Ashley Moody

Return to Film Lesson Plans Return to Dr. Olson-Raymer’s Homepage Previous Lesson Plan

“Where the Spirit Lives”

A Lesson Plan for Secondary Educators

Created by Ashley Moody, SED 741 2003-2004

“Where the Spirit Lives” Lesson Plan

Objective: To get students to understand a difference between acculturation vs. assimilation. In addition, my students will be able to differentiate between a chosen assimilation (European Immigrants) and a forced assimilation (Native Americans).

Theme: Assimilation is a requirement for becoming an American—for most Americans at some point in time. However, assimilation isn’t always a choice; sometimes it is forced.

Hook: Put up pictures of young Native Americans taken into boarding schools in traditional outfits (before) and show pictures of the same children after their forced assimilation (after).

Introductory Comments:

1) Ask my students what they know about boarding schools (in general)?

2) Ask my students what they know about Native American boarding schools?

3) Ask my students what do they know about acculturation or assimilation?

4) Tell my students about light and shadow and how film makers utilize those to provoke emotion. I would also tell them about white male gaze and point of view. I would ask them to note the point of view presented with this movie. I would also ask them to pay attention to the music in the background while watching the movie and to jot down one word or a few words to describe their emotions while watching the film.

5) With this film it is important to warn students about the emotional nature

of the film and that they are prepared for the abuse, violence, brutality that is depicted in the film.

Content Introduction:

First, let’s define important terms of this lesson. Acculturation is the process of changes in one’s culture in response to another culture. One example of this might be scalping. Scalping was a practice of the British, adopted by Native Americans and somewhat incorporated into their culture. Assimilation is the process of removing one culture in favor of another. An example of this is European immigrants who stopped speaking their language and forbid their kids from speaking it in order that the children and the parents could learn English. Boarding schools were a tool of assimilation. This period in American (and Canadian) history can be called Reorganization/Assimilation. The wars were not proving beneficial and were growing somewhat unpopular, not to mention their cost—and not to mention that the actual battles were usually lost. The next step was to give white people land in Indian territory and elsewhere to show the Native Americans how to farm. The children were taken—usually by force—and were taught English and how to act like a “normal” American in the boarding schools. They dressed in European style clothes and wore their hair in a more “proper” style. The children were prevented from speaking their languages and were usually punished severely. The children would also be farmed out to white families to be their servants during the summer—keep in mind this is after the Civil War. The parents were prevented from seeing their children, usually, because of distance or other reasons. This started around the 1870’s and went until at least the 1930’s. The net result was generations that had lost their knowledge of traditional ways and norms and had failed to speak the language of their relatives. That being said, I don’t think I can describe such an experience with words. I have chosen the film “Where the Spirit Lives” to try and grasp what effect these schools could have on a culture, on a people.

Film summary:

A Canadian First Nations girl is kidnapped and taken to a boarding school. She suffers as they punish her and treat her very abusively. She tries a daring escape because she is so miserable.

Discussion Questions:

1) How does the film change your understanding of boarding schools? This film made me realize the brutality of the system in the schooling of the Native Americans. I thought that the treatment was repulsive and I was shocked and saddened to know our history was that brutal.

2) How did the use of light, shadow, music effect your emotions during the film? The use of shadow in this film made me feel somber throughout the film. I never felt giddy, only solemn.

3) What do you think the theme of the movie is? I think the theme of this movie is “Even when the dominant culture thinks it is helping those “less fortunate”, they usually are making the situation much worse.”

4) Did you like this movie? Why or Why not?

5) Would you see it again, and do you think I should show it again.

Evaluation/Assignment:

I. I would have students write a journal about their reactions to the movie—just the movie and their feelings and thoughts.

II. Then I would pose questions to them on an overhead so that they could write

them down. The answers are for my reference only and wouldn’t be on the

overhead.

1. Is there a difference between acculturation and assimilation? If so,

what is it?

2. What do you think were the goals of those people running the boarding

schools and what were the goals of the governments that approved such

institutions? Conversion to Christianity and Assimilation

3. Do you think they were successful with those goals, why or why not?

4. If their goals were successful—how many kinds of people are/or have been forced to assimilate to become an American? (African Americans, Native Hawaiians, Native Alaskans, Hmong Americans, Irish Americans, Vietnamese Americans, Indian Americans???????)

Alterations for New Horizons:

This film is very heavy. I think the kids would appreciate the content, the feeling of being locked up and not having the freedom to talk about anything. I think also that a lot of my students are very sensitive and the prep time on the emotional reality of this film will probably take longer than a “normal” group of kids. I also would have them each have time out sheets in front of them, if they have to leave, they can write about why and not feel that they are being punished for leaving. I would explain that if the material got too difficult they could leave without retribution.

Film is available through:

Baker and Taylor
501 S. Gladiolus
Momence, IL 60954

1-800-775-2300

Questions for Homework/Journal Writing:

1. Is there a difference between acculturation and assimilation? If so, what is it?

2. What do you think were the goals of those people running the boarding schools and what were the goals of the governments that approved such institutions?

3. Do you think they were successful with those goals, why or why not?

4. If their goals were successful—how many kinds of people are or have been forced to assimilate to become an American?

Images of : Tom Torlino

Courtesy of: http://home.epix.net/~landis/

Tom Torlino - before

Tom Torlino - after