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Here are the IEFA Essential Understandings and possible Common Core Standards for 3rd grade that these activities would cover.

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IEFA Essential Understandings and Possible CC Standards

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Have students retell the story using Chatterpix!

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ChatterPix Kids (or ChatterKid) is an interactive app for adding voice and text to any image. Its ease of use makes it very accessible to children, and the 30 seconds time limit forces them to be thoughtful and concise. The app is free, from Duck Duck Moose, and is only available for iOS. When you first open the app, the first thing that you will see is a short video that shows you the 5 easy steps to using ChatterPix.

5 Easy Steps to Creating a Video in ChatterPix Kids

1. Take/Import a Picture

2. Draw a Mouth

3. Record a Message

4. Decorate

5. Show your Friend

Features of ChatterPix Kids

Take a photo or use a photo from the Photo Library

Draw a talking mouth to make the video more interesting

Save to Gallery (and edit later) or save to Camera Roll

Ideas for Using ChatterPix Kids

Take a picture of your invention and let the invention describe itself.

Create a talking animal to present your animal research.

Use 3-4 facts from your biography to create a 30 sec video.

Create a public service announcement for your environmental issue to share with students in lower elementary.

Differentiation Using ChatterPix Kids

Give the child the photo needed.

Limit the use of design features (frames, stickers, etc.) to help focus the activity.

Use the stickers and frames to teach design features.

Considerations for Using ChatterPix Kids

Students have to complete the process and get to Gallery for their work to be saved.

Students can combine several 30 sec videos in iMovie to make a longer video

Examples of ChatterPix Kids in the Classroom

Examples of ChatterPix Kids in the classroom

Do you use ChatterPix Kids in your classroom? Leave a message in the comments.

Have a question about using technology in your classroom? Email info@journeywithtechnology.com.

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Use ChatterPix Kids in the Classroom - Journey with Technology

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ChatterPix Kids is an interactive app for adding voice and text to any image. Its ease of use makes it very accessible to children, and the 30 sec time limit forces them to be thoughtful and concise. Combine several 30 sec videos to make a longer video.

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After reading several stories, students can animate their favorite and retell the legend/myth in their own words.

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Equip your educational institution with a video creation tool that allows you to seamlessly engage students, faculty, and staff.

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After writing their own legend/myth, students can publish their work!

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StoryJumper: #1 rated site for creating story books

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Easiest way to create, narrate, and publish your own hardcover and paperback books. Read and listen to books from our worldwide community.

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Native American Traditional Tales and Legends

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Native American culture is rich and diverse. Some of the stories in this list are about people who lived — or might have lived — long ago; others are about real children who you may know as a friend or neighbor today. Meet them all between the pages of the books recommended here. With our Book Finde…

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IEFA - Indian Education for All

To search for IEFA books in Power Search, type the word Indians (make sure it is plural and omit quotation marks). You can then limit to "Children Young Adult" under location to view all the Native American books that we have in the Children/YA area. Note: some will be IEFA okay but others may not be.

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Updated: August 5, 2020

Rocky Boy's India

Rocky Boy's Indian Reservation provides a home for about 2,500 members of the Chippewa-Cree tribe. One story has it that the name "Rocky Boy" was derived from the name of a leader of a band of Chippewa Indians. It actually meant "Stone Child," but it was not translated correctly from Chippewa into English, and the name "Rocky Boy" evolved. The reservation is near the Canadian border, in northcentral Montana. It is graced by the Bear Paw Mountains, which provide dramatic contrast to the flat bottomland of the area.

Rocky Boy's residents who work on the reservation are employed by the schools, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Indian Health Service, and tribal government. There are also some wheat farming and post-pole production on the reservation. The tribe is actively working toward development of its natural resources to be able to provide more jobs and income for its people. Stone Child College is located in Rocky Boy's Agency. A two-year college, Stone Child offers associate's degrees in Arts and Sciences. There are future plans for a cultural center on the campus.

Points of interest on the reservation are:

Events

Rocky Boy's Powwow – first weekend of August

The Chippewa and Cree were among the last tribal groups to come into Montana. Both tribes originally lived in the Great Lakes region. Late in the nineteenth century, the Chippewa came from Turtle Mountain country in North Dakota. This was after the reservation system was in existence, and they felt they had been not treated fairly during treaty negotiations. The Cree are of Canadian descent and along with their allies were a major force on the Great Plains. Initially the tribe had a monopoly on guns and horses, which gave them a great advantage over the other tribes.

Rocky Boy's Indians

As with the other tribes, small pox devastated the Cree. The two groups refused to settle on a reservation and led a nomadic life. The Cree were deported to Canada but returned to pursue the last of the buffalo. The tribes remained homeless and fell on hard times. Finally, in 1916 Rocky Boy's Reservation was established near Havre. The tribes today are inter-mixed and use the name "Chippewa-Cree."

For more information about the Rocky Boy's Reservation contact:

The Chippewa-Cree Business Committee
RR1, Box 542
Box Elder, MT 59521
406-395-4282
VisitMT - Rocky Boys Reservation
Updated: August 5, 2020

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Updated: August 5, 2020 Rocky Boy's India Rocky Boy's Indian Reservation provides a home for about 2,500 members of the Chippewa-Cree tribe. One story has it that the name "Rocky Boy" was derived from the name of a leader of a band of Chippewa Indians.

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Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation Facts for Kids

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Learn Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation facts for kids

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Apsáalooke : Children of the Large Beaked Bird

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Indian Nations: Pend d'Oreille Kootenai Salish

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Beaver Steals Fire: A Salish Coyote Story

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A long time ago, fire belonged only to the animals in the land above, not to those on the earth below. Curlew, keeper of the sky world, guarded fire and kept it from the earth. Coyote, however, devised a clever plan to steal fire, aided by Grizzly Bear, Wren, Snake, Frog, Eagle, and Beaver.

