Raven

Raven A Trickster Tale from the Pacific Northwest. ISBN: 0-15-202449-2. Gerald McDermott. 1993. Caldecott Honor. Folktale. Age 4-8. Native Americans.

Raven is a character present in Native American tales. He is a clever and witty shape shifter who uses his smarts, not his size, to overcome obstacles and help others. In this book, Raven notices that the world is dark and cold and he feels bad for the people. He searches for light and finds some near where the Sky Chief lives. He turned himself into a pine needle and landed in the water that the Sky Chief's daughter was drinking. She drank it and became pregnant and had a baby, Raven-child. The Sky Chief would let Raven-child do anything to make him happy, so when Raven-child found the box that contained the light (a series of boxes inside of one another), which was the sun, the Sky Chief said he could have it. Raven played with the ball and then changed back into a bird and flew away and placed the sun in the sky, so everyone could enjoy it's light. The people are thankful and appreciative so they feed Raven for giving them light.

In the classroom, you could use this book to discuss implied character traits (brave, cunning, witty) and teach the children about helping the community. Raven was very small, but he seen a need in the community that needed to be met and with his cleverness, he was able to overcome obstacles larger than him and someone more important than him to help the world. Talk about how children can do small/smart things to change the community they live in and the world around them.

This could be a story read at the beginning of the school year, and used to talk about sharing. Three boxes could be made and decorated with similar Native American artwork, and nestled together. Children could be assigned days to bring an item in that would fit inside of the box, and use it as a treasure that they could share with classmates during opening/sharing time. This would help students get to know each other, it would reinforce the concept of sharing, and would help them practice their public speaking/listening skills.

You could also use this as an opening discussion about Native Americans and their artwork. You could talk about how Native Americans believed in animal spirits and they told stories on totem poles. Children could use toilet paper rolls to build and create their own totem pole as another means of creative communication/through art.