1. The student will discuss the nutritional value of calcium

2. The student will observe an elder using juniper ash in cooking

3. The student will write about the importance of calcium in a diet


Competencies:

1. The student will identify personal health needs.

2. The student will demonstrate strategies to improve and maintain personal and family health.

Multicultural Competencies:

1. The student will obtain general knowledge of traditional values and customs in Native foods.

2. The student will work cooperatively and learn from traditional Navajo people.

3. The student will honor and respect health by identifying foods that are nutritional in Native foods.

Guided Practice:

1. Students will view a video entitled: Calcium and Osteoporosis: A Health Connection
Calcium and Osteoporosis: A Health Connection Osteoporosis, the disease of brittle bones, is a major concern for many. Part 1 of this video reviews what the mineral calcium does in the body and how much calcium people need. Part 2 looks at osteoporosis, reviewing what causes the disease and what we can do about it. (VT 39 - Length, 42 minutes)

2. Students will work cooperatively in small groups and discuss the importance of calcium in diet. Students will record information in writing notebooks.

3. Students will report information in a large group setting.

4. Students will compare information and ideas.

5. Students will observe Navajo elder demonstrate how burnt juniper ash is used in Blue Corn Mush.

6. Students will observe demonstration.

7. Students will discuss the importance of calcium found in Blue Corn Mush and why elderly Navajos who have eaten this mush for years have been noted for having healthy bones.

8. Students will taste Blue Corn Mush.

9. Students will record personal experience in writing journals.

Evaluation: At least 80% of the students will write a short paragraph explaining how calcium is important in a diet.

ELL students will orally explain the importance of calcium in a diet.

Reading: Objective: Students will be able to relate experiences to Dine Poetry and Literature

Activities: 1.Students will listen to literature based on the theme 2.Students will listen to poems told in Navajo 3.Students will listen to an elder during storytelling

Materials: 1.Community Resource 2.Parent Volunteer to aid in storytelling 3.Journals 4.Crayons

Goals: 1.The students will listen to stories about the importance of corn. 2.The students will record in their journals pictures of how a corn grows. 3.The students will appreciate stories told by the storyteller.

Evaluation: 1.Evaluation will be based on participation, cooperation, and enjoyment of activities 2.Teacher and Student discussion of journal entry


Science: Objective: Students will be able to name foods that are high in calcium

Activities: 1.The students will observe an elder as she burns juniper to make ashes. 2.The students will observe how juniper changes the color of the mush. 3.The students will listen to selected literature and discuss the books. 4. The students will make a collage of all the foods that are high in calcium.

Materials: 1.Juniper 2.Corn 3.Bowls 4.Books 5.Camera 6.Ashes

Goals: 1.The students will observe an elder demonstratethe juniper burning process. 2.The students will observe the change in color of the mush after the ashes are added. 3.The students will work in groups to make a collage.

Evaluation: 1.Evaluation will be based on participation, cooperation, and enjoyment of activities 2.Teacher/ Student discussion of journal entry


Art: Objective: Students will be able to follow a 3 step direction to create a project

Activities: 1.The students will make an ear of corn by using paint, an outline of a corn, and bubblewrap. 2.The students will listen to the direstion the first time and follow the procedures. 3.The students will listen to literature about corn.

Materials: 1.Construction paper 2.Paint (red, blue, yellow, white) 3.Bubble wrap 4.Books: Fowler, A. (1997). Corn on-off the cob. Children's Press, Inc. 5.Pencils 6.Journals 7.Camera

Goals: 1.The students will be able to identify a corn on the cob 2.The students will be able to create an art project 3.The students will follow directions. Evaluation: 1.Evaluation will be based on participation, cooperation, and enjoyment of activities 2.Teacher/ Student discussion of journal entry


Writing: Objective: Students will be able to dictate their drawings in their journals

Activities: 1.The students will draw an ear of corn. 2.The students will draw their favorite way of eating corn. 3.The students will discuss how corn tastes.

Materials: 1.Spiral notebooks 2.Crayons 3.Corn 4.Pencils

Goals: 1.The students will be able to taste corn and discuss the flavor 2.The students will record in their journals pictures of their favorite way of preparing corn 3.The students will be able to discuss how they used their 5 senses

Evaluations: 1.Evaluation will be based on participation, cooperation, and enjoyment of activities 2.Teacher/ Student discussion of journal entry


Music: Objective: Students will learn to appreciate cultural music

Activities: 1.The students will listen to music of Navajo and other cultural songs. 2.The students will dance to cultural music. 3.The students will sing songs to the tunes of Nursery Rhymes.

