PRESENTED BYTHE LIFE OF WILMA MANKILLERLesson: A Matter of PerspectiveWILMA’S WAY HOME:Author/Illustrator by Doreen Rappaport
Lesson Plan By:Lynne F. Stoverstoverlf@jmu.edu Wilma’s Way Home: The Life of Wilma MankillerAuthor/Illustrator by Doreen RappaportDisney-Hyperion /2019STORY SYNOPSIS: This picture-book biography of WilmaMankiller, the first female chief of theCherokee Nation, begins with her early lifein rural Oklahoma. The sixth in a family ofeleven children, she grew up in a poor, butloving family. Her life in a supportive ruralcommunity is disrupted when a newgovernment policy relocates her family tosuburban San Francisco. There she facesmany challenges, but eventually finds anew community at the Oakland IndianCenter, returns to Oklahoma, and finds hercalling as a leader. Direct quotes fromWilma Mankiller’s autobiography areincluded in the blank verse narrative.
Lesson Plan By:Lynne F. Stoverstoverlf@jmu.edu Book- Wilma’s Way Home: The Life of WilmaMankiller by Doreen Rappaport Visual – Economic ConceptsA Matter of Perspectives Information Sheet (Runoff on cardstock for reuse) A Matter of Perspectives Activity Sheet Writing Tools Document Camera INTRODUCTION: Wilma Mankiller's life was full of challenges andaccomplishments. She was the first woman electedprincipal chief of the Cherokee Nation and an activistfor Native American and women’s rights. As a younggirl her family was moved from Oklahoma to ahousing project in California where she experiencedpoverty, racism, and culture shock. As a youngwoman, she returned to the Cherokee Nation. Thereshe successfully headed community water systemsprojects. In 1983, Principal Chief Ross Swimmernamed her his running mate. When they won, shebecame the first woman to be elected deputy chief ofthe Cherokee nation. Wilma went on to be electedchief in her own right in 1987. Under her leadershipshe tripled the tribe’s enrollment, doubledemployment, and built housing, health centers, andchildcare facilities. In 1998, she received the Presidential Medal ofFreedom from Bill Clinton. This is the highest honorgiven to civilians in the United States. She wasinducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame in1993.GRADE LEVEL: 4-8TIME ALLOCATION: 25-30 minutes MATERIALS:
Lesson Plan By:Lynne F. Stoverstoverlf@jmu.edu The student will listen to or read a picture bookbiography based on the life of Wilma Mankillerand apply the learned content to a writingactivity. The student will review related economicconcepts and integrate them correctly in awriting activity. The student will apply provided information towrite short narratives from various perspectives. Barter - Exchanging goods and services withoutthe use of money.Capital Resources - Goods made by people andused to produce other goods and services.Choice – selecting something over another thing.Goods- Things people make or use to satisfy theirwants.Human Resources – the quality and quantity ofhuman effort directed toward producing goodsand services.Human Capital – labor resources that can beimproved though investments in education,training, and healthcare.Money - Anything commonly accepted inexchange for goods and services. Natural Resources – Productive materials thatcome directly from nature.Opportunity Cost - The next best choice that isgiven up when a decision is made.Scarcity – the condition of limited resources--because resources are limited, people must makechoices.Services - Activities that satisfy peoples’ wants.Wants - Things people would like to have tosatisfy their desires. OBJECTIVES: ECONOMIC CONCEPTS:
Reading Makes Cents 2022-2023Wilma’s Way Home: The Life of Wilma MankillerLesson Plan By:Lynne F. Stoverstoverlf@jmu.edub) describing how individuals and interest groups influence public policy.a) explaining that because of scarcity, consumers, producers, and governments mustmake choices, understanding that everyone’s choice has an opportunity cost.e) Draw conclusions and make inferences using textual information as support. m) Revise writing for clarity of content using specific vocabulary and information. d) Ask questions to clarify the speaker’s purpose and perspective.e) Draw conclusions and make inferences based on explicit and implied information. j) Select vocabulary and information to enhance the central idea, tone, and voiceThe student will explain that scarcity (limited resources) requires people to make choicesabout producing and consuming goods and services.The student will demonstrate an understanding of different cultures and the natural,human, and capital resources they used in the production of goods and services. The student will identify examples of making an economic choice and will explain the ideaof opportunity cost (what is given up when making a choice).The student will apply social science skills to understand how public policy is made at thelocal, state, and national levels of government by The student will apply social science skills to understand how economic decisions are madein the marketplace by The student will read and demonstrate comprehension of nonfiction texts.The student will write in a variety of forms to include narrative, descriptive, opinion, andexpository.The student will use effective oral communication skills in a variety of settings. The student will read and demonstrate comprehension of a variety of nonfiction texts.The student will write in a variety of forms to include narrative, expository, persuasive, andreflective with an emphasis on narrative and reflective writing.2.103.8 3.10CE.10CE.11 VIRGINIA STANDARD OF LEARNING- HISTORY AND SOCIAL SCIENCEVIRGINIA STANDARD OF LEARNING- ENGLISH 4.64.7 6.16.66.7
