worksheet

SQ2 Give One, Get One: Middle School

Prompt, Resources, and Sample Student Responses

Prompt:

List ways the Abenaki people adapted their lifeways to their changing environment.

Abenaki History Timeline [Poster] (Abenaki Arts & Education Center, 2023)
[Resource coming soon]
[Resource coming soon]
Aunt Sarah: Woman of the Dawnland: The 108 Winters of an Abenaki Healing Woman [Book—275 pages] (Parker, 1994)
Daily Life of the Koasek Abenaki from A Brief History: From Koasek Meadows to You Today [Booklet—see pages 7-10] (Koasek Traditional Band of the Koas Abenaki Nation, n.d.-a)
Historic Map of New France [document cartographique/map] (Champlain, 1612)

Planting of the Koasek Abenaki Tribal Garden in Braintree, Vermont. © Copyright 2020 Seth Butler. All Rights Reserved. (Butler, 2020) Courtesy of the White Pines Association.

Sample Student Responses

Food

Abenaki people cultivated plants such as Jerusalem artichokes in fields, so they produce more tubers.
Abenaki people created new varieties of corn, beans, and squash.
New hunting and fishing techniques were developed.
Abenaki people began raising livestock.
Abenaki people adopted firearms for hunting.

Clothing

Materials vary greatly over time.
Trade fabrics such as wool and linen were adopted quickly, nearly replacing leather skirts, breechclouts, and leggings.
Hoods protected the wearer from pests and inclement weather.
The use of beadwork on clothing continued long after Abenaki people adopted the practice of wearing European style clothing.

Shelter

As new materials and tools became available, architecture changed.
Shelters were adapted to differing circumstances (location, group size, materials, and intended length of occupation).
Most Abenaki people today live in houses or apartments.

Art

Plant fiber weaving was used for clothes, bags, and to imprint designs on pottery.
Beadwork became more intricate when metal needles and small glass beads were introduced.
Abenaki people who traveled from place to place made artwork that they could wear or carry, like clothing, jewelry, and bags.
There are many living Abenaki artists.

See Historical Context essay and Resources for possible additional responses.

Wasawa - Squash — Abenaki White Scallop Squash. Courtesy Vermont Abenaki Artists Association. (Vermont Abenaki Artists Association, 2024)

Standards Alignment

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Potential Alignment: English Language Arts Standards

The Give One, Get One activity can support the following sampling of standards and serve as a starting point for integrating the American Abenaki Curriculum with language arts instruction and assessment.

Grades 3–5

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.3.1.c. Ask questions to check understanding of information presented, stay on topic, and link their comments to the remarks of others.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.4.1.d. Review the key ideas expressed and explain their own ideas and understanding in light of the discussion.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.5.1.b. Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions and carry out assigned roles.

Grades 6–8

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.6.1. Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 6 topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.7.3. Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.7. Conduct short research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question), drawing on several sources and generating additional related, focused questions that allow for multiple avenues of exploration.

Grades 9–12

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.9. Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.11-12.4. Present information, findings, and supporting evidence, conveying a clear and distinct perspective, such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning, alternative or opposing perspectives are addressed, and the organization, development, substance, and style are appropriate to purpose, audience, and a range of formal and informal tasks.

SQ2 Give One, Get One: High School

Prompt, Resources, and Sample Student Responses

Prompt:

Describe how Abenaki maple sugaring traditions demonstrate resilience and cultural continuity.

Worksheet

Resources

‘It’s Everyone’s Thing’: A Tale of Sugar and Community [Online article in Whetstone Magazine] (Kaiwar, n.d.)
Sugaring in Wabanahkik (Land of the Dawn): An Abenaki History of Maple [Online article in Audubon Vermont] (Cotnoir, 2021)

Sample Student Responses

Abenaki people still make maple syrup, using it as a time for the community to get together and connect with one another.
Some Abenaki people still make and use traditional maple sugaring tools, while others have adopted more contemporary tools.
The technique for making maple syrup is the same as it was thousands of years ago, but the tools have changed.
Sugaring camp, where people gather to tap trees and boil the sap, is a place of learning and a place for people to practice their traditional language.

Standards Alignment

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Potential Alignment: English Language Arts Standards

Grades 3–5

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.3.1.c. Ask questions to check understanding of information presented, stay on topic, and link their comments to the remarks of others.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.4.1.d. Review the key ideas expressed and explain their own ideas and understanding in light of the discussion.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.5.1.b. Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions and carry out assigned roles.

Grades 6–8

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.7.3. Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening.

