Verbal/Linguistic

• Great-aunt Sis tells Jenna the Story of Bat. Is there a story you love to hear told? What is it? If it’s a story that’s culturally permissible to share, retell the story to one of your classmates.
• “Personification” putting human qualities onto something that is not human. In the story, the author uses personification to describe the times of day. For example, “as Moon kissed Sun goodnight.”
• How could you use personification to describe the seasons?

Logical/Mathematical

In the story, Jenna needs four rows of jingles to finish her dress. Can you identify anything in the story else that comes in fours?

Visual/Spatial (good bulletin board activity)

After identifying all of the above, create a picture using any media you like. Use a variety of colors, textures and patterns!

Body/Kinesthetic

Dancing is a terrific exercise. Brainstorm a list of all the different kinds of dance you can think of. List, too, if any of them have special clothing or regalia that are worn.

(Students should not imitate a powwow or otherwise “play Indian.” If you want to integrate a powwow into the curriculum, consider sharing a powwow video or taking the students on a field trip to a powwow in your area).

Musical/Rhythmic

Jenna’s heart beats to the brum, brum, brum, brum of the powwow drum. Find something, other than an actual drum, that would create this sound.

Interpersonal

Jenna never asks for more than one row of jingles. Why? Have you ever asked for more than you should have? Write a brief journal about the times when maybe you should ask for less.

Intrapersonal

In the story, Jenna goes to visit her Great-aunt Sis, Mrs. Scott, and Cousin Elizabeth. If you were going to be in a powwow or, say, a big performance, who would you go tell? Who might you ask for help in getting ready for it? Write a letter to one of them telling about this story you read, and how it made you think of them!