Thunder Rolling in the Mountains Language Arts Unit Chapter 22 & 23 (Pages 117 - 126)

Lesson  15: Theme & Relationships by Karen Peterson, Hellgate Elementary 

These two chapters are the last chapters from the novel Thunder Rolling in the Mountains, and explains a series of events; battles and encounters experienced by the Five Bands of tribes; Nimi'ipuu, Lamtamas, Palouse, Alpowais and the Pikunans. The encounters and battle became known as Nez Perce War of 1877. The overall structure of the Flight for Freedom is described and explained in each chapter. Students will describe how Sound of Running Feet’s point of view guides the reader about the events of Five Bands fleeing and fighting for their land.  Sound of Running Feet had an unique relationship with her father and yet she opposed many of his ideals which adds to the complexity of the story. 

This lesson addresses the following objectives.

 Students will:3. Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.a. Use combined knowledge of all letter-sound correspondences, syllabication patterns, and morphology (e.g., roots and affixes) to read accurately unfamiliar multisyllabic words in context and out of context.(Standard 3)FluencyThis lesson addresses the following unit objectives.  Students will: 4. Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension.a. Read on-level text with purpose and understanding.b. Read on-level prose and poetry orally with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression on successive readings.c. Use context to confirm or self-correct word recognition and understanding, rereading as necessary

.Reading Standards for LiteratureKey Ideas and Details

This lesson addresses the following unit objectives.  

Students will: 2. Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text, including how characters in a story or drama respond to challenges or how the speaker in a poem reflects upon a topic; summarize the text. Include texts by and about American Indians.

Integration of Knowledge and Ideas

This lesson addresses the following unit objectives.  Students will: 7. Analyze how visual and multimedia elements contribute to the meaning, tone, or beauty of a text (e.g., graphic novel, multimedia presentation of fiction, folktale, myth, poem).Craft and StructureThis lesson addresses the following unit objectives.  Students will:5. Explain how a series of chapters, scenes, or stanzas fits together to provide the overall structure of a particular story, drama, or poem.6. Describe how a narrator’s or speaker’s point of view influences how events are described, including perspectives of American Indians.

Resources/Materials/Teacher Preparation: Thunder Rolling in the Mountain,Student Online Assignment for Thunder Rolling in the MountainI, nternet- You Tube Nez Perce Flight Song

Background Information

Thunder Rolling in the Mountain; Chapter 22 -  For seven suns Sound of Running Feet was held in Red Elk’s tipi. The rifles that were taken the night Swan Necklace was killed were wrapped and placed against the walls of the tipi. Sound of Running feet could not understand why her life was spared and why she wasn’t working.  Usually captive women are not idle. Sound of Running Feet paid close attention to the chief’s family and their motions. She was able to figure out certain words and with intent listening she learned that Charging Hawk had a wife with child that died three snows ago and was never attracted to anyone until he laid eyes on Sound of Running Feet. Charging Hawk spent many days in the tipi making arrows while watching Sound of Running Feet. He would look at her most of the day and if she stared back he would grin foolishly. On the seventh sun, Charging Hawk prepared his hair with bear grease, wore earrings and a decorated buckskin shirt with a red hand that indicates that he killed another warrior by hand-to-hand combat. He wore a necklace of a bearclaw. Then in all his regalia,Charging Hawk, took a fox skin pinned it on a pole and at some distance shot his arrow right in the middle of the target which signified to Sound of Running Feet that he was a great warrior and skillful hunter. Sound of Running Feet could not feel anything for Charging Hawk as he killed Swan Necklace. That evening Alighting Dove informed Sound of Running Feet that Charging Hawk wished to marry her and that she was very lucky. After that time Sound of Running Feet became part of the family and Alighting Dove still watched her carefully. Sound of Running Feet learned all the different ways the Assiniboins did things and she then realized why they got their name Assiniboins or “stone boilers” Assiniboins cook meet in the hole lined with rawhide. The people poured water into the hole and dropped large red hot stones from the fire. The stones were removed and more hots stones were added until the water boiled. Suns came and winter passed and Alighting Dove helped Sound of Running Feet make a elkskin dress for her wedding. The dress was different from her last dress. As they worked on the dress Alighting Dove told Sound of Running Feet about her son and how swift, brave and strong he was. Sound of Running Feet could only bow her head as she thought about how he ate with Swan Necklace, guest slept with him and then killed him for his woman. When the dress was completed Swan Necklace was ordered to the fire where Alighting Dove pierced her ears. When the holes in her ears were healed she could marry Charging Hawk. Sound of Running kept opening the ear holes so she could delay the marriage. Despite Sound of Running Feet’s efforts, the wedding day came and the whole clan celebrated with a huge feast and many fires. Drummer drummed, whistles shrilled and flutes made soft noises for the dancers. After the feasting, dancing and singing the wedding party went into the tipi where Sound of Running Feet put on her new clothes and wore earrings of silver and blue from southern tribes. Chief Red Elk and his wife asked the Great Spirit for a blessing on the marriage.  Charging Hawk placed the white ermine blanket in front of Sound of Running Feet and told her it was their wedding blanket. Responding in the Assiniboin words Sound of Running Feet responded that the blanket was beautiful. Charging Hawk grasped Sound of Running Feet’s hands as Chief Red Elk spoke of the duties of a wife and husband and then he asked the Great Spirit for many sons. A pipe was lit and the men smoked and passed the pipe around. Charging Hawk got to his feet and danced in the circle of warriors each time pulling a warrior into the circle to dance. The men danced and the women clapped. The dancing lasted well into the night and the smoke grew so thick you could not see across the circle of men. The party seemed to ignore Sound of Running Feet, but that allowed her to take the blanket, rifles, and bullets to escape from the village. 

Thunder Rolling in the Mountains; Chapter 23 - Sound of Running Feet ran until she could  not run any longer. She took deep breaths and continued to walk and she walked until the stars faded and light was appearing. Sound of Running Feet crossed a frozen stream and used the water for extra strength. She continued walking until cloud covered and snow stopped her momentum. She found of gully and pulled her ermine blanket over her. When the sun appeared it had moved the space of two hands once then again as Sound of Running Feet slept. She lay awake loaded her gun only to hear a horse gallop past her. Charging Hawk was on horseback looking for Sound of Running Feet and forced Sound of Running Feet to hold up in the same spot for the remainder of the day. When the sun was low Charging Hawk was again in sight, this time he looked weary. Charging Hawk passed Sound of Running in her hole up site and this time she was  prepared to shoot him in the back. When she went to pull the trigger images of bodies strewn across the ground came to her. Images of dead people, her mother, Swan Necklace, Ollokot, Fair Land, the dead chiefs, the dead warriors, the dead women, the dead children and dead Blue Coats were real to Sound of Running Feet. Then as clear as day Sound of Running Feet could hear her father’s voice speak in her head. She heard him say “This hatred sickens my heart. All men were made by the same Great Spirit. Yet we shoot one another down like animals” and her finger fell from the trigger. As soon as she seen Charging Hawk ride out of sight she knew the hatred was over and she stood up and walked toward Old Lady’s Country. 

Procedure

1. Teacher and students discuss how a series of chapters, scenes, or stanzas fits together to provide the overall structure of a particular story, drama, or poem. 

2. These two chapters take the reader beyond the Battle of Bear Paw. Ask if that is significant to the story or not? 

3. Student write a persuasive letter to President Hayes persuading him to reconsider the displacement of the Nez Perce of their homeland of the Wallowa Valley. 

Formative Assessment answers to questions

Summative Assessment letter to President Hayes with evidence to support your arguments