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Teacher's Manual (Levels I-III) [HTML Index] Henry Real Bird, Karen Stone, and Joseph Coburn

Developed by the Kootenai Cultural Committee of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes How Marten Got His Spots [601 KB, 16 pp.] Book 4
Mary Andrews (Consultant), Joe Antiste (Consultant), Susan Blixt, Sarah Bufton, Glenda Burke (Illustrator), Madeline Coutre, Debbie Joseph (Illustrator), Alex Lefthand (Consultant), Basil Lefthand (Consultant), Naida Lefthand (Coordinator), Adeline Mathias (Consultant)

Coast Area Planning Committee Lost in the Fog [2.3 MB, 28 pp.] Book 5 A Jamestown Clallam Legend
Edith Cusack, Jeanne Evernden, Bruce Miller, Georgia Oliver (Consultant), Wilma Petty, Seahtlhuk (Gary Hillaire), Bernice Lozier-Tanewasha, Charolotte Williams As told by Jim Cook Illustrated by Debra Barr

Developed by the Kootenai Cultural Committee of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes Coyote and Trout [571 KB, 22 pp.] Book 10
Mary Andrews (Consultant), Joe Antiste (Consultant), Susan Blixt, Sarah Bufton, Glenda Burke (Illustrator), Madeline Coutre, Debbie Joseph (Illustrator), Alex Lefthand (Consultant), Basil Lefthand (Consultant), Naida Lefthand (Coordinator), Adeline Mathias (Consultant)

Members of the Warm Springs Reservation Committee How the Milky Way Got into the Sky [933 KB, 24 pp.] Book 11
Carol Allison (Illustrator), Nita Curtis (Consultant), William Frank (Illustrator), Rena Greene, Verbena Greene (Coordinator), Viola Kalama, Stella McKinley, Ada Sooksoit, Wilson Wewa

Coast Area Planning Committee The Good Hunter and Fisherman [1.6 MB, 36 pp.] Book 14 A Jamestown Clallam Legend
Edith Cusack, Jeanne Evernden, Bruce Miller, Georgia Oliver (Consultant), Wilma Petty, Seahtlhuk (Gary Hillaire), Bernice Lozier-Tanewasha, Charolotte Williams As told by Jim Cook Illustrated by Seahtlhuk (Gary Hillaire)

I Am a Rock [2.2 MB, 24 pp.] Book 16 A Crow Story Written and illustrated by Henry Real Bird

The Man Who Loved Shell Money [1.3 MB, 36 pp.] Book 17 A Skokomish Legend Edith Cusack, Jeanne Evernden, Bruce Miller, Georgia Oliver (Consultant), Wilma Petty, Seahtlhuk (Gary Hillaire), Bernice Lozier-Tanewasha, Charolotte Williams As told by Bruce Miller Illustrated by Bruce Miller

Developed by the Salish (Flathead) Cultural Committee of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes Coyote and the Mean Mountain Sheep [1.2 MB, 22 pp.] Book 20 As told by Johnn Arlee
Johnny Arlee (Coordinator), Mary Finley, Tony Incashola, Mary Linsebigler, Tony Sondoval (Illustrator), Clarence Woodcock Illustrated by Tony Sandoval Compiled by Shirley Torgerson

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Indian Reading Series: Stories and Legends from the Northest | Grade Level 3

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The Indian Reading Series: Stories and Legends of the Northwest is a collection of authentic material cooperatively developed by Indian People from twelve reservations.

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Teacher's Manual (Levels I-III) [HTML Index] Henry Real Bird, Karen Stone, and Joseph Coburn

Coast Area Planning Committee Thunder and the Mosquito [1 MB, 15 pp.] Book 2 A Muckleshoot Legend
Edith Cusack, Jeanne Evernden, Bruce Miller, Georgia Oliver (Consultant), Wilma Petty, Seahtlhuk (Gary Hillaire), Bernice Lozier-Tanewasha, Charolotte Williams As told by Clarence Barr Illustrated by Debra Barr

Coast Area Planning Committee Why the Codfish Has a Red Face [862 KB, 18 pp.] Book 3 A Skokomish Legend
Edith Cusack, Jeanne Evernden, Bruce Miller, Georgia Oliver (Consultant), Wilma Petty, Seahtlhuk (Gary Hillaire), Bernice Lozier-Tanewasha, Charolotte Williams As told by Georgia Miller Illustrated by Bruce Miller

Grandma Rides in the Parade [298 KB, 35 pp.] Book 7 A Crow Story Written by Joy Yellowtail Tomeeta Illustrated by Audrey Tomeeta

Coast Area Planning Committee The Time the Whale Came to Jackson's Bay [619 KB, 21 pp.] Book 11 As told by Jeanne Evernden
Edith Cusack, Jeanne Evernden, Bruce Miller, Georgia Oliver (Consultant), Wilma Petty, Seahtlhuk (Gary Hillaire), Bernice Lozier-Tanewasha, Charolotte Williams Illustrated by Bruce Miller

Developed by the Salish (Flathead) Cultural Committee of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes Coyote and the Man Who Sits On Top [818 KB, 22 pp.] Book 12 Told by Johnn Arlee
Johnny Arlee (Coordinator), Mary Finley, Tony Incashola, Mary Linsebigler, Tony Sondoval (Illustrator), Clarence Woodcock Illustrated by Tony Sandoval Compiled by Shirley Torgerson

The Crow [317 KB, 15 pp.] Book 13 An Assinboine Story As told by Richard Blue Talk Illustrated by Joseph D. Clancy, Sr.

By members of the Yakima Reservation Curriculum Development Committee How Birds Learned to Fly [341 KB, 20 pp.] Book 16 Written by Tony Colwash, Bernice Jim, Sam Jim
Dolores Buck, Tony Colwash, Florence Haggarty, Bernice Jim, Sam Jim, Lena Owens, Elmer Schuster, Leona Smartlowit, R.A. Swanson, Beverly Tallman, Jeanne Thomas Illustrated by Beverly Tallman

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Teacher's Manual (Levels I-III) [HTML Index] Henry Real Bird, Karen Stone, and Joseph Coburn Coast Area Planning Committee Thunder and the Mosquito [1 MB, 15 pp.] Book 2 A Muckleshoot LegendEdith Cusack, Jeanne Evernden, Bruce Miller, Georgia Oliver (Consultant), Wilma Petty, Seahtlhuk (Gary Hillaire), Bernice Lozier-Tanewasha, Charolotte Williams As told by Clarence Barr Illustrated by Debra Barr Coast Area Planning Committee Why the Codfish Has a Red Face [862 KB, 18 pp.]

