Lesson 13: Braiding Sweetgrass, “The Honorable Harvest,” Understanding the Principles

Have students take out their Homework Journals and copies of Braiding Sweetgrass and turn to “The Honorable Harvest” chapter on p. 153.

• Lesson 12 Homework: Students were instructed to read “The Honorable Harvest” in Braiding Sweetgrass (pp. 153–175) and annotate one or two moments in their Journal where they see connections to ideas we have already discussed: reciprocity, limits, gratitude, or thriving.

Quick Write

Instruct students to do a Quick Write to respond to the following prompt.

Say these Directions: What is one connection you noticed between “The Honorable Harvest” and earlier chapters? Write two to three sentences explaining the connection. Try to include vocabulary words from earlier in the unit, such as reciprocity, limits, gratitude, and thriving.

• One major connection is the theme of reciprocity and gratitude toward the Earth, which Kimmerer introduces early on with the wild strawberries and revisits during the harvest. She reinforces that for a community to be thriving, we must recognize our limits and honor the relationship between humans and plants. This is best captured when Kimmerer writes, "The Honorable Harvest asks us to give back, in reciprocity, for what we have been given" (p. 169).

Connection to Today’s Learning

• Say: Today, we will discuss the key principles laid out in the Honorable Harvest and relate them to Kimmerer’s central ideas of reciprocity, gratitude, and respect for the earth.

Using Context Clues

Target Words: sustainability, restore

• Say: Today, we are going to use context clues to figure out what two important words mean. Context clues are the words and ideas around a tricky word that help us make a smart guess before we check a definition. First, we will read the full set of surrounding sentences so we can notice what the paragraph is saying overall.

Display the target sentences.

Say these Directions: Read the target sentences:

• "The traditional ecological knowledge of Indigenous harvesters is rich in instructions for sustainability. They are found in Native science and philosophy, in lifeways, and practices, but most of all in stories. Stories that are told to help restore balance and to locate ourselves once again in the circle." (p. 155)

• Ask: What is the gist of these sentences?

  • The gist is that Indigenous knowledge includes teachings about how to live in balance with nature, and stories help people remember and return to that balance.

• Say: Now we are going to zoom in on the clues around each word. Look for words or phrases in the sentences that help you figure out what sustainability and restore mean.

• Ask: What words or phrases around sustainability help you infer its meaning?

  • The phrase “rich in instructions” is a clue because it shows sustainability is something people can learn how to do. The ideas Native science, philosophy, lifeways, and practices also show that sustainability is a way of living.

• Ask: What words or phrases around restore help you infer its meaning?

  • The phrase “restore balance” is a clue because it shows something is being brought back into order. The words “once again” are also a clue because they show that balance existed before and is returning.

• Say: Use the clues you found to make a smart guess about each word. Your first meaning does not have to be perfect. It just needs to fit what the paragraph is saying.

• Ask: Based on the context clues, what does sustainability probably mean in this paragraph?

  • In this paragraph, sustainability probably means living in a way that keeps nature healthy and balanced over time.

• Ask: Based on the context clues, what does restore probably mean in this paragraph?

  • In this paragraph, restore probably means to bring balance back after it has been harmed or lost.

• Say: Good readers test their guesses by putting the meaning back into the sentence. If the sentence still makes sense, the guess is probably close. If not, we revise it.

• Ask: If you replace sustainability with your inferred meaning, does the sentence still make sense? Why?

  • Yes. The sentