Coulee Dam Lesson
Coulee Dam Lesson
Grade Level:
9, 10, 11, 12
Scope & Sequence:
Civics
Goal:
The students will be able to understand the workings of the Spokane River – prior to Coulee Dam
Objective:
The students will be able to understand the impact of the Spokane River (prior to the Coulee Dam) on the Spokane Tribal People.
Background Knowledge / Cultural Concept
- Spokane Tribal way of life – connecting to the river.
- Downstream overfish between early 1800’s and Coulee Dam construction (e.g. canneries, etc.).
- Original route/path/bed, banks, etc. of Spokane and Columbia Rivers.
Spokane Tribal Values
STOI Connection:
- Fishing
- Ancestral way of life
- Seasonal route
- River camps
- Store outside your door
Spokane Tribal Values
- Generosity
- Land-environment
- Community
- Family
- Spirituality
Vocabulary
- Fish weirs
- Sustenance
- Distribution
- ńpoqińišcn for sharing
- Canneries
- Decimation
- ńpoqińišcn for rivers, river terms, water, etc.
- Invasive species
- Agricultural
Lesson Plan
The teacher will:
- Introduce vocabulary and definitions – students will make a list with definitions
- Grand Coulee Dam History – (http://www.nwcouncil.org/history/grandcouleehistory)
- Teacher will print this document and pass out to students.
- Students will annotate the text as the teacher reads and discusses.
Guiding Questions:
- How has the Dam impacted the State overall?
- What are the Dam benefits?
- Bridges across river
- Electricity for Tribal members
Assessment:
- Debate pros and cons of settling with U.S. government at this time.
- Write a letter to Congressman in support of the Spokane Tribe for their Coulee Dam Settlement.
Enrichment:
- Give students a poem from Children Left Behind: The Dark Legacy of Indian Mission Boarding Schools to analyze and reflect/connect
- Alexie, S. (xxxx). Ghosts of salmon jumping poem…
- Stories of pre-Coulee Dam solicited from Tribal members
Materials Needed:
- Article from website above
- Map of original river route (<– not sure of word?)
- Pictures of river before dams
- Map of crossings locations
Activity:
Lesson Assigned To:
- Social Studies Skills 5.2.1 Creates and uses research questions that are tied to an essential question to focus inquiry an idea, issue, or event.
- Geo: 3.2.2 Understands and analyzes examples of ethnocentrism.
NGSS
Common Core Standards
RL.9-10.2 Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze in detail its development over the course of the text, including how it emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details; provide an objective summary of the text.