| Tanenbaum Curriculum | Religions In My Neighborhood, p. 53 |
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| Lesson Name | Creating Talking Sticks for Our Community Circles |
| Grade Band |
Elementary (Grades 3-5) Middle School (Grades 6-8) |
| Required Materials |
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| Standards / Competencies |
CASEL Core Competencies
Common Core ELA-Literacy Standards
Social Studies Themes
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| Recommended Time | 55 minutes |
| Essential Question | How can we use our agreements to create meaningful talking sticks for our community circles? |
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| Learning Objectives |
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| Important Vocabulary |
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| Activating Prior Knowledge |
Remind students of the following: (The teacher can provide this information verbally or make copies to distribute to students depending on grade and reading level. Source: see Supplementary Resources below.) Native Americans who use a talking stick believe that speakers holding the talking stick should not forget that they carry within themselves a sacred spark of the Great Spirit, and therefore they are also sacred. Because of its importance, a Native American talking stick may be decorated in ways that represent important beliefs for members of a tribal council. For example, a council might attach an eagle feather to the talking stick because the talking stick gives the speaker the courage and wisdom to speak truthfully and wisely. Native Americans have also used other items such as colored beads, shells, pieces of fur or hair from different animals, stones, and colors to represent the power in a person’s hands when they hold the talking stick and speak. |
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| Core Instruction |
Give each group a dowel, which will be the talking stick they will decorate. Explain to them that each color and item they add to the stick represents the feelings and ideas the class as a whole has identified in the class agreements and in creating the class centerpiece. Encourage students to look at their class agreements sheets and the centerpiece to get ideas. Tell students that they may come up to get whatever art supplies they need to create their group’s talking stick. Inform students that each group will have to present their talking stick to the class and explain what each part and color on their talking stick represents. Each group will select a member to explain the significance of each part of the group’s talking stick. Circulate around the room, providing assistance to students as needed. Periodically announce to the class how much time is left to complete their talking sticks. |
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| Wrap-up | Ask each group to stand and explain the significance of each part of their talking piece. When all groups have reported, thank students for their work and collect each group’s talking stick. |
| Assessment | Role-Play: Students can role-play a community circle discussion using the talking stick, demonstrating their understanding of its purpose and how to use it respectfully. |
| Learning Beyond Classroom Walls | Storytelling: Students can create a short story or poem inspired by their talking stick, sharing it with the class. |
| Supplementary Resources |
Information about the Talking Stick by Carol Locust, Ph.D. Tribal Affiliation – Eastern Band Cherokee The Native American Research and Training Center Tucson, Arizona |
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