Materials: 1.Compact Disc-Mother’s Word , by Delphine Tsinajinnie, 2000 2.CD player 3.Drum 4.Drumstick 5.Flute 6.Bells 7.Sticks 8.Cymbals 9.Triangles 10.Tambourines 11.Camera

Goals: 1.The students will learn to appreciate cultural music 2.The students will sing songs from all cultures 3.The students will participate in dancing 4.The student will be able to recognize tunes to the nursery rhymes 5.The students will discuss the qualities of the various pieces of Indian music 6.The students will identify the instruments that are used

Evaluation: 1.Evaluation will be based on participation, cooperation, and enjoyment of activities 2.Invite parents, principals, secretaries when the students have gained self confidence in singing 3.Pictures of students


Math: Objective: Students will be able to extend a pattern by using kernels

Activities: 1.The students will help in the process of combing the kernels off the cob. 2.The students will sequence a pattern using 2 different colors of kernels


Materials: 1.Corn: red, yellow, white, and blue 2.Table 3.Pencils 4.Camera

Goals: 1.The students will sequence a pattern.

Evaluation: 1.Evaluation will be based on participation, cooperation, and enjoyment of activities 2.Journal Entry 3.Teacher/ Student discussion of entry 4.Display art projects for other classrooms to enjoy


Culture: Objective: Students will be able to discover the sacredness of the corn

Activities: 1.The students will be able to know the importance of corn. 2.The students will be able to understand the history of corn. 3.The students will be able to use the necessary tools to grind corn. 4.The students will be able to understand the important use and preparation of corn. 5.The students will be able to listen to literature based on corn.

Materials: 1.Corn 2.Mortar (corngrinding stone) 3.Pestle 4.Book: Young, J. (1995). The Cows are in the Corn. Scholastic, Inc. 5.Crayons 6.Journal

Goals: 1.The students will have pride and value in their community 2.The students will understand their culture and other cultural diversities 3.The students will appreciate their families, elders, culture, traditions, and language
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Evaluation: 1.Evaluation will be base on participation, cooperation, and enjoyment of activities

2.Journal entry

3.Teacher/ Student discussion of journal entry


Cooking: Objective: Students will be able to discuss how corn can be prepared in meals


Activities:

1.The students will make blue cornmeal mush with the assistance of the teacher and the teacher assistant

2.The students will grind the corn to make blue cornmeal mush

3.The students will use measuring utensils and follow the recipe with the teacher assistance

4.The students will use stirring sticks to mix all ingredients

Materials: 1.Blue corn 2.Hot plate 3.Mortar 4.Pestle 5.Measuring cups 6.Bowls 7.Spoons 8.Sugar 9.Ladle 10.Recipe 11.Indian brush 12.Stirring sticks 13.Journals 14.Crayons 15.Table 16.Water 17.Camera


Goals: 1.The students will prepare, cook, and taste the blue cornmeal mush. 2.The students will measure the ingredients to make the mush. 3.The students will use the traditional corngrinder to grind the corn.


Evaluation:

1.Evaluation will be based on participation, cooperation, and enjoyment of activities

2.Teacher/Student discussion of journal entry


Listening and Speaking: Objectives: Students will be able to grind corn and to illustrate a picture in their journals

Activities:

1.The students will observe the teacher demonstrate the corngrinding process.

2.The students will demonstrate how to grind corn 3.The students will listen to an elder tell stories about the history of corn.

4.The students will listen to the corngrinding song

Evaluation: 1.Evaluation will based on participation and enjoyment of activities



Bibliography:

Literature: Aliki. (1986). Corn is Maize: The gift of the Indians. Harper Collins

Landau, E. (1999). Corn. Children's Book Press

Cooper, J. Corn. Rourke Publications, Inc.

Fowler, A. (1997). Corn on-off the Cob. Children's Press Inc.

Fussell, B. (2004). Story of Corn. University of New Mexico

Young, J. (1995). The Cows are in the Corn. Scholastic Inc.


Audio: Tsinajinnie, Delphine. (2000). Mother's Word Canyon Records Production