Grades 9–12

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.9. Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

SQ2 Give One, Get One: Grades 4 – 5

Prompt, Resources, and Sample Student Responses

Prompt:

List materials Abenaki people used to make clothing for different seasons at different times in history.

Worksheet

Resources

[Resource coming soon]
Abenaki Clothing [Poster] (Abenaki Arts & Education Center, 2025a) (Under Construction)
Abenaki Cultural Practices, Lifeways, and Natural Resources Card Game [Deck of Cards] (Abenaki Arts & Education Center, 2025b). [Teachers: Email Abenaki Arts & Education Center for purchase details at: abenaki.edu@gmail.com]
Alnobak Wearing Our Heritage [Study Guide: pages 1, 6, and 8] (Sheehan et al., 2019)

Sample Student Responses

Pre-contact (Before European trade)

milkweed clothing and bags, all year
buckskin mantles
leather or buckskin leggings
leather or buckskin skirts or breechclouts
furs in the winter
fur in moccasins during the winter
leather bags and moccasins

Today

jeans, chinos
t-shirts
sneakers or dress shoes
sweaters or coats in cold weather
Abenaki traditional clothes for special occasions

After Colonial Trade

linen shirts
linen chemises
wool skirts or breechclouts
wool leggings
wool blankets
leather bags and moccasins

See Historical Context essay and Resources for possible additional responses.

Standards Alignment

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Potential Alignment: English Language Arts Standards

Grades 3–5

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.3.1.c. Ask questions to check understanding of information presented, stay on topic, and link their comments to the remarks of others.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.4.1.d. Review the key ideas expressed and explain their own ideas and understanding in light of the discussion.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.5.1.b. Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions and carry out assigned roles.

Grades 6–8

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.7.3. Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening.

Grades 9–12

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.9. Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

SQ2 Give One, Get One: Grade 3

Prompt, Resources, and Sample Student Responses

Prompt:

List some kinds of food that the Abenaki people eat.

Worksheet:

Resources:

Seeds of Renewal Project: 2013 Harvest [Poster—Seeds of renewal poster.JPG] (Wiseman, 2013)
Abenaki Cultural Practices, Lifeways, and Natural Resources Card Game [Deck of Cards] (Abenaki Arts & Education Center, 2025b), available by email request to abenaki.education@gmail.com from the Abenaki Arts & Education Center
Abenaki Lifeways Mural [Digital Image—muralscenesVHS.jpg] (Sylvester, 2004)

Sample Student Responses

corn, beans, and squash
Koas corn
Gaspe corn
Calais corn
Abenaki Rose corn
Jacob’s cattle beans
Vermont cranberry beans
skunk beans
true cranberry beans
Penobscot pumpkin

Algonquin squash
Morrisville sunflower
ground cherries
pumpkin
strawberries
cranberries
berries
wild onions
deer
rabbits
fish

See Historical Context essay and Resources for possible additional responses.

Standards Alignment

Click +to view Standards Alignment guidance. Click – to close the box when done.

Potential Alignment: English Language Arts Standards

Grades 3–5

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.3.1.c. Ask questions to check understanding of information presented, stay on topic, and link their comments to the remarks of others.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.4.1.d. Review the key ideas expressed and explain their own ideas and understanding in light of the discussion.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.5.1.b. Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions and carry out assigned roles.

Grades 6–8

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.7.3. Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening.

Grades 9–12

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.9. Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

SQ1 Turn-and-Talk and Discussions: Middle School

Prompt, Resources, and Sample Student Responses

Prompt

How might geography and the environment have shaped the interactions between the Abenaki people and colonial settlers?

Resources

Abenaki Cultural Practices, Lifeways, and Natural Resources Card Game [Deck of Cards] (Abenaki Arts & Education Center, 2025b). [Teachers: Email Abenaki Arts & Education Center for purchase details at: abenaki.edu@gmail.com]
[Resource coming soon]
Abenaki Uses of Natural Resources [Table—PDF] (Abenaki Arts & Education Center, 2025d)
New England Landforms [Poster] (Abenaki Arts & Education Center, 2024)
Natural Resources, Vermont Agency of Natural Resources website [Online article and photographs] (Environmental Conservation, 2025)
Vermont Topography [Road atlas of USA and Canada] (Vermont Topography Terrain Map Topographic State Large Scale Free Detailed Landscape, 2025)

Sample Student Responses

Rivers make travel easier for trading.
Mountains, forests, and wetlands are good places to hide from attackers.
Abenaki people know where to find edible plants and plants for medicine and could share their knowledge with settlers.
Waterways, Abenaki trails, and clearings with crops make it easy for new people to come in.
Areas with lots of resources like fish, wild plants to gather, and animals to hunt would be valuable to Abenaki people and would also attract newcomers.

