Wahta (Maple) Project

 

 

 

Introduction

 

Curriculum Areas:   Oneida Language & Culture, Social Studies, Language Arts, Art

 

 

 

Recommended Levels: 7th & 8th grades

 

 

 

Time Frame: 4 weeks / 45 minutes daily

 

 

 

Tribal Affiliation: Oneida / Woodland

 

 

 

 

Geographic Location: Oneida, Wisconsin

 

 

 

 

Developed by: Gail Danforth, Oneida Language & Culture Teacher, Turtle School, P. O. Box 365, Oneida, WI 54155

 

 

 

 

Email addresses of developers: gdanfort@oneidanation.org

 

 

 

 

Date lesson was developed: 7/25/01

 

 

 

 

Lesson Content

Goal:

*  Students will increase their knowledge base of the maple syrup process.

*  Students will increase their skills: organization, technology, research, teamwork-cooperation, and oral presentation.

 

 

 

Behavioral Objectives:

1.    Students will use a team approach.  Each team will choose a topic pertaining to maple sugar tapping time.

TASKS:               * Evaluate and review available materials.   

                                    *  Brainstorm topics.

*  State outcomes of the project.

 

2.    Each team will complete a two-page paper utilizing their    computer skills.  A title page will be designed using available software.  A bibliography will also be included with the report.

 

TASKS:               * Determine various components of the project.

                             *  Organize individual student responsibilities.

                                    *  Complete task list.

3.    Each team will present to the class a presentation on their report.  All students will take a follow up quiz.

 

TASKS:               * Develop  rubric for the wahta project.

*  Develop questions for a quiz based on the presentations.

 

 

                                                                                                           

American Indian Standards:

American Indian Foods

 

 

Standard 1.1:  Interpersonal Communication

Standard 2.1:  Practices of Culture

Standard 2.2:  Products of Culture

Standard 3.2:  Acquiring New Information

Standard 5.2:  Lifelong Learning

 

American Indian Language and Technology

         

Standard 1.1:  Interpersonal Communication

Standard 1.3:  Presentational Communication

Standard 3.1:  Making Connections

Standard 5.1:  School and Community

         

         

 

Prior Knowledge Needed:

·        Basic understanding of the process of making maple syrup.

·        Basic understanding of Internet searching.

·        Basic understanding of word processing.

·        Basic understanding of graphics programs.

·       Basic understanding of digital camera use and software.

 

 

 

 

 

Materials and Resources Needed:

·        Sugar camp supplies

·        Computer lab

·        Digital camera

·        Printer, scanner

·        Maple resource books, pamphlets, and materials

·        Art materials

 

Lesson Summary and Performance Tasks:

The teacher will review the expected goals, objectives and tasks with the students and answer questions. Timelines need to be set (i. e. searching the Internet for resources) as this can be a lengthy project, although it coincides with the tree tapping time which can go from four to six weeks. This is an excellent project balancing the acquisition of information when students aren’t able to go outside to sugar bush due to inclement weather.

Please refer to tasks listed under each objective.

 

 

Assessment:

·                    Each student will complete rubrics for the project.

·                    A teamwork/cooperation rubric assessment will be completed by the teacher.

·                    The teacher will use a Likert scale developed by the students using the Oneida Language.

·                    Projects will be displayed at the Community Maple Dinner.

·                    Projects will be a part of the students’ portfolios.

·                    Projects will be reviewed at parent-teacher conferences.

 

 

 

 

 

Culture Content and Strategies:

          The springtime of the year provides the staff, students and the community to be involved with processing of one of our Indigenous foods, maple syrup. Maple sap, or the sweet water, is looked upon as a medicine for the people. A thanks to the Maple Ceremony is done to open the season and to end the season. 

Topics that can be explored according to each student’s individual interests and talents include:

Maple Tree Identification and Tree Selection

Time to Tap/ End of the Season

Setup Sugar Camp

Boil Down

Steps of Gathering Sap Now and Long Ago

 Maple History

Recipes

Artwork

Legends and Stories

Internet

Other Nations’ Sugar Camps

Enter Technology

Little-known Facts

Sugar Bush Vocabulary

New Sources

Photo Project

Other student generated topics

 

 

Please refer to Wahta – Oneida Language lesson for integration of 

            Language and Culture into this subject area.

 

Technology Integration:

Students will use computers to accomplish their research projects (Internet).

Students will have available to them: scanner, digital camera, and appropriate software.

 

 

Enrichment/Remediation:

SUGARBUSH – This is the actual hands-on going out to the sugar bush and tapping of the maple trees.

Students can videotape this process.

 

Teacher Reflections

(to be added by user)