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Indian Reading Series: Stories and Legends of the Northwest | Grade Level I

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The Indian Reading Series: Stories and Legends of the Northwest is a collection of authentic material cooperatively developed by Indian People from twelve reservations.

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Dear Patron: Please don't scroll past this. The Internet Archive is a nonprofit fighting for universal access to quality information, powered by online donations averaging $17. Join the one in a thousand users that support us financially-if our library is useful to you, please pitch in.

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The sun came down : Bullchild, Percy : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

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Dear Patron: Please don't scroll past this. The Internet Archive is a nonprofit fighting for universal access to quality information, powered by online donations averaging $17. Join the one in a thousand users that support us financially-if our library is useful to you, please pitch in.

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Blackfoot Indian Beverly/Hungry Wolf chronicles the old ways of the women of her tribe, the Blood People, in a strange and tantalizing mix of history, legend, myth, gossip, and recipes. Without analysis or question, she records side by side stories of the legendary woman warrior Running Eagle, the Kootenay woman who took another woman for a wife, arranged marriages of child brides, polygamous marriages like ""the buffalo and elk,"" and the traditional capture and rape of women from other tribes ("". . . some of the captured women were killed also, but if they accepted their fate and were able to work, they were usually married by their captors""). Several women contribute without rancor personal stories of drudgery--sewing the buffalo hide tipi and setting it up just in time to cook and serve dinner to the idling men; but some folktales betray hostility--notably a bizarre tale of the ""mistreated wife"" who sharpens her leg with an ax and then kicks her husband in the stomach with fatal results. Young people desert the old tribal ways (one grandmother attributes their bovine selfishness to drinking cow's milk), but Beverly Hungry Wolf gamely sews her own canvas tipi, dries meat over the fire, and gathers all the Blackfoot lore she can, here including recipes for crow gut and berry soup, Mrs. Rides-at-the-Door's instructions for tanning the hides of unborn calves, Ruth Little Bear's method of boiling cow hooves--plus notes on beadwork, porcupine quill work, and stuffing a baby in a moss bag. Much basic lore--such as the medicine pipe bundles and the sun dance ceremonies--go unexplained; and many legends will seem to the uninitiated perfectly pointless. But odd and uneven as it is, this is a valuable compendium.

Pub Date: June 26, 1980

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Morrow

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 1980

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Book Reviews, Sites, Romance, Fantasy, Fiction | Kirkus Reviews

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Blackfoot Indian Beverly/Hungry Wolf chronicles the old ways of the women of her tribe, the Blood People, in a strange and tantalizing mix of history, legend, myth, gossip, and recipes.

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Pronounced "Grow Vaunt," the word means "big belly" in French. No one knows exactly why the French called them this. They were also known as the Ahe, A'aninin, Ahahnelin, A'ane, Haaninin, and Atsina.

The Gros Ventre and the Arapaho were once part of the same large tribe who lived in the western Great Lakes region 3000 years ago, where they lived an agricultural lifestyle, cultivating maize.

They were an Algonquian-speaking people who lived along the Red River valley in northern present-day Minnesota and Manitoba, Canada. They called themselves A'aninin, the White Clay People, and were closely associated with the ancestors of the Cheyenne.

In the early 18th century, the large tribe split, forming the Gros Ventre and the Arapaho. These, with the Cheyenne, migrated into Montana under pressure from the Ojibwe. After they migrated, the Arapaho moved southwards to the Wyoming and Colorado area, while the Cheyenne migrated south into South Dakota and Colorado.

They spoke the now nearly extinct Gros Ventre language (Atsina). The tribe acquired horses in the mid-18th century and then began to migrate farther south to the Great Plains of Wyoming and Colorado to hunt buffalo.

Aboriginally, the Gros Ventre were divided into 12 bands, each of which was led by a chief who usually made decisions in consultation with other male members of the band. Chiefs were awarded their status because of their prowess in war. In winter, the bands usually camped separately but came together in the spring and fall for large buffalo hunts and various ceremonies. They subsided primarily on buffalo but also hunted deer, elk, and antelope, and the women collected berries, fruits, and roots.

All young girls were given in marriage before puberty to older men, but the marriage was usually delayed until the girls were about 20 years old. Polygamy was common, as was divorce, which the husband usually initiated. Most women married three or four times during their lifetime. Children belonged to the band of their father.

At adolescence, boys entered one of the age-graded societies. Also, they became members of either the Star Society or the Wolf Society, each with peacekeeping and social functions. At death, the individual had a scaffold burial in a tree or cave with some personal possessions. The Flat Pipe and Feathered Pipe Rites were important Ceremonies, with personal supernatural powers and visions also significant.

The earliest known contact of Gros Ventre with white men was in about 1754, between the north and south forks of the Saskatchewan River. At that time, they were exposed to smallpox, severely reducing their numbers. Around 1793, in response to attacks by well-armed Cree and Assiniboine, large groups of Gros Ventre burned two Hudson's Bay Company trading posts providing guns to the Cree and Assiniboine tribes in what is now Saskatchewan (Canada).

Lewis and Clark reported the Gros Ventre were living in two groups when they came through. They called the northern group, who were living on the Upper Saskatchewan River in Canada, the Fall Indians. They said they numbered about 2,500 people living in 260 tipis who traded with the North West Company. They called the southern group the Staetan tribe and described them as roaming between the Missouri and Bow Rivers, a population of about 400 people living in 40 tipis, and having close contact with bands of Northern Arapaho.

In 1832, the Gros Ventre made contact with the German explorer and naturalist Prince Maximilian. Along with the naturalist painter Karl Bodmer, the Europeans painted portraits and recorded their meeting with the Gros Ventre near the Missouri River in Montana.

Somewhere along the line, the Gros Ventre joined the Blackfoot Confederacy. After allying with the Blackfoot, the Gros Ventre moved to north-central Montana and southern Canada. In 1855, Washington Territorial Governor Isaac Stevens negotiated a treaty to provide peace between the United States and the Blackfoot, Flathead, and Nez Perce tribes. The Gros Ventre signed the treaty as part of the Blackfoot Confederacy, whose territory near the Three Fork area became a common hunting ground for the tribes. In 1861, the Gros Ventres left the Blackfoot Confederacy.

