Diné Clan System

DESCRIPTORS

Curriculum Areas: Navajo Clanship (Diné)

Recommended Levels: Secondary 9^th graders

Time Frame: 55 minutes

Tribal Affiliation: Navajo (Dine)

Geographic Location: Rock Point Arizona

Developed by: Bennie Begay

Email addresses of developers: Bennie_Begay@teachnet.edb.utexas.edu

Date lesson was developed: July 23, 2001

American Indian Standards:

American language and culture camps (1.1,2.1,2.2,3.2,5.1,5.2)

INSTRUCTION

Goal: Teachers and students will be able to build stronger relationship. Through relationship teachings, communication will be more flexible among community members.

Behavioral Objectives: The students will

• use the clan system to identify relationships among the Diné people
• begin a conversation with the elders starting with their own clans

Prior Knowledge Needed:

Basic understanding of clans

Ability to speak Navajo language fluently

Materials and Resources Needed:

• Computer and software
• Navajo dictionary
• Paper and pencils
• Consultant from the community
• Crayons
• Markers
• Tape recorder

Culture Content and Strategies:

• Teaching and stories related to the clans
• Elders (Diné)
• Corn

Lesson Summary and Performance Tasks:

The students should be able to introduce themselves by knowing their first clans, their second clans, their maternal clans and their paternal clans. Everyone does his/her introduction, and then the class will identify the clans to see how everyone is related. Teachers and students will write down their clans and the colors on a piece of paper to be worn everyday.

The students should be able to name all the clan groups. According to the clan group students will learn which clan is in the same group and how they are related. According to the growth of corn students will understand how the clan system works.

Assessment:

• Oral presentation graded by rubric
• A portfolio on all clan systems graded by a rubric
• Student journaling about what they learned from the elders

EXTENSION

Technology Integration:

Use a paint program to identify clan systems

Email (have students start an exchange relationship with other schools)

Enrichment/Remediation:

Have students do research on clan systems from the past to the present. Have a reunion for every clan for the benefit of our community Diné people.

Teacher Reflections

To be added by the user