Supplemental Materials and Annotations
Jason Mormolstein:
NCAA Takes Aim At Indian Mascots
This article was written after the NCAA’s decision to ban those teams who used racially “abusive” or “hostile” mascots from participating in post-season activities. The announcement spurred numerous complaints from affected schools, including Florida State, who claims their use of a Seminole mascot is fair because it has been “okayed” by the Seminole tribe. The article raises questions about what types of mascots are acceptable and who has the right to make that decision. While schools complained about the decision, many did end up changing or getting rid of their mascots, including the University of Illinois’ use of Chief Illiniwek. This article will be used in conjunction with a discussion on Native American mascots in The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian.
Savage Country: American Indian Sports Mascots Part One
This video outlines the Native American mascot issue, specifically in Oklahoma High School football. It discusses the use of stereotypes in names and images of Native Americans and the potential effects they could have on society. The video includes interviews from people who support and oppose the use of Native Americans as mascots. The video will be used to introduce students to the issue and is beneficial because it provides multiple points of view.
Cheerleading for ‘Abusive’ Mascots
This article continues to discuss the Native American mascot issue and provides the point of view of supporters, who say that many of the mascots are supported by Native Americans. They also claim that the media presents a bias against the use of Native American mascots. The article goes on to describe how this is claim is not necessarily true. This article will also be used in conjunction with the class discussion of Native American mascots in The Absolutely True diary of a Part-Time Indian. The article is important because we do not want our discussion to only look at one side of the story.
Nation OK with use of mascots
This is another article to be used by students when they partake in the online debate of the use of Native American mascots. This article explains how Florida State appealed to the NCAA to not ban the use of their Seminole logo, claiming that the logo was not “abusive” as it was supported by the Seminole tribe. Students can use this article to continue to explore the question of who should decide what makes a mascot “abusive”.
Sorry For Not Being a Stereotype
In this editorial piece, Rita Pyrillis explains some of her daily run-ins with people who inadvertently make offensive, abusive remarks towards Native Americans. The point of the article is to explain that not every Native American looks or acts like the Native American stereotypes and that there is no real reason to think they would. Students can use this piece to explore the potential dangers of perpetuating Native American stereotypes through the use of mascots.
Endless Search
This is a short poem by Native American poet Alonzo Lopez. The speaker describes his/her never ending search for his/herself. Since it is a poem about finding one’s identity, it pairs nicely with Junior’s struggle to discover who he really is. Since students have not had a lot of opportunities to work with poetry during their reading of Part-Time Indian, this poem will provide them a new way of thinking about the text’s themes.
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SparkNotes Summary for Ch. 7-8:
Students will use the SparkNotes summaries for Ch. 7-8 during the “SparkNotes-Guided Discussion” lesson on Thursday, February 3, 2011. After reading Ch. 7-8 of The Catcher in the Rye, students will get a chance to read and critique the SparkNotes summaries and detect inaccuracies as well as evaluate the sufficiency of provided information. This will lead to a class discussion on the role of online study aids in their reading and learning of literature.
“Where I’m From” by George Ella Lyon:
Students will read and listen to George Ella Lyon’s poem “Where I’m From” during the “Where I’m From” lesson, which takes place on Tuesday, March 1, 2011. The educational applications for this poem are numerous. Students will first read the poem silently, then listen to the teacher read it aloud, and then hear an audio version of the poem read aloud by the poet herself. Through this, students will determine the degree to which a poem is affected when it is read silently, aloud, and aloud by the poet him/herself. Then, students will produce produce the “Where I’m From” from the perspective of Holden, displaying an in-depth and personal understanding of his character. Lastly, they will get an opportunity to reflect on the memories, people, traditions and values that help define their own identity and convey it through this poem.
“Speedway” by Counting Crows, “If 6 Was 9” by Jimi Hendrix, “Youth of the Nation” by P.O.D., “Paint it Black” by Rolling Stones, “World on Fire” by Sarah McLachlan:
These five songs will be used during the “Catch-your Playlist” lesson on Thursday, February 17, 2011. These songs were inspired by the artist’s reading of The Catcher in the Rye, which has been “confirmed either through album liner notes or published interviews that specifically mention the artist’s source of inspiration” (corndancer.com). As students listen to these songs in small groups, they will be asked to analyze how the song and the lyrics capture Holden as a person. The educational applications for the five songs are all similar in that the lyrics represent Holden’s attitude and outlook on life, capture his emotions at a specific point in the novel, or exemplify his lifestyle and relationships.