Allying with the Crow, the Gros Ventre fought the Blackfoot, but in 1867, they were defeated.

In 1868, the United States government established a trading post called Fort Browning near the mouth of Peoples Creek on the Milk River. This trading post was built for the Gros Ventre and Assiniboine, but because it was on a favorite hunting ground of the Sioux, it was abandoned in 1871. The government then built Fort Belknap, which served as a trading post and an issue building, where the tribe received their rations and annuity goods. It was located about one mile southwest of the present town of Harlem, Montana.

In 1876, the fort was discontinued, and the Gros Ventre and Assiniboine people who were receiving annuities at the post were instructed to go to the agency at Fort Peck and Wolf Point. The Assiniboine did not object to going to Wolf Point and readily went about moving, but the Gros Ventre refused to go. If they did, they would come into contact with the Sioux, with whom they didn't get along. They forfeited their annuities rather than move to Fort Peck. In 1878, the Fort Belknap Agency was re-established, and the Gros Ventre and remaining Assiniboine were again allowed to receive supplies at Fort Belknap (there is also an unrelated Fort Belknap in Texas).

In 1884, gold was discovered in the Little Rocky Mountains. Pressure from miners and mining companies forced the tribes to cede sections of the mountains in 1885. Jesuits came to Fort Belknap in 1862 to convert the Gros Ventre people to Catholicism. In 1887, St. Paul's Mission was established at the foot of the Little Rocky Mountains near Hays. Afterward, many of the traditional ceremonies were lost over the course of time. However, the two sacred pipes, The Feathered Pipe and The Flat Pipe, remain central to the traditional spiritual beliefs of the Gros Ventre.

By an act of Congress, the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation was established on May 1, 1888, for the Gros Ventre and Assiniboine tribes, resulting in the Indians ceding 17,500,000 acres of their joint reservation lands.

Today the Gros Ventre are a federally recognized tribe with 4,000 enrolled members, including the Assiniboine, who were once the historical enemies of the Gros Ventre tribe. The Fort Belknap Reservation and additional tribal lands encompass 650,000 acres of the plains and grasslands of northcentral Montana. Its headquarters is located just south of the small town of Harlem, Montana.

More Information:

Fort Belknap Indian Community
656 Agency Main Street
Harlem, MT 59526
406-353-2205

Compiled by Kathy Alexander/ Legends of America, updated January 2023.
Also See: Montana - Big Sky Country Native Americans - The First Owners of America Native American Heroes & Leaders Native American Tribes List
Sources:

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The Gros Ventre and the Arapaho were once part of the same large tribe who lived in the western Great Lakes region 3000 years ago.

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Background Knowledge and Legend information

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Background Knowledge and Legend information

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Native Indian languages American Indian tribes What's new on our site
This is our collection of links to Cheyenne folktales and traditional stories that can be read online. We have indexed ourAmerican Indian legends section by tribe to make them easier to locate; however, variants on the same legend are often told by American Indians from different tribes, especially if those tribes are kinfolk or neighbors to each other. In particular, though these legends come from the Cheyenne tribe, the traditional stories of related tribes like theArapaho andGros Ventre are very similar.

Enjoy the stories! If you would like to recommend a Cheyenne legend for this page or think one of the ones on here should be removed, please let us know.

Sponsored Links
Click on each character's name for more detailed information about his or her role in Cheyenne mythology.

(also spelled Maheo'o and other ways.) This is the Cheyenne name for the Creator (God.) Literally his name means "Great One," and he is often referred to as Great Medicine or the Great Spirit. Maheo is a divine spirit without human form or attributes and is rarely personified in Cheyenne folklore. In some myths, Maheo is referred to as Heammawihio (or Heamaveeho,) which means "Spider Above." This may be an appellation borrowed from their Arapaho kinfolk, who referred to the Creator this way to differentiate him from the earthly Spider figure (see below.) Maheo is by far the more common name. It is pronounced similar to mah-hey-yoh in Cheyenne.

(also spelled Veeho, Veho, and other ways.) Wihio is the spider trickster of Cheyenne mythology. His name is pronounced veh-hoh or wih-hoh, depending on dialect. Though he is associated with spiders and his name means "spider," he has the form of a man in every Cheyenne tale we know of. In some stories, Wihio plays the role of the clever and benevolent trickster/transformer hero, similar toNanabozho of the Anishinabe tribes; but in most stories, he is merely a silly and foolish character who behaves as inappropriately as possible by Cheyenne social standards. In any case, the literal meaning of the character's Cheyenne name is "Spider." It is given as "White-Man" in some older translations, but this is a misleading translation-- the Cheyennes named white people after the trickster character, not vice versa!

: The Cheyenne spirit of thunder. Some Cheyenne people describe Nonoma as a Thunderbird; others consider him a wind spirit like the Winter Wind, who is his spiritual opposite.

orAxxea: These are water monsters who live in springs and menace travelers. Some Cheyenne people believe that these are two names for the same monster, others that Axxea was the individual name of one particular Mehne monster, and still others that they are two different species of water monster. Mehne is always described as a horned serpent, while Axxea is sometimes described as a horned serpent, sometimes as a four-legged creature like a bull orwater panther, and other times compared to a caterpillar or worm. Nonoma is the sworn enemy of both, and while both are dangerous to humans, they may be calmed by respectful offerings.

(Vo'estanehesono): A race of dangerous little people, about knee-high to a man, who lived in the Rocky Mountains and warred with the Cheyenne. Sometimes they were said to eat humans; other times, they were merely described as warlike and violent. Their Cheyenne name literally means "little people" and is pronounced similar to voh-stah-neh-heh-so-no.

(Hestovatohkeo'o): A malevolent monster resembling a man with a second face on the back of his head; a person who makes eye contact with this second face will be murdered by the monster, who tries many ploys to try to get victims to look at him.

: A large, hairy humanoid creature, somewhat like the Sasquatch or Bigfoot of the Northwestern tribes, only with birdlike feet.

(also Arrow Boy or Metzehouf): Legendary prophet and medicine man of the Cheyenne tribe. He predicted the arrival of white men, among other things.