Introduce the lesson by telling the students that they will be learning about past leader in theCherokee Nation named Wilma Mankiller. Note: If the students ask about her unique last nameshare that she was proud of it. Her ancestors were guards and when enemies attacked, thesewarriors fought back, protecting the village. Show them the cover of the book, Wilma’s Way Home: The Life of Wilma Mankiller by DoreenRappaport. If time allows read it to the class. This takes about fifteen minutes. A YouTube readaloud can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--seTLltE44Tell the students that Wilma Mankiller’s life was full of challenges and accomplishments.Explain that education was important to her and she continued to not only advocate it for herpeople, but to invest in her own human capital. She completed her college degree in 1976 and,after stepping down from a leadership role, accepted a position to teach at Dartmouth Collegein 1998. Explain that throughout Wilma’s life she struggled with poverty, injuries, and lack of resources.Display the Economic Concepts visual, review the words and definitions while emphasizing thatthese words factored in Wilma’s life. Note: The students will need access to this visual while working on the Matter of Perspective ActivitySheet. Display and/or distribute the A Matter of Perspectives Information Sheet. Review theinformation with the students. Students will need access to this sheet to complete the activity. Display a copy of the A Matter of Perspectives Activity Sheet and read the introduction andinstructions to the students. Introduction: “Events are often seen differently by those whoexperience them. How might Wilma Mankiller’s leadership role in the Cherokee Nation beenviewed by others?” Directions: “In each box, write what you think the noted person may havethought concerning the social and economic issues experienced by the Cherokee Nation.Include at least one of these concepts in each statement: barter, capital resources, choice,goods, human resources, human capital, money, natural resources, opportunity cost, scarcity,services, wants.”Distribute the A Matter of Perspectives Activity Sheet and writing tools. Students may workindependently, in pairs, or in small groups. Reading Makes Cents 2022-2023Wilma’s Way Home: The Life of Wilma MankillerLesson Plan By:Lynne F. Stoverstoverlf@jmu.edu 1.2.3.4.5.6.7.PROCEDURE:
Reading Makes Cents 2022-2023Wilma’s Way Home: The Life of Wilma MankillerLesson Plan By:Lynne F. Stoverstoverlf@jmu.eduPROCEDURE:Remind students that there are no right or wrong answers to this activity. They are to respondas if they were someone else reflecting on Wilma’s achievements. However, each statementshould contain at least one economic concept, used correctly. Allow students time to complete the A Matter of Perspectives Activity Sheet. Encourage students to share their statements with the class. 8.9.10. Wilma Mankiller was featured in the 2022 U.S. Mint’s American Women Quarters Program.Information on this four-year program can be found at this website:https://www.usmint.gov/learn/coin-and-medal-programs/american-women-quartersThe publisher provides a seven-page teacher guide here: https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/PR5881_WilmasWay_EG_Final.pdfADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
Reading Makes Cents 2022-2023Wilma’s Way Home: The Life of Wilma MankillerBarter - Exchanging goods and services without the use of money.Capital Resources - Goods made by people and used to produce other goods andservices.Choice – selecting something over another thing.Goods- Things people make or use to satisfy their wants.Human Resources – the quality and quantity of human effort directed towardproducing goods and services.Human Capital – labor resources that can be improved though investments ineducation, training, and healthcare.Money - Anything commonly accepted in exchange for goods and services. Natural Resources - Materials that come directly from nature.Opportunity Cost - The next best choice that is given up when a decision is made.Scarcity – the condition of limited resources-- because resources are limited, peoplemust make choices.Services - Activities that satisfy peoples’ needs and wants.Wants - Things people would like to have to satisfy their desires. Lesson Plan By:Lynne F. Stoverstoverlf@jmu.eduEconomic Concepts 1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.10.11.12.
Lesson Plan By:Lynne F. Stoverstoverlf@jmu.eduReading Makes Cents 2022-2023Wilma’s Way Home: The Life of Wilma MankillerA Matter of PerspectiveInformation SheetWilma MankillerWilma Pearl Mankiller (November 18, 1945 – April 6,2010) was a Native American activist, social worker,community developer and the first woman elected toserve as Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation. “Prior to my election, young Cherokee girls wouldnever have thought they might grow up to be chief.”Quote by Wilma MankillerCherokee ChiefRoss Swimmer Ross O. Swimmer (born October 26, 1943) served asthe Special Trustee for American Indians at the U.S.Department of the Interior from 2003 to 2009. He wasformerly the Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation. “Cherokee Chief Ross Swimmer hired Wilma to workfor the Cherokee Nation government. When he sawhow hard she worked, he gave her moreresponsibility. She went back to finish college.” A Non-Cherokeeliving in Bell,OklahomaIn the early 1980s, the Cherokee Nation, under thedirection of Wilma Mankiller put together a project tobuild a 16-mile waterline to Bell, where many of theresidents still had no indoor plumbing. The tribe providedequipment while Bell residents contributed most of thelabor on a volunteer basis. “There was no grant money for plumbing for the non-Cherokees in Bell, so their Cherokee neighbors raised it.” President Bill ClintonWilliam Jefferson Clinton (born August 19, 1946) is anAmerican politician who served as the 42nd presidentof the United States from 1993 to 2001. “1998-Wilma is awarded the Presidential Medal ofFreedom by President Bill Clinton.”
Wilma MankillerCherokee Chief Ross Swimmer A Non-Cherokee living in Bell, Oklahoma President Bill Clinton Reading Makes Cents 2022-2023Wilma’s Way Home: The Life of Wilma MankillerLesson Plan By:Lynne F. Stoverstoverlf@jmu.edu Activity Sheet- A Matter of Perspective Events are often seen differently by those who experience them. How might WilmaMankiller’s leadership role in the Cherokee Nation been viewed by others?In each box, write what you think the noted person may have thought concerningthe social and economic issues experienced by the Cherokee Nation. Include at leastone of these concepts in each statement: barter, capital resources, choice, goods,human resources, human capital, money, natural resources, opportunity cost,scarcity, services, wants.