See Historical Context essay and Resources for additional potential responses.

Citizens of the Missisquoi and Nulhegan Abenaki Tribe take this newly created dugout canoe on its maiden voyage on the Missisquoi River. Courtesy of Alnôbaiwi. Photos by Jane English. (English, 2024)

Standards Alignment

Click + to view Standards Alignment guidance. Click – to close the box when done.

Potential Alignment: English Language Arts Standards

The Turn-and-Talk Discussions activity can support the following sampling of standards and serve as a starting point for integrating the American Abenaki Curriculum with language arts instruction and assessment.

Grades 3–5

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.3.1.b. Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g., gaining the floor in respectful ways, listening to others with care, speaking one at a time about the topics and texts under discussion).
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.4.1.d. Review the key ideas expressed and explain their own ideas and understanding in light of the discussion.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.5.2. Summarize a written text read aloud or information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.

Grades 6–8

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.6.2. Interpret information presented in diverse media and formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) and explain how it contributes to a topic, text, or issue under study.
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.9-10.2. Integrate multiple sources of information presented in diverse media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) evaluating the credibility and accuracy of each source.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.11-12.1.a. Come to discussions prepared, having read and researched material under study; explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to evidence from texts and other research on the topic or issue to stimulate a thoughtful, well-reasoned exchange of ideas.

SQ3 Class Debrief and Record

Overview

Throughout this curriculum, students have conducted research and recorded evidence about their findings on either the My Research or the Track My Research and Notes worksheets. For this activity, they will prepare for the discussion by gathering and reviewing their evidence and tracking their citations. Then the teacher will facilitate a whole-class debriefing and assembling of the class record, allowing students to share resources they found particularly helpful. For more information, read Tip Sheet – Strategies for Debriefing in the Classroom. (Office of Planning, n.d.)

Worksheets

Resources

Review and choose appropriate resources for your students from the Resource Bank.

Guiding the Inquiry

In advance, determine the length of time allotted to research and discussion; prepare a list of debriefing questions; choose resources; and decide how you will create a class record.
Explain to students your expectations for independent research to answer Supporting Question 3, including the time allotted and other assignment details. Point out that they may refer to their completed “Track My Research and Notes” or “My Research” worksheets from earlier activities to get started.
Provide the research resources you chose to the class, including those that students would like to see again after reviewing previously completed tracking resources worksheets.
Hand out blank worksheets WS 9. My Research or WS 10a–b. Track My Research and Notes and scaffold their use as needed as students use the resources.
Hold a whole class debrief session to allow students to share their claims and evidence related to Supporting Question 3. Have students verbally cite their sources from their tracker sheets.
During the debrief, facilitate class discussion with questions such as “Can you provide more details about that?” “So what?” “Now what?” and encourage students to ask questions and elaborate on what others say.
Bring the discussion to a meaningful close by summarizing and making connections for a broader understanding of Abenaki culture.
Assemble a class record of student’s responses to Supporting Question 3 such that the record can be shared inside and outside your classroom.

Sample Student Response

Women wearing ribbon skirts — Ribbon Skirt Workshop Photo. All women attended a class held at Tribal Headquarters to make a skirt they will wear to Powwow. Program funded by Northwestern Counseling Grant. (Gould, 2025)

The Class Debriefs and Record activity can support the following sampling of standards and serve as a starting point for integrating the American Abenaki Curriculum with language arts instruction and assessment.

Standards Alignment

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Potential Alignment: National Core Arts English Language Arts

Grades 3–5

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.3.1.a. Come to discussions prepared, having read or studied required material; explicitly draw on that preparation and other information known about the topic to explore ideas under discussion.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.4.1.b. Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions and carry out assigned roles.

Grades 6–8

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.5.1.c. Pose and respond to specific questions by making comments that contribute to the discussion and elaborate on the remarks of others.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.7.2. Analyze the main ideas and supporting details presented in diverse media and formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) and explain how the ideas clarify a topic, text, or issue under study.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.9. Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

Grades 9–12

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.9-10.1.a. Come to discussions prepared, having read and researched material under study; explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to evidence from texts and other research on the topic or issue to stimulate a thoughtful, well-reasoned exchange of ideas.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.11-12.7. Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in different media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively) as well as in words in order to address a question or solve a problem.

SQ3 Using Peer Review Partners: Grades 4 – 5

Prompt, Resources, and Sample Student Responses

Decide if your students’ writing product will be the labeled Venn diagram or if they will use the information in their Venn diagrams as a guide for writing informative/explanatory text in paragraphs.

