. Remind students of these elements as the story passes through the circle. The story
should come to an ending by the time it gets through the circle once.
4. After creating the class circle story, ask the students to write the story down in their own words.
A Picture Worth 1,000 Words
1. Select a classical painting for the class to look at and explore. Make sure the painting has people
or animals in the painting, and there appears to be some event or activity taking place in the
picture. Also, make sure you can obtain a copy, or multiple copies, of the painting for students to
look at and refer to during the exercise.
2. Have each student get out a piece of paper and pencil. Ask students to look to the painting for
inspiration. What is going on in this painting? Who are the characters involved? What are the
characters’ relationships?
3. Working individually, have students construct the first few sentences of a story, based on the
events and characters in the painting. Remind them that there is not right or wrong way to begin
writing this story. Allow students one to two minutes to begin writing the story.
4. After one or two minutes, ask students to stop writing their story, regardless of where they are
in the story. At this moment, have students pass their story to the person sitting in front of them.
Tell students that they will have another two minutes to read the story they have been given, and
continue writing this new story from wherever the original author left off.
5. After another two minutes, have the students again pass the story to the person sitting in front of
them, and continue the process of reading this new story and carrying on where the story left off.
6. This process should continue until each student has contributed to all of the stories and their own
story has been returned to them. Read some of these class constructed stories aloud in class.
The Autobiography of Anything and Everything!
1. Explain to students that everything has a story! Everything comes, in its elemental origin, from
the Earth.
a. Discuss with students the elemental makeup of a piece of paper, a woolen sock, a pencil, and a coin—what is the origin of these objects; where do they come from?
2. Ask students to choose one of these objects, or another simple object of their choice to tell
a story about. Have students imagine the life story of their chosen object. In the form of a
written story, have students describe the object’s history backwards through the its personal
use, purchase, manufacture…all the way to the original natural resources from which its
components were made. Remind students to personify the object and tell its story like an
autobiography.
page 9
Coyote
Fun
Facts
SCIENCE-CLASSROOM ACTIVITY
First Stage Children’s Theater • 325 W. Walnut St. • Milwaukee, WI 53212 • Tickets: 414-267-2962 • 06-07 Season • www.firststage.org
Taken from: http://www.nationalgeographic.com/kids/creature_feature/0005/coyote2.html
name “coyote” comes from the Aztec word coyotl, meaning “little
• The
wolf”. The Aztecs were people who began living in Central America over
700 years ago.
coyotes weigh between 20 and 50 pounds.
• Adult
Coyotes once lived only in prairies and deserts of the western United
• States
and in Mexico. Today they thrive almost anywhere in North
America.
is naturally adaptable because it eats such a wide range of food.
• AIf itcoyote
can’t find mice or voles to eat, lizards, insects, or even garbage will do.
Native American stories coyotes are clever and tricky. This reputation
• Inis based
on fact. Coyotes may scan the sky for ravens flying in circles.
Coyotes know that the birds often hover over a dead animal, so finding the birds frequently leads to
finding a free meal.
are clever enough to trick other animals. A coyote might leap about crazily near a group of
• Coyotes
birds to distract them, then its partner might sneak up on the birds and seize a few of them for dinner.
coyote, also known as the Desert Wolf—although not really a wolf—belongs to the Order
• The
Carnivora and Family Canidae. Coyotes are very adaptable mammals often seen in rural and urban
habitats of deserts, fields, and farmlands.
• Coyotes can be recognized by their thick bushy tail, long pointy nose, and pointy ears.
coyote needs to conserve energy, as it never knows where its next meal is coming from. So when
• Ait runs,
or lopes, it will place the back foot in the print made by the front foot, creating a single line of
prints which tend to be straight and usually cross open areas.
can run at speeds of up to 30mph for short bursts, but can maintain a 20mph lope for
• Coyotes
longer periods.
coyote’s call is a series of short high-pitched barks and yodels. Usually they call at night from an
• Aopen
area where the sound can travel up to 3 miles or more.
form loose family groups, not tight family packs like wolves. These groups may form for
• Coyotes
short periods, then break apart as food supply allows. When in large groups, they may occasionally
work together to attempt to catch a deer.
coyotes hunt alone or in pairs. One coyote may distract and chase small prey right into the
• Usually,
waiting jaws of another coyote. They will take turns chasing and catching the prey.
mate in February and dig a den under a tree, stump, or rock. About 60 days later, four to
• Coyotes
six fully furred but blind pups are born. Both parents share in the responsibility of raising their
young. Weaning begins at three weeks. At ten weeks they begin to learn to hunt and leave the
parents as capable young adults in the autumn.
