Fountas-Pinnell Level UBiographySelection SummaryChief Washakie was the chief of the Shoshone tribe in the 1800s. He was committed to being a peaceful, yet strong chief. He worked with the United States government to try and secure a future for the Shoshone people.
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Characteristics of the Text Genre • Biography
Text Structure • Third-person narrative organized into six sections• Sections cover historical periods• Graphic features provide factual information
Content • Chief Washakie and the Eastern Shoshone• History of U.S. westward expansion and 1800s
Themes and Ideas • Strong leadership can be achieved without violence.• History is the key to understanding the present.• The Shoshone contributed to the U.S. expansion.
Language and Literary Features
• Descriptive language
Sentence Complexity • A mix of short and complex sentences• Dates used in sentences• Multiple items in series
reservation – an area of land set aside by the government for a special purpose, p.10
transformed – made a great change in something, p.2
Chief Washakie by Stephanie W. Sigue
Build BackgroundHelp students use their knowledge of geography and Native Americans to visualize the text. To build interest, ask questions such as the following: Why did pioneers travel to the western part of the United States? Why were Native Americans moved onto reservations? Read the title and author and talk about the cover photograph. Note the section heads. Tell students that this selection is a biography, so an author describes events in a real person’s life.
Introduce the TextGuide students through the text, noting important ideas, and helping with unfamiliar language and vocabulary so they can read the text successfully. Here are some suggestions:
Page 2: Explain that this is a biography about Chief Washakie and the Shoshone Native Americans. Suggested language: Look at page 2 of this book. Look at the fi rst sentence. The pronunciation guide tells you how to pronounce Chief Washakie’s name. Say the name aloud for the students. Explain that they will encounter other Native American names as they read, including Arapaho, Cheyenne, Sioux and Ute. Tell students that they will read about the relationship between these Native American tribes and the settlers who transformed the western part of the United States.
Page 3: Look at the photograph of Chief Washakie on page 3 and read the caption. Why do you think Chief Washakie wore his ceremonial clothes each time he met with the United States government? Explain to students that Chief Washakie was different from other Native American chiefs because he believed in using peace when dealing with the U.S. government. Ask: In what way do you think this affected his relationship with the government?
Pages 8–9: Have students look at the map on page 8. Point out the green states. Suggested Language: The green area is how big the United States was in 1843. Find our state on the map. Was it a part of the United States in 1843?
Now turn back to the beginning and read to fi nd out how Chief Washakie tried to secure a future for the Shoshone people.
ReadHave students read silently while you listen to individual students read aloud. Support their understanding of the text as needed.
Remind students to use the Visualize Strategy and to try to picture the events in their mind as they read the biography.
Discuss and Revisit the TextPersonal ResponseInvite students to share their personal responses to the book.Suggested language: Why do you think that Chief Washakie’s methods of leading were effective?
Ways of ThinkingAs you discuss the text, help students understand these points:
Thinking Within the Text Thinking Beyond the Text Thinking About the Text
• Chief Washakie was a peaceful and strong leader.
• Many settlers moved west in search for a better life for their families.
• Chief Washakie and the Shoshone people were loyal to the United States Army.
• Leaders can choose how they wish to respond to certain situations.
• Loyalty can prove to be both positive and negative.
• The illustrations and other graphic features help the reader understand information in the book.
• The author includes factual information about the westward expansion of the United States.
• The section heads help divide the text in a logical and sequential manner.
Choices for Further Support• Fluency Invite students to choral read one section aloud to one another. Remind them
to pay attention to graphic features and how this information helps them understand material they might not otherwise have clearly understood.
• Comprehension Based on your observations of the students’ reading and discussion, revisit parts of the text to clarify or extend comprehension. Remind students to go back to the text to support their ideas.
• Phonics/Word Work Provide practice as needed with words and word parts, using examples from the text. Explain that adjectives help readers visualize information. For example, on page 2, Chief Washakie is described as “strong, but peaceful.” Discuss with students how these adjectives help the reader visualize Chief Washakie. Have students look for other examples of adjectives in the text that help them visualize what they read.
Writing about ReadingCritical ThinkingHave students complete the Critical Thinking questions on BLM 20.9.
RespondingHave students complete the activities at the back of the book, using their Reader’s Notebook. Use the instruction below as needed to reinforce or extend understanding of the comprehension skill.