Rolling Head : A horrible, vampiric sort of creature from Cheyenne myth, created when a man murders his unfaithful wife and her disembodied head returns from the dead to seek revenge. Cheyenne Stories:
A great online collection of traditional Cheyenne stories in Cheyenne and English.
Great Medicine Makes a Beautiful Country:
The Cheyenne creation myth.
Race Among the Animals How The Buffalo Hunt Began:
Cheyenne legends about the origins of the buffalo hunt.
The Life and Death of Sweet Medicine Arrow Boy:
Saga of the Cheyenne hero Sweet Medicine/Motzeyouf.
Veeho's Eyeballs The Eye Juggler:
Cheyenne legends about Veeho losing his eyeballs.
Sun Teaches Veeho A Lesson:
Cheyenne legend about Veeho trying to steal the Sun's pants.
How Wihio Got Tongue:
Cheyenne legend about Wihio getting the better of Coyote.
The Rolling Head Case of the Severed Head:
Cheyenne legends about the Rolling Head monster.
Falling-Star:
Story of the birth and life of the Cheyenne hero Falling Star.
Yellowstone Valley and the Great Flood:
Cheyenne myth about the flooding of the earth.
The Old Woman of the Spring:
Legend of a spirit woman who helped the Cheyennes through a famine.
The Quillwork Girl and her Seven Brothers:
Cheyenne myth about the origin of the Big Dipper constellation.
The Girl Who Married A Dog:
Cheyenne legend about the origin of the Pleiades.
The Great Medicine Dance:
Cheyenne tale about the origin of the Sundance.
The Death of Head Chief and Young Mule:
Cheyenne story about the death of a 19th-century warrior.
Mythology of the Cheyennes:
Early 20th-century collection of Cheyenne legends.

Sponsored Links

Recommended Books on Cheyenne Myth
Our organization earns a commission from any book bought through these links
Tales of the Cheyennes:
Collection of Cheyenne legends and folktales.
Algonquian Spirit:
Excellent anthology of stories, songs, and oral history from the Cheyenne and other Algonquian tribes.
American Indian Trickster Tales:
Compilation of more than a hundred stories about Veeho and other Native American tricksters.
(Use discretion sharing these with kids as some of the stories contain adult humor.)

Additional Resources
The Cheyenne sweat lodge
Books of Native American folklore
Native American traditions
Cheyenne Native Americans
Cheyenne words
Oklahoma Indian tribes
Plains Native Americans
Algonquian tribes
Cheyenne culture

Back to the Cheyenne language homepage
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Visit our Native American Indian website.

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Native Languages of the Americas website © 1998-2020 Contacts and FAQ page

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Cheyenne Legends (Folklore, Myths, and Traditional Indian Stories)

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Native Indian languages American Indian tribes What's new on our site This is our collection of links to Cheyenne folktales and traditional stories that can be read online. We have indexed ourAmerican Indian legends section by tribe to make them easier to locate; however, variants on the same legend are often told by American Indians from different tribes, especially if those tribes are kinfolk or neighbors to each other.

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This story was collaboratively written by Indian people from all 12 reservations.

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Buffalo Travels - Hotóá'e Tséxhóxovéstávȧhtse - Bilingual Northern Cheyenne Picture Book

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Dancing with the Cranes gives an understanding of birth, life and death. Chi's momma is soon to have a baby, but Chi is having a hard time being happy about it. Chi misses Temma (her grandma), who has passed away. Chi's momma and daddy help ease the pain of losing Temma and help Chi to understand life and death as a part of nature. Chi soon finds herself feeling comforted, knowing Temma will always be a part of her and looking forward to the new baby who will be a part of their lives.

Educator Information
Recommended for 6 to 8.

Additional Information
24 pages | 7.97" x 9.95"

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Dancing with the Cranes, 2009) - Indigenous & First Nations Kids Books - Strong Nations

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Dancing with the Cranes gives an understanding of birth, life and death. Chi's momma is soon to have a baby, but Chi is having a hard time being happy about it. Chi misses Temma (her grandma), who has passed away.

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This free story mapping resource includes a variety of story map graphic organizers to accommodate differentiation and different story mapping skills.
What's Included:
Graphic organizer to map characters, setting, problem, key events, and solution. Boxes are sized either for illustrating OR writing each element, depending on differentiation needs.

Graphic organizer to map beginning, middle, and end. Ideal for illustrating each part.

Graphic organizer with 3 horizontal boxes for beginning, middle, and end. Ideal for writing each part.

Graphic organizer to map plot structure (exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution / solution) with plenty of space for writing notes for each element. Includes one organizer with detailed explanation of each element, and one organizer with just the name of each element.
Ideal for literacy centers, guided reading book groups, extra practice, intervention, homework, homeschool, and tutoring. NOTE: This is a PDF file which can be downloaded and saved to your computer, as well as printed; however, it is a secure, non-editable resource. Terms of Use
This resource is for use in a single classroom or home. This resource may not be used commercially or for profit of any kind. No part of this resource may be reproduced, re-sold, digitally shared, or claimed as your own.
Questions?
Please send an E-mail to marisa@mw-literacy.com.
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Story Mapping Graphic Organizers FREE DOWNLOAD

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This free story mapping resource includes a variety of story map graphic organizers to accommodate differentiation and different story mapping skills.What's Included:Graphic organizer to map characters, setting, problem, key events, and solution. Boxes are sized either for illustrating OR writing e...

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Story Elements Graphic Organizers, Character and Setting, Story Map Plot Diagram

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Identifying and analyzing story elements important fiction reading skills. These graphic organizers encourage students to practice the five main elements of a story (character, setting, problem, solution and plot). The visuals and clean layout is perfect for supporting visual learners in digging d..…

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This is an outline that my students use to help them create their own legends. It gives the 7 components needed to write a traditional legend.

