MCPS - Global Access

Economics and Geography Lessons

The Goat in the Rug


MCPS Status of Book as of 4/4/96:
Approved as Library Book for Grades K-2


Title: The Goat in the Rug by Charles L. Blood and Martin Link with illustrations by Nancy Winslow Parker (Aladdin Books, New York, NY, 1990 edition)

Lesson Developed by Patricia King Robeson

Literature Annotation: This story is told by a goat named Geraldine who lives on a Navajo reservation with Glenmae, a Navajo weaver. Glenmae decides to make a rug using the wool from Geraldine. The story explains the steps Glenmae follows in order to make her rug. Geraldine explains how she gets into trouble because she does not understand what Glenmae is doing.

Grade Level: 3-5 Note: Third-grade teachers may wish to delete the "Who Produces More?" Worksheet.

Duration: 2 to 3 class periods

Economic Concepts: Scarcity; Production; Consumption; Natural, Capital and Human Resources

Geography Themes: Place, Region

MSPAP Outcomes and Indicators:

Economic Outcome: Students will demonstrate an understanding of the historical development and current status of economic principles, institutions, and processes needed to be effective citizens, consumers, and workers in American society.

Indicators:

Geography Outcome: Students will develop an understanding of geographic concepts and processes as needed to examine the role of culture, technology, and the environment in the location and distribution of human activities.

Indicators:

Objectives: Students will be able to:

Vocabulary: natural resources, capital resources, human resources, artisan, assembly line, productivity

Materials:

Teacher Background: Knowledge of natural, capital and human resources; assembly lines and productivity

Lesson Development:

Review/Motivation:

  1. Explain to students that today you are going to read a book called The Goat in the Rug. The story is about a Native American weaver who combines her human resources with natural and capital resources to weave a rug. On the chalkboard write the words: natural resources, capital resources and human resources. Define these words with the students:

  2. Ask students to name natural resources that were used to make items in their classroom - (trees for wooden items, sand for glass items, rubber for erasers, iron ore for steel in desk, petroleum for plastic and so on.)

  3. Ask students to name capital resources found in the classroom. (scissors, pencils, books, desk, clock, book bags, computers and so on - Items which students or teachers use in order to perform a task or service.)

  4. Ask the student to name human resources needed in the school - (teachers, principal, cafeteria works, secretaries, building engineers and so on.)

  5. Explain to the students that this story takes place on an Indian reservation near a place called Window Rock, Arizona. Ask a student to locate Arizona on a U.S. map. Explain that an Indian reservation is land the government has set aside for the Native Americans to live on and maintain their tribal way of life. Tell the students that in the story Glenmae uses many natural and capital resources from this region to make a rug..

  6. Read the story.

Activities:
Story Discussion:
Use the following questions to discuss the story:

  1. How did Glenmae use the natural resources found in Window Rock to make a rug? (Glenmae used the wool from her goat to make yarn, plants to color the yarn, fire to boil water, rocks to set her pots on and water to mix the dyes.)

  2. What capital resources did Glenmae use to make the rug? How did she use them. (Shears to cut the wool from Geraldine, hammer to chop roots, bucket to wash the wool, frames to dry the wool, stool to sit on while working, wool cards for removing twigs or burrs from the yarn, spindle to spin the wool into yarn, house for Geraldine, dyes from the store to color the yarn, and loom for making the rug.)

  3. How would you describe the physical setting of Window Rock? (Window Rock is located in the desert region of Arizona. Large rocks are found there and the town is named after a rock with a big round hole in it. Much of the land is flat and dry and has very few tall trees. It has small bushes and wild plants which Native Americans use for dyes, medicine and food. Native Americans use the land to meet their basic needs for food, clothing and shelter.)

  4. Do you think many people live in Window Rock? (Window Rock is located in the desert and resources are limited or scarce. This region gets little rainfall and is located on the edge of the Navajo Indian Reservation. This limits the size of the town because it cannot expand in all directions. It is located far from big cities and transportation hubs. But it is a tribal center for the government and, therefore, may be larger than other nearby towns.)

  5. What are some of the ways the Navajo people might use rugs? (Rugs can be used as blankets which are worn, slept under, and hung on walls for protection against the weather.)

  6. Do you think Glenmae could make many rugs in a year? Explain your answer. (Glenmae made the rug all by herself and it took a long time. Also, the size of the rug would determine how long it would take to make. In the story Geraldine's wool had almost grown back by the time Glenmae completed her rug. She could only make one rug in a year from Geraldine's wool because, it takes one year for a goat to grow a new coat of wool.)

  7. Today Navajo weavers still make rugs the way Glenmae made her rug. Do you think these rugs are expensive? (These rugs are very expensive because they are hand-made and require lots of work, special skills and a special natural resources - the goat's wool.)