Prompt:

Compare and contrast the Abenaki culture of the past and the present. Use resources to research, if needed, and create a Venn diagram to show at least two activities Abenaki people did only in the past, two activities they do only in the present, and at least three activities in which their culture has remained the same.

Worksheet

Resources

Abenaki Food Systems [Video—13 min.] (Wild Foods, 2023)
Abenaki History Timeline [Poster] (Abenaki Arts & Education Center, 2023)
Indigenous Expressions Film Series: Ash to Baskets [Video—7 min.] (ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, 2017a)
Proud Pictures [Poster] (Bolles & Brett, 2019)
Seeds of Renewal Project: 2013 Harvest [Poster—Seeds of renewal poster.JPG] (Wiseman, 2013)
Stories of Resilience: Abenaki Tribal Garden [Video—2:47 min.] (NOFA-VT, 2022)

Sample Student Response

Below is a sample Venn diagram focusing on Abenaki culture. The student labeled the left circle “Past” and the right circle “Present.” In the “Past” circle the student incorporated their prior knowledge about Milpa (growing corn, beans, and squash together) and chemicals in food systems. In the intersection of the two circles, the student wrote how the Abenaki culture has remained the same.

Worksheet WS 20: Example of a Venn Diagram — Example of a Venn Diagram made by a student

Past

foraging for wild foods
Milpa [example of student prior knowledge]
mound building

Present

chemicals in our food systems
seed banks

Overlap

selective breeding of corn, beans, and squash

See Historical Context essay and Resources for possible additional responses.

Standards Alignment

Click + to view Standards Alignment guidance. Click – to close the box when done.

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 Abenaki Curriculum with language arts instruction and assessment.

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 inquiry 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

SQ3 Using Peer Review Partners: Grade 3

Prompt, Resources, and Sample Student Responses

Prompt:

What parts of Abenaki culture are the same today as a long time ago? Use resources, if needed, to research, draw and label at least two examples.

Resources

Indigenous Expressions Film Series: Walking in Two Worlds [Video—12:12 min.] (ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, 2017c) (Teacher-led viewing and discussion.)
My Bring Up [Book—156 pages, free Reading with Kindle Unlimited] (Hook, 2019) [Reading level grade 4 and up; teacher can choose chapters to read aloud for younger students.]
New Montpelier Mural Celebrates Abenaki Culture [News article and video—3 min., WCAX, 10-21-23] (Tara, 2023)
Seeds of Renewal: 2013 Harvest Agricultural Poster (Wiseman, 2013)
Stories of Resilience: Abenaki Tribal Garden [Video—2:47 min.] (NOFA-VT, 2022)

Sample Student Responses

Labeled drawings may depict Abenaki people

using snow shoes;
using canoes;
growing foods like corn, beans, and squash;
going fishing.

Elnu Abenaki Tribe annual fishing day at the Great Falls. Courtesy of Melody Mackin.

Standards Alignment

Click + to view Standards Alignment guidance. Click – to close the box when done.

Potential Alignment: English Language Arts Standards

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.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

School Librarians

I.C.1 School librarians guide learners to maintain focus throughout the inquiry process by:Assisting in assessing the inquiry-based research process.

School Libraries

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

SQ2 Writing Informational Text: Grade 3

Worksheets, Resources, and Sample Student Responses

Worksheet: WS 12 – Draw and Describe Abenaki Food

Prompt:

What kinds of food did the Abenaki people eat? Draw and describe some examples of foods they might have enjoyed.

Worksheet for Draw and Describe. — WS 12 – Draw and Describe Abenaki Food

Resources

Abenaki Cultural Practices, Lifeways, and Natural Resources Card Game [Deck of Cards] (Abenaki Arts & Education Center, 2025b). [Teachers: Email Abenaki Arts & Education Center for purchase details at: abenaki.edu@gmail.com]
Abenaki Animals Coloring Book [Book] (Chenevert & Jones, n.d.) [Teachers: Email Nicole St. Onge for purchase details at: nicolestonge@myfairpoint.net or Title VI Indian Education Coordinator Lucy Cannon-Neel at Nulhegannecc@gmail.com]
Abenaki Lifeways Mural [Digital Image—muralscenesVHS.jpg] (Sylvester, 2004)
Abenaki Uses of Natural Resources [Table—PDF] (Abenaki Arts & Education Center, 2025d)
Seeds of Renewal Project: 2013 Harvest [Poster—Seeds of renewal poster.JPG] (Wiseman, 2013)

Sample Student Responses

Students’ drawing and writing should include some of the following foods Abenaki people eat:

corn
beans
squash
pumpkin
sunflower seeds
strawberries
cranberries
blueberries
maple syrup

acorns
walnuts
fiddleheads
wild onions
deer
rabbit
beaver
fish
mussels

See Historical Context essay and Resources for possible additional responses.

