May 27 TTOC 2026 - Pocahontas - John Smith Letter Questions & CBC Indigenous Perspective Oral Story - Pocahontas

 Attendance

Yesterday - Students completed a viewing of the 1995 Disney Pocahontas film/story.

Settler/Colonial Version

Focus: Traditional European/colonial telling of Pocahontas

Task:

• Next - Class To Re-Read - excerpt - (Paper handout at the front of the room for each student- link to handout below) - read aloud as class. Students received this yesterday - extra copies if need be at the front.

  Letter by Capt. John Smith to Queen Anne (1617)

  From The General Historie of Virginia by Capt. John Smith, 1624; The Fourth Booke, in Lyon Gardiner Tyler, ed., Narratives of Early Virginia 1606–1625 (New York, 1907), pp. 326–327. 

• Task: Students to individually complete and answer the 3 questions posed at the bottom of the handout. They can keep their work. NO need to hand in. Time to complete 10-15 min.

Next - post question completion and review  - class: discussion:

•  
  • How is Pocahontas described in this first person colonized excerpt?
  • What role does Pocahontas play in John's recount?
  • Who is centered in John's version?
• • What personal values are emphasized in John's account?

Next - Indigenous Perspectives

Focus: Indigenous storytelling and historical interpretations

Activities:

• Listen to linked oral telling of the story below Story 2 - Indigenous-authored telling of the story of Pocahontas

Information and perspectives on the historical experiences, contributions, and contemporary realities of Indigenous peoples. - via SD19 - Resources Indigenous Education Department

 - Telling Our Twisted Histories - CBC - Words connect us. Words hurt us. Indigenous histories have been twisted by centuries of colonization. Host Kaniehti:io Horn brings us together to decolonize our minds– one word, one concept, one story at a time.

Task - Listen to Story 2 - linked below. CBC - 20 min

Story 2

POCAHONTAS

• After Listening to this piece - Teacher - Review - Focus On:
  • Pocahontas as a real person (Matoaka)
  • Her age, experiences, and role in her community
• Compare Indigenous Perspective with Settler Perspective:
  • What is different in this oral telling of the story vs. the Disney version you viewed students OR John Smith's memoir letter?

Discussion Questions:

• Who has the authority to tell this story?
• Why might these versions differ?

Media Representation – Back To - Disney Analysis

Focus: How media shapes understanding

Activities: Students write their answers to the below - this activity will help with their upcoming final project. *They can keep their work.

• Re: Full Disney film viewed yesterday and day prior.
• Guiding questions for students to answer and write down:
  • What stereotypes are present in the Disney Film?
  • How is romance portrayed in the film?
  • What historical inaccuracies did you identify in the Disney film?

Pair Work:To help with their upcoming individual projects

• Students fill out a 3-column chart:
  • What Disney shows
  • Historical facts
  • Indigenous perspectives

Discussion:

• Why might Disney change elements of the authentic story?

Comparing Perspectives

Focus: Synthesizing learning

Activities:

• Students - to help with your upcoming projects - Keep your work upon completion individually create a Venn Diagram or comparison chart:
• Settler vs Indigenous Perspectives re: the Pocahontas  story - vs blank paper available behind teacher desk under kettle. Keep your work students.

May 29 - Library Lesson with Mr. Wilson - In prep for our project! BC Digital Classroom