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ISBN-13:

9781988824833

Publisher:

UpRoute

Publication date:

05/23/2022

Series:

Spirit of Nature

Pages:

144

Product dimensions:

6.13(w) x 9.03(h) x 0.38(d)

Age Range:

12 - 17 Years

Read an Excerpt

Excerpt From A'pistotooki kii Ihkitsik Kaawa'pomaahkaa Creator and the Seven Animals By Crystal Many Fingers It was iksisto (hot) on a niipo (summer) morning, Natosi (the sun) was shining brightly in the sspoohtsi (sky). Seven of the kaawa'pomaahkaa (animals) had gathered together to say their regular morning aatsimoyihkaan (prayers). They were seated in an ao'takii (a circle). "Ayo Ihtsipaitapiiyao'p (Oh Great Spirit and Source of Life) Ayo A'pistotooki (Our Creator) Isspommookinnaan (Help us)" Immoyiitapi (Big Foot) led the group as they asked A'pistotooki (Creator) for help from harm. After they said Aatssimoyihkaan (prayers), Ksisskstaki (Beaver), the one who had sopoksistawa'si (grown in wisdom) asked, "Why did A'pistotooki (Creator) put us here on this ksaahkomm (Earth)?" All of the other kaawa'pomaahkaa (animals) nodded their heads in agreement. "Yes, please O Great Spirit, A'pistotooki, tell us why we were put here on this ksaahkomm (Earth)." All of a sudden, waahkanaapinako (a beautiful sunbeam) shone down through the soksistsiko (clouds). It shone directly down on the kaawa'pomaahkaa (animals). All of them looked up sspoohtsi (skyward). A loud voice began to speak, "I am A'pistotooki (your Creator). I will now tell you why you have each been put on this ksaahkomm (Earth)." "Ksisskstaki (Beaver), since you are the first one to ask and since you cherish the knowledge, you will be the one to Sopoksistawa'si (grow in wisdom). You will have the gift of being able to move the Aohkii (water) and you will protect it and all who dwells in them. You will also protect the maohtoksko (trees) and soi'stipikiaaki (berries) that also live along the niitahtaa (river). This will greatly help the Niitsitapi (Real People). The Niitsitapi will always honour the great Aohkii iksissta'pssi (water spirits) in their Aatssimoyihkaan (prayers)." "Kiaayo (Bear), you are the protector of the ikso'kowa (relatives), the Nookoossinnaaniksi (children), Ninnaaniksi (fathers), Niksisstsinnanniksi (mothers), and Naahsinnanniksi (grandparents) of the Niitsitapi (Real People). Because of this, you will always be sskonata'pssi (industrious and strong). You will be iiyikitapiiyi (brave and fearless) as you roam the ksaahkomm (Earth). You will be considered an awaawahkao'tsii (warrior) to all because of how you strive to protect them." End of Excerpt

Table of Contents

Siksikawa Otaawahsinnowa (Where the Blackfoot People Live), by Miikotsiminii (Red Wing), Payne Many Guns

A'pistotooki kii Ihkitsik Kaawa'pomaahkaa (Creator and the Seven Animals), by Crystal Many Fingers

Aakomimmihtanii (Love), by Mai'stoistowaakii (Crow Pretty Woman), Sheena Potts

Niitsippooktsistaanitsi (My Braids), by Matoomiikamoosaaki (First Steals Woman), Latasha Calf Robe

Napi kii Imitaa (Napi and the Dogs), by Natoyi'sokasiim, Tim Fox

Morning Star's Family, by DerRic Starlight

Omahkitapiksi Okakinikiiwa (Teachings from our Elders), by Iikiinayookaa, Marlene Yellow Horn

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Siksikaitsitapi: Stories of the Blackfoot People|Paperback

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In Siksikaitsitapi: Stories of the Blackfoot People, six authors share their stories that come from both from legend and from their personal experiences, with many of the stories in both Blackfoot and English languages. The book is illustrated with beautiful full-colour pictures and photos...

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Joseph Bruchac (Author), Jonathan London (Author), Thomas Locker (Illustrator) & 0 more

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Thirteen Moons on Turtle’s Back: A Native American Year of Moons

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Thirteen Moons on Turtle’s Back: A Native American Year of Moons [Bruchac, Joseph, London, Jonathan, Locker, Thomas] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Thirteen Moons on Turtle’s Back: A Native American Year of Moons

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Printable or display

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Using EPIC! you can assign this to students to read or read it together as a class presenting it on a promethean board or other screen to give background knowledge.

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Epic reaches 75 million kids in class and after school.

Built on a collection of 40,000+ popular, high-quality books from 250+ of the world's best publishers, Epic safely fuels curiosity and reading confidence for kids 12 and under.

Get Started

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online access fun thousands children great kids ebooks books

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Native Americans: Crow kids' book from the leading digital reading platform with a collection of 40,000+ books from 250+ of the world's best publishers. Read now on Epic.

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WONDERFUL NATIVE AMERICAN AND INDIGENOUS PICTURE BOOKS FOR CHILDREN TO ADD TO YOUR LIBRARY 

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WONDERFUL NATIVE AMERICAN AND INDIGENOUS PICTURE BOOKS FOR CHILDREN TO ADD TO YOUR LIBRARY 

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If you follow my book lists you know I firmly believe in the power of children's books to change the world 1)by opening children's minds to experiences that are not their own; and 2) by reflecting back positive stories about themselves and others. Unfortunately, not all children are represented fairly and accurately, or abundantly in picture books. Historically, Native American picture books have been few and far between and Native American have been not only underrepresented in children's books, but frequently that representation is racist, either through stereotyping ( including so-called "positive" images like the "noble savage") or by obvious negative imagery.

I don't think I am perfect when it comes to choosing reading material but I do try to learn and listen to others.

While making this list of Native American picture books I deliberately chose books by Native authors. It is by no means a comprehensive list, but for parents and educators who have not yet made a point of seeking out picture books with positive representations of indigenous people, I hope it will be a good starting point. When you are discussing these books with your children, I encourage you not to label the characters as "Native American" or "Indian" but by their nation, such as "Cree" or "Lenape."

For anyone who wishes to learn more about the representation of American Indians in children's books, I highly recommend the blog American Indians in Children's Literature. Ms. Reese offers her careful analyses of both contemporary and classic books.

Native American Board Books, ages 0 and up

by Richard Van Camp is an adorable board book that is a tender, rhyming love story from mom and dad to their baby.

More: Please also check out Richard Van Camp's We Sang You Home, and Welcome Song for Babies.

My Heart Fills with Happiness by Monique Gray Smith is a super sweet and wonderful board book perfect for your baby or toddler. It's also one of the few board books featuring a Native American protagonist. The text celebrates finding happiness in the everyday events and joyful, colorful illustrations.

