OBJECTIVE

Students will be able to name or draw the Three Sisters. Students will be able to plant a bean plant.

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

What is a companion?

What is our local tribe?

Who are the Three Sisters?

How does sister bean help her other sisters grow?

How do I plant a bean seed?

MATERIALS

Chart Paper

In the Three Sisters Garden by JoAnne Dennee

4 packs for planting

Bean seeds

Soil

PROCEDURE

Introduction: Start by telling students that we are going to start learning about the Three Sister and tell them this is a beautiful Native American planting strategy.
Review or introduce the local Native American Tribe. On Martha’s Vineyard this is the Wampanoag Tribe.
Ask students if they know what tribe lives on the island. Remind students that ancestors (define ancestors if necessary) of the Wampanoag people have lived here for over 10,000 years and before stores they grew their own food. Feel free to dive into how Native Americans helped the Pilgrims grow food when they arrived or save this for a later lesson.
Before you read the legend of the Three Sisters, ask students to pay special attention to how the sisters work together and help one another, especially Sister Bean. At this time also make sure to explain what a Native American legend is and how they can be used to make sense of the wonders of the natural world around us. 
Read the legend of the Three Sisters from In the Three Sisters Garden by JoAnne Dennee or any other version you find. 
Question how they help one another and make a list together or skip if short on time and just brainstorm
“Now we are going to plant sister beans so we can observe how she grows so tall and tries to wrap around sister corn.”
Activity Guided Practice: Model how to plant a bean seed and how to make a label with date, name and student name. Discuss how we will care for these plants by giving them water, air sunlight and space once they get bigger. As you model, have students observe the size and shape of the seed. Tell students that seeds are usually planted 2-3x as deep as the size of the seed so deeper for bigger seeds and shallower for smaller seeds. 
Independent Practice: After modeling, split students into groups of four and have them each plant one bean plant. Start a few extra just in case! Water the plants, make sure they are labeled and put them somewhere in the classroom where students can watch them grow!
Wrap Up/Assessment: To check for student learning use an exit ticket where students list or draw the Three Sisters. Alternatively do a quick check where students tell you one of the Three Sisters before returning to class.

Extensions: In the next class observe bean plants, water them and learn about sister squash! 
Students can take their bean plants home or they can be planted into the garden if teaching this lesson in the spring
Variations: Leave out making a list of what each sister does if you are short on time or have a class with a shorter attention span
Have students work together to plant the bean seeds instead of 1 per child if short on seed