Circle of Courage Revisited · pring ummer Fall. 266 Early Learning Day 9 † Circle of Courage Revisited Module 6 Weather Picture Graph Have your student check the weather outside,

Circle of Courage Revisited • Day 9

263 Module 6Early Learning

CIRCLE OF COURAGE

IND

EPENDENCE MASTER

Y

BELONGIN

GGEN

EROSITYCIRCLE OF COURAGE

Great Job!

Day 9Circle of Courage RevisitedToday, you will continue your study of the Circle of Courage, a program modelled on the form of the Native American Medicine Wheel. The core objective of the program is the enhancement of a child’s success through the development of four “spirits” or needs: Belonging, Mastery, Independence, and Generosity. The focus of today’s exploration is the spirits of independence and generosity.

Independence refers to the development of self-reliance and the ability to make responsible decisions. Independent people enjoy working with others as well when such opportunities arise.

The spirit of generosity refers to caring about the needs of others and offering service to them. People demonstrate their spirit of generosity as they share their gifts with others and through individually-driven special projects in which they provide support to others.

264 Early Learning

Day 9 • Circle of Courage Revisited

Module 6

Calendar Time • Months of the Year Cards • Season Cards • weather stickers and graph • other calendar resources as

required

Math Time • no special resources required

Music and Movement • Note Cards • drum or homemade drum

Sharing Time • no special resources required

What You Need Today

Letter and Word Time • K/W/L Chart from Day 6

Project Time

Project Time • large sheet of heavy white

paper • compass or large and smaller

dinner plates to make larger and smaller circles

Learning Centre Time • see chosen activity for

resource suggestions

Story Sharing Time • student chosen books of

interest • Native Legends



Months of the Year

Twelve months in a year, it’s true.

Listen while I say them to you!

January, February, March, April, May,

Follow along with what I have to say.

June, July, August, and September,

Three more to go, this you must remember.

October, November, December is the last.

We’ll say them again, only not so fast.

These twelve months make a year

Let’s say them again, loud and clear!

Calendar Time

Time recommended: fl exible

Sing the “Months of the Year” rap with your learner. This rap song was introduced to your learner on Day 3.

Then, using the Month of the Year and Season of the Year Cards, guide your learner to say the name of each month and place it with the corresponding seasons.

Complete the sentence starters “Yesterday was”,“Today is”, and “Tomorrow will be”.

ActivitiesCalendar Time

S M T W T F S1 2 3 4 5

6 7 8 9 10 11 12

13 14 15 16 17 18 19

20 21 22 23 24 25 26

27 28 29 30 31

Tomorrow will beToday isYesterday was

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

October

September

August

July

June

April

May

March

February

January

December

November

Winter Spring Summer Fall

266 Early Learning


Module 6

Weather Picture Graph

Have your student check the weather outside, and then complete the sentence “Today the weather is”.

Have your learner choose the correct Weather Stickers and glue them onto the appropriate squares on the Weather Picture Graph originally begun on Day 1.

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

Day 6

Day 7

Day 8

Day 9

sunny rainy snowysnowy cold hot warm windyDays

Weather

Weather Picture Graph

cloudy

Today the weather is

sunny hotrainy



The Weather Picture Graph is now complete. Place the Weather Picture Graph in front of your learner, and then ask your student the following questions about the graph.

What type of weather did we have most often since we began the graph?

What type of weather did we have least?

Did we have more cloudy days or sunny days?

Did we have any snowy days? If so, how many?

Count how many sunny days there were.

What is your favourite type of weather?

How many days had that kind of weather?

What is your least favourite type of weather?

How many days had that kind of weather?

After you have discussed the weather for the last nine days, place the Weather Picture Graph in the Celebration Folder.

MaterialsCelebration Folder

268 Early Learning


Module 6

Math Time

Time recommended: 30 minutes

Together with your learner, look for each item listed on the following Counting Scavenger Hunt page. When you fi nd each, make a tally mark. Then, guide your learner to print the total number of each item on the Counting Scavenger Hunt page.

