For Grades 4-6To arrange a visit for your school group, please call (585) 697-1942.
Under the breathtaking night sky of the Star Theater, explore the oral traditions
of Native Americans by listening to authentic Native American stories,
recorded by Native American storytellers of our region and throughout
North America.
Deepen your understanding
of the perspective and relationship of Native American cultures to the
universe. Explore how early Native people saw the sky and used it to
know when to plant, hunt, hold ceremonies and move. Learn how
modern-day Native Americans still use the sky. Observe
the sky phenomena featured in the stories, including the Sun, the Big
Dipper, the North Star, the Pleiades, and the Summer Triangle, in the
Planetarium sky.
NYS Learning Standards: ELA1; SS1(1,3); MST4PS(1),4LE(1)
Some
of the stories in this program are adapted from the DVD "Skytellers:
the myths, the magic and the mysteries of the universe," distributed by
the Lunar and Planetary Institute, http://www.lpi.usra.edu/education/skytellers------------------------------------------------------------------------
For more informationWords & Place: Native Literature from the American Southwest,
http://www.parentseyes.arizona.edu/wordsandplace/index.html. Videotaped
stories of the southwest, recorded in the 1970's. Each program presents
one American Indian singer, storyteller or author performing from
his/her repertoire in a natural setting in the community.
Stories and legends of the northwest from the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory in Portland, Oregon:
http://www.Nwrel.org/indianec/indianreading
(Stories in pdf format that are printer ready)
RECOMMENDED BOOKS:
"Coyote Fights the Sun: A Shasta Indian Tale" by Mary J. Carpelan
"Coyote and Native American Folk Tales" by Joe Hayes
"Coyote Tales" Edited by William Morgan, art by Andrew Tsihnahjinnie
"How the Morning and Evening Stars Came to Be" (Assiniboin), Published by the Montana State Historical Society
"The Star Maiden" (Ojibway) by Barbara Juster Esbensen
"Sunpainters-Eclipse of the Navajo Sun" by Baje Whitethorne
"Keepers of the Night" by Joe Bruchac & Michael J. Caduto
"They Dance in the Sky" by Jean Guard Monroe & Ray A. Williamson
"How the Stars Fell Into the Sky" by Jerris Oughton
"The Arctic Sky: Inuit Astronomy, Star Lore & Legend" by John McDonald
"Star Trails: Navajo" by Don Childrey
"The Dancing Healers" by Carl Hammerschlag (A good read about his experiences of working with the Navajo people)
"The Milky Way" (Cherokee) by Gayle Ross & Joe Bruchac
"How Rabbit Tricked Otter & Other Cherokee Trickster Stories" by Gayle Ross