Lesson Plan

Laura Grant, Jesse House, Kristy Calhoun, and Aaron Lawlor

Grade: 4
Unit: Interactions
Title of Lesson: Fact and Fiction: Representations of First Nation people
and early encounters in Disneys Pocahontas
Time or # of Classes: 1 class- 60 minutes

Curriculum Standard/ Outcome: Provincial Identity: Place/ Peoples/

Citizenship/ Heritage
5.5.1 Examine interactions between British and French and First
Nations and Inuit in what later became Atlantic Canada

Content Learning:
I can create a Venn diagram.
I can name at least 5 things that happened during early relations
between the Powhatan and the English.
I can compare facts and fiction and find similarities and differences.

Goal/ Big Ideas/ Key Questions:

The overall purpose of this lesson is to compare what Disney depicts as
the story of Pocahontas versus what facts we actually know about her
life.
Although not directly relating to Atlantic Canada this lesson is
important for students to learn that they cannot believe everything
that is presented to them. The lesson's objective is to both introduce
students to early European/ First Nation relations, while also teaching
students to question popular representations of these encounters.
Students will learn that their understanding of early relations must be
based on research and reliable information.
Many childrens first introduction to First Nations cultures and history is
through Disneys story of Pocahontas. This story is rife with
stereotypes and misrepresentations, making it important for children
to be exposed to the damaging flaws in the film and the realities of
first encounters.
Students will be expected to compare and contrast Disneys image of
Pocahontas with the actual portrait of Pocahontas as well as compare
and contrast research on the Powhatan people with the depiction of
these people in the movie.
The following questions provide opportunity for further exploration:
o What really happened to Pocahontas?
o What was the nature of early encounters between the Powhatan
and the English?
 o What were some distinctive characteristics of Powhatan culture?

Lesson Pre-assessment:

Students may struggle selecting facts to contrast with the fictional

depictions found in the film in order to complete their Venn diagram.
Students may not have experience with researching books and
articles.
The teacher will be circulating constantly, if a students has questions or
concerns the teacher will be there to address them.
Students are grouped heterogeneously to ensure a range of abilities allowing
peers to help with any difficulties the group may face.

Lesson Plan

Phase 1: 10 minutes
-Pictures and KWL chart will be used to engage students and activate their
prior knowledge.
Put up the real portrait of Pocahontas on the board.
Ask students to do a KWL chart.
Put up the Disney portrait of Pocahontas, as a class discuss the
similarities and differences.
Ask students what they think about the Disney movie? Did they know
Pocahontas was a real person? Do they think that the movie shows
what really happened to her/ a realistic portrayal of first encounters?
Use this to get students thinking before launching into the lesson.

Phase 2: 25 minutes
-The teacher introduces the fact that there are significant discrepancies
between how First Nations people and early encounters are often
represented with what actually occurred. Using the popular Disney movie
Pocahontas we will compare and contrast what is depicted in the movie
with what we know to be factual.
Show clips from the Pocahontas movie. While watching the clips
students will keep notes of aspects of the movie they think may be
true as well as false.
Students will be placed into four groups. Each group will be assigned a
topic to research. The topics are as follows:
o Powhatan Culture
o Physical Appearances (clothing, hair etc.)
o The Real Pocahontas
o First Encounters
 The teacher will provide books and articles relating to each groups
topic. The groups will use these resources as the basis of their
research.
The group will record relevant facts that they find, and compile a fact
sheet.

Phase 3: 15 minutes
-Students share the information researched in groups to build a greater
understanding of early encounters between a First Nations group and
European settlers. This factual understanding will help students see the
damaging effects of inaccurate and stereotypical depictions of First Nations
people, as found in films such as Disneys Pocahontas.
The students in their groups will create their own Venn diagrams. The
Venn diagram will compare and contrast what students saw in the
Disney movie with what they discovered while researching their
specific topic.
Groups will share with the class their Venn diagrams.
The teacher will provide a large Venn diagram for the class to fill.
Using the information individual groups gathered the class will create a
Venn diagram comparing and contrasting all the subjects researched
with Disneys Pocahontas.
After seeing the major discrepancies between the movie and what we
know to be facts the teacher will lead a discussion on stereotypes and
the importance of looking at information through a critical lense.

Phase 4: 10 minutes
The class reviews what we have learned about the Powhatan people and
their relationship with early English settlers. Discussing will allow students to
solidify their learning, which in turn will help students summarize their
learning in their exit slips.
As a class we will discuss the differences between the portrayal of the
Powhatan and First Nation/English relations in Disneys Pocahontas
with the information we found while researching.
We will discuss how these discrepancies are harmful and enforce
certain stereotypes.
Students will fill out the learned section of their KWL chart during our
class discussion.
Lastly, students will complete an exit slip, they will compose a
paragraph either explaining what we really know about Pocahontas, or
explaining what we know of the early relationship between the
Powhatan and the English.
Resources for the teacher
Fredericton public library for books about First Nation people/ early
encounters
Check list
Exit slip

Materials/Resources
Books on First Nation people/ first encounters:
o Life of the Powhatan- Rebecca Sjonger and Bobbie Kalman
o Tihtiyas and Jean- Donald Soctomah, Nathalie Gagnon, Naomi
Mitcham
o Europeans and Native Americans- Jim Corrigan
o Canada Through Time: First Nations and Early Explorers-
Kathleen Corrigan
o A Kids Guide to Native American History- Yvonne Wakim Dennis
and Arlene Hirschfelder
Bristle board for the class Venn diagram
Clips from the movie Pocahontas
Venn diagram template
Articles:
o http://www.powhatan.org/pocc.html
o https://www.dropbox.com/sh/7iiu85vi3hbhlk6/AAAWx0lgPzbZ4e
E1k201MdiHa/Elementary%20Social%20Studies/Articles%20for
%20Lesson%20Plans?dl=0&preview=Pocahontas.pdf
o https://www.nps.gov/jame/learn/historyculture/copy-of-the-
powhatan-indian-world.htm

Pocahontas Portrait http://www.vahistorical.org/collections-and-

resources/virginia-history-explorer/life-portrait-pocahontas
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dqHMbl9j3E (village) (1:43 sec)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hwv_FuFnW54 (ending, sailing
away) (1 min stop)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUFJnmXeeoM (saving John
Smith) (0:45 sec- 1:45 sec)
Exit Slip
Checklist

Reading/ Vocabulary
Powhatan: A Native American people in Virginia
Reflection/ Post lesson

Assessment:
The teacher will review all the Venn diagrams to see if students did
appropriate research and completed the diagram correctly using the
checklist.
The teacher will make comments on each Venn diagram, including
information for students to consider or add, as well as comments on
things the students did well.

Checklist

To be used on groups Venn diagrams to assess for understanding:

has at least 3 points that were only present in the movie
has at least 3 points that were only present in history
has at least 1 point that were present in the movie and history
placed the differences and similarities in the appropriate spot

Exit Slip
Students exit slips will be reviewed to assess students understanding
of the lesson and to gain insight into areas of difficulty that need to be
further addressed.

Exit slip: Write about either the accurate portrayal of Pocahontas story or
the early relationships between the English settlers and the Powhatan.