SD Indian Studies

 
Lesson Beginning:
 
Title/Unit: Understanding Lakota Culture
Grade Level: 4th Grade
Timing: Two, 45-minute class periods
Core Content: OSEU
 
Content Standards

OSEU 3: Culture & Language

Standard 3.1 – Identify similarities and differences among the Lakota/Dakota/Nakota language
dialects.

Learning Outcomes/Lesson Objectives

 Students will define what culture is and how language is a part of culture but can also
have an affect on culture through whole class discussion.
 Students will compare what they know, what they want to know, and what they learned
using the KWL chart that will be used as a whole class.
 Students will be able to describe the difference between the Lakota, Dakota, and Nakota
dialects based on their knowledge of location and tribal history.
 Students will be able to demonstrate an understanding on how language can affect the
culture of the Lakota tribe, originating from the Sioux Nation, through whole class
discussion, videos, and research projects.

Materials

 KWL chart
 Blank maps of the Sioux Native American tribal lands
 Smartboard
 Crayons, colored pencils, or markers
 Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31GkAvXVcU4
  Graphical view of the structure of the Sioux Nation chart
 Alphabet print out
 Map of the Sioux Nation

 
Lesson Body:

Instructional Strategies
Day One:
25 minutes- Introduce the Sioux tribe and explain what Lakota, Dakota, and Nakota is
- Begin class by asking your students what they know about the Sioux Native American
tribe. Create a KWL chart on a large poster board for the entire class. Collect what they
know about the Sioux tribe and write it under the ‘K’ of the chart.
- Next, discuss with the class that the name Dakota, Lakota, or Nakota means “friendly
people,” but French priests called them “Sioux” which means “snake” or “enemy”.
Explain that the Sioux are composed of several tribes in which speak three different
dialects, the Lakota, Dakota, and Nakota. Explain that the Lakota tribe is made up of 7
tribal bands, making it the largest of the 3 groups. Here you may show the Graphical
view of the structure of the Sioux Nation.
- Continue the lesson by giving each student a blank map of the Sioux Tribal Area. As a
class, go through and section off where the Lakota, Dakota, and Nakota language dialects
can be found in the region. Then discuss where the dialects are located geographically.
Explain that the Lakota are found in both western, North and South Dakota. The Dakota
are found in Minnesota and Nebraska. The Nakota are found in South Dakota, North
Dakota, and Montana. Explain that the Lakota dialect is found north, Dakota is found in
the east, and Nakota is found in the west in central location to one another.
- Finally, complete the ‘W’ part of the KWL chart by asking students what they want to
know after the lesson is complete relating to Lakota culture and language.
10 minutes- Discuss with the class how language is a part of culture and look at the alphabet
- The different dialects and language used among the Sioux Nation (Lakota, Dakota, and
Nakota) help to create the culture for the Native American tribes. Without a common
language among a group of people, the history and knowledge of the people would not be
able to be passed down. Without language, there would be no culture because no one
would know where they come form and how. The Native American people use their
language to communicate with one another, pass down stories, etc.
- As a whole class, look at the alphabet. Discuss with the class how all three dialects:
Lakota, Dakota, and Nakota, all have the same alphabet. How does the alphabet look in
comparison to the English alphabet? What are some similarities and differences? Now,
how does the alphabet relate back to language? How to the letters and sounds help to
communicate? How is language and the alphabet related to culture?
5 minutes- Watch video and discuss
- Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31GkAvXVcU4
- This video tells the story of Lakota culture in the Lakota language. Before playing the
video, discuss with the class the language of the video.
- Once the video is finished, work as a class to try and decide what message the video was
trying to convey. Use context clues, such as the pictures, to help the students understand
the meaning of the video and what is being discussed. How do the students know what is
being discussed in the video? What context clues and past knowledge did they use?
5 minutes- Introduce research project
- Instruct students on the research project that they will conduct during the next class
period. Students will split into groups of 2-4 students (based on class size) and research a
story, song, or other piece of writing in the Lakota language. They will then be asked to
translate the piece of work into English. Finally, the students will be asked to explain the
meaning on the piece and how it relates back to Lakota culture, as well as what we can
take away or learn from it.

Day Two:
3 minutes- Remind students of the project
- Students will work in groups to research a piece of Lakota writing and present their
findings to the class based on translation and relation.
30 minutes- Work time for students
- During work time, the teacher should be roaming around the room to answer any
questions students may have. The teacher should also be checking students understanding
through formative assessment. The teacher should observe and ask questions relating to
the material to grasp where the students are in their understanding.
12 minutes- Presentation time
- Each group will get around 2 minutes to present their findings. They may present in oral
form, a slide-show, a poster, etc. Students will get the choice of how they will present
their findings.

Technology Integration

The teacher will use technology to play a video and show different materials such as the
alphabet. Students will be asked to do their own research on Lakota culture and language. They
will use the internet to find an online source and translate their findings.

Lesson Closure:
Assessment

There is no cumulative assessment for the following lesson plan. Teachers should use formative
assessment throughout the lesson to understand where the whole class and individual students’
comprehension of the material is. The KWL chart started at the beginning of the lesson and
completed as the lesson is wrapped up will indicate student and class understanding of how the
Sioux Nation is broken up into different tribes, located in different locations, creating different
dialects affects culture. The teacher should also be completing formative assessments as they
walk around the classroom during work time. They should be observing and asking questions to
deeper students’ learning.

Modifications and Enrichment Activities

Challenged Learner- The challenged learner will just be asked to find a piece of Lakota writing
and its translation to English. Then, as the teacher, you will work with the student to ask
questions and deepen their understanding of the writing they found. Work with the student to
make connections to the Native American culture and our culture.
 
Advanced Learner- The advance learner will be asked to evaluate the alphabet that was discussed
in class. They will then be asked to try and write their own short story in Lakota using their
understanding of the language and alphabet, as well as the internet.

Sources Used in Lesson