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T. S. Eliot's "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock"
The above poem was used for my lesson plan A called "Holden and Prufrock: A Comparison Across Literature". The poem reflects on a man that doubts his romantic and sexual prowess because of his old age and other insecurities; Holden has a similar experience with a prostitute in his hotel room. The class reads the poem and analyzes its symbolism and overall meaning in context to Holden, creating a connection between classic poetry and literature.
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Smoke Signals
Smoke Signals, a movie produced in 1998 by Miramax Films is about the bond between two Native American men, Victor and Thomas, living on an Indian Reservation. The men are connected through Victor’s father, Arnold. When Victor’s father dies, Victor and Thomas leave on a trip across the country to retrieve Arnold’s ashes and belongings. The movie deals with similar tropes that are present in The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian as the characters endure alcoholism, abuse, neglect, and a struggle with their self-identities. The screenplay for this movie was written by Sherman Alexie.
Sterotypes and Tonto
This is an essay written by Sherman Alexie about the stereotypes that he saw while growing up on television. He writes about Tonto, and how Tonto was the only Indian that he didn’t like—partly because he looked like him. From watching movies about Indians, Alexie got a false sense of what he should act like, and he describes his experiences in this short essay.
How Hollywood Stereotyped the Native Americans
This is a YouTube video that traces how Indians were portrayed throughout a variety of films. This video pairs well with Sherman Alexie’s essay, “Stereotypes and Tonto,” because it accurately shows how many negative portrayals were in the media. Also, this video depicts how White people were positively portrayed—showing a sharp contrast to how Native Americans were portrayed.
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Citations for above materials. To access internet resources, copy link from citation into your browser’s address bar:
Jason Mormolstein:
NBC Sports. "Seminole Nation OK with use of mascots - Colleges- NBC Sports."
Sports News Headlines - NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB, PGA, NASCAR - Scores,
Game Highlights, Schedules & Team Rosters - NBC Sports. N.p., n.d.
Web. 10 Dec. 2010. http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/8940521/
Preschel, Jill. "NCAA Takes Aim At Indian Mascots - CBS News." Breaking News
Headlines: Business, Entertainment & World News - CBS News. N.p., n.d.
Web. 12 Dec. 2010.
<http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/08/05/sportsline/main762542.shtml>
Pyrillis, Rita. "Sorry For Not Being a Stereotype." Chicago Sun Times 24 Apr.
2004: 12. Print
Schill, Brian James. "Cheerleading for ‘Abusive’ Mascots." Fairness & Accuracy
In Reporting (FAIR). N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Dec. 2010.
http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=4170
Lopez, Alonzo. "Endless Search.” 12 December 2010.
<http://www.uramamurthy.com/gems/gem95.html>
"YouTube- Savage Country: American Indian Sports Mascots Part One."
YouTube- Broadcast Yourself. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Dec. 2010.
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVDyldTV9OA&feature=related>.
---- ---:
Counting Crows. “Speedway.” This Desert Life. Interscope, 1999.
“Fisher-Price Theatre: Catcher In The Rye pt. 1.” Cardhouse.com.
Cardhouse.com, 2010. Web. 11 Dec. 2010.
“Fisher-Price Theatre: Catcher In The Rye pt. 2.” Cardhouse.com.
Cardhouse.com, 2010. Web. 11 Dec. 2010.
“George Ella Lyon: Writer & Teacher.” Georgeellalyon.com George Ella Lyon,
2010. Web. 8 Dec, 2010.
Jimi Hendrix. “If 6 Was 9.” Are You Experienced. Warner Brothers, 1968.
P.O.D. “Youth of the Nation.” Satellite. Atlantic, 2001.
Rolling Stones. “Paint it Black.” Hot Rocks, 1964-1971. ABKCO, 1972.
Salinger, J.D. The Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1951.
277. Print.
Sarah McLachlan. “World On Fire.” Afterglow. Arista, 2002.
“The Catcher in the Rye.” Sparknotes.com. Sparknotes, 2010. Web. 9 Dec. 2010.
---- -------:
Eliot, T. S. "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock." The Norton Anthology of
American Literature. Ed. Nina Baym. New York: W. W. Norton and Company,
2007.
------- -------:
Smoke Signals. Dir. Chris Eyre. Perf. Adam Beach and Evan Adams. Miramax,
1998. DVD.
"Stereotypes and Tonto." Teaching Tolerance. Southern Poverty Law Center.
Web. 07 Dec. 2010. <http://www.tolerance.org/activity/stereotypes-and-
tonto>.
"YouTube - How Hollywood Stereotyped the Native Americans." YouTube -
Broadcast Yourself. Web. 12 Dec. 2010. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=_hJFi7SRH7Q>.
