Pocahontas: Analyzing Myths & StereotypesMiddle School is notoriously an age when students find themselves questioning every lesson they are taught at home and in school.It is an invaluable time for students to question, not only what they are taught about historical figures, but also question the origin of these facts. Pocahontas is just one figure out of American History whose story has been shaped and reshaped by events rather than facts. In an effort to teach Middle School students an integrative history curriculum while encouraging their academic as well as personal growth, I have compiled the following curriculum based on analyzing the Myths versus Realities of the story of Pocahontas. This lesson plan allows for students to investigate a historical figure in depth and then analyze why there are several accounts of the same story. Students are encouraged to consider social expectations and beliefs such as stereotypes in American history and then ponder whether these same stereotypes are acted upon in society today. Overview:
1) Once in teams, students will each analyze one historical point of view about the story of Pocahontas. This curriculum will incorporate four main aspects that are helpful for teaching at the Middle School level:
1) Group/Team work allows for all students to participate, but also interact and voice opinions.
Subject: Pocahontas Time: Approximately Six Days Day #1: Introduce the topic of study in general: Pocahontas
a) What are students' impressions of this historical figure? Who, what, where, when, why, how? Day #2: Break the class into four teams
a) Native American Opinion
- Introduce students to the website from which they will be working. Day #3: Teams spend time answering the questions that have been outlined for their research. Day #4: Have teams share their answers to research questions in a class discussion/forum
a) What do students notice about the answers from various teams? Do they correlate with each other? Day #5: ** Begin discussion of the significance of point of view on stereotypes represented.
- From where do these stereotypes descend?
Day #6: Watch Disney movie "Pocahontas" (81 minutes) Standards Fulfilled:
How might this movie impact an audience's understanding of Native American history? Materials:
1) Four computers with Internet access. Motivation & Prediction:
- My purpose for choosing this lesson was to provide students with the opportunity to test out historical inaccuracies and determine for themselves what they will believe. Procedure:
1) Once in teams, students will each analyze one historical point of view about the story of Pocahontas. Follow-Up:
- Students will be expected to consider the origins of opinion presented about each major historical figure in class discussion.
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Group Identities/Research Links
Team #1 (Native American Opinions)
Team #2 (Encyclopedia)
Team #3 (University Research)
Team #4 (Historian/guru)
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Group Goals/Research Questions
Each team must search their web sites and discuss the following questions based on the point of view expressed on the web sites:
1) What was Pocahontas' real name?
2) Who was John Smith?
3) Who was John Rolfe?
4) Where and with whom did Pocahontas travel around the age of 20?
5) Why was John Smith to be executed?
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Group Goals/Research Questions
1) Why might each source have a different explanation for the events surrounding the life of Pocahontas?
2) Why would Rolfe not wish to marry Pocahontas until she was baptized?
After viewing the Disney film "Pocahontas":
2) In the scene where John Smith calls Pocahontas a "savage," how does she respond?
3) What does it suggest that the film portrays Smith as a "friend of the Indians?" Was he?
STEREOTYPES
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