  8. How do you think Glenmae used the money she earned from selling her rugs to meet her needs and wants? (Glenmae could use the money to buy food and clothing and other goods or services she needed.)

Resources Activity:
Give each student a copy of the "Natural and Capital Resources" picture boxes and worksheet. Instruct them to cut out the picture of resources and paste them on the "Natural and Capital Resources" worksheet under the correct title. Ask students to justify the placement of each of the items.

Conclusion/Closure:
Artisan Activity:

  1. Explain to the students that Glenmae was an artisan. Define an artisan as a skilled worker who makes a product from start to finish by herself or himself. These items are one-of-a-kind, and often take a long time to produce. Thus, few items can be produced. Tell the students that they are going to become "artisans."

  2. Give each student an 8" x 10" sheet of construction paper and instruct the students to watch as you demonstrate the steps they are going to use to make a placemat. Demonstrate how to fold the paper in half lengthwise. Start about 1" from the top of the paper and tear a line from the fold line to 1" from the edge of the paper. Make 8 or 9 tear lines about 1" apart. Stop 1" from the bottom of the paper. (See below)

  3. Instruct the students to fold their paper in half lengthwise and to make 8 or 9 tear lines about 1" apart.

  4. Give each student an 8" x 10" sheet of construction paper which is a different color than the first piece. Demonstrate how to tear 6 strips of paper about 1" wide in a lengthwise direction. (See below)

  5. Instruct the students to watch as you demonstrate how to weave the strips of paper in and out of the first piece. Continue until the placemat is completed. Allow the students time to complete their placemats. Record the average amount of time students needed from start to finish.

  6. Ask student to explain why they might be called artisans, and why Glenmae was an artisan.

  7. Display the students work.


Assembly Line Activity:

  1. Explain to the students that, in the early days of our country, many items which people needed for everyday life was made by artisans, but late in the 1700s the idea of an assembly line was born. Ask if anyone can define the term. Explain that on an assembly line, each worker specializes by doing one part of a job and everyone cooperates to make a product.

  2. Instruct the students to watch as you demonstrate how to make a placemat using tools.
    1. Fold one sheet of construction paper in half lengthwise.
    2. Place the ruler on the fold line and, with a pencil, make 9 lines one inch apart, down the paper.
    3. From the unfolded edge of the paper, measure over 1" and draw a line down the paper 1" from the edge. This line will show you where to stop cutting. Cut along the 9 lines, starting at the folded edge and stopping one inch from the unfolded edge.
    4. Take another sheet of construction paper and draw lines one inch apart, lengthwise down the paper.
    5. Cut the paper on these lines to get 6 strips, one inch wide.
    6. Now weave the strips in and out of the other piece of construction paper.
    7. Show the students the finished product.

  3. Divide students into groups of six and give each group 18 pieces of 8" x 10" construction paper of various colors, 3 pairs of scissors and 2 rulers. (Have more construction paper ready in case they need it.)

  4. Tell the groups that they are now workers in a factory that produces placemats. Explain that the materials tey have been given are their resources and that only these resources can be used to make the product.

  5. Tell the groups to decide among themselves who will do each job. For example, two people can do folding and measuring, withh two cutting, and two weaving. Allow 5 minutes for practice after the groups have assigned jobs.

  6. Instruct the groups to begin their production and that you are looking for quality work. Allow 15 minutes for them to make as many placemats as possible

  7. Ask each group to count to see how many placemats they successfully completed. Record the information on the chalkboard.

  8. To debrief, place a transparency of "Who Produces More?" on the overhead projector and complete and discuss this activity with the students.

  9. Give each group the "Assembly Line Placemats" worksheet and instruct them to answer the following questions. Discuss their answers after they have had time to complete the worksheet.

Thoughtful Application:
Natural Dyes Activity:

  1. The day before you plan to do this activity, ask the students to ask their parent or guardian to allow them to bring the following dye materials to school. List on the chalkboard: Turmeric (yellow), Paprika (red-brown), Cayenne Pepper (red), Cocoa Powder (beige), Dry Mustard (pale green), and Instant Coffee (brown).

  2. Place each of the "dyes" in separate plastic or paper bathroom size cups and add enough water to make a painting solution. Experiment by placing a swab in the solution and then draw a line on a sheet of paper. To make the color darker, add more "dye"; add more water to make it lighter.

  3. Divide students into groups of four and give each group cups of dyes, cotton swabs, and paper for making pictures. They may make a group picture or individual pictures. On the back of the picture, the students or groups should identify the natural human and capital resources used to produce the picture and answer the question, "What other natural, human and/or cpaital resources would have helped you produce a better picture?"

  4. Display the pictures.

Return to the Economics and Geography Lessons introduction page .

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Last updated on April 4, 1997
Maintained by John L. Day
<jday@umd5.umd.edu>