After the scavenger hunt, print the numbers 1 to 10 on a piece of paper or chalkboard. Skip one of the numbers, but do not leave a space. Ask your learner to identify which number is missing.

Extension: Ask your learner to print the numbers from 1 to 10, but remind him or her to skip one number. Then, you identify the missing number.

ActivitiesMath Time

6 542

1

3

Counting Scavenger HuntTally TotalItem

Tin Cans

Toothbrushes

Socks

Pairs of Shoes

Forks

Pots

Stuffed Animals

Square Shapes

1 2 3 5 6 7 8 9 10

1, 2, 3, 5. The number 4 is missing.

= 5

= 3

= 10

Tally Review


269 Module 6Early LearningPrint this page.

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untin

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ca

veng

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unt

Tally

Tota

lIte

m

Tin

Ca

ns

Too

thb

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Soc

ks

Pairs

of

Sho

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Fork

s Pots

Stuf

fed

A

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Squa

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270 Early Learning


Module 6



Music and Movement


Place the Note Cards from Day 8 Music and Movement in front of your learner.

Clap the following patterns one at a time. Then, ask your learner to put the matching Note Cards in the order of each clapped pattern.

Musical Patterns

ta, ta, ta, tati-ti, half note, ti-ti, half note, half noteta, ta, ti-ti, ti-titi-ti, half note, ta

On Day 6, your learner may have chosen to do some research and/or performed a traditional Native Round Dance. Today, your learner will have the opportunity to either review the Round Dance or learn about it.

Ask your learner if he or she has ever seen or performed a dance done in a circle. If so, encourage your learner to share what is remembered about the dance.

A Native American Round Dance involves singers and instruments in the middle of a circle of dancers. Generally, the instruments are a drum and a rattle.

ActivitiesMusic and

Movement Time

Ta-a

Clap once for a count of 2(clap on second count)

Ti-ti

Clap twice for each count of 1

Ta

Clap once for each count of 1

272 Early Learning


Module 6

ActivitiesTeaching Tip

The most important Native American instrument is the drum, as seen at any First Nation or Native event. Various tribes have various traditions about the drum and how to play it, but the basic construction is very similar in most tribes. A wooden frame or a carved and hollowed log with fi nely tanned buckskin or elk skin stretched tightly across the opening by sinew thongs is the basic construction of a drum.

Traditionally, American Indian drums are large, 60 to 100 cm (2 to 3 feet) in diameter, and they are played communally by individuals who stand around them in a circle.

The dancers form a circle around the singers and move in a sideways direction with the lead foot stepping forward and to the side. Then, the other foot catches up.

The steps are done to the beat of the drum, and when the beat changes the dancers change directions.

Provide your student with a readily available drum such as a coffee can with a pair of sticks. Guide your learner to make a steady beat while the instructor demonstrates the moving to the

beat. Next, change roles.

Encourage other family members or friends to participate in your Native Round Dance. A Round

Dance is not just a dance, however. It is an event by a family or a group. All members of the community—

young and old together—are encouraged to dance and have a good time. It is a very participatory dance, rather than a performance. No outfi ts or regalia are necessary; you come as you are.



ActivitiesSharing Time

Sharing Time


Yesterday, you introduced your learner to the belonging and mastery spirits represented in the Circle of Courage. Today, invite your student to learn about the independence and generosity spirits represented in the Circle of Courage.

It’s time to

• learn more about the Native American Medicine Wheel and the Circle of Courage

• discuss the importance of building confi dence about what one can do

• discuss the importance of caring about others and sharing our gifts with them

Show your learner the Circle of Courage from Day 8.

CIRCLE OF COURAGE

IND

EPENDENCE MASTER

Y

BELONGIN

GGEN

EROSITYCIRCLE OF COURAGE

Great Job!

274 Early Learning


Module 6

Review with your young citizen that the important ideas represented in the Circle of Courage are shown on the Native American Medicine Wheel — a sacred symbol representing the wholeness of life.

