Prompt and Resources
Prompt 1:
Write an essay that discusses two or three aspects of AbenakiHistorically, this name was used by the French to refer to many different Indigenous communities in Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. During the colonial wars, some New England Indians moved to southern Canada as war refugees. They were joined by refugees from other tribes and together became known as Abenaki. (Calloway, 1994) culture that have undergone evolution throughout history. What factors do you think precipitated these transformations, and what do they reveal about the Abenaki peoples’ adaptability? Examine the broader implications. Use resources to research, if needed. After you write each draft, share it with a peer, discuss ways to improve it, and use these ideas as a guide for writing your final response.
Materials
There are no materials needed for this activity.
Worksheet
There are no worksheets needed for this activity.
Resources
- Aunt Sarah: Woman of the Dawnland. The 108 Winters of an Abenaki Healing Woman [Book—275 pages] (Parker, 1994)
- From Calumet to Crisis and Back—Part 1 [Video—6:13 min.] (Circle of Courage, 2009a)
[Teachers: Please review before screening for your students. This video examines the sacred uses and the misuses of tobacco.]
- From Calumet to Crisis and Back—Part 2 [Video—9:18 min.] (Circle of Courage, 2009b) [Teachers: Please review before screening for your students. This video examines the sacred uses and the misuses of tobacco.]
- Other materials from the ResourceA source of information for student learning, such as a website, video, library book, poster, or map. Bank section of this curriculum
Sample Student Responses
Because students are doing independent research, there are no sample student responses for this activity.
Prompt 2:
Reflect on the resilienceThe ability of people to recover quickly from a difficulty or to adjust easily to change. of the Abenaki people in adapting their lifewaysThe customary foods, clothing, shelters, and arts of a people. to the demands of their surroundings. How did their capacity to innovate contribute to their cultural continuityThe process of people sharing their beliefs, traditions, and other ways of living from one generation to the next. and endurance?
Materials
There are no materials needed for this activity.
Worksheet
There are no worksheets needed for this activity.
Resources
- Daily Life of the Koasek Abenaki from A Brief History: From Koasek Meadows to You Today [Booklet—see pages 7-10] (Koasek Traditional BandA small group of Native American people with its leaders, usually part of a larger tribe. of the Koas Abenaki NationPeople living in the same region under its independent government and having a shared history, language, and culture. , n.d.-a)
- Abenaki Food Systems [Video—13 min.] (Wild Foods, 2023)
- [Resource coming soon]
- Aunt Sarah: Woman of the Dawnland. The 108 Winters of an Abenaki Healing Woman [Book—275 pages] (Parker, 1994)
- Historic Map of New France [documentTo provide evidence of claims with supporting materials. cartographique/map] (Champlain, 1612)
- The Colonial World of the Northeast by Melody Brook (Brook, 2015)
- Vermont Topography [Road atlas of USA and Canada] (Vermont Topography Terrain Map Topographic State Large Scale Free Detailed Landscape, 2025)
Sample Student Responses
Because students are doing independent research, there are no sample student responses for this activity.
Standards Alignment
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Potential Alignment: English Language Arts Standards
The Peer Review Partners activity can support the following sampling of standards and serve as a starting point for integrating the American AbenakiAbenaki tribes, families, and people who live in the United States. Vermont has four recognized Abenaki tribes; for more information visit Abenaki Alliance. Curriculum with language arts instruction and assessmentA tool to measure what a student knows and can do..
Grades 3–5
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.5. With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, and editing.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.4. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.5.5. With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach.
Grades 6–8
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.2. Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.7.1.d. Acknowledge new information expressed by others and, when warranted, modify their own views.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.8.1.b. Follow rules for collegial discussions and decision-making, track progress toward specific goals and deadlines, and define individual roles as needed.
Grades 9–12
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.9-10.1. Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 9–10 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.1. Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.
Potential Alignment: American Association of School Librarians (AASL) Standards
Learners
VI.B.2. Learners use valid information and reasoned conclusions to make ethical decisions in the creation of knowledge by: Acknowledging authorship and demonstrating respect for the intellectual property of others.
School Librarians
I.C.1 School librarians guide learners to maintain focus throughout the inquiry1. Inquiry is asking questions, seeking knowledge, and investigating information. According to the C3 Framework, inquiry is at the heart of social studies. 2. A comprehensive curricular unit designed for the C3 Framework that includes the key components of questions, tasks, and sources. The inquiry format leads students through the investigation of a compelling question. process by:Assisting in assessing the inquiry-based research process.
School Libraries
I.D.2. The school library ensures an inquiry based process for learners by: Reinforcing the role of the school library, information and technology resources in maximizing learning and institutional effectiveness.
Potential Alignment: International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) Standards
Students
1.6.a. Choose the appropriate platforms and digital tools for meeting the desired objectives of their creation or communication.
Educators
2.6.a. Foster a culture where students take ownership of their learning goals and outcomes in both independent and group settings.
Educational Leaders3.2.e. Share lessons learned, best practices, challenges and the impact of learning with technology with other education leaders who want to learn from this work.
Potential Alignment: English Language Arts Standards
Potential Alignment: English Language Arts Standards