Joseph Bruchac
Lesson plans and teaching resources

|Biography and Background| |The Bear Boy| |Between Earth and Sky| |Bowman's Store: A Journey to Myself| |A Boy Called Slow| |Children of the Longhouse| |Circle of Thanks| |Code Talker| |Crazy Horse's Vision| |The First Strawberries| |Jim Thorpe's Bright Path| |The Journal of Jesse Smoke| |Pocahontas| |Pushing up the Sky| |Sacajawea| |Skeleton Man| |The Story of the Milky Way| |Thirteen Moons on Turtle's Back| |The Winter People|

Biography and Background

A Chat with Joseph Bruchac
Transcript of author interview with emphasis on poetry.

Joseph Bruchac
The author's official site.

Joseph Bruchac
Author interview.

Joseph Bruchac
Video author interview.

Joseph Bruchac
The author's discusses March Toward the Thunder at the 2008 National Book Festival.

The Bear Boy

Illustrated Vocabulary
Students use graphics to illustrate vocabulary words.

Between Earth and Sky

Between Earth and Sky
Strategies for before reading (including vocabulary), during reading, and after reading (including extension activities). Designed for 7th grade. Access requires MS-Word or compatible application.

Bowman's Store: A Journey to Myself

Bowman's Store: A Journey to Myself by Joseph Bruchac
This teacher's guide includes background information, prereading questions, a graphic organizer for vocabulary, discussion questions, writing activities, and interdisciplinary connections.

A Boy Called Slow

A Boy Called Slow
A word search puzzle. Follow the link for the solution.

A Boy Called Slow
A list of 20 spelling words, 5 challenge words, and 5 review words from the book. Adobe Reader or compatible application required for access.

Flash Card Exchange: A Boy Called Slow
Vocabulary words and practice.

Integrity and A Boy Called Slow
Students discuss how the main character felt about his given name, what he did to earn a new name, and how he showed integrity. Students think of a new name they would like to earn and propose a plan to earn the new name. Includes writing task, requires Adobe Reader or compatible application for access.

Rituals and Rites of Passage
This lesson uses A Boy Called Slow to teach rites of passage. This multicultural lesson is designed for 5th and 6th graders.

Children of the Longhouse

Children of the Longhouse
This book report form requires Adobe Reader or compatible application for access.

Circle of Thanks

The Seasons of Thanks
Scroll down to "Autumn" to find a writing activity and an art activity designed for third graders.

Code Talker

Native Words, Native Warriors
An extensive bibliography of resources related to codes and Code Talkers, including books, films, and websites.

Crazy Horse's Vision

Crazy Horse's Vision by Joseph Bruchac
This teacher's guide includes background information, prereading questions, vocabulary words and discussion questions, ideas for literature circles and writing, and interdisciplinary activities.

The First Strawberries

How Strawberries Came into the World
This lesson uses The First Strawberries to teach abou the Cherokee people. It is designed for kindergarten and includes extension activites and related resources.

Jim Thorpe's Bright Path

Jim Thorpe's Bright Path
This teacher's guide includes background information, prereading questions, a graphic organizer for vocabulary, discussion questions, writing activities, and interdisciplinary connections.

The Journal of Jesse Smoke

The Journal of Jesse Smoke: A Cherokee Boy, Trail of Tears, 1838 Discussion Guide
Background information, summary, 9 discussion questions, 5 followup activities, and an author interview.

The Trail of Tears
This social studies lesson includes reading passages from The Journal of Jesse Smoke. It is designed for 5th graders.

Pocahontas

Pocahontas
Summary, brief author biography, and 16 literature circle questions (and answers).

Pushing Up the Sky

Old Man Winter: Sounding out Unfamiliar Words
This lesson uses "Gluskabi and Old Man Winter" to help students practice sounding out unfamiliar English words. Access requires MS-Word or compatible application.

Pushing Up the Sky
An introduction to vocabulary words, including prefixes and alphabetical order. Access requires MS-Powerpoint or compatible application.

Sacajawea

Sacajawea Lesson Plan
Summary, warum-up activity, post-reading activities, and related titles.

Skeleton Man

Skeleton Man
Summary, book talk, and 7 discussion questions.

The Story of the Milky Way

Pourquoi Stories: Creating Tales to Tell Why
This unit plan includes The Story of the Milky Way and other children's literature as models for student writing of a pourquoi story of their own. Lesson includes standards and suggestions for assessment.

Thematic Unit Based on Multicultural Children's Literature
This series of lessons focuses on the relationship between children and grandparents. Lesson #3 uses The Story of the Milky Way.

The Story of the Milky Way
Students explore the difference between fiction and nonfiction. Includes slide presentation and concept-mapping template; designed for third grade.

Thirteen Moons on Turtle's Back

Thirteen Moons on Turtle's Back
Students learn the Oneida names, ceremonies and seasonal activities of the yearly cycle as delineated by the teaching of the Thirteen Moons by using the visual aid of the shell of a turtle.

Turtle's Shell Lesson Plan
Students use technology to depict the months of the year in response to Thirteen Moons on Turtle's Back. Designed for grades K-4.

The Winter People

The Winter People
Reading assignments, vocabulary words, and discussion questions, all spread out over 8 weeks. Access requires MS-Word or compatible application.

The Winter People by Joseph Bruchac
Summary, 4 discussion questions, and 5 activities.

The Winter People
Analysis, related titles, discussion questions, and vocabulary, designed for 6th grade. This 12-page document requires MS-Word or compatible application for access.