• Coyotes may live in captivity for about 18 years, but only until eight years in the wild.
most common enemy is disease and humans, but predators such as bears, wolves, and
• Coyotes
cougars eat both young coyotes and adults.
a coyote that is bold or overly curious, make yourself as big as possible (stand
• Ifup),youpickcomesmallacross
children up in your arms, gather other people around you into a group, make lots of
noise, and wave your arms. Usually they will leave running.
page 10
Exploring
the
trickster
LANGUAGE ARTS/SOCIAL STUDIES-CLASSROOM ACTIVITY
First Stage Children’s Theater • 325 W. Walnut St. • Milwaukee, WI 53212 • Tickets: 414-267-2962 • 06-07 Season • www.firststage.org
Adapted from: www.nwrel.org/indianed/indianreading/lessonplans/coyote.php
In mythology, folklore, and even some religious tales, the trickster is a creature (god, goddess, spirit,
human, or animal) who is known for playing pranks and disobeying the rules and behaviors of the
culture they are associated with. Although the trickster character has many faces, he is always
mischievous and powerful, and is continually breaking the rules of society and nature. Often, the
rule-breaking takes the form of tricks or thievery. The trickster can be cunning or foolish, or both.
They can appear thoughtless or unwise at times, but the outcome of their actions are usually quite
humorous and silly. The trickster is a teacher, even though he traditionally demonstrates how not to
behave. Regardless of the trouble the trickster gets into and causes, his actions always bring about
positive effects.
Listed below are the many trickster characters from different cultures:
Greece: Karagoz (human)
Italy: Punchinella (human)
Ireland: Leprechaun (human/sprite)
Mexico: Pichilingis (human/sprite)
Netherlands: Loki (human)
Africa: Anansi (spider)
France: Reynard (fox)
Sioux Indians: Iktomi (Spider-Man)
Pacific Northwest Indians: Raven
Hopi Indians: Kokopelli (clown/spirit/Kachina)
Ojibwe and Menomini Indians: Nanbozho (rabbit)
American Indian Tribes (primarily Southwest): Coyote
Karagoz
Leprechaun
Reynard
Anansi
Kokopelli
page 11
Activity on Next Page
Exploring
the
trickster
LANGUAGE ARTS/SOCIAL STUDIES-CLASSROOM ACTIVITY
First Stage Children’s Theater • 325 W. Walnut St. • Milwaukee, WI 53212 • Tickets: 414-267-2962 • 06-07 Season • www.firststage.org
In Trickster Tales, there are usually only two characters—one character is a good and clever trickster
and one is a “bad” character. The animals in the stories have human characteristics and are able to
talk and converse with other animals, spirits, and humans. The purpose of most Trickster Tales is to
teach a lesson or explain why something occurs in nature.
Activity
1. Read aloud to the class the story of Coyote and the Stars, which can be found at
http://starryskies.com/articles/dln/4-01/coyote.html.
2. After reading this Trickster Tale, discuss the character of Coyote with students and complete the
character analysis chart with them (located on the following page of the Enrichment Guide).
3. Read aloud to the class the story of Anansi Tries to Steal All the Wisdom in the World, which can
be found at http://www.iusb.edu/~journal/1998/2Tale.html
4. After reading this Trickster Tale, discuss the character of Anansi with students and complete the
character analysis chart with them.
5. Explain that Anansi is a popular character in many African folktales and, similarly, Coyote is a
popular character in American Indian folklore. Ask students if they see any similarities between
Coyote and Anansi.