Target Comprehension SkillMain Idea and Details
Target Comprehension Skill Remind students that the main idea of a selection
is what the selection is about and that details help support, or provide more information, about the main idea. Model how to add details to the Graphic Organizer using a “Think Aloud” like the one below:
Think Aloud
On page 2 of the biography, the author states the main idea in the fi rst sentence on the page. Write this main idea in the center circle of the chart. Then, the author provides details that support, or give more information about, the main idea. Choose one detail from the biography and write it in a “Detail” circle in the chart.
Practice the SkillEncourage students to share their examples of another biography that included a leader that was strong for his or her people.
Writing Prompt: Thinking Beyond the TextHave students write a response to the prompt on page 6. Remind them that when they think beyond the text, they use their personal knowledge to reach new understandings.
Assessment Prompts• Which words on page 2 help the reader understand what transformed means?
1. Think within the text Why did so many pioneers cross
through Shoshone land?
2. Think within the text How did Chief Washakie keep pioneers
from settling on Shoshone land?
3. Think beyond the text Chief Washakie worked with the
United States government even after it failed to honor its
agreements. What conclusion can you draw from this?
4. Think about the text What is the author’s opinion of Chief
Washakie? Use text details to support your answer.
Making Connections Think of stories you’ve read or movies you’ve seen about other Native American leaders. How does Chief Washakie’s story compare with their stories?
The trail that many pioneers took west went through Shoshone land.
The Shoshone escorted settlers across the land. He also allowed the government
to build a railroad.
Chief Washakie had a trusting and honorable nature, and he hoped the
government would help protect his people. He also realized that the settlers and
army would be too strong a match for the Shoshone and thought it would be
pointless to fi ght them.
The author admires Chief Washakie. She says he was courageous and intelligent
and worked hard so his people could live in peace. She also says he was
respected by all.
Possible responses shown.
11_4_246253RTXEAN_L20_FR.indd 11 3/23/09 1:23:16 AM
English Language DevelopmentReading Support Have students listen to the audio or online recordings. Remind them that Chief Washakie was a man of peace who tried to secure a future for the Shoshone people. Make sure the text matches the students’ reading level. Language and content should be accessible with regular teaching support.
Cognates The text includes many cognates. Point out the English words and their Spanish equivalents: accompany (acompañar), interpreter (intérprete), route (ruta), territory (territorio), and frontier (frontera).
Oral Language DevelopmentCheck student comprehension, using a dialogue that best matches your students’ English profi ciency level. Speaker 1 is the teacher, Speaker 2 is the student.
Beginning/Early Intermediate Intermediate Early Advanced/ Advanced
Speaker 1: Who is the biography about?
Speaker 2: Chief Washakie
Speaker 1: What tribe did Chief Washakie lead?
Speaker 2: the Shoshone
Speaker 1: What type of leader was Chief Washakie?
Speaker 2: strong, peaceful
Speaker 1: Why did settlers move west?
Speaker 2: They wanted to fi nd a better life for their families.
Speaker 1: How did the United States government betray Chief Washakie?
Speaker 2: They did not move the Arapaho people off of the Shoshone reservation.
Speaker 1: How did Chief Washakie prove his loyalty to the United States Army?
Speaker 2: Chief Washakie and the Shoshone people proved their loyalty to the United States Army by helping them defeat other Native American tribes that wanted to fi ght the government’s expansion of the U.S.
Think about the questions below. Then write your answer in two or three paragraphs.
Remember that when you think beyond the text, you use your personal knowledge to reach new understandings.
One theme of this biography is loyalty. How do you think Chief Washakie would define loyalty? How did he show loyalty to his people? If Chief Washakie were alive today, what might he say to world leaders about the importance of loyalty? Support your answer with details from the text.
1. Think within the text Why did so many pioneers cross
through Shoshone land?
2. Think within the text How did Chief Washakie keep pioneers
from settling on Shoshone land?
3. Think beyond the text Chief Washakie worked with the
United States government even after it failed to honor its
agreements. What conclusion can you draw from this?
4. Think about the text What is the author’s opinion of Chief
Washakie? Use text details to support your answer.
Making Connections Think of stories you’ve read or movies you’ve seen about other Native American leaders. How does Chief Washakie’s story compare with their stories?
