Subject: 8th Grade Navajo Language

Unit: Clans and Kinship

Learning Objective: Students will introduce themselves in the appropriate traditional Dine way by name, age,
CLANS, mother and father’s name, where I live, my grade level, and name of school.
Standards: 1-2FL-R1 Respond to simple commands. Greet people, make small talk and close
conversations (Use appropriate gestures and oral expressions for greetings, leave-taking and
courtesy phrases)
S1C R1
PO 2 – Use correct kinship terms (e.g., shim1, shizh4’4, shideezh7, shitsil7, sh7naa7, sh1d7,
shicheii, shim1s1n7).
PO 3 – Introduce him/herself in the appropriate traditional Dine way.
S1C-R1
PO 3 Present basic (biographical) information about self or others in front of a group. (Name,
age, clans, community, and name of parents and name of school)
Language Activities The students will:
Share ideas on the concept of K’4.
Explain how Din4 clans are categorized and give examples of which clans represent elements
in nature, names of animals, and other Native American tribes.
Describe why Dine people use their clans
Interpret the meaning of their own clans with help of parents and grandparents
Orally introduce themselves in front of their peers.
Learn how to accurately pronounce and spell their own clans.
Be able to ask another person “Haash D0on4’4 n7l9?” and also respond by stating their 4
clans.
Students will Identify skills needed to develop and strengthen interpersonal relationships
Student Friendly -I will practice introduce myself in the appropriate traditional Dine way by name, age,
Objective: CLANS, mother and father’s name, where I live, my grade level, and name of school.
-I will interpret the meaning of my own clans (research the origin of clan names with the help
of parents)
-I will identify similarities and differences: classifying the Dine Clan groups.
-I will identify skills needed to develop and strengthen interpersonal relationships
-I will design/create a collage that exhibits character traits about myself and family
Essential Questions: Why do Dine people introduce themselves using their clans?
Why is it important to know your clans in Dine?
What is the difference between extended and immediate family members?
Why is it important to know your relatives?
Why do you think Dine society is a matrilineal society?
What is the definition of matrilineal and patrilineal?
What is the definition of descendent, lineage, and heredity?
Give some examples of showing kinship at school, home and in the community
Process: Prior knowledge (think-pair-share) student discussion about immediate and extended family
members.
Students will read and discuss Din4 Bizaad B7n1hoo’aah Chapter 5 Bi[ K44hast’7n7g77 My
immediate family members and Chapter 7 K’4 Clan Relationships
Students will practice their self-introduction with partners (milling to music and compass
learning partners).
Students will take Cornell notes on Kinship terms
Students will create posters exemplifying what K’4 means to them.
Students will create a Family Tree by writing the name and proper relationship term for each
person on the family tree. Present family tree to classmates.
Homework: Students will investigate the concept of a family kinship and give examples of
traditional family roles of all immediate and extended family members.
Students will ask their family questions about their own ancestors in order to acquire more
personal knowledge. This will help used to help each student value their family heritages.
Class discussion of self-awareness and how important each student is.
 Intended Learning Outcomes:
Students will learn more about themselves and their true value.
Students will complete various activities in conjunction with a lesson on self-awareness:
Clan chart collage including describing personality, hobbies and likes/dislikes, abilities and
talents. Coat of Arms illustration, and personal description of self
Vocabulary Y1’1t’44h, Sh7, yinishy4, b1sh7shch77n, dashicheii, dashin1l7, woly4, shin11hai,
shighan, shik47, b1’0’ta’7 Kinship terms: Shim1 Mother Shizh4’4 Father
Shicheii Maternal Grandfather Shin1l7 Paternal Grandfather Shim1s1n7
Maternal Grandmother Shin1l7 asdz33 Paternal Grandfather Sh1d7
Older Sister Shinaa7 Older Brother Shideezhi Younger Sister Shitsili
Younger Brother Bi[ h17j44’ Bi[ haa’11zh Sibling(s)
Assessments
Students will orally Teacher observation on Discussion on the Ticket out the door Oral Presentation
practice with peers to use of Dine language concept of K’4 (new vocabulary) on self-
recite mother, father and and pronunciation of (Think-Pair-Share) introduction
grandparent clans and clans. graded by rubric
kinship terms in Dine.