More: Smith has a new book coming out, You Hold Me Up.

Wild Berries by Julie Flett. A boy and his grandmother collect blueberries in the word. Along the way they observe wildlife from the ants to the elk to the birds. The overall feeling is one of calm mindfulness and the illustrations' deceptive simplicity adds to that feeling. The spare text is in English, but some of the words are accompanied by their Cree equivalent. A glossary and pronunciation guide is included.

More: I also love Flett's We All Count: A Book of Cree Numbers.

Native American Picture Books, ages 3 and up

Thunder Boy Jr. by Sherman Alexie is both fun and thought-provoking. Thunder Boy, Jr. wishes he had a normal name, like his sister. And he does not like being called "Little Thunder," which sounds "like a burp or a fart." He sets out to pick a new name, perhaps one that reflects one of his great achievements. In the end, he settles on a the perfect name-one that is both his very own and still connects him to his dad.

Thanks to the Animals by Allen Sockabasin, illustrated by Rebekah Raye. During his Passamaquoddy family's move to their winter home in what is rural Maine, Little Zoo Sap falls off the sled. The local animals care for the frightened boy and keep him warm. When his father, Joo Tum, notices his son is missing, he determinedly searches for the boy. When he finds Little Zoo Sap he takes the time to thank each animal for their protection. That was perhaps my favorite part-that the father didn't just pick up his kid and go-he was mindful and grateful to the animals!

When the Shadbush Blooms by Carla Messinger and Susan Katz, illustrated by David Kanietakeron Fadden. A Lenape girl reflects on how her experiences throughout the seasons were mirrored generations ago by her ancestors. This mirroring is reflected in the illustrations. For example, a group of traditional Lenape fish from their canoes on one page, and a contemporary Lenape family catches fish with modern fishing poles on the next. What I love about this book is that it doesn't confine the Lenape traditions to either the past or the present, but demonstrates that they can exist in both. The book includes informative end notes about the Lenape culture, as well as word definitions.

Native American Picture Books, ages 5 and up

Jingle Dancer by Cynthia Leitich Smith, illustrated by Ying-Hwa Hu and Cornelius Van Wright. Jenna loves to practice her dance steps as she watches videos of her grandmother dancing and listens to the clinking sound of the jingles. She looks forward to finally being able to join in the jingle dance at the powwow but worries that she won't have just the right number of jingles for her skirt. This is a heartwarming story that celebrates family and tradition.

Saltypie: A Choctaw Journey from Darkness into Light by Tim Tingle, illustrated by Karen Clarkson is based on the author's experience moving from the Oklahoma Choctaw county to Pasadena, Texas. Looking backward, the narrator describes his experience, when he was six, learning that his grandmother was blind. I love the intergenerational story of a close, warm family, as well as the narrator's description of Choctaw life and the explicit acknowledgement in the storytelling of the realities of American Indian life in contrast to stereotyping. Plus, the origin of the term "saltypie" is wonderful!

Crossing Bok Chitto by Tim Tingle, illustrated by Jeanne Rorex Bridges. You will do well to search out more books by Choctaw author, Tim Tingle! A moving story set in pre-Civil War Mississippi in which a Chocktaw girl befriends an enslaved boy and ultimately helps his family to freedom. There is an intense humanity to the characters in this book-while reading I felt strongly that the characters were fully-imagined individuals, something that can be rare while reading picture books.

Stolen Words by Melanie Florence, illustrated by Gabrielle Grimard. I got a little teary eyed when reading this book. (T hat happens to me more often than you think!) A happy young girl hsome home from school. She walks with her grandfather and asks him if he can tell her the Cree word for "grandfather." Her grandfather becomes sad and tells her he does not know and then tells her about how, when he was a boy, he was taken to a white school where he wasn't allowed to speak his Cree language. The next day the girl brings home an Introduction to Cree book and presents it to her grandfather who starts to remember the stolen words. I do think it is important, however, that in spite of the somewhat sweet ending, we remind children that it doesn't remove the crimes of what the boarding school did to the grandfather.

More: Three more books I liked about the boarding schools that First Nation children were forced to attend are Shin-chi's Canoe, and Shi-shi-etko, both by Nicola I. Campbell, and When We Were Alone by David Alexander Robertson.
More book lists with Native American stories:
Native American (North American) folktales ( not a perfect list - but I am learning and hope to revise in the future!)

Native American biographies for children - Coming soon!
Native American middle grade chapter books

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Wonderful Native American Picture Books for Children

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If you follow my book lists you know I firmly believe in the power of children's books to change the world 1)by opening children's minds to experiences that are not their own; and 2) by reflecting back positive stories about themselves and others. Unfortunately, not all children are represented fairly and accurately, or abundantly in picture books.

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Stories to Pass On Stories and cultural narratives are passed down from one generation to the next, in formal education settings or informally through close or extended family and community ties. // Categories Teaching Stories Creation Stories Battle and History Traditional Lifeways MORE Plant Use

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"Crow Storyteller Grant Bulltail shares the legend of the people who hold up the earth."

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Video for background knowledge

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While exploring the land around their village, Sister Girl and Young Wolf stray too far. After narrowly escaping a roaring prairie fire, the siblings find themselves lost and frightened in the dark, open land until the Star People, 'the spirits of the Old Ones who once walked on the earth,' offer comfort and guidance home.

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Seven Indian Reservations of Montana Lesson

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Seven Indian Reservations of Montana Lesson

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Before getting into the legends, you can use this lesson and activities to give students background knowledge of Montana's seven Indian reservations.

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"An educational look at how Montana tribes got their contemporary names."

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The Montana Experience: Stories from Big Sky Country

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Use this printable map to give students visual of where Montana Tribes reservations and territories are located.

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Tribal Territories in Montana Boundaries as defined by the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1851 and the Flathead and Blackfeet Treaties of 1855 * This resource has been developed for use in implementing Indian Education for All, through a collaboration between Montana's Office of Public Instruction and the University of Monta

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The Assiniboine are a tribe with similar characteristics to the Nakota Sioux. The differences in dialect between the two suggest a time of separation sometime before 1640. Their name comes from the Anishinaabe word that translates to "cooks by the use of stones." The Assiniboine call themselves "Nakoda."

