Mind Walk
Discovering the Historical Record
Origins and Encounters
Fold your paper in half
vertically (hot dog style) so
you have 2 columns
Your Paper
Step ONE
List all the activities you
were involved in during
the past 24 hours (starting
from this time yesterday
to this moment)
Your Paper
List of activities
5 am: woke up
5:30am: Took a shower
6:00am: walked my dog
6:30am: fixed my lunch
for the day
7:00am: arrived at work
Leave blank for now
Step TWO
 Review your entire list. For each activity
on your list, write down what evidence, if
any, your activities might have left behind.
 Examples: diary, notes, letters, emails, text
messages, voice mail, calendar entry, checks,
charge cards, receipts, eye witnesses, trash,
material objects
Your Paper
List of activities
Evidence
5 am: woke up
None
5:30am: Took a shower
None
6:00am: walked my dog
My neighbor was also walking her
dog; we exchanged hellos
6:30am: fixed my lunch
for the day
7:00am: arrived at work
None
Sign in sheet in the office;
Custodian greeted me on the way
in; signed into my computer
Step 3
 Review your list and evidence. Then…
 Circle the activities that left the most trace
evidence behind
 Of the circled items, put a box around the
ones that might be preserved—explain why!
 Cross out all the activities that would be left
out of any historical record.
 Based on what is left, what would a future
historian be able to tell about your life?
Your Paper
Computer records last for
much longer than many
other things; sign in
sheets are kept for pay roll
purposes.
List of activities
Evidence
5 am: woke up
None
5:30am: Took a shower
None
6:00am: walked my dog
My neighbor was also walking her
dog; we exchanged hellos
6:30am: fixed my lunch
for the day
7:00am: arrived at work
None
Sign in sheet in the office;
Custodian greeted me on the way
in; signed into my computer
A future historian would say…
 I work extremely hard given the time I
arrive at work each day and the things I do
on my computer.
Broaden it out
 Now, think of a more public event (a court
case, an election, a controversy, etc.).
Write this event down, then answer the
following questions
 What kind of evidence does this event leave
behind?
 Who records information about this event
 Why are these events recorded?
So…What?
 What does this activity reveal about what
the historical record preserves?
 Why?
Native American Culture
 Earliest part of the United States’
Historical Record
 Preserved through their own historical
record…what artifacts might they have?
Oral Tradition
 Stories spoken aloud rather than
committed to paper; an early form of both
literature and history
 What are the strengths of this type of
preservation?
 Weaknesses?—Telephone/Gossip
Validity and Fallibility
 Can something be both fallible (imperfect)
and valid (legitimate)?
Origin Myth
 Myth: a usually traditional story of
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allegedly historical events that serves to
unfold part of the world view of a people
Origin Myths: explain a practice, belief, or
natural phenomenon
Examples?
Fact or opinion?
Valid?
Onondaga Tribe
 Present territory is south of Syracuse, New
York.
 Continues to maintain its ancient form of
government, including a traditionallyselected council of chiefs.
 Short video Clip00-:57; 10:40
What does it mean to be
interconnected? How do
you think tales of nature
and the natural world
show
interconnectedness?
In her introduction, Susan
Power says, “I was taught
that our lives are
stories…”. Do you agree
with the statement?
Explain.
Symbolism
 The use of something tangible to describe
something intangible.
 HEART = LOVE
What type of person might have
had this totem shield?
Animal in “The Earth Symbolic Meaning
on Turtle’s Back”
Turtle
Swan
Beaver
Loon
Muskrat
Sacred; holy
Duck
Graceful on the water; sees
clearly through emotions;
spirit helper of mystics and
seers.
Animal I like
Symbolic Meaning
For Later…
When Grizzlies
Walked Upright
Grizzly Bear
Bear
Symbolic Meaning
Reading Check questions
 1. What happened to the wife of the chief when
the young men uprooted the Great Tree? Why
were the animals so concerned about this?
 2. Whom do the Onondaga credit with bringing
the Earth into existence? Explain your response.
 3. How does life (the trees and seeds) come into
existence on Earth? Where do the scratches on
the Turtle’s back come from?
 4. Who brings the Earth up?
Shore
 In this scenario, how many points of view
are there? (remember Point of view refers
to who is telling a story.) How might the
point of view change depending on the
outcome? Why is it important to know that
there are different points of view? If your
friend was telling you the story how might
things change is your friend was a player?
A referee? A coach? An opposing team
fan?
Point of View
 What are the 4 narrative viewpoints?
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1st person—”I”
2nd person—”you”
3rd person Omniscient— All knowing
3rd person limited—outside narrator only focusing
on one character
Point of view
 What point of view is this story told
from?
 3rd person omniscient
Point of View
 Is the Point of View consistent?
 Is it plausible?
 Are there alternatives?
Journal Write: 9-26-11
 Retell a myth that you have heard of or
were told. Then, tell me if it was fact,
belief, or a combination. How did you
know?
Modoc Tribe
 Originate from Northern California and
Southern Oregon
 They are currently divided between
Oregon and Oklahoma.
 The latter are a federally-recognized tribe, the
Modoc Tribe of Oklahoma.
 The Oregon Modocs are enrolled in the
federally-recognized Klamath Tribes.
Mt. Shasta
Exit Slip: 9-26-11
 Write down the four types of point of view
and define each.
Grizzlies Reading Check
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What natural phenomenon is explained in the first
paragraph?
What is the difference between the bears of the
“beginning of the world” and bears of today?
What does the sky spirit warn his daughter about?
Where does the daughter disappear to?
Why does the sky spirit curse the grizzlies?
Who were the first Indians?
Look at the graphic on pg. 22. In what way does the
artist blend the natural world and the human world?
What Point of View is this origin myth told in?
Origin Myths
Selection
Phenomenon
“The Earth on Turtle’s
Back”
The world
Trees and Seeds
Scratches on the
Turtle’s Back
“When Grizzlies Walked
Upright”
Mount Shasta
Beaver
Otter
Fish
Birds
Grizzlies
Explanation
Thematic Connections
 Take your response to this scenario and
write down as many connections as you
can between the scenario and the real
life experience of Native Americans.
Theme: a unifying or dominate idea. For
example, love conquers all is a theme of
many pieces of literature.
Reservation Life
Facts
Opinions
Reservation life
The Scenario
The article
“Little Spirit Sun”
Similarities
Therefore, literature reflects human
struggles through the themes of…
Basic human nature
 Overcome struggles
 Get the word out
 What are some ways to do this?