NCAA Takes Aim At Indian Mascots
This article was written after the NCAA’s decision to ban those teams who used racially “abusive” or “hostile” mascots from participating in post-season activities. The announcement spurred numerous complaints from affected schools, including Florida State, who claims their use of a Seminole mascot is fair because it has been “okayed” by the Seminole tribe. The article raises questions about what types of mascots are acceptable and who has the right to make that decision. While schools complained about the decision, many did end up changing or getting rid of their mascots, including the University of Illinois’ use of Chief Illiniwek. This article will be used in conjunction with a discussion on Native American mascots in The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian.
Savage Country: American Indian Sports Mascots Part One
This video outlines the Native American mascot issue, specifically in Oklahoma High School football. It discusses the use of stereotypes in names and images of Native Americans and the potential effects they could have on society. The video includes interviews from people who support and oppose the use of Native Americans as mascots. The video will be used to introduce students to the issue and is beneficial because it provides multiple points of view.
Cheerleading for ‘Abusive’ Mascots
This article continues to discuss the Native American mascot issue and provides the point of view of supporters, who say that many of the mascots are supported by Native Americans. They also claim that the media presents a bias against the use of Native American mascots. The article goes on to describe how this is claim is not necessarily true. This article will also be used in conjunction with the class discussion of Native American mascots in The Absolutely True diary of a Part-Time Indian. The article is important because we do not want our discussion to only look at one side of the story.
Nation OK with use of mascots
This is another article to be used by students when they partake in the online debate of the use of Native American mascots. This article explains how Florida State appealed to the NCAA to not ban the use of their Seminole logo, claiming that the logo was not “abusive” as it was supported by the Seminole tribe. Students can use this article to continue to explore the question of who should decide what makes a mascot “abusive”.
Sorry For Not Being a Stereotype
In this editorial piece, Rita Pyrillis explains some of her daily run-ins with people who inadvertently make offensive, abusive remarks towards Native Americans. The point of the article is to explain that not every Native American looks or acts like the Native American stereotypes and that there is no real reason to think they would. Students can use this piece to explore the potential dangers of perpetuating Native American stereotypes through the use of mascots.
Endless Search
This is a short poem by Native American poet Alonzo Lopez. The speaker describes his/her never ending search for his/herself. Since it is a poem about finding one’s identity, it pairs nicely with Junior’s struggle to discover who he really is. Since students have not had a lot of opportunities to work with poetry during their reading of Part-Time Indian, this poem will provide them a new way of thinking about the text’s themes.
---- ---:
SparkNotes Summary for Ch. 7-8:
Students will use the SparkNotes summaries for Ch. 7-8 during the “SparkNotes-Guided Discussion” lesson on Thursday, February 3, 2011. After reading Ch. 7-8 of The Catcher in the Rye, students will get a chance to read and critique the SparkNotes summaries and detect inaccuracies as well as evaluate the sufficiency of provided information. This will lead to a class discussion on the role of online study aids in their reading and learning of literature.
“Where I’m From” by George Ella Lyon:
Students will read and listen to George Ella Lyon’s poem “Where I’m From” during the “Where I’m From” lesson, which takes place on Tuesday, March 1, 2011. The educational applications for this poem are numerous. Students will first read the poem silently, then listen to the teacher read it aloud, and then hear an audio version of the poem read aloud by the poet herself. Through this, students will determine the degree to which a poem is affected when it is read silently, aloud, and aloud by the poet him/herself. Then, students will produce produce the “Where I’m From” from the perspective of Holden, displaying an in-depth and personal understanding of his character. Lastly, they will get an opportunity to reflect on the memories, people, traditions and values that help define their own identity and convey it through this poem.
“Speedway” by Counting Crows, “If 6 Was 9” by Jimi Hendrix, “Youth of the Nation” by P.O.D., “Paint it Black” by Rolling Stones, “World on Fire” by Sarah McLachlan:
These five songs will be used during the “Catch-your Playlist” lesson on Thursday, February 17, 2011. These songs were inspired by the artist’s reading of The Catcher in the Rye, which has been “confirmed either through album liner notes or published interviews that specifically mention the artist’s source of inspiration” (corndancer.com). As students listen to these songs in small groups, they will be asked to analyze how the song and the lyrics capture Holden as a person. The educational applications for the five songs are all similar in that the lyrics represent Holden’s attitude and outlook on life, capture his emotions at a specific point in the novel, or exemplify his lifestyle and relationships.