The Medicine Wheel has four parts: north, south, east, and west. The number four is sacred to the culture

because Native American people see a person as standing in the middle of a circle with four

directions from which to choose.

The important ideas shown in the Circle of Courage illustrate how feeling good about

oneself, learning, and responsibility come from feeling successful in four key areas:

Belonging (Signifi cance), Mastery (Competence), Independence (Empowerment), and Generosity

(Virtue).

Review the belonging and mastery spirits from Day 8 before introducing the spirits of independence and generosity.

After reviewing the previous day spirits, tell your learner that today you will talk about the spirits of Independence and Generosity.

Discuss the following information with your learner.

N

W E

S



Spirit of Independence

IND

EPENDENCE

responsible: having a job or duty; able to be trusted; trustworthy; reliable

independent: able to make responsible and personal choices; able to do things on one’s own

Independence refers to the development of self-reliance and the ability to make responsible decisions. The spirit of independence involves the belief in oneself that “I can do it.” Independent people enjoy working with others as well when opportunities arise.

To develop an independent spirit, learners must develop the understanding that they were born with their own special songs. The role of teachers, parents, and signifi cant others is to look for gifts in learners, not the weaknesses; to encourage improvement, not perfection. It is important that people see the qualities that make each person unique, to see the traits necessary for his or her life path.

276 Early Learning


Module 6

Giving learners the opportunity to make choices about their learning independently helps them to fi nd their own special songs and to share their unique songs and gifts with others. Personal awareness of unique songs and gifts builds confi dence. This confi dence, in combination with curiosity, allows young citizens to strive constantly for improvement and learning. Learners with an independent spirit, make choices readily, and seize problems as valuable opportunities to learn. Also, students are much more likely to take responsibility for choices they make than for choices made on their behalf.

Educators need to provide a protected harbour where learners can dock and step outside day-to-day situations, refl ect on the responsible choices available to them, rebuild, and make plans before setting sail again with an “I can…” attitude. It is imperative that young citizens know that they have a choice about what happens in their lives.



Spirit of Generosity

The fourth spirit represented in the Circle of Courage is generosity.

This spirit refers to caring about the needs of others and offering service to them. People demonstrate their spirit of generosity as they share their gifts with others and through individually-driven special projects in which they are involved in providing support to those in need.

A positive learning environment is also characterized by a generously supportive and caring climate making the social and learning experience meaningful.

Children in Native cultures often sat in a circle while an elder talked to them of what was ahead as they became adults and what they should do to live good lives. A constant message during these talks was that the highest virtue was to be generous and unselfi sh.

GEN

EROSITY

278 Early Learning


Module 6

Encourage your learner to share what he or she has learned about independence (doing things for oneself) and generosity. Also, talk about how the children in the story The Moccasin Goalie by William Roy Brownridge demonstrated the spirits of independence and generosity. Emphasize how important it is for each person to feel a sense of “I can…” and caring for others.

Scribe your learner’s stories on the following I can …, I helped by…, My three doing wishes ..., and My three helping wishes ... pages. Encourage your learner to talk about the people involved, the challenges, and any other pertinent information.

You could also record your learner’s stories and wishes on a tape or DVD. These personal stories would be wonderful keepsakes.

MaterialsCelebration Folder

I can...

... tie my own shoes.


279 Module 6Early LearningPrint this page.

I can ...

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Module 6Print this page.

I helped by ...

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My Three Doing Wishes

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I wish ...

I wish ...

I wish ...

282 Early Learning


Module 6

My Three Helping Wishes

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I wish ...

I wish ...

I wish ...



Letter and Word Time


Find a cozy place to read the following Native legend with your learner.