6. Place students into small groups of four. Give each group a Trickster Tale from a different culture
to read. After reading through these new Trickster Tales, have the groups complete the character
analysis chart.
a. More Coyote Trickster Tales can be found at: http://www.indians.org/welker/coyote.htm.
More Anansi Trickster Tales can be found at: http://www.drawandtell.com/cjm/anansi/
anansistories.html.
Reynard the Fox stories can be found at: http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/type0015.html.
Raven stories can be found at: http://www.eldrbarry.net/rabb/rvn/rvn.htm.
7. After allowing the groups ample time to read through their new Trickster Tale and complete the
character analysis chart, bring the class back together. Have each group share a summary of
their story with the class and the trickster character traits they discovered.
a. Write the character traits of all of the different tricksters on the board. Discuss the similar
characteristics between the different tricksters, as well as their differences. What makes
these characters tricksters?
8. Have students create their own trickster and trickster tale, using the information they acquired on
their character analysis sheets.
a. What does this new trickster look like? Is this new trickster an animal, human, or spirit?
How does this trickster behave? What kind of trouble does this trickster get into?
b. Have students draw a picture of this new trickster and write a tale about him. Some
ideas for students to write their trickster tale about are: how the earth was created; how fire was discovered; why the sun comes up every morning and goes away every evening; why
creatures cry. Students may work alone or in pairs on this project.
9. Allow students to share their new tricksters and trickster tales with the class.
page 12
Exploring
the
trickster
Student Worksheet
First Stage Children’s Theater • 325 W. Walnut St. • Milwaukee, WI 53212 • Tickets: 414-267-2962 • 06-07 Season • www.firststage.org
Story Elements
Coyote and the Stars
Anansi Tries to Steal
all the Wisdom in the
World
Trickster Character’s
Name
Physical Appearance
Personality Traits
Behavior
Trickster’s Fears
Other Characters’
Actions and Feelings
Toward the Trickster
Trickster’s
Significance to the
Story
page 13
Coyote
Biopoem
Language Arts-Student Worksheet
First Stage Children’s Theater • 325 W. Walnut St. • Milwaukee, WI 53212 • Tickets: 414-267-2962 • 06-07 Season • www.firststage.org
Adapted from: http://hrsbstaff.ednet.ns.ca/phillie/webquest/ibiopoem.htm
A BioPoem is a structured collection of vivid details about a character’s life, personality traits, and
aspirations: a portrait in words. Each line of this fifteen line poem should illustrate or describe
something new or different about this character.
After reading a number of different American Indian Trickster Tales, create a BioPoem about Coyote.
Coyote Tales can be found at: http://www.indians.org/welker/coyote.htm.
Use this BioPoem structure below to help guide you through the construction of your Coyote
BioPoem.
Line 1: character’s name
Line 2: “relatives of…” or “Friends of…”—list three or four
Line 3: list four character traits that would describe this character’s appearance or personality
Line 4: position or job
Line 5: list three things, people, or activities this character loves
Line 6: “who felt…”—list three emotions this character has felt before
Line 7: “who has been…”—list three places this character been, or events they have been a
part of
Line 8: “who needed…”—list three things or other characters this character may have needed
at one point
Line 9: “who feared…”—list three things or other characters this character fears, or has feared
before
Line 10: “who gave…”—list three things this character has given to family, friends, the world, etc.
Line 11: list two things this character dreams
of or wants more than anything else
Line 12: list one thing this character may
want to see happen to himself or
the world in his lifetime
Line 13: one word that best describes this
character
Line 14: where this character lives, when he
lived, and the culture this character
is a part of
Line 15: character’s name
page 14
Hides
that
Reveal
Social Studies/Art-Classroom Activity
First Stage Children’s Theater • 325 W. Walnut St. • Milwaukee, WI 53212 • Tickets: 414-267-2962 • 06-07 Season • www.firststage.org
Taken from: www.proteacher.com/cgi-bin/outsidesite.cgi?id=7236&external=h…=http://www.proteacher.com/090018.shtml&title=Hides%20that%20Reveal
Many of the Plains Indian tribes, such as the Sioux, made their houses and tipis out of buffalo hides.
