Tips for Teachers

Opportunities for Learning in Little Deer and the First Native American Flute

Here are some of the categories:

Imagination

Was there really a first flute. Did the little bird really come out and peck holes in a hollow branch? Maybe these are ideas that hint at how important questions are. It can be fun to wonder about things. People often build boxes around themselves and fail to venture outside of them.

Art/Music

Art and music are creative expressions. Notice how trees, animals, and even Little Deer are different colors. Are they true to Nature? Is it okay to have fun with colors and sizes? Is it okay to "make-believe?" New things happen (inventions) when we ask questions like why or why not.

Learning

What is learning? What is teaching? Is this happening in the Little Deer story? In so many fun ways Nature is our teacher. How does this happen? How do we know when we have learned something?

Reasons

Many things are happening for a reason in the Little Deer story. Why did Little Deer want to go collecting by himself? Why did Little Deer's parents let him go? Why did Little Deer get lost? Did the wind and the little bird show up by accident?

Benefits

What good things happened because Little Deer got lost?

Add a category

Questions to think about:

1. Can you remember when you asked your parents to do something new by yourself?

2. Did anyone in the story show emotions (happiness, sadness, anger, fear)? Did this affect the outcome of the story? Could certain emotions have made the story end differently? Explain how.

3. How did Little Deer handle being tired and lost? If you had been there with Little Deer, what would you have suggested he do when he was lost?

4. Add another question.