In 1658, they were living at Lake Alimibeg, between Lake Superior and Hudson Bay. At an earlier time, they were probably at the headwaters of the Mississippi River and drifted north from the constant warfare with the Dakota. One of the first Europeans to describe the Assiniboine was an employee of the Hudson's Bay Company named Henry Kelsey in the 1690s.

The Assiniboine became important trading partners with Hudson's Bay Company and the North West Company. The Assiniboine and Sioux were both gradually pushed westward onto the plains from the woodlands of Minnesota by the Ojibway, who had acquired firearms from their French allies.

In the late 18th century and early 19th century, the Assiniboine traded with the American Fur Company and the competing Rocky Mountain Fur Company in Montana and the Dakota Territories. Through trade, the Assiniboine obtained guns, ammunition, metal tomahawks, metal pots, wool blankets, wool coats, wool leggings, and glass beads. They also acquired horses via raiding and trading with neighboring tribes of Plains Indians such as the Crow and the Sioux on their south. The tribe eventually became a large and powerful tribe with a horse and warrior culture. They also used horses to hunt the vast numbers of bison that lived within and outside their territory. At the height of their power, the Assiniboine dominated territory ranging from the North Saskatchewan River in the north to the Missouri River in the south.

With increased contact with Europeans, Native Americans, including the Assiniboine suffered from infectious diseases. Smallpox was the worse among the Assiniboine population dropped to from 10,000 people in the late 18th century to only about 2600 by 1890.

The Assiniboine signed the Treaty of Fort Laramie in 1851, which eventually led to the establishment of several reservations.

Today, many Assiniboine people live jointly with other tribes, such as the Plains Cree, Saulteaux, Sioux, and Gros Ventre, in several reservations in Canada and the United States. Their total population is about 3,500.

© Kathy Weiser-Alexander/ Legends of America, updated July 2021.
Also See: Index of Tribes Indian Wars Native American Photo Galleries Native Americans - First Owners of America

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The Assiniboine are a tribe with similar characteristics to the Nakota Sioux. The differences in dialect between the two suggest a time of separation sometime before 1640. Their name comes from the Anishinaabe word that translates to "cooks by the use of stones." The Assiniboine call themselves "Nakoda."

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The four activities presented below correlate to Montana’s Essential Understanding #1. There is great diversity among the 12 tribal Nations of Montana in their languages, cultures, histories and governments. Each Nation has a distinct and unique cultural heritage that contributes to modern Montana.…

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TRACKS Winter Storytelling Series: Thirteen Moons on Turtle's Back

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How the Morning and Evening Stars Came to Be: and Other…

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Read reviews from the world’s largest community for readers. Including three stories from the Indian Reading Series, a collection of authentic material coo…

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Joe Medicine Crow (Author), Linda R. Martin (Illustrator)

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Brave Wolf and the Thunderbird: Tales of the People (Tales of the People, 2)

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Brave Wolf and the Thunderbird: Tales of the People (Tales of the People, 2) [Medicine Crow, Joe, Martin, Linda R.] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Brave Wolf and the Thunderbird: Tales of the People (Tales of the People, 2)

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This video can be watched by students or the teacher for information on what are legends and myths.

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Transcript

Hi, guys! Welcome to this Mometrix video on myths, fables, legends, and fairy tales.

A lot of you have probably grown up with your parents reading you books or watching movies with you. Well, chances are, most of what they read to you was a myth, fable, legend, or fairy tale.

Let's look at what makes something a myth, fable, legend, or fairy tale.

Myth

A myth is a story that was made up by people who wanted to explain how or why our world works, how it came to be, how we should treat each other, why hurricanes happen, and so on.

Myths were sort of like our ancient ancestors' version of science. Myths explained how natural events occurred and are set in really ancient times; before history even began. These myths are generally passed on from parents to kids, and when those kids grew up to be parents, they would tell their kids, and so on. The word myth actually comes from the Greek "mythos" meaning "word of mouth."

Myths were shared by groups of people all throughout the world and became a really big part of their community. Greek mythology is one of the most popular examples of this. Their myths generally centered around various gods and goddesses. Sometimes days were even set apart to have big celebrations because of these myths.

Legend

Legends are stories that people made up as well. However, legends are about real-life people and what they did. Legends always have an important purpose, but the facts are always a little exaggerated to make them more interesting and exciting! Generally, some of the facts are dramatically altered and the person the legend is about never really did what the story says.

Fable

Now, a fable is also a story that is passed down. A fable's overall purpose is to teach a lesson. However, all the characters in a fable are things that can't normally talk. A fable is about animals, plants, or forces of nature that can talk and act like humans.

Fairy Tale

Fairy tales are probably one of the most popular today. Fairy tales are specifically for kids and often have a lot to do with magic (like a fairy godmother, elves, or any supernatural character). Animals can also be characters in a fairy tale. Fairy tales always have good characters and evil characters. A lot of times fairy tales begin by saying "once upon a time."

Review

So let's do a quick review:

Myths are stories that are passed down about how or why something came to be.

Legends are designed to teach a lesson about a real person in history, with a few facts dramatically changed.

Fables are stories that are passed down, with a good lesson to be learned, and are about animals, plants, or forces of nature that are humanlike.

Fairy tales are stories that are specifically for kids, involve magical characters, have good and evil characters, and generally start with "once upon a time."

As you do your reading practice, try to find out what type of story it is. See you next time!

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Difference Between Myths, Legends, and Fables [Video]

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Transcript Hi, guys! Welcome to this Mometrix video on myths, fables, legends, and fairy tales. A lot of you have probably grown up with your parents reading you books or watching movies with you. Well, chances are, most of what they read to you was a myth, fable, legend, or fairy tale.

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Inktomi and the Buffalo - Assiniboine Sioux

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As time allows, we will add more Cheyenne stories, as well as personal narratives and other kinds of Cheyenne literature. So please come back again. Click on the title, below, of any Cheyenne story you wish to read.

Return to the main page of the Cheyenne Language Web Site

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As time allows, we will add more Cheyenne stories, as well as personal narratives and other kinds of Cheyenne literature. So please come back again. Click on the title, below, of any Cheyenne story you wish to read.