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. Where do the Apache live? Can you name any of the different tribes that make up the Apache people? List any facts you know about their history and culture.

Teaching Suggestion: This prompt’s intent is to assess and activate students’ prior knowledge. Unless your students have significant, accurate background knowledge regarding the Apache people, the prompt is probably best answered in writing, as any misinformation students share in discussion may make it more difficult for peers to retain accurate information later. The resources listed below offer basic information about the Lipan Apache, which is the specific tribe that Little Badger and her protagonist, Ellie, belong to. Before offering these resources to students, you may wish to stress that information about the Lipan Apache does not apply to all Apache tribes, as there is considerable variation among the tribes.

• This overview details the community’s history, from a site hosted by the Lipan Apache Tribe itself.
• This article by the National Park Service includes history about the tribe and some brief cultural information about the Lipan Apache.