---- -------:
T. S. Eliot's "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock"
The above poem was used for my lesson plan A called "Holden and Prufrock: A Comparison Across Literature". The poem reflects on a man that doubts his romantic and sexual prowess because of his old age and other insecurities; Holden has a similar experience with a prostitute in his hotel room. The class reads the poem and analyzes its symbolism and overall meaning in context to Holden, creating a connection between classic poetry and literature.
------- -------:
Smoke Signals
Smoke Signals, a movie produced in 1998 by Miramax Films is about the bond between two Native American men, Victor and Thomas, living on an Indian Reservation. The men are connected through Victor’s father, Arnold. When Victor’s father dies, Victor and Thomas leave on a trip across the country to retrieve Arnold’s ashes and belongings. The movie deals with similar tropes that are present in The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian as the characters endure alcoholism, abuse, neglect, and a struggle with their self-identities. The screenplay for this movie was written by Sherman Alexie.
Sterotypes and Tonto
This is an essay written by Sherman Alexie about the stereotypes that he saw while growing up on television. He writes about Tonto, and how Tonto was the only Indian that he didn’t like—partly because he looked like him. From watching movies about Indians, Alexie got a false sense of what he should act like, and he describes his experiences in this short essay.
How Hollywood Stereotyped the Native Americans
This is a YouTube video that traces how Indians were portrayed throughout a variety of films. This video pairs well with Sherman Alexie’s essay, “Stereotypes and Tonto,” because it accurately shows how many negative portrayals were in the media. Also, this video depicts how White people were positively portrayed—showing a sharp contrast to how Native Americans were portrayed.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Citations for above materials. To access internet resources, copy link from citation into your browser’s address bar:
Jason Mormolstein:
NBC Sports. "Seminole Nation OK with use of mascots - Colleges- NBC Sports."
Sports News Headlines - NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB, PGA, NASCAR - Scores,
Game Highlights, Schedules & Team Rosters - NBC Sports. N.p., n.d.
Web. 10 Dec. 2010. http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/8940521/
Preschel, Jill. "NCAA Takes Aim At Indian Mascots - CBS News." Breaking News
Headlines: Business, Entertainment & World News - CBS News. N.p., n.d.
Web. 12 Dec. 2010.
<http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/08/05/sportsline/main762542.shtml>
Pyrillis, Rita. "Sorry For Not Being a Stereotype." Chicago Sun Times 24 Apr.
2004: 12. Print
Schill, Brian James. "Cheerleading for ‘Abusive’ Mascots." Fairness & Accuracy
In Reporting (FAIR). N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Dec. 2010.
http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=4170
Lopez, Alonzo. "Endless Search.” 12 December 2010.
<http://www.uramamurthy.com/gems/gem95.html>
"YouTube- Savage Country: American Indian Sports Mascots Part One."
YouTube- Broadcast Yourself. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Dec. 2010.
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVDyldTV9OA&feature=related>.
---- ---:
Counting Crows. “Speedway.” This Desert Life. Interscope, 1999.
“Fisher-Price Theatre: Catcher In The Rye pt. 1.” Cardhouse.com.
Cardhouse.com, 2010. Web. 11 Dec. 2010.
“Fisher-Price Theatre: Catcher In The Rye pt. 2.” Cardhouse.com.
Cardhouse.com, 2010. Web. 11 Dec. 2010.
“George Ella Lyon: Writer & Teacher.” Georgeellalyon.com George Ella Lyon,
2010. Web. 8 Dec, 2010.
Jimi Hendrix. “If 6 Was 9.” Are You Experienced. Warner Brothers, 1968.
P.O.D. “Youth of the Nation.” Satellite. Atlantic, 2001.
Rolling Stones. “Paint it Black.” Hot Rocks, 1964-1971. ABKCO, 1972.
Salinger, J.D. The Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1951.
277. Print.
Sarah McLachlan. “World On Fire.” Afterglow. Arista, 2002.
“The Catcher in the Rye.” Sparknotes.com. Sparknotes, 2010. Web. 9 Dec. 2010.
---- -------:
Eliot, T. S. "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock." The Norton Anthology of
American Literature. Ed. Nina Baym. New York: W. W. Norton and Company,
2007.
------- -------:
Smoke Signals. Dir. Chris Eyre. Perf. Adam Beach and Evan Adams. Miramax,
1998. DVD.
"Stereotypes and Tonto." Teaching Tolerance. Southern Poverty Law Center.
Web. 07 Dec. 2010. <http://www.tolerance.org/activity/stereotypes-and-
tonto>.
"YouTube - How Hollywood Stereotyped the Native Americans." YouTube -
Broadcast Yourself. Web. 12 Dec. 2010. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=_hJFi7SRH7Q>.
