MOTIVATIONAL SET:
Share the following short videos of white buffalo. Explain to students that the white buffalo is sacred to many First Nations people and that by listening to the flowing story they will learn more about why it is so important.
WHITE BUFFALO BORN
CBC ARTICLE AND VIDEO
MAIN PROCEDURES/STRATEGIES:
See Buffalo Dreams comprehension lessons attachment.
CLOSING:
Now that we have learned about the importance of the White Buffalo Woman and calf, we need to find ways to share our learning with others.
Brainstorm with students how they can share Kim Doner’s Explanation.
Kim Doner explains the Buffalo Calf Story at the beginning of her book Buffalo Dreams.
A beautiful spirit named White Buffalo Calf Woman came to a dying tribe. She gave them a sacred pipe and said its smoke would carry their dreams up to the heavens, or she would hear them and answer. As she left their camp, she rolled on the ground stood as a black buffalo. Three more times she rolled, and each time she changed colour, from black to brown, to red, and to white.
They smoked her pipe and slept. She heard their dreams and answered. The next day, when the tribe awoke, the village was surrounded by a herd of buffalo. They were never hungry or cold again.
As explained in Buffalo Dreams
by Kim Doner
POSSIBLE ADAPTATIONS, DIFFERENTIATIONS OR EXTENSIONS:
• Make a dream catcher as explained on the back of the Buffalo Dreams book
• Share stories that are important to the cultures of other students in the class
