13 Moons of the Native Calendar

Inquiry Design Model (IDM) Blueprint™

13 Moons of the Native Calendar

NDNAEU 1 “Sacred Relatives”, NDNAEU 2 “Learning & Storytelling”, NDNAEU 3 “Sharing & Generosity”, NDNAEU 4 “Sense of Humor”, NDNAEU 6 “Native Contributions”, NDNAEU 7 “Native Identity”

Compelling Question	Why are calendars so important to the world?
Standards and Practices	ND.6_12.4.1 Identify the Native American groups in North Dakota before European contact and describe their culture.
Staging the Question	How are calendars created?

Supporting Question 1	Supporting Question 2	Supporting Question 3
Why do Native American calendars have 13 months?	Who creates the standard calendar that the world follows?	What do other cultures use for calendars? How do the calendars compare to the Gregorian?  How do they compare to the Native American?
Formative Performance Task	Formative Performance Task	Formative Performance Task
Read the Book 13 Moons on Turtle’s Back.  Students will journal about what they learned and how Native Americans used the 13 full moons in each year as a guide for their lives, traditions, and activities surrounding each month depending on where they lived. Students will work in pairs to discuss the meaning of the 13 moons and they will create a trifold display board with pictures of the moons along with  detailed descriptions.	Students will work in pairs to research the Gregorian Calendar and its foundation. Students will create  a calendar of their own. Students will compare the calendar to the one used by Native Americans.	Students will research different calendars used around the world and answer the supporting questions above.. Students will create a replica calendar of one of the calendars used by a different culture of the world.
Featured Sources	Featured Sources	Featured Sources
13 Moons on Turtle’s Back https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/thirteen-moons-on-turtles-back-joseph-bruchac/1100182103;jsessionid=A30AE442987044B7A7456D02EF60A027.prodny_store01-atgap16?ean=9780698115842 13 Grandmother Moons https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/indigstudies/chapter/13-grandmother-moons/	Gregorian Calendar https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gregorian_calendar The Gregorian Calendar https://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/gregorian-calendar.html	6 Calendars of the World https://www.altalang.com/beyond-words/6-calendars-around-the-world/

SUMMATIVE PERFORMANCE TASK: Supported Claim (written/spoken) or Demonstration of Process (project-based)	Students will use the 13 month calendar of Native Americans and create their own calendar for their classroom use.
SUMMATIVE PERFORMANCE TASK: Extension	In a petting zoo to come in and bring a turtle so students can see for themselves, the shells on the turtle’s back and how they really prove the 13 moons calendar of Native Americans.
Taking Informed Action / Real World Application	Display the 13 moons projects around the school for students and staff and visitors to view and gain perspectives on other Native cultures. Disclaimer: Educators are encouraged to use these lessons as a guide, especially when it comes to capturing standards and required content for their instructional disciplines. Adapt, synthesize, abbreviate, and incorporate are just some of the encouraging words to educators to USE any of the NDNAEU lessons to make them their own.