It’s time to

• read a native legend • learn about the importance of listening to elders

and caring about others

ActivitiesLetter and Word Time

A FBE

C D

catdo

can

How

the Turtle Got Its Shell

284 Early Learning


Module 6

How the Turtle Got Its Shell(Legend adapted from the Ottawa Tribe)

It was a day when Nanaboozhoo was in a strange mood. He had just

woken up from a deep sleep and he was cranky and hungry. He went to

the village for food. Upon entering the village, he came across some men

cooking fi sh. The men warned Nanaboozhoo that the fi sh was hot. But

Nanaboozhoo did not listen to the warning, grabbed the fi sh, and burned

his hand.

He ran off to the lake to cool his hand. As he ran, he tripped over

Mishekae (turtle) who was sunning herself on the beach. She had no shell

and was made of soft skin and bone.

Turtle was hurt and she complained to Nanaboozhoo to watch where

he was going. Nanaboozhoo felt bad and wanted to make it up to his

friend.

Sometime later, he returned to the beach with two large shells.

Nanaboozhoo scooped up Mishekae (turtle) and put her in the middle

of the shells. Nanaboozhoo explained that turtle would never get hurt

again. “When danger is near, just pull your head and legs into the shell for

protection.” Nanaboozhoo told turtle she would now be able to live on

land and in water and have her house with her at all times.

Mishekae (turtle) liked her new self and thanked Nanaboozhoo. She then

pushed herself along the shore and disappeared into the water.

Print this page.



Discuss Nanaboozhoo’s behaviours in the legend to ensure that your student understands the importance of listening to the wisdom of elders and caring about the needs of others.

Complete the K/WL Chart from Day 6 Project Time by fi lling in the L section with what your student has learned about the Native culture and the Circle of Courage.

K/W/L ChartKnow Want to Know Learned

286 Early Learning


Module 6

Project Time


Your learner will now have the opportunity to make his or her own personal Circle of Courage to reinforce what has been learned about the spirits of belonging, mastery, independence, and generosity. You, other family member, and friends may also want to make their own personal Circle of Courage.

It is time to

• make my own personal Circle of Courage • review the spirits of belonging, mastery,

independence, and generosity • identify and discuss times when you have

experienced or practised the spirits in your everyday life

On heavy-weight white paper, guide your learner to use a compass or one larger

and one smaller dinner plate to trace two circles. First, trace the larger plate, and then centre and trace the smaller plate inside the larger circle.

ActivitiesProject Time



Divide the circle into four equal sections as shown on the Circle of Courage.

Within each section of the outside circular rim of the circle, guide your learner to print the name of each spirit as shown in the following illustration.

288 Early Learning


Module 6

Invite your learner to draw personally-meaningful illustrations to match the four spirits in each section.

In the belonging section of the Circle of Courage, guide your learner to draw a picture that shows a personally-meaningful experience about belonging.

In the mastery section of the Circle of Courage, guide your learner to draw a picture that shows a personally-meaningful experience of when he or she mastered a goal.

In the independence section of the Circle of Courage, guide your learner to draw a picture that shows him or her talking about a chosen learning goal such as “I can learn to read.”

In the generosity section of the Circle of Courage, guide your learner to draw a picture that shows a time when he or she helped someone.

Colour the background of the belonging illustration red; the background of the mastery illustration yellow; and the background of the generosity illustration black. Leave the background colour of the independence illustration white. The background colour of each section of the circle represents the four different races (Native, Asian, White, and Black) and their equality.

Post your learner’s personal Circle of Courage in a prominent area of your home. The four spirits can be discussed in relationship to your child’s learning experiences. Utilize the various components of the Circle of Courage whenever possible to support the growth of your learner.



Learning Centre Time


Remind your student to “sign in” with his or her fi rst and last names.

Provide your student time to revisit the many activities that have been part of the Learning Centres for this module or to choose to work on a special project. Whatever your student chooses, encourage him or her to explore and learn through play.

Listed are a few new centre suggestions about the Native American culture that your young citizen may be interested in pursuing. You and your learner may also choose to visit a local museum to observe the cultural history of the area. If you decide to visit a museum, be sure to take a clipboard with blank paper and a pencil attached for recording information. Also, if possible, take a camera to capture special observations.

