The Birchbark House

The Birchbark House

Lesson 4: Intro to the anchor text

Reread the paragraph on p. 20 that starts “In fact, so many animals got killed that some of them became extinct.”

"As far as we know, no people is native to America."

Now we will participate in a discussion about the text you read. It is important to support your answers with evidence from the text. It is also important when you are writing or discussing text to let your audience know when you are offering your own ideas and when you are providing evidence. By using these sentence starters, we will know when members of the class are offering their own ideas and when they are providing evidence.

How does Hakim explain Native Americans?

What details in the text help you figure out the meaning of the word?

Who began using the term “Indian” and why?

Is there a picture you can add to your chart to help you remember the meaning of the word?

What are the meanings for the word “native”?

How does Hakim explain Native Americans?

Hakim means that no people is native to America because everyone migrated here from somewhere else. No one was here at the beginning of this country. The country existed before people arrived.

Who began using the term “Indian” and why?

According to the text, Christopher Columbus first used the term “Indian” when he thought he was in the Indies. The name stuck.

What are the meanings for the word “native”?

The text states that the word “native” can mean someone who is born in a country, or the beginning.

Explain what happened to the animals as the Ice Age ended.

Describe the accomplishments of Native Americans. Be sure to support your response with evidence from the text.

How did the Native Americans hunt?

What happened to many of the animals?

How did they provide food for their tribe?

How did the changing climate play a part in the animal population?

What types of things did Native Americans build for survival?

How did Native Americans play a part in the disappearance of species?

What did Native Americans create as past-times?

Explain what happened to the animals as the Ice Age ended.

Animals became extinct.

What happened to many of the animals?

According to the text, many species became extinct and no one knows why.

Describe the accomplishments of Native Americans. Be sure to support your response with evidence from the text.

How did the changing climate play a part in the animal population?

How did the Native Americans hunt?

The text states that the warmer climate may not have been suitable for larger animals like wooly mammoths.

How did Native Americans play a part in the disappearance of species?

They were good hunters. The text states, “They knew how to make animals stampede into deep ditches or watery bogs, where they could be easily speared.” (19)

On page 20, the text says, “Perhaps they were infected by germs carried by humans.” Another possibility is that hunters killed too many animals of the same species.

How did they provide food for their tribe?

They became gatherers and farmers. On page 20, the author says “There was so much food on the land that people could make choices: to catch fish or dig for clams and oysters or gather nuts and berries and roots.” (20) “They took wild plants and bred them, and they developed corn, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and squash.” (20) They wove baskets. According to the text, “Indian basket weavers wove baskets so tight that they could hold liquids …” (20)

What types of things did Native Americans build for survival?

They were good creators and builders of new things. The author wrote, “They invented a dart thrower: a wooden handle with a hooked tip that worked like a missile launcher (atlatl).” (20)

What did Native Americans create as past-times?

They sculptured pottery, made jewelry, invented the hammock, the canoe, snowshoes, and the game of lacrosse. (20)

The author, Louise Erdrich, selects specific words and phrases so that we can imagine the scene.

How does Erdrich use descriptive words to help you visualize the scene and show the contrast between life and death?

How were the men, the Native Americans and the voyageurs, responding to the little girl? What words or phrases help you to visualize the scene?

Why does the Erdrich describe the birds?

How does the first sentence of this section help you to understand the situation?

How does Erdrich describe the infant’s surroundings?

How does Erdrich describe the men who came to pick up the furs?

What happened to the infant’s family?

What actions of the voyageurs does Erdrich use to explain how they responded to the little girl?

The men get back into their canoes. What does this mean for the little girl?

The author, Louise Erdrich, selects specific words and phrases so that we can imagine the scene.

How were the men, the Native Americans and the voyageurs, responding to the little girl? What words or phrases help you to visualize the scene?

How does the first sentence of this section help you to understand the situation?

The men were tired. They were there to pick up furs, maybe to keep warm.

How does Erdrich describe the men who came to pick up the furs?

The people stood uneasily. That means they were nervous about something.

How do you imagine the little girl?

What actions of the voyageurs does Erdrich use to explain how they responded to the little girl?

The voyageurs watched from a distance. They did not want to get close to the little girl.

How do you imagine the little girl?

The author describes the baby as whimpering and pitiful. She was probably hungry. Sometimes babies that are sick or tired whimper.

How does Erdrich use descriptive words to help you visualize the scene and show the contrast between life and death?

Why does the Erdrich describe the birds?

Erdrich describes the birds to help us understand that there was still life on the island.

How does Erdrich describe the infant’s surroundings?

Erdrich describes the infant’s surroundings as a “silent horror.”

What happened to the infant’s family?

The infant’s family probably died of the smallpox disease.

The men get back into their canoes. What does this mean for the little girl?

The girl is left alone on the island to die.