Thunder Rolling in the Mountains

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. Consider the significance of land and nature in Indigenous cultures. How might a connection to the land shape a community’s identity and response to external threats?

Teaching Suggestion: This question relates to the theme of Connection to Home. To strengthen student understanding of this topic, you might encourage your class to look at land acknowledgements all over the country. They could research which tribes live or used to live on the land where they currently live, then you could extend this Short Answer with the additional task of having students write a land acknowledgement. Writing a thoughtful land acknowledgement might involve significant research, so you might consider putting students in groups for this activity.

• “Native Perspectives: Land Ownership” - In this summary, three Indigenous experts discuss the history of tribal land and how their tribes perceive land ownership.
• “A Guide to Indigenous Land Acknowledgement” - This article from the Native Governance Center explains the importance of land acknowledgements and gives guidance on how to write them.

2. Research the US government’s policies toward the Nez Perce in the late 19th century. How might these policies have impacted tribal communities? How do you think these policies impact Indigenous communities to this day?

Teaching Suggestion: This question connects to the theme of The Unavoidability of War During Colonization. To give students a more complete picture of the Nez Perce, you may wish to have them research the history of the tribe even before European settlers arrived. This will help students understand the tribe’s Connection to Home and why there was a war over the land.

• “The Treaty Period” - This article from the National Park Service provides information on the US government’s dealings with the Nez Perce prior to the events of the novel.
• “History” - This article from the Nez Perce Tribe discusses the history of the Nez Perce and how government policies from the 19th century impact modern day members.

Personal Connection Prompt

This prompt can be used for in-class discussion, exploratory free-writing, or reflection homework before reading the text.

Think about traditions or customs your family observes. How do they shape your understanding of who you are and where you come from?

Teaching Suggestion: If students have trouble thinking of examples, consider using some examples from your own life or this website. You could also ideate with the class to create a list of traditions and customs on the board, which may help students develop ideas. To help students understand the impact of traditions and customs on identity, consider asking them how their life would be different without them.

Differentiation Suggestion: Artistic students and visual learners might benefit from drawing their customs or traditions, while students who thrive with verbal expression might appreciate the opportunity to choose an artifact from home and present it to the class, explaining what tradition it represents and how it shapes their understanding of who they are.