STUDENT MATERIALS
How does Umoⁿhoⁿ Nation share their water stories?
“Lightning Research – Reservation Water”
In this activity, you will learn about water quality on the Omaha reservation by doing a quick internet search. You may take notes on your own, or you may be asked to fill out a guided handout. Afterwards, you may be asked to read the articles below to flesh out your knowledge of the subject. You may also be asked to listen to the sound clip linked below.
Articles about water on the Omaha reservation
- Researchers Find Low Water Quality on Nebraska Reservations – University of Arkansas
- Tribal Water System Improvements Discussed – Nebraska Legislature Unicameral Update
- EPA Issues Boil Alert for customers of Omaha Tribe’s Macy Water System – WQP
- State Asked to Spend Big to Clean-Up Drinking Water – News Channel Nebraska
“Civic Storytelling to Demystify Local Issues for Chattanoogans” – sound clip
“Defining Civic Storytelling”
In this activity, you will learn about the basics of civic storytelling. You may be asked to read the sources listed below. You may also be asked to read the article below about public narrative.
Civic storytelling definition sources
- “Stories and Narratives” – Victoria Department of Education
- “Mastering the Art of the Narrative” – LSE Impact
Standing Rock Stories – Identifying the Key Elements of Civic Storytelling
In this activity, you will practice identifying the basic elements of a civic story. At the same time, you will analyze and compare sources about the Standing Rock protests of 2016. Choose three sources about Standing Rock to analyze and fill out the corresponding handout.
Standing Rock source analysis handout
Standing Rock Stories – Round Robin Reflection
In this activity, you will answer reflection questions in small groups about the “informedness” of different sources of media. You may also be asked to read the below article about “informed” storytelling.
“Not All the Standing Rock Sioux Are Protesting the Pipeline”
Class Discussion About Purpose and Informedness in Civic Storytelling
In this activity, you will have a class discussion to decide 1) why we tell stories and 2) what makes a story informed. During this activity, you will create a chart that will help you distinguish between “informed” and “uninformed” civic stories; you may be asked to fill out a chart template.
Native American Water Stories Gallery Walk
In this activity, you will participate in a gallery walk and analyze Native American water stories told through many different storytelling mediums. The sources for this gallery walk can be found in the document below. As you complete your gallery walk, you should fill out the corresponding handout. You may also be asked to read a series of Standing Rock protest poems. Finally, at the end of the activity, you will have a small group discussion about their gallery walk; you may be asked to submit your answers in writing using the handout below.
“Native American Water Stories” gallery walk sources
“Native American Water Stories” gallery walk handout
“Native American Water Stories” discussion questions handout
Opening Reflection
In this activity, you will reflect on the pros and cons of getting an “insider’s” perspective. During this activity, you will read a series of facts related to exaggerations of the truth by public figures and celebrities.
“Exaggerating the Truth” facts handout
Who Can Tell Your Story? – Ethnographies
In this activity, you will further explore the nature of the “insider’s” perspective by reading excerpts from ethnographies. You will read primary source passages and answer analysis questions about them.
Primary source passages and questions
- Alice Cunningham Fletcher primary source passage
- Alice Cunningham Fletcher primary source analysis questions
- Francis La Flesche primary source passages
- Francis La Flesche primary source analysis questions
Who Can Tell Your Story? – Popular Culture
In this activity, you will consider who can tell which stories by learning more about “insider” and “outsider” perspectives. You will read/listen to two sources about telling stories without first-hand experience. During this activity, you may be asked to take notes using a chart like the one provided below, or to fill out the corresponding guided handouts. You will also read an article about Standing Rock and fill out the corresponding handout. Finally, you may be asked to read an article about the portrayal of Native Americans in books and films.
Storytelling without first-hand experience
- Representation & Writing: Who Gets to Tell Whose Story? – Vermont Public **excerpts (0:00 – 10:30) and (16:50 – 21:10)
- Can a White Director Make a Great Black Movie? – Hollywood Reporter
Guided handouts for above sources
- Representation & Writing Guided Reading Handout
- Can a White Director Make a Great Black Movie? Guided Reading Handout
“Standing Rock Activists Asking White People to Stop Treating Pipeline Protest Like Burning Man”