The designs on tipis often portray scenes of history or war battles, and symbols of supernatural creatures related to visions and dreams.
Activity
1. Have students research tipis and tipi designs from Plains Indian
tribes, such as Sioux, Tutsi Wai BigBee, and Comanche.
2. On a blank sheet of paper, have students create their own tipi hide
design, based on their tipi research. This design will become the
template for which they will create their tipi hide from.
3. Once students have sketched out their tipi design, give each student
a golf ball sized amount of Crayola Model Magic, or any other light
colored modeling clay that stiffens when dry.
4. Have students press the modeling class out into a flat circular shape,
approximately 1/8 inch thick. Allow the clay to stiffen slightly.
5. Using a plastic knive, cut the flat disc into a half circle, creating the appropriate shape for the tipi.
6. Make a tripod with three six inch sticks. Wrap the sticks together at the top with yarn. Then, wrap
the tipi hide around the sticks and tie it in place with yarn. Let the clay dry completely.
7. Once the clay is dry, students can use markers and stamps to decorate their tipi hide, based on
their original tipi template.
8. After decorating the tipis, have students write a paragraph describing the meaning of each symbol
on their tipi hide, and the stories attached to these pictures.
page 15
Storytelling
and
science
Science/Language Arts-Classroom Activity
First Stage Children’s Theater • 325 W. Walnut St. • Milwaukee, WI 53212 • Tickets: 414-267-2962 • 06-07 Season • www.firststage.org
Adapted from: http://www.proteacher.com/cgi-bin/outsidesite.cgi?id=10534&external=http://www.storyarts.org/classroom/roots/index.html&original=http://www.proteacher.com/070163.
shtml&title=Exploring%20Cultual%20Roots%20Through%20Storytelling
Before advances in science and technology, many cultures
and societies throughout history have tried to explain the
mysteries of nature and creation through folktales and
myths.
Activity
1. In small groups, have students research the Big Bang
theory (or the creation of the earth and other planets), the
cause(s) for the extinction of dinosaurs, or the formation
of glaciers.
a. Web resources for the Big Bang theory: http://
school.discovery.com/schooladventures/
universe/itsawesome/cosmiccalendar/, http://
curious.astro.cornell.edu/cosmology.php
b. Web resources for the extinction of dinosaurs: http://cybersleuth-kids.com/sleuth/Science/
Dinosaurs/Extinction/index.htm
c. Web resources for the formation of glaciers: http://mountainnature.com/Geology/Glaciers.htm,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glacier
2. After students have thoroughly explored the scientific explanations and theories behind their
research topic, ask them to prepare a short summary of their findings to present to the class.
3. Hold a group discussion about their scientific findings, and how these theories and explanations
were discovered.
4. Discuss with students that before advances in science and technology, many cultures and societies
throughout history have tried to explain the mysteries of nature and creation through folktales and
myths.
5. Explain the definition of a myth with your students.
a. A myth is a traditional story that is passed down through generations in a culture that
explains beliefs or events in nature.
b. Ask students what they think might be a
good subject for a myth. Brainstorm
events or phenomena that might be
explained using myths, such as the
scientific topics they just researched.
6. Share a number of cultural creation stories with
the class. Creation stories can be found at:
http://www.magictails.com/creationlinks.html.
7. Have students create their own creation myth, or
other story describing the cause for the
extinction of dinosaurs, or the formation of
glaciers. Share these myths with the class!
page 16
Many
Tribes,
Many
Traits
Social Studies-Student Worksheet
First Stage Children’s Theater • 325 W. Walnut St. • Milwaukee, WI 53212 • Tickets: 414-267-2962 • 06-07 Season • www.firststage.org
Tribe information taken directly from: http://www.ic.arizona.edu/ic/kmartin/School/index.htm
Today, there are approximately 563 federally recognized tribal governments in the United States, and
an estimated 2,786,652 American Indians living in the United States. The largest tribes in the U.S.
are Navajo, Cherokee, Choctaw, Sioux, Chippewa, Apache, Lumbee, Blackfeet, Iroquois, and Pueblo.
