Coyote Places The Stars Lesson Plan

Grades 3rd
Book: Coyote Places the Stars, Harriet Peck Taylor. Find a Native American
myth and legend online and read as a class. (Examples: Attack of the
Mammoth, Porcupine Hunts Buffalo)

Standards:
Standard 1: Students will understand how geography influences community
location and development.
Objective: Compare perspectives of various communities toward the
natural environment.
Standard 2: Students will understand cultural factors that shape a community.
Objective: Explain how selected indigenous cultures of the Americas
have changed over time.
Objective: Evaluate key factors that determine how a community
develops.
Describe how stories, folktales, music, and artistic creations serve as
expressions of culture.

Objectives: myth vs. legend, new vocab/ use of vocab, creative writing skills/
Native American/ Utah history
Big Idea: As a result of the lesson the students will understand the difference of a
myth or legend and how these myths and legends played important roles in the
Native American culture and lives. Value of researching a topic in history.
Essential Questions: Who are Native Americans?
What part do Native Americans play in our countries and out states history?
Do all Native American nations have myths and legends?
Lesson objectives:
Social Studies: Native Americans are a broad group of people that are made up of a
lot of different people from a lot of different nations with their own unique
traditions and way of life.
Literacy: Sequence of a story. Use transitions in a story. Use of non-fiction and
fiction stories to help learn about a topic.

Before reading: (Phase 1)

Introducing the book/book walk: Show children the book and have them tell you
what they notice (title, author, illustrator, pictures).
What kind of story do you think we will be reading today?
o How do you know that?
What do you know about Native Americans/ story telling?
(This lesson will be taught in the same time or just after
teaching/learning about Native Americans and Utah history)
Begin by talking to students about Native American legends. Tell
them that Native Americans passed down orally their stories
from generation to generation. Ask them to think of examples of
oral history and written history in their own lives (ex: biblical
stories, diary entries, history books about ancestors passed down
orally, urban legends, proverbs).
What is a myth/legend? Define myth and legend?
Compare myths vs. legends.
As a class find a myth and a legend from a local Native American tribe/
group and as a class read and talk about the legend or myths and how it
plays into the geography, community, and weather of your state.
Myth: a traditional story, especially one concerning the early history of
a people or explaining some natural or social phenomenon, and
typically involving supernatural beings or events. A myth is a story based on
tradition or legend, which has a deep symbolic meaning. A myth 'conveys a
truth' to those who tell it and hear it, rather than necessarily recording a true
event. Although some myths can be accounts of actual events, they have
become transformed by symbolic meaning or shifted in time or place
Legend: a traditional story sometimes popularly regarded as historical
but not always true. A legend is a semi-true story, which has been passed
on from person-to-person and has important meaning or symbolism for the
culture in which it originates
 Many Native American legends focus on the original creation of the
landscape, plants, and animals of the region.
Vocabulary: List these words from the book on the board. Ask children to
put the words in alphabetical order. Then help them define each word to
make a glossary of terms to use when reading the story.
Canyon: narrow valley with steep sides
Pride: a feeling of happiness and satisfaction about doing something well
Swiftly: moving fast
Skillful: showing skill, doing something well.
Feast: a large meal
Gazing: looking with a long, steady stare.
Constellation: a group of stars forming a recognizable pattern that is
traditionally named after its apparent form or identified with a mythological
figure.
Arranged: put in some kind of order
Symbolism: the use of symbols to represent ideas or things
Decreed: order something/ rule/ command

During/after reading: (Phase 2)

Why do think Native Americans have myths and legends?
If you could make a constellation with any animal what animal or figure
would it be? Why?
When did this story take place?
Coyote told bear he had an idea. What was Coyote's idea?
What information from the text tells us that the moon is far away from the
earth?
What did Coyote do with the leftover stars?
Why do you think Native Americans passed on legends and myths/ what was
the purpose of them?
After reading the book and local myths and legends from Native American groups
have students compare the story (book) verses the myth and legend. Have them
find similarities and differences and find ties to how the stories play into the states
geography, animals, weather and people.

Activity: Build your own constellation and writing activity (Phase 3)

Materials: Black paper (any color would do), lined paper, markers, pencils,
mini marshmallows, toothpicks/ spaghetti noodles and glue.
Have students build a constellation out of the marshmallows and toothpicks glue to
the black paper then write their own myth/legend about the constellation and how
it came to be (use the vocab words in their story and landscape, plants, and
animals, the weather.). Make sure the constellation and stories have a personal
connection with each individual student lives.
Have each student present their constellation and read their story/myth to
the class.
2013 Amber Polk-Adventures of a Third Grade Teacher
2013 Amber Polk-Adventures of a Third Grade Teacher