LESSON OVERVIEW

Title: Native American Foods: The Three Sisters

Author: Jillian Buckleitner
Subject: Social Studies
Grade Level: 3rd grade
Duration: 50 minutes
Unit Description:
This lesson will allow students to explore the foods, customs, and legends that developed
from the planting of beans, corn, and squash, otherwise known as the Three Sisters.
Planting the Three Sisters is a tradition of numerous Native American tribes. This lesson
also uses Native American legends/stories to teach about their beliefs and cultures.
First, I will introduce what the Three Sisters are, show pictures of corn, beans, and squash
while also showing them physical examples of these foods. Second, I will read the Native
American Legend of the Three Sisters. I will read the first 3 paragraphs aloud and ask 4
students to help by acting it out. Then, I will put students into small groups to finish
reading the legend. After they are finished, they will pick one thing that they found
interesting or something they learned that they would like to share with the large group.
Third, we will talk about Native Americans and gardening. We will discuss how they grew
the Three Sisters, why they grew them the way they did, and the traditions of growing
these crops. I will show a picture of how these plants are grown. Lastly, I will talk about the
unique nutritional value of beans, squash, and corn.
Lesson Goals:
Students will be able to
-Gain a better understanding of Native American culture by learning about their gardening
methods.
-Explore the foods, customs, and legends of this Native American tradition.
-Explain the gardening method of planting corn, beans, and squash and explain the
significance of why they were traditionally grown together.
-Describe the unique nutritional value of eating the Three Sisters as a meal.
Common Core Standards:
3 H3.0.4
Draw upon traditional stories of American Indians (e.g., Anishinaabeg Ojibway (Chippewa), Odawa (Ottawa), Potawatomi; Menominee; Huron Indians) who lived
in Michigan in order to make generalizations about their beliefs
Big Ideas:

Adapted from CAST: UDL Lesson Plan Builder: http://lessonbuilder.cast.org/

-Planting beans, corn, and squash is a tradition of several Native American tribes.
-Corn, beans, and squash have a unique nutritional value when eaten together as a meal.
-Native Americans had a special gardening method for planting corn, beans, and squash.

Barriers:
Vocabulary
Background Knowledge
Motivation
METHOD

Checkpoint
5.1 Use
multiple media
for
communication

Checkpoint
1.2 Offer
alternatives
for auditory
information
Checkpoint
2.5 Illustrate
through
multiple
media

Anticipatory Set
Get students thinking about Thanksgiving by asking questions about it. Say: How many of
you are excited for Thanksgiving? What do you usually eat on Thanksgiving? What is your
favorite thing to eat?
Lead a short discussion about traditional Thanksgiving food.

Checkpoint 3.1 Activate or supply

background knowledge
Checkpoint 7.2 Optimize relevance,
value, and authenticity

Introduce and Model New Knowledge:

Say, Since Thanksgiving is this week, I thought we could talk about Native American foods.
Our goal today is to learn about important crops that Native Americans grew, how they
grew them, and the unique nutritional value of these crops. We will also be reading a
Native American legend about these crops.
-We are going to talk about the Three Sisters today. The Three Sisters are beans, corn, and
squash. These crops were very important to Native Americans.
(I will show pictures of corn, beans, and squash as well as the actual vegetables for students
to look at and touch.)
Write the goal of the lesson on a large sheet of paper so students can see what is
expected of them.
Also, provide an anchor chart about what the Three Sisters are as well as pictures of
each crop and the physical examples. Physical examples help students grasp a
concept better.
Provide Guided Practice:
Activity 1- Reading the legend of the Three Sisters
o Now, we are going to read the legend of the Three Sisters. (Hand out a copy to each
student.)
o Im going to read the first three paragraphs aloud, and once Im finished, I will put you
into small groups so you can finish reading the legend with a partner.

Adapted from CAST: UDL Lesson Plan Builder: http://lessonbuilder.cast.org/

Checkpoint
2.1 Clarify
vocabulary
and
symbols

Checkpoint
8.3 Foster
collaboration
and
communication

o Before I begin, I would like 4 volunteers to help me act out the beginning of the legend.
One person will be the little sister, one will be the second sister, the third will be the
eldest sister, and the fourth will be the little Indian boy. Who would like to volunteer?
(Assign parts to volunteers)
o Read the first three paragraphs of the legend while students act it out.
o Thank you volunteers for acting out the beginning of the legend. You did a great job.
Now, Im going to assign each of you a partner to finish reading the legend with. I want
you to alternate back and forth between you and your partner. After you are finished
reading, I want you and your partner to pick one thing that you either found interesting
or learned from reading the legend. I will ask each group to share one thing with the
large group.

Checkpoint
2.5 Illustrate
through
multiple media
Checkpoint
5.1 Use
multiple media
for
communication
Checkpoint
6.4 Enhance
capacity for
monitoring
progress

(Assign groups and have them finish reading the legend)

Checkpoint
8.3 Foster
collaboration
and
communication

I will pair each strong reader with a student who has a lower reading level to help
provide support for students.
I will mark each sheet where students need to start reading so that they know
exactly where to start reading.
I will give students as much time as they need to complete the reading and come up
with one thing to share with the large group.

