Let’s Go to a Powwow! Lesson Plan

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Academic Standards

 

Reading Objective:

Children will discover what happens at a powwow, where Native American culture is celebrated.

 

Social Studies Focus:

Native American Heritage Month, traditions

 

ELA Skills:

key details, vocabulary, capitalization, nonfiction text features

 

Page 4 Skill:

read a map

 

Vocabulary:

powwow, emcee, veterans, regalia

 

CCSS:

RI.2.1 key details; RI.2.5 text features; RI.2.10 comprehend informational texts; RF.2.4 read onlevel texts; L.2.2 capitalization

 

Lexile Measure: 

560L

Download TEKS Standards
Download Common Core Standards

Provide students with some background on Native American Heritage Month.

Build background knowledge (10 min.)

Watch our video "Let's Go to a Powwow!” After children have finished watching the video, discuss the following question:

  • What is one thing you learned about powwows?

Set a purpose for reading (5 min.)

  • Pass out the issue, and discuss the cover. Have any students ever heard of or been to a powwow?
  • Next, read the As You Read prompt on page 3: “Think about what you would see, hear, and taste at a powwow.” Encourage children to think about this prompt as they read.

Read together (20 min.)

Pass out the Read and Think printable. Use it to check comprehension as you read the issue together, pausing to ask the questions. 

Preview vocabulary (3 min.)

Next, play the online vocabulary slideshow. This issue’s featured words are powwow, emcee, veterans, and regalia.

Assessment: Reading Quiz 

Pass out the Reading Quiz to review key concepts from the issue and assess students’ proficiency on key nonfiction reading skills.

Powwow Day by Traci Sorell (20 min.)

Meet River, a young girl recovering from an illness as her community prepares for their tribal powwow. Wishing to join the intertribal dance, but not yet well enough, River finds hope in the music and dancing of her family and friends.

  • Use the online game show to gauge comprehension and reinforce the issue’s content. Students can play individually or in teams. For each question they answer correctly, they win a point.

You can use our printable worksheets to focus on important ELA skills. Here’s how.

ELA Focus: Vocabulary (15 min.)

  • Use the Word Work printable to deepen students’ understanding of the words powwow, emcee, veterans, and regalia

Editor’s Pick: Capitalization (15 min.)

  • Students will analyze a journal entry, hunting for capitalization errors in the Which Should be Capitalized? skill sheet. As they find the errors, they will also uncover a secret message!t.

ELA Focus: Nonfiction Text Features (15 min.)

  • Using the Text Feature skill sheet allows students to examine various parts of a nonfiction article.

 Here are two past issues you can use to extend your lesson on Native American Heritage Month:

  • “Go for the Goal!,” November 2023. Students will examine a Native American tradition: lacrosse.
  • “Hoop Dance!,” November 2022. This issue discusses a family’s tradition of Native American hoop dancing.

You can find a higher-Lexile-level and a lower-Lexile-level version of the article online here:

  • Higher-Lexile level: 650L
  • Lower-Lexile level: 460L