The Abenaki: A History of the Native American People PDF

Genre Informational Text The Abenaki By Joseph Bruchac Illustrations by Len Ebert AUDIO Audio with Highlighting ANNOTATE...

Genre Informational Text The Abenaki By Joseph Bruchac Illustrations by Len Ebert AUDIO Audio with Highlighting ANNOTATE 147 CLOSE READ Who are the Abenaki people? Discuss 1 The Abenaki (ah’-buh-nah-kee) are Author’s a group of Native Americans. Their Purpose Underline words homeland is the northeast. Native the author uses Americans were the first people to to tell the topic inhabit North America. They lived there of this section. for thousands of years before people from Europe arrived. The Abenaki people lived in Western New England. Many Abenaki still live there today. Some Abenaki also live in parts of Quebec, Canada. Canada CANADA UNITED STATES Abenaki PACIFIC ATLANTIC homelands OCEAN OCEAN MEXICO United States TEKS 2.10.A Discuss the author’s purpose for writing text; TEKS 2.10.B Discuss how the use of 148 text structure contributes to the author’s purpose.  2 Abenaki means “Dawn Land Place.” Dawn is the time of day when the sun rises. The sun comes up in the east. The Abenaki homelands are in the east. Their name means that they live in the east, where the sun rises. The Abenaki speak their own language. Their language is called Algonquin. Atlantic Ocean 149  What was life like long ago for the Abenaki? 3 Long ago, Abenaki people lived in small communities. They called their houses wigwams. Wigwam means “house.” A wigwam was made of thin bent wooden poles. The Abenaki covered the skinny poles with the bark of birch trees. Birch bark was a strong covering. It was effective in keeping out the wind and the rain. There were many wigwams in an Abenaki village. Their doors opened to the east, toward the dawn. 150  CLOSE READ 4 The Abenaki were hunters, fishers, and farmers. They survived by using the Vocabulary in Context natural resources around their homes. Sometimes you They fished in the ocean, rivers, and can figure out an lakes. They hunted in the thick forests. unfamiliar word They grew crops such as corn, beans, by looking for examples in the and squash. They also used deerskins words around and the skins of other animals for it. Underline clothing. examples of crops that help you understand what a crop is. natural produced by nature, not people TEKS 2.3.B Use context within and beyond a sentence to determine the meaning of unfamiliar words. 151 CLOSE READ What is life like for the Abenaki today? 5 Today, Abenaki people are part of society a group of people living American society. They dress and work together like other Americans. They no longer live in wigwams. They choose to live in modern homes. They live in towns and cities mostly in New England and traditions beliefs, stories, and ways of Canada. Although the Abenaki live like living passed down many other Americans today, they keep from parents to children their culture and traditions alive. 152  CLOSE READ What customs from long ago are still impor tant to the Abenaki? Make Connections 6 The Abenaki still follow many of the Highlight words same ways of life from long ago. They that show wear traditional clothing at festivals traditional and big celebrations called powwows. customs that are important Three traditional customs continue to be to the Abenaki important to the Abenaki. today. Connect to another text. 7 Storytelling—to teach children Which of these customs helps 8 Plants—to aid healing the villagers in 9 Traditional songs—to give thanks The Legend of the Lady Slipper? TEKS 2.6.E Make connections to personal experiences, ideas in other texts, and society. 153 CLOSE READ What are Abenaki stories about? Make 10 Many Abenaki stories are about Connections nature. These stories tell how the natural Highlight words that tell how the world came to be. One story tells how first corn plant corn came to the Abenaki. In the story, comes about. a beautiful golden-haired woman helps the people. She becomes the first corn plant. Other stories tell about children. They show young people the importance of being respectful and polite. 154 TEKS 2.6.E Make connections to personal experiences, ideas in other texts, and society.  How do Abenaki people use storytelling? 11 Abenaki storytellers teach important lessons to children. Stories make the lessons fun. They are easy to remember. For example, the story about corn also teaches a lesson about farming. It tells how to know when corn is ready to be picked. Other stories teach children lessons such as being kind to old people. 155 CLOSE READ How do the Abenaki use medicine plants? 12 Long ago, the Abenaki learned to use plants as medicine. Some forest plants, such as the pine tree, helped heal sickness. Today, the Abenaki still make cure get rid of tea from pine needles. The tea helps cure sickness sore throats and colds. Abenaki people use medicine plants as well as modern medicines. In fact, many modern medicines, such as aspirin, come from plants. 156  CLOSE READ How do the Abenaki give thanks through song? Discuss Author’s 13 Nature has given the people many Purpose gifts. These gifts include food, water, Underline words and medicine plants. The Abenaki are the author used grateful for these gifts. So, the people to explain how the Abenaki sing to thank nature. One song is called show they are the “Green Corn Song.” Every year grateful. when corn is ready to be harvested, or picked, the Abenaki sing this song. It gives thanks for the gift of corn. TEKS 2.10.A Discuss the author’s purpose for writing text. 157 CLOSE READ Why are the traditional ways of Discuss the Abenaki impor tant to them Author’s today? Purpose Underline words 14 The Abenaki feel it is important to the author uses preserve their culture. That is why to tell the main they still tell stories. It is why they idea of the text. use medicine plants and sing songs of thanks. These customs and traditions connect the Abenaki to the past. The Abenaki feel that knowing about the past helps them know about themselves today. TEKS 2.10.A Discuss the author’s purpose for writing text; TEKS 2.10.B Discuss how the use of text 158 structure contributes to the author’s purpose.  CLOSE READ 15 The Abenaki do not want to lose their traditions. Their culture teaches them how to behave. It teaches that it is good respect show honor to be thankful. It teaches that it is good to to respect nature and one’s elders. Knowing their ways from long ago is a source of pride. These traditions help the Abenaki stay proud of their culture and their history. 159