After students are finished, ask: What are some things that you found interesting or
learned from this Native American legend?
(Call on each group and have them share one thing) Checkpoint 6.4 Enhance capacity for

Checkpoint
5.1 Use multiple
media for
communication

monitoring progress

Write down what each group learned or found interesting on a large sheet of paper
for all students to refer back to.
The teacher uses re-voicing to restate what the student says to allow the one
student with hearing aids to hear the information. The teacher will also speak into a
special microphone for this student throughout the lesson.

Activity 2:
o Now, lets take a look at Native Americans and gardening. The Indians developed a
strong spiritual bond with their land. Gardening helped them produce enough food to
establish large villages. These villages could be made up of as many as 1,000 people in
one spot for 10 to 20 years.
Checkpoint 6.4 Enhance capacity for monitoring progress
(Ask students what they think about this)
o Growing the Three Sisters: The Three Sisters are grown together because they provide
support for one another. The corn grows tall and supports the stems of the bean plants
as they grow upward the sun. The squash plants have huge leaves that spread across
the ground to protect the soil and help it stay moist so that the plants can stay healthy.
(Show an image that labels each crop and demonstrates how all three crops are grown
together. This will help clear up any confusion students may have)

Adapted from CAST: UDL Lesson Plan Builder: http://lessonbuilder.cast.org/

Checkpoint
1.2 Offer
alternatives
for auditory
information
Checkpoint
2.5 Illustrate
through
multiple
media

o Explain the Three Sisters Tradition: The tradition of growing the three vegetables
together is based on the idea that all living things rely on each other to survive. Corn,
beans, and squash help each other grow.
(Write all information on large sheets of paper so students can read the information while I
say it.)
Activity 3:
o Now we are going to talk about the unique nutritional value of corn, squash, and beans.
o Corn, beans, and squash were very important vegetables to the Native Americans,
while hunting provided most of the protein in their diet. Does anyone know what
protein is?
(Give students the opportunity to answer the question)
When eaten together, corn, beans, and squash make up a healthy, balanced meal. What
does it mean to eat a healthy, balanced meal? Can anyone give me an example?
(Give students time to answer the question)

Checkpoint
2.5 Illustrate
through
multiple
media

Checkpoint 6.4 Enhance capacity for monitoring progress

Corn is a grain and a carbohydrate. Carbohydrates give us energy. Beans give us

protein and fiber. Protein helps us build muscle and get strong and fiber is good for our
digestive system. Squash is a good source of vitamin A. Vitamin A helps our cells stay
strong and healthy. All of these vegetables also help fight cancer.
Then, allow students to taste food that you brought in for them. I will bring in a Three
Sisters stew that has beans, corn, and squash in it.
Provide Independent Practice:
Students will use the computer to research other crops that are important to Native
Americans or try to find more information about the Three Sisters.
They will have to write one thing that they learned on the white board to share with the
class.
WRAP UP
Review who the Three Sisters are. Ask: Why did Native Americans plant corn, squash, and
beans together in a field? Why did Native Americans eat corn, beans, and squash together
as a meal?
The teacher will restate ideas so that students who have trouble hearing or will be
able to catch the information.
The teacher uses re-voicing to restate what the student says to allow the one
student with hearing aids to hear the information. The teacher will also speak into a
special microphone for this student throughout the lesson.
ASSESSMENT
Students will

Adapted from CAST: UDL Lesson Plan Builder: http://lessonbuilder.cast.org/

-Identify who the Three Sisters are and write their names next to their picture.
-Explain why Native Americans plant corn, squash, and beans together.
-Explain why Native Americans ate corn, beans, and squash together in a meal. In other
words, is there something special about these foods when they are eaten together?
Diagnostic features:
For the first part, I will be looking or students to correctly identify the Three Sisters and
correctly match them up with the correlating picture. The first section will be worth 3
points.
For the second question, I am looking for he students to say that the three crops help
each other grow and stay healthy when grown together. They could also mention how
the corn grows tall, the bean stems grow up toward the sun on the corn stalks, and the
leaves of the squash help keep the ground moist. This will be worth 2 points.
For the last question, I am looking for students to say that they are healthy or hat they
make up a healthy, balanced meal. This will be worth 1 point.
Support:
For the first part of the assessment, I could have made it a matching activity for
students who arent strong writers. Also, based on one of the students IEL, they
have the right to a scribe. I could have been the scribe for this student, but instead,
their mom comes in and does this for him.

MATERIALS

A Legend: The Three Sisters

Pictures of Corn, Beans, and Squash
The vegetables: Corn, beans, and squash
Picture of the gardening method
Pencils
A Three Sisters stew recipe
Microphone to speak in to
Anchor charts for information

Adapted from CAST: UDL Lesson Plan Builder: http://lessonbuilder.cast.org/