The Four Sacred Mountains

Grade Level:

3RD GRADE

Subject Areas:

• SOCIAL STUDIES
• SCIENCE
• LANGUAGE ARTS
• ART

Objectives

• STUDENTS WILL IDENTIFY EACH OF THE FOUR SACRED MOUNTAINS BY ITS DINE AND ENGLISH NAME
• LOCATE THE DIRECTION OF EACH MOUNTAIN
• CREATE AN ILLUSTRATION USING THE COLORS THAT REPRESENT EACH MOUNTAIN
• NAME THE PROTECTORS FOR EACH MOUNTAIN

Technology Equipment and Skills Needed:

• PICTURES OF THE FOUR MOUNTAINS
• ART SUPPLIES: PAINT, CONSTRUCTION PAPER, SCISSORS, CHALK, GLUE, MARKERS, CRAYONS, COLORED PENCILS, HOMEMADE PLAYDOUGH
• LARGE MAP DISPLAYING THE LOCATION OF THE MOUNTAINS UNITED STATES, NEW MEXICO, COLORADO AND ARIZONA

Lesson Overview:

THIS LESSON WILL ALLOW STUDENTS TO GEOGRAPHICALLY IDENTIFY WHERE THE FOUR SACRED MOUNTAINS ARE AND THEIR VALUES. THE STUDENTS WILL FIRST RESEARCH ABOUT THE LOCATION OF THE FOUR SACRED MOUNTAINS IN THE RESOURCES SITED. THEY WILL THEN USE THE UNITED STATES GEOLOGIC SURVEY (U.S.G.S) WEBSITE TO IDENTIFY THE GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION USING THE CORRECT GLOBAL POSITIONING (LONGITUDE AND LATITUDE) OF THESE MOUNTAINS. THE STORIES RELATED TO THE MOUNTAINS AND THEIR VALUES WILL BE TAUGHT BY AN INSTRUCTOR OR BE RESEARCHED ON THE INTERNET BY VISITING THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA WEBSITE UNDER THE FOUR SACRED MOUNTAINS OR DO RESEARCH ON THE LOCAL (ROCK POINT) INTRANET (TO BE DEVELOPED). AFTERWARD, THE STUDENTS WILL THEN MOLD THE PLAYDOUGH TO CREATE THE FOUR MOUNTAINS. IN THE PROCESS OF MOLDING THE DOUG\H, THEY MUST CORRECTLY SITE THE PHYSICAL LOCATIONS OF THE MOUNTAINS BY THEIR DIRECTION AND COLOR. A REPORT ON THIS PROJECT WILL BE REQUIRED BY THE STUDENTS WITH A PRESENTATION USING THEIR CREATED DIARAMA.

Cultural Content:

THE NAMES AND PRONOUNCIATION OF THE FOUR SACRED MOUNTAINS SHOULD BE EMPHASIZED USING THE FOLLOWING TABLE. THE STORIES ON THE COLORS, AND PROTECTORS OF EACH OF THE SACRED MOUNTAINS WILL BE DISCUSSED. THIS LESSON IS THE FOUNDATION OF THE CLAN SYSTEM OF THE DINE PEOPLE.

*There is a controversy about which mountain should be considered the sacred eastern mountain, and this may differ in various regions of the Navajo Nation.

Other Background Information for Teacher:

VISIT THE FOLLOWING SITES SO THAT YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH THEM:

• LAPAHIE WEB SITE: http://www.lapahie.com/Sacred_Mts.html
• U.S.G.S. http://mapping.usgs.gov/mac/findmaps.html

READ OR VIEW THE FOLLOWING RESOURCES:

• BETWEEN SACRED MOUNTAINS BY ROCK POINT SCHOOL
• FOUNDATION OF NAVAJO CULTURE BY DR. WILSON ARONILTH JR.
• THE SEQUENTIAL ORDER OF DINE CLAN SYSTEM TEACHING FOR NAVAJO NATION DINE TEACHERS BY DR. WILSON ARONILTH JR.
• AN INTRODUCTION TO NAVAJO PHILOSOPHY BY DR. WILSON ARONILTH JR.
• THE CLAN SYSTEM (VIDEO) BY DR. WILSON ARONILTH JR.
• MY INTRODUCTION (VIDEO) BY ROCK POINT COMMUNITY SCHOOL (ALSO AVAILABLE ON ZIP DISK)

Assessment:

STUDENT DEVELOPED RUBRIC FOR DIARAMA; TO BE ASSESSED ON NAME, LOCATION, COLOR REPRESENTATION, PROTECTOR AND CANE TO COVER ALL SUBJECTS STATED ABOVE.

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This lesson as a web page was created by the 4Directions Team at Rock Point Community School

Highway 191

Rock Point, AZ 86545

Phones:520.659.4221 Fax:520.659.4235