Grade inferred from the archived academic standard codes; check suitability for your students.
Archived standards are preserved as originally published and may differ from current standards.
Compelling question
What does it mean to be the “richest man in the village?”
Standards & practices
OSEU 7.1 Identify policies that were established during the Self Determination Era which created a
change for tribal communities and reinforced the essential philosophy of the Oceti Sakowin,
demonstrating resiliency.
Economics 4.E.1.1 Discuss what factors (both positive and negative) influence individual choices.
Staging the question
How is it possible to be the “richest man in the village” and give it all away?
Supporting inquiries
Supporting question 1
What historical event resulted in tribal
lands being divided among tribal
members, marking the end of
communal land ownership?
Formative performance task
The teacher will tell students about
the Dawes Act of 1887 (General
Allotment Act) as necessary
background for video.
Featured sources
The teacher can refer to Google or
Wikipedia for basic facts.
Supporting question 2
How does generosity among the people
of the Oceti Sakowin demonstrate
resiliency?
Formative performance task
Watch the elder interview with Lowell
Amiotte. Discuss the following
questions: (1) How did family size
impact the monetary value of land? (2)
How did the loss of larger amounts of
land affect the ability of the tribal
members to be generous? (3) What are
giveaways as described by Lowell? (4)
In what ways do these giveaways
demonstrate the different kind of
economy Lowell discusses?
Together, answer/discuss the
supporting question. (Optional
questions for possible teacher use are
listed under the video.)
After Lowell’s description of
economic impact and giveaways,
what parallels can we draw to our
own households?
Formative performance task
Discuss the following questions: (1)
How many people currently live in
your house? (2) How does that
impact the way things are divided
in your household? Give examples.
(3) In what different ways can one
be generous at home, at school, or
in the community?
Discuss what Lowell meant when
he said that the “richest man in the
village was the one who had the
least because he gave it all away.”
Featured sources
Not specified in the archived lesson.
Summative performance task · Argument
Each student writes and illustrates with a drawing what the following quotation means
to him or her personally:
Performance
Task
“The richest man in the village was the man who had the least because he gave it all
away.”
Extension
Not specified in the archived lesson.
Taking informed action
Each student is given one “generosity ticket” to give away to a person in the class when a generous
act is noted. A classroom list of these acts is kept to be shared at a later date as examples of what
“generosity” can include.
The complete archived text is retained here, including details that may extend beyond the inquiry blueprint.
Read the full archived lesson text
Inquiry Design Model (IDM) Blueprint™
“Generosity and Resiliency” | OSEU 7: Way of Life & Development
Compelling
Question
What does it mean to be the “richest man in the village?”
Standards and
Practices
OSEU 7.1 Identify policies that were established during the Self Determination Era which created a
change for tribal communities and reinforced the essential philosophy of the Oceti Sakowin,
demonstrating resiliency.
Economics 4.E.1.1 Discuss what factors (both positive and negative) influence individual choices.
Staging the
Question
How is it possible to be the “richest man in the village” and give it all away?
Supporting Question 1
Supporting Question 2
Supporting Question 3
What historical event resulted in tribal
lands being divided among tribal
members, marking the end of
communal land ownership?
How does generosity among the people
of the Oceti Sakowin demonstrate
resiliency?
After Lowell’s description of
economic impact and giveaways,
what parallels can we draw to our
own households?
Formative Performance Task
Formative Performance Task
Formative Performance Task
The teacher will tell students about
the Dawes Act of 1887 (General
Allotment Act) as necessary
background for video.
Watch the elder interview with Lowell
Amiotte. Discuss the following
questions: (1) How did family size
impact the monetary value of land? (2)
How did the loss of larger amounts of
land affect the ability of the tribal
members to be generous? (3) What are
giveaways as described by Lowell? (4)
In what ways do these giveaways
demonstrate the different kind of
economy Lowell discusses?
Together, answer/discuss the
supporting question. (Optional
questions for possible teacher use are
listed under the video.)
Discuss the following questions: (1)
How many people currently live in
your house? (2) How does that
impact the way things are divided
in your household? Give examples.
(3) In what different ways can one
be generous at home, at school, or
in the community?
Discuss what Lowell meant when
he said that the “richest man in the
village was the one who had the
least because he gave it all away.”
Featured Sources
Featured Sources
Featured Sources
The teacher can refer to Google or
Wikipedia for basic facts.
http://www.wolakotaproject.org/oseu-
seven-lowell-amiotte-moccasin-
economy/
Summative
Argument
Each student writes and illustrates with a drawing what the following quotation means
to him or her personally:
Performance
Task
“The richest man in the village was the man who had the least because he gave it all
away.”
Extension
Taking Informed
Action
Each student is given one “generosity ticket” to give away to a person in the class when a generous
act is noted. A classroom list of these acts is kept to be shared at a later date as examples of what
“generosity” can include.