Fry Bread
Fry Bread
Book Title: Fry Bread
Book Author: Kevin Noble Maillard
Book Illustrator: Juana Martinez-Neal
This book addresses: Indigenous culture and history
Potentially Tricky Vocabulary:
Sienna: an earthy color, can be a mix of brown, yellow, red, and orange
Powwow: an indigenous gathering, typically including singing and dancing
Heritage: something that comes from somebody’s ancestors, a shared history, culture, stories, or more
Tribe: a group of many families that share a culture and a history
Questions to ask the student before reading:
Does your family make any special foods? What are they?
Have you ever had fry bread before?
What do you know about the Indigenous (Native American) people in the US?
Historical context to give before reading:
Food is an important part of culture. Every culture around the world has its own foods that are special to it. Sharing food can mean many things, from a sign of friendship to a celebration of a holiday. People will often share memories, stories, and traditions while sharing food. This story shares the making and eating of fry bread, a delicious Native American food.
(The questions to ask the student and historical content above are interconnected. The historical context is typically going to be a supplement to what your student might not know. Some students may already be knowledgeable about a subject, others may not know much yet. Pay attention to what your student already knows and share the historical context accordingly.)
While reading:
This book discusses the joyful parts of indigenous culture and some of the sad history of what happened to indigenous peoples in the US. If your student has questions about indigenous culture or history as you are reading, answer them honestly and respectfully while keeping your student’s age in mind.
After reading:
What was your favorite page in the book?
Do you think that you’d like to cook fry bread at home?
Follow up activity (time permitting):
The front and back inside covers list many of the Indigenous tribes in North America. Try and find the Onondaga, Oneida, and Cayuga Nations. These are three of the six tribes that make up the Haudenoshaunee, the indigenous peoples that live in much of what we call New York.
Ask your student to think about a food that is special to their family. If they’re having trouble thinking of one, ask them what they eat around holidays or for birthdays or other celebrations, but it’s ok if your student just wants to do a favorite food instead. Ask your student to draw the food in the center of a blank piece of paper. They should then fill the space around the food with words describing it (think of the 5 senses!) and also words that describe how they feel when they eat it and when they eat it.
All definitions were adapted by Karina Connolly from the Merriam Webster online dictionary.