In November, Middle School students explored the history and significance of Native American oral traditions.

Designed by MS Language Arts Chair Ian Coupe and MS Social Studies Teacher Alina Nakos, the goal of the division-wide advisory activity was for students to reflect on the importance of storytelling in multiple communities, including their own families. 

The advisory period began with an introduction to Native American oral traditions and continued with a discussion of specific stories, their lessons, and their impact as an enduring form of historical record and cultural memory. Finally, students shared stories and traditions from their own families.

“We hope that students came away from this activity with an understanding that oral tradition in indigenous societies is a rich way of documenting history that encodes information in gestures, in tone of voice, in music,” shared Ms. Nakos. 
 
“We hope that they were able to make connections to the ways that their own identities and their families are shaped by the stories that they tell about themselves.”

By engaging with both Indigenous storytelling traditions and their own lived experiences, students gained a deeper appreciation for the power of narrative as a shared human practice that connects communities, preserves history, and celebrates identity.