Abenaki Flint Corn from New Hampshire Cookbook
Courtesy of Hopkinton Historical Society. Jones, F. P. (n.d.). Abenaki Flint Corn from New Hampshire Cookbook [Digital Image].

Worksheet: WS 13 – Draw and Describe Abenaki Homes

Prompt: What kind of houses did the Abenaki people live in? Draw and describe what their homes looked like.

Worksheet: WS 13. Draw and Describe Abenaki Homes

Resources

Abenaki Homes and Structures [Poster] (Abenaki Arts & Education Center, 2025c)
Abenaki Uses of Natural Resources [Table—PDF] (Abenaki Arts & Education Center, 2025d)
Building a Traditional Indigenous Peoples’ Wigwam at Strawbery Banke [Video—7:30 min.] (Strawbery Banke Museum, 2021)

Sample Student Response

Conical wigwam from Abenaki Homes and Structures poster. Courtesy of the Abenaki Arts & Education Center.

Standards Alignment

Click + to view Standards Alignment guidance. Click – to close the box when done.

Potential Alignment: English Language Arts Standards

The Writing Informational Text activities can support the following sampling of standards and serve as a starting point for integrating the American Abenaki Curriculum with language arts instruction and assessment.

Grades 3–5

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.2.b. Develop the topic with facts, definitions, and details.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.2.d. Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.5.2.c. Link ideas within and across categories of information using words, phrases, and clauses (e.g., in contrast, especially).

Grade 6–8

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.1.a. Introduce claim(s) and organize the reasons and evidence clearly.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.1.b. Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant evidence, using accurate, credible sources and demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.1.c. Use words, phrases, and clauses to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence.

Grade 9–12

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.1. Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.1.d. Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing.

SQ2 Writing Informational Text: Grades 4 – 5

Worksheet, Resources, and Sample Student Responses

Worksheet: WS 14. Nutritious Food

Prompt:

What types of foods did the Abenaki people rely on? Discuss some examples of foods that were essential to their diet and when and how they obtained them.

Young girl with a bowl of fiddleheads — Abenaki Youth continue to learn how to forage for wild edible plants like fiddleheads. Photo by Stacey Gould. Courtesy, Circle of Courage (Gould, n.d.)

Resources

Abenaki Food Systems [Video—13 min.] (Wild Foods, 2023)
Abenaki Lifeways Mural [Digital Image—muralscenesVHS.jpg] (Sylvester, 2004)
Daily Life of the Koasek Abenaki from A Brief History: From Koasek Meadows to You Today [Booklet—see pages 7-10] (Koasek Traditional Band of the Koas Abenaki Nation, n.d.-a)
Fiddleheads: A Spring Favorite [Online article with recipes] (Sheehan, 2023)
Food video (under construction)
Seeds of Renewal Project: 2013 Harvest [Poster—Seeds of renewal poster.JPG] (Wiseman, 2013)
Stories of Resilience: Abenaki Tribal Garden [Video—2:47 min.] (NOFA-VT, 2022)

Sample Student Responses

Gardening

corn (summer, fall, dried for winter)
beans (summer, dried for winter)
Penobscot pumpkin (fall)
Algonquin squash
Morrisville sunflower (summer)

Gathering/Foraging

strawberries (summer)
cranberries (fall)
berries (summer)
wild onions (spring)
fiddlehead ferns (spring)
acorns (fall)
butternuts (fall)
walnuts (fall)
hazelnuts (fall)

Hunting and Fishing

deer, rabbits (all year)
fish (spring, summer, fall, ice fishing for winter; smoked/dried for off-season use)
eels (spring, summer; smoked/dried for off-season use)

Colonial Era Trade items

wheat flour
bread
salted pork

Today

Abenaki people eat most of the same foods as me.
Some special foods Abenaki people enjoy are . . .

See Historical Context essay and Resources for possible additional responses.

Standards Alignment

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Potential Alignment: English Language Arts Standards

Grades 3–5

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.3.2.b. Develop the topic with facts, definitions, and details.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.4.2.d. Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.5.2.c. Link ideas within and across categories of information using words, phrases, and clauses (e.g., in contrast, especially).

Grade 6–8

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.6.1.a. Introduce claim(s) and organize the reasons and evidence clearly.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.7.1.b. Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant evidence, using accurate, credible sources and demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.8.1.c. Use words, phrases, and clauses to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence.

Grade 9–12

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.9-10.1. Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.11-12.1.d. Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they are writing.