ActivitiesLearning Centre Time

Sign-In

___________________________

MascotHughes

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Module 6

Native American Rattle Craft Centre

If your young musician is interested, you can help him or her make a simple, yet beautiful Native American rattle from a y-shaped twig, yarn, and beads.

Supplies

• a y-shaped twig • yarn • scissors • transparent tape • feathers, beads, buttons, washers, spools, and/or

shells with holes in them

Procedure

Step 1: Wind yarn around a y-shaped twig, covering it entirely. Start and end the winding with knots or transparent tape. While winding yarn around the twig, add a few decorative objects such as feathers or beads.

Step 2: Tie a 15 cm (6 inch) piece of yarn to one arm of the y-shaped twig. Thread a few beads, washers, spools, or other small objects onto this piece of yarn. Tie the other end of the yarn onto the other arm of the twig. Do this in several places. These items will rattle when the twig is shaken.



Birch Bark Canoe Centre

Many Native American tribes made fi nely-crafted birch bark canoes. Your learner may be interested in making a small model of a birch bark canoe using construction paper and yarn.

Supplies

• brown construction paper or brown paper from a grocery bag

• crayons, tempera paint, or markers • scissors • yarn • a hole punch

Procedure

Step 1: Fold the piece of construction paper in half along the length of the paper.

Step 2: About 1.5 cm (approx. 1 inch) from the fold line, make another fold. Make this fold on both sides of the original fold. The folds will be the bottom of the canoe.

Step 3: Draw a canoe shape on the paper, and then cut out along the shape. Punch a few holes on each end.

Step 4: Weave yarn through the holes in the construction paper. Then, push the folded fl oor fl at so that the canoe sits upright.

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Story Sharing Time


Your learner may be interested in rereading the adapted legend “How the Turtle got its Shell” from today’s Letter and Word Time or read other legends such as those noted below.

• All Around the Village • Chakapesh Snares the Sun • Come Back Snow • The Magic Chair, Mittens for Tony • Nanabush and Rabbit • The Old Woman Who Sang to a Wigwam • On Our Way, Rosie’s Feast

Encourage your learner to choose favourite books to read as well.

ActivitiesStory Sharing Time

Learning Log

What have you observed about your student’s developing skills and attitude toward learning? Check yes or not yet.

The student ...

• recognizes and prints fi rst and last names Yes Not yet

• values and identifi es unique characteristics, Yes Not yet interests, gifts, and talents of self and others

• demonstrates respect for self and others Yes Not yet

• values how personal stories express the Yes Not yet meaning of belonging

• identifi es what brings people together in Yes Not yet groups

• demonstrates knowledge of how people create Yes Not yet a climate of cooperation

• experiences feelings of belonging, mastery, Yes Not yet independence, and generosity

Add any further comments or questions about your student’s learning below or on a separate sheet.

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Home Instructor’s Comments

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Student’s Thoughts

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Learning Log

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1 Student Refl ections

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While completing this module, your student has developed his or her knowledge and skills in various areas of learning. Discuss and scribe your learner’s responses to the following sentence openers.

I feel like I belong when ...

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Student Refl ections2

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I know how to ...

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3 Student Refl ections

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I can ______________________ all by myself ...

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Student Refl ections4

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I show I care when ...

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Learning Anytime Anywhere Journal

Important learning experiences can happen anytime and anywhere. The space below and on the following pages provides you the opportunity to share personal and situational learning experiences. This activity is optional, but it is certainly worthwhile. The dated entries can be as simple as a phrase, a sentence, or a paragraph. In some journal entries, you may wish to record a lot of information, and in others you may choose to make a few pertinent comments or none at all. Thank you for sharing your child’s learning with us.

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Documents

Circle of Courage Revisited · pring ummer Fall. 266 Early Learning Day 9 † Circle of Courage Revisited Module 6 Weather Picture Graph Have your student check the weather outside,