ACTIVITY 1: Git Along Little Doggies

Objectives:

• Introduce cowboy culture
• Introduce influence of the landscape in poetry
• Introduce cowboy poetry

Estimated Time Needed for Activity:

One 3- minute session

Notes:

Gather images of artwork of Charles Russell to show students and to introduce the topic. Draw attention to the vastness of the landscape as well as how the cowboy is depicted in the art work.
This activity is introductory in nature. The idea is to give the students a feel for the cowboy and the western landscape he/she inhabits.

Addressing Cultural Diversity in the Learning Environment:

• Brainstorm with students the types of work people do that are defined by environment (urban vs. rural; farming vs. fishing).
  
• Discuss with students the role environment plays in work culture.
  
• What work can take place anywhere?
  
• What type of work only occurs in a specific locale?

Materials Needed for this Activity:

• Books and pictures of Charles Russell’s art work of the cowboy
• Pencils and paper

Additional Resources:

• Most all school and public libraries contain books of Russell’s artwork. For background information on the origins of the Cowboy Culture of Western America, go to http://www.applet-magic.com/cowboyculture.htm.

Procedure:

1. Introduce the subject of the cowboy by showing the art work of Charles Russell.
2. Have the students make note of the impressions of what they see in both depiction of character and landscape.
3. Students share impressions.
4. Inform students that cowboy culture includes poetry and poetry gatherings.
5. Show video.

Assessment

• Use the Group Discussion Scoring Guide to assess this activity.

Extensions and Adaptations

• Students list comparisons between cowboy life as portrayed in the media with what is seen in the art work and the video. Also see above website for Mexican roots of Western American cowboy.

ACTIVITY 2: Where Am I?

Objectives:

• Students will demonstrate understanding of locale in writing.
• Students will play theatre games to solidify concept of locale in writing.
• Students will write about locale.

Estimated Time Needed for Activity:

One 45-minute session

Notes:

Teachers will need to arrange classroom to accommodate theatre activity.
This activity is to be combined with the next day’s activity for completion. Teacher will need to arrange classroom so that there is a presentation area.

This lesson could also be extended into Science for exploration of environment.

Addressing Cultural Diversity in the Learning Environment:

• Have students think about things found in their homes that are linked to their cultural backgrounds. Have students discuss the types of objects they have in their home that relates to their cultural backgrounds.
  

Materials Needed for this Activity:

• Blackboard

Additional Resources:

• Teacher will need to have Charles Russell pictures available for review.
  
• Videos: Astoria Fisher Poets; Good Sista/Bad Sista; Bill Martin Square Dancing

Procedure:

1. Show Flick video.
2. Show Russell pictures.
3. Teacher will inform students that they will be focusing on the role the environment plays in Leon Flick’s poetry.
4. Setting/Environment preparation:
5. Teacher holds a discussion with the group along these lines-
• Teacher Asks: How do you know where you are? Is it true that you always know where you are?
• Students reply: No. Sometimes you don’t know where you are.
• Teacher: True, you may be in an unfamiliar place. How do you know it’s unfamiliar? How do you know when you are in a familiar place?
• Students: You just know. You can tell. There are signs.
• Teacher: How do you know that you are in the kitchen?
• Students: You can smell the cooking.
• Teacher: If there were nothing cooking, how would you know?
• Students: By where it is.
• Teacher: What do you mean?
• Students: By where it is in the house.
• Teacher: If every room in the house were moved around, would you still know which room was the kitchen?
• Students: Of course.
• Teacher: How?
• Students: By the things in the room.
• Teacher: What things?
• Students: The stove. The refrigerator.
• Teacher: Would you know a kitchen if it had no stove or refrigerator in it? If it were in the high desert, like in the part of the country where the cowboys live?
• Students: Yes.
• Teacher: How?
• Students: It would be a place where they get the food ready.
6. Through examples, discussion/answering of detailed questions, the students conclude that, “We know where we are by the physical objects around us.”
7. When this basic premise has been agreed upon, become more specific: What is the difference between the city and the prairie? On the blackboard, set up two columns under the heading of city and prairie. Ask the group to call out items which might be found in each place, listing under each proper heading. The more detailed this discussion becomes; the more students will realize the definition of where/locale.
8. Students are divided into teams of five. Teams will be given the designation of city or prairie/cowboy country in secret by the teacher. One person goes in front of the group and shows Where by pantomiming an action found in that locale. The remaining four students enter and develop a relationship (role) with the first person. The other players join them as related characters. Seated students identify locale by the student presenters’ actions.

Assessment

• Use the Group Collaboration Scoring Guide to assess this activity.

Extensions and Adaptations

• Videotape students performing theatre game.

ACTIVITY 3: Out on the High Lonesome

Objectives:

• Students will use the concept of locale to imagine they are cowboys and write an extemporaneous poem.
• Students will practice poems.
• Students will read poems aloud.

Estimated Time Needed for Activity:

Two 30-minute sessions

Notes:

Teachers may once again show a part of the Flick video and the Russell paintings. Students should be given the choice to write as if they were the original Mexican cowboys or the working cowboys of today. The emphasis on this writing should be locale. It is important to give the students the time to practice reciting their poetry.

Addressing Cultural Diversity in the Learning Environment:

• Lead students in a discussion on the importance of keeping livestock in world culture.
  
• Discussion could also include types of livestock that are kept by different cultures and why (due to environment).

Materials Needed for this Activity:

• Video (if needed)
• Russell paintings
• Pencils and paper

Additional Resources:

• For an occupational tie in, the teacher could use the Astoria Fisher Poets video.
  
• For locale tie in, the teacher could use the Astoria Fisher Poets video and Good Sista/Bad/Sista.
  
• (Note, Good Sista/Bad Sista is not suitable for younger children. It should be monitored before showing it to any class because of language and content).

Procedure:

1. If desired, Leon Flick video can be reviewed for locale element.
2. Charles Russell paintings should be evident for student inspiration.
3. If the Mexican cowboy piece is used, teacher and students should review that information.
4. Students are directed to use the concept of locale in cowboy world and incorporate that into an extemporaneous poem concerning cowboy life.
5. Students are given 20 minutes to construct poem.
6. On the second day, students are given 20 minutes to practice reciting poem, first to themselves and then with a partner.
7. Students recite poems to entire class.

Assessment

• Use the Presentation Scoring Guide to assess this activity.

Extensions and Adaptations

• Videotape recitations.