Lesson 2: Listening & Character Web by Valerie Tracht & Meghan Butler, Hellgate Elementary, 2012

In this lesson students are introduced to the Nimi’ipuu (Nez Perce) Tribe. The entire novel Thunder Rolling in the Mountains and social studies and science curriculum is based on the Nimi’ipuu Flight for Freedom of their land with the U.S. Government in 1877. Students will use effective listening techniques as they are presented background information daily and must be willing to take and organize the information for further instructions and lessons. Students use context clues to determine meaning for words. 

This lesson addresses the following unit objectives.  Students will: 2. determine 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 (Key Ideas and details, Standard 2) 3. compare and contrast two or more characters, settings, or events in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text (e.g., how characters interact).(Standard Ideas and Details, Standard3)

This lesson addresses the following unit objectives.  

Students will: 8. Recall relevant information from experiences or gather relevant information from print and digital sources; summarize or paraphrase information in notes and finished work, and provide a list of sources.

Resources/Materials/Teacher Preparation Rolling Thunder in the Mountains, by Scott O’Dell Chapters 1-3, Character Web Smartboard Document, Computer with internet access

Rolling Thunder in the Mountains; Chapter 1 - Sound of Running Feet  who is Chief Joseph's daughter is the narrator for the story; Thunder Rolling in the Mountains. Sound of Running Feet and her cousins and her friend White Feather are returning home from collecting cause roots to the Wallowa Valley when they encounter another Nimi’ipuu boy with a tattooed hand and a white settler, Jason Upright and his wife. Words were exchanged as the Nimi’ipuu boy wonders why the white gold seeker built a cabin on land that does not belong to him. Jason explained that the Nimi’ipuu have too much land and they can not possibly use it all. This comment makes Sound of Running Feet angry and she galloped her horse away, dismounted and with careful aim shot the gold pan from the hands of Jason’s wife. As the girls get back on the trail they encountered a grizzly bear and they were not alarmed they simply waited for the bear to finish eating the berries. 

Rolling Thunder in the Mountains; Chapter 2 - On the shores of Wallowa Lake, Sound of Running Feet was dividing up all the kouse roots when she told her father about the white settlers. Sound of Running Feet thought their tribe should fight the white settlers because they are building on land where their Nimi’puu cattle roam, but her father explained that they are too many white people and they will continue to come. Even if the Nim’iipuu fought,  there are too many whites and they would devour the tribe. With these comments Sound of Running Feet thought  that her father was a kind gentle man and not a warrior. They continued talking about the white settlers and how soldiers were coming. The one armed man was the soldier’s leader. The honored priest, Too-hul-hul-sote, rode up to Chief Joseph, and warned  him that the one armed general and his soldiers were approaching the camp. General Howard and his men were meeting with Chief Joseph to see that he is moving his people to Lapwai. Chief Joseph explained to General Howard that Lapwai already had people living there and and that is is not good to move people from their home. Three red-coat warriors led by Wah-lit-its and his cousins stood behind Chief Joseph. Swan Necklace, an artist, and who was someone who Sound of Running has always loved and was commanded by his father. Two Moons asked Swan Necklace to join the fight and become the horse handler for Wah-lit-its. These warriors were considered the Red Coats which meant warrior.

Rolling Thunder in the Mountains; Chapter 3 - General Howard and Chief Joseph continued their discussion about relocating and Chief Joseph with his hands against his chest and his mouth tight looked out at the beautiful valley of Wallowa. Chief Joseph tried to explain to the General that the Wallowa Valley was the home of his people and he could tell stories of his coming of age in the mountains before them as it holds his arms up high. The general did not seem to listen or care about Chief Joseph’s explanation. Chief Joseph further explained how his guardian spirit came and gave him his name, Thunder Rolling in the Mountains. His name binds him to the land of the Wandering Waters (Wallowa Valley). The general seemed not to care.Too-hul-hul-sote, who had been held captive from the general, spoke with a forceful presence and asked Who the general was to tell the tribe to move and explained that the Spirit Chief maker of the mountains is the one who dictates their moves. The earth is their mother and now the general was having the tribe leave their mother. Chief Joseph once again insisted that he can not move his people at this time as the Snake River was flooding and his people are children and the old. General Howard was tired of excuses,  he showed his weapon to Chief Joseph and insisted that the tribes needed to be gone from their Wallowa place within 30 suns or 30 days or all the soldiers would be sent. Chief Joseph agreed  they would be gone but also insisted that there must be no bloodshed. The Red Coats,  Nimi’ipuu warriors, rode back to camp and alerted everybody of the discussion and they would follow Chief Joseph lead to leave or they would fight. Sound of Running Feet started thinking wild thoughts about the events that would take place as the Nimi’ipuu Tribe would have contact with the soldiers and that she may even get the opportunity to help fight. The thoughts of fighting and protecting her land excited her.

1. Teacher passes out Nez Perce Graphic Organizer students listen intently to powerpoint and write appropriate information in the appropriate section of the Nez Perce Graphic Organizer.Student finish the Organizer by answering the question, “What I’m still wondering?” 

2. Teacher answers any questions regarding the powerpoint or the information on the Graphic Organizer and the student turn in the Graphic Organizer Teacher demonstrates a Character WebStudent read silently from Thunder Rolling in the Mountains; Chapters 1 - 3 and make a Character Web including all characters and how they are related.

Formative Assessment  Pre-Assessment Nimi’ipuu Test and Essay Questions, Nez Perce Graphic Organizer

Summative Assessment Character Web with detailed descriptions of how the characters are related