The five primary regions throughout the United States where tribes are located are: Northwest,
Southwest, Plains, Southeast, and Northeast. Cultural features, including language, clothing, housing,
and customs vary enormously between each region and each tribe.
Northwest Indians: Tlingit
The Tlingit tribe resides in the Northwest United States and Canada, up into an area that is now part of Alaska.
Ceremonial dress includes carved masks, weapons and “Chilikat” robes. Some robes are fringed, fur-trimmed,
and multicolored. The designs on clothing depict animals significant to the family and town. Tlingit are master
fishermen. They eat salmon, eulachon and halibut. Tlingit people traditionally live in towns made up of large
wooden buildings, usually painted in
bright colors and depicting animals
and symbols important to families
and the tribe. Long ago numerous
families all lived together. The houses
had a hole in the roof to let smoke
out. There were no windows and
no rooms, but sleeping and storage
areas were separated. Totem
Poles are customary with tribes in
the Northwest, including the Tlingit
tribe. Totem poles are carved from
cedar trees, painted and placed
near houses or in the forest. The
Tlingit made totem poles for various
reasons such as: to tell a family
story or legend, honor the dean,
commemorate a birth, or to make fun
of someone.
Southwest Indians: Navajo/ Dinè
The Navajo, or Dinè, tribe’s home is the desert of the American Southwest. In their language, the name Dinè
means “Children of God”. Navajo, or Dinè, is the largest Indian Nation and today most Dinè live on the “big
rez” which includes parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah. Dinè jewlery and rugs are known around the
world for their beauty and craftsmanship. Rugs are made on a loom. Often the jewelry is made with silver
and turquoise. Traditionally the Dinè farmed beans, squash and corn and hunted deer, prairie dogs and other
animals. Corn was the most important food. Indian corn comes in many colors and could be eaten fresh
or dried and ground. Today many raise sheep for meat and wool. Mutton (meat from sheep) and fry bread
is a favorite food. The traditional house is a “hogan.” It has six or eight sides and made of logs, brush and
mud. The door faces east towards the rising sun. Some Dinè believe that illness comes from harmful forces.
Medicine men drive harm away with ceremonies that include song and sacred objects. Sometimes they make
sand paintings. While people have access to doctors, they continue to seek medicine men. Western doctors
are just now learning the importance of curing the spirit.
page 17
Activity continued on next page
Many
Tribes,
Many
Traits
Social Studies-Student Worksheet
First Stage Children’s Theater • 325 W. Walnut St. • Milwaukee, WI 53212 • Tickets: 414-267-2962 • 06-07 Season • www.firststage.org
Plains Indians: Lakota/Sioux
The Sioux people call themselves Lakota, which means “friend.”
The Lakota lived on the plains with many other Indians like the
Cheyenne and Oto. On the plains they survived by hunting buffalo
and following the herds from place to place. Today the Lakota
have a reservation in North and South Dakota and Montana.
Traditionally they were made of buckskin and elk skins. Women
wore dresses and leggings and men wore shirts and breechcloths.
In cold weather, they wore buffalo robes. Infants were placed
in cradleboards for protection. Clothing was made beautiful with
bead work and designs meant to honor the spirit world. The buffalo
gave people everything they needed to survive and was considered
a Spirit Being. Buffalo meat provided food, the pelt clothing and
the bones tools. The buffalo is central to the traditional religion of
the Lakota and neighboring tribes. The Lakota (Sioux) called their
houses “tipis” which means “the place where a person lives.” Because they roamed the plains following the
bufallo herds they needed housing that was light weight and could be taken apart in minutes. Tipis were made
from buffalo hides. They were warm in the winter and cool in the summer and large enough for the entire
family.
Southeast Indians: Muscogee
The Europeans called the people “Creeks” because
they built their villages near the creeks, although
their tribe name is Muscogee. Their ancestral
home is the American southeast but because they
were made to leave, today most Creek people live
in Oklahoma. Prior to contact with Europeans the
Muscogee wore few clothes. Men wore deerskin
breechcloths and women wore skirts. The men
hunted deer while women knew where to go to
gather nuts, wild onions and berries. They tended
gardens full of corn, beans and squash and shared
food with all. Corn was important food and women
ground it into meal and made “sofkey.” A typical
village was built around the council house and
a large field used for sports. The houses had
thatched roofs.The towns looked different when
the people were made to moved west. In the new
territory most of the houses are made of logs.
Traditional Muscogee ceremonies take place at
the stomp ground. An important celebration is the
Green Corn Festival where people give thanks for
the harvest. During the ceremony female dancers
wear turtle shells or cans on their ankles and while
they dance the shells and cans make music.
Northeast Indians: Iroquois
The name Iroquois means “rattlesnakes.” They call
themselves Haudenosaunee, which means “people
building a long house.” They live in what is now the
state of New York and parts of Canada. The Iroquois
Confederacy originally included five nations and was
a democracy. The US government is modeled after
it. The Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) used European
cloth and adapted it to their own style, which included
feathers in their hair, jewelry, capes, a sash around
the waist, breechcloths, leggings and moccasins.
Before Europeans, the Iroquois were farmers, and
hunters. The main crops were corn, beans, and
squash and were considered special gifts from the
Creator. The Haudenosaunee called these crops
the “three sisters”. The Haudenosaunee people
lived in farming villages. Their houses were called
longhouses because they were longer than they were
wide. The houses were made from elm bark. They
had door openings at both ends and no doors or
windows. During the winter, the doors were covered
with skins. The Haudenosaunee Flag represents
the original five nations that were united in peace by
the Peacemaker. The five nations includes: Seneca,
Cayuga, Onondaga, Mohawk and Oneida.
page 18
Activity continued on next page
Many
Tribes,
Many
Traits
Social Studies-Student Worksheet
First Stage Children’s Theater • 325 W. Walnut St. • Milwaukee, WI 53212 • Tickets: 414-267-2962 • 06-07 Season • www.firststage.org
Using the information provided for these five regional American Indian tribes, answer the
following questions:
1. What does the name Haudenosaunee mean?
2. What is another name for the Navajo tribe?
3. Where did the Muscogee tribe originally live? Where do members of this tribe live today?
4. What tribe’s culture includes totem poles?
5. What tribes made up the Iroquois Confederacy?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6. Why did Sioux Indians live in tipis?
7. What does the name Lakota mean?
8. Medicine Men are frequently used in what tribe?
9. List the different types of housing for the five tribes represented on this worksheet:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
10. What is the most interesting thing you learned about any of these five tribes, and why?
page 19
Post-Show Discussion
First Stage Children’s Theater • 325 W. Walnut St. • Milwaukee, WI 53212 • Tickets: 414-267-2962 • 06-07 Season • www.firststage.org
1. What job does the Creator give to Coyote? What are Coyote’s responsibilities and why does the
Creator trust him?
2. What special power does the Creator bestow upon Coyote? Why do think he gave this power to
him?
3. Coyote wanted to change his name to Grizzly Bear, Eagle, or Salmon; why do you think he didn’t
he like his own name?
4. Which Creation tale explained how Crater Lake was formed?
5. How does Coyote bring fire to the animal people?
6. When Coyote’s wife died, he had a chance to bring her back to the ‘living world’ again, but what
mistake did Coyote make?
7. In one of the stories, one of the animals tricks Coyote over and over again. Which animal tricks
him and how?
8. How does Coyote free the New People from the Monster of Kamiah?
9. Coyote tricks a lot of people throughout his life. How do these people take revenge on Coyote in
the final story?
First stage theater academy
ARNPUV[T9VSR@XVYY`AU_\bTU@aNTR@XVYY`
a professional theater training
program for young people ages 3-18.
Fall, winter and spring classes
(8 week sememsters, wednesday or saturday classes)
Fall: september 30–november 22
winter: January 20–March 14
spring: March 24–May 23
Full week spring Break session also available april 9–13
For Free Brochure call 414.267.2970
www.firststage.org
page 20
Photos by Maureen Hartjes
Classes at the Milwaukee
Youth Arts Center and at University
Lake School in Hartland