Searching
for Oklahoma
Barbara
Howry, Putnam City West High School, Oklahoma
City
Overview
Many
Oklahomans do not have a positive image of our state.
Indian Territory did not become the state of Oklahoma
until 1907, so as a young state we have not had the
time to develop a consistent image. Knowing that many
of my students hear negative comments about our state
at home, I wanted to take my time with them and try
to give them some positive images about our rich history
and beautiful state. Since no one can definitively
decide where Oklahoma is located in these United
States—West, Southwest, Midwest,
South, Central Plains, Heartland, or Plains—I believe
it even more important to look at who we are as Oklahomans.
When
I found Michael Wallis’ book Way Down Yonder in the
Indian Nation, which is a collection of stories
about Oklahoma, I knew the piece “Searching for Hidden
Rhythms in Twilight Land” would be perfect for my students
to really look at their place. I wanted to start with
only the first couple of paragraphs because the language
is poetic and full of great images. My objective with
this assignment was for students to look at Oklahoma’s
colorful beginnings and to appreciate our history in
perhaps a new way.
I
also wanted the students to think for themselves about
what impressed them about the geography of our state.
While most people think we are the flat lands, only
part of our state fits that description. Many of my
students don’t even realize that in the eastern part
of the state there are mountains and a National Forest.
I spend time showing a video our tourism department
produced that shows all the areas of our state so my
students can be more aware of it.
Instructional
sequence
1.
For several days before assigning the writing about
“My Oklahoma,” have students use their writer’s notebook
to direct their thinking about what they see around
them and Oklahoma’s history.
2.
Show video and pictures of Oklahoma landscapes for students
to know about the changing geography in the state.
3.
Read out loud in class the excerpt from the book Way
Down Yonder in the Indian Nation, “Searching for
Hidden Rhythms in Twilight Land” by Michael Wallis.
4.
Discuss Wallis’ piece, in particular pointing out the
importance of his mentioning some of the images like
“calloused hands,” “wildcat gusher coming in,” and “million-dollar
deal cemented with a handshake.”
5.
Students are to compose a piece of writing describing
their Oklahoma. They can use Wallis’ piece as a model,
or they can come up with their own format. However
they choose to go about the assignment, students need
to make sure the writing is their own.
Student
artifact
Oklahoma
is the red earth to seed by the North and South winds.
It is the lean structure of the Native American. It
is the breeding ground for homegrown heroes. It is
the land that offers gray cold winters and honeysuckle
sweet summers. It is the long ago home of the adventurous,
thrill-seeking cowboy. It is the wild stories of buffalo,
covered wagons, and tribes battling over the pride passed
down by their ancestors. It is the tiny towns tucked
deep into the landscape. It is the black oil that cascaded
over our history, setting the scene with fortune.
Oklahoma
is the state, the people, and the history. This pan
and its panhandle are full to the rim with surprising
greatness. The one state started by a race and a bullet
shot from a gun. Wagons rolling wild and people going
crazy over the free land and a chance to a new life.
I see the feathers mended together and worn on the Native
Americans brow, as a definition. This land defined
by true everlasting honor and pride of the Oklahomans
who realize that they belong to something very full
of culture, and built from the ground up.
-- Cassie
Teacher
reflection
This
activity is one of the first assignments I tackled when
I begin dealing with the concepts of community, home
and place. I really enjoy working on this with my students.
Even though they have had Oklahoma History before they
get to me, I am amazed at what they don’t know about
our state. Perhaps the way we are able to discuss our
interesting history gives them another view of who we
are as Oklahomans. Of course, the fact that they do
their own thinking and writing about the many aspects
of their homeland definitely gives them a new perspective
of who they are in relation to their place. I am amazed
at the writing I get from this assignment. I especially
like the fact they are able to visualize such great
images and convey them in their writing.
Since
we do this writing early in the term, many students
go back to it when they are putting their writing portfolio
together later in the term. I am always surprised at
the number of students who choose this piece to include
in their portfolio. By the time they are working on
their portfolio, we have completed many more discussions
and writings, so students often make revisions to their
original piece that add texture and richness to their
writing. I will continue to use this assignment because
I get such positive feedback from my students, who often
say they have never thought about Oklahoma in such a
positive way.
Curricular
Crossing
--Students
could examine the negative images of their regions through
television, newspapers, advertisements, etc. As the
negative images are located, consider the following
question: Who promotes the negative images and,
more importantly, why do they persist? A follow-up
activity could involve students discussing and writing
rebuttals to the negative images projected (see student
reflection in “Hometown History: The Hickory Flat Oral
History Project” by Peggy Corbett).
--Students
could examine their school’s image within the following
communities: the school itself, the neighborhood in
which the school exists, and the city in which the school
exists. Through interviews, students will investigate
their school’s image. Class discussions will allow
students to share their findings.
--A
social studies class could examine international editorial
cartoons, focusing on specific images, such as America
and its leaders. Students could then write reflective
essays or editorial letters. International editorial
cartoons can be found at http://cagle.slate.msn.com.
--Students
could observe their neighborhoods and/or communities,
writing or drawing something new they see each day for
a designated number of days.
