The Shaman’s Apprentice A cyber lesson created by Deborah Rand The Shaman’s Apprentice www.amazon.com Written by Lynne Cherry and Mark J. Plotkin

Introduction Did you know that… There were an estimated ten million Indians living in the Amazonian Rainforest five centuries ago. Today there are less than 200,000. In Brazil alone, European colonists have destroyed more than 90 tribes since the 1900's. With them have gone centuries of knowledge of the medicinal value of rainforest species. As their homelands continue to be destroyed by deforestation, rainforest peoples are also disappearing. When a medicine man dies without passing his arts on to the next generation, the tribe and the world loses thousands of years of irreplaceable knowledge about medicinal plants. In this story you will read about how a shaman almost lost his importance to his tribe and how his knowledge was almost not passed down to the next generation. www.bestsellersdirect.ca/catalog/usrim

Cyber Lesson Rubric 3 2 1 3 2 1 1 3 2 Neatness Elaboration Reponses are messy. Some activities are incomplete. Lacks organization of artifacts. Responses are written neatly. All activities are done and lesson artifacts are well organized. Responses are fairly neat. Most activities are done and lesson artifacts show some organization attempt. Neatness 3 2 1 Responses are full and interesting. Rich vocabulary is used and responses expand beyond the ordinary. Responses are fairly complete and interesting. Attempts are made at using rich vocabulary and responses are complete. Responses are weak. Attempts are not made to use rich language and many activities are incomplete Elaboration 3 2 1 Responses are often confusing due to inconsistent use of correct punctuation, sentence completeness and incorrect grammar. Responses are written clearly using complete sentences, correct punctuation, and proper grammar. Responses are written fairly clearly. Some errors appear in punctuation, sentence completeness, and grammar. Punctuation & Grammar 1 3 2

All materials will be supplied by the classroom teacher Materials Needed: Reading Response Journal (RRJ) The Shaman’s Apprentice by Lynne Cherry and Mark Plotkin Art Supplies: pencils crayons paper paint Computer with internet access All materials will be supplied by the classroom teacher

Before Reading Click on the links below and build your background knowledge in preparation for reading The Shaman’s Apprentice. In your RRJ please note your reactions to the websites, list interesting information, and answer the questions below. Apprentice (What kind of job would someone apprentice for in 2005?) Rainforest Facts (Did you learn anything new?) What is a shaman? (What is the shaman’s importance to the tribe?)

Before Reading Where is the Amazon rainforest? Click on the rainforest link and do the activities available. In your RRJ tell me three (3) things that you learned.

Before you read the book click on the rainforest sounds link to set the mood. Imagine that you are standing in the middle of the rainforest. Write or draw about the images that flow through your mind? Use the correct RRJ page. Before you read The Shaman’s Apprentice: A Tale of the Amazon Rain Forest make a prediction about what might take place in this book. In your RRJ discuss (setting, main theme, etc..)

During Reading Begin reading The Shaman’s Apprentice and while you are reading remember to: Monitor your predictions: Were you on target? Respond in your RRJ and show how your predictions were on target or how your predictions needed to be changed. Share your predictions with a partner. 2. Fill out the graphic organizers found in your RRJ. Venn-diagram: Compare the three main characters from the book; Kamanya, Nahtahlah, and Gabriela. How are they alike and how are they different. Keep track as you are reading. Cause/Effect: As you read find out what happens because of Nahtahlah almost losing his importance to the tribe.

It's time to read the book!

During Reading Reread! Dogs “A poem for two voices” is a poem that has two characters speaking or sometimes more than two. They can alternate their speaking or they can sometimes speak at the same time. Look at the example below. Dogs 1. Dogs are furry. 2. Dogs shed everywhere! 3. Dogs are friends 4. Dogs are animals 5. I love dogs! 5. I hate dogs! Focus on one “voice” in the story. The “voice” can be a person, plant, animal etc… Reread the book and write down ideas and lines from the story on the rough draft page provided in your RRJ that show how the “voice” thinks and feels. With a partner create a “Poem for Two Voices.” Write the final copy on the page provided in your RRJ. Share your poem with a small group. You might focus on one voice while your partner focuses on another voice.

After Reading Using your Cause and Effect graphic organizer from your RRJ meet with your small group and discuss your thoughts on what happens or almost happens because Nahtahlah almost loses his importance to the tribe. Why does Nahtahlah almost lose his importance to the tribe? Why is Kamanya concerned about this? Respond in your RRJ citing your thoughts and the thoughts of your peers from your discussion group. Did you all agree? Where did your discussion take you?

After Reading Look at all you know and all you have learned about the people of the Amazon rainforest! In an artful way, using any media you choose, create a visual showing something “important” you have learned about the Amazon rainforest and its people. This can also show your feelings and thoughts about all you have learned in this lesson. You may use crayons, markers, paints, tissue paper etc… on 11 x 14 paper

Visit the official websites of: Beyond Reading Visit the official websites of: Lynne Cherry Mark Plotkin What did you think about their websites? In your RRJ tell me “2” things about each author that you did not already know. How do they know so much about the rainforest?

Beyond Reading The Shaman's Apprentice Program The Shaman’s Apprentice Program helps to preserve tribal knowledge and use of tropical plants on which the tribes exist. For the tribal people, plants also provide food, oils, latex and fibers. This program helps excite young members of the Suriname Tirío tribe (The subject of The Shaman’s Apprentice) to learn the traditional uses of plants from their elders. The program helps to keep important plant and tribal tradition knowledge within the tribe. The program helps protect the Tirío's forest by showing young tribe members the value of tropical plants and instilling community pride among tribal youths. Beyond Reading Connections: Click on Tirio link to learn about the Tirio’s transition from oral history to written history with the help of Mark Plotkin. Who is the person in your family who passes down the family stories? In your RRJ write about a family story that has been passed down from your family elders to you. Be prepared to share it in your discussion group. Does your family have any first aid remedies that have been passed down from older generations? In your RRJ tell about this remedy, what it is used for, and its ingredients.

Amazon Conservation Team (ACT) for kids Beyond Reading Check out the internet link below. Then answer the questions below by responding in your RRJ. Amazon Conservation Team (ACT) for kids Let’s pretend that you are designing this new website. What would you like to see on this new website? What would interest people your age?

Credits www.ozbutterflies.com/butterflies/rain www.bestsellersdirect.ca/catalog/usrim www.allegroholidays.com www.georeisentours.com www.brainydictionary.com/words/ap/apprentice131707.html www.mirandaproduction.com/shaminterview2.htm. www.rain-tree.com/facts.htm www.eduweb.com/rainforest/worldmap.html www.christiananswers.net/kids/sounds.html www.lynnecherry.com www.bayweekly.com/year98/kids6_41.html www.//forests.org/archive/samerica/mapjmigh.htm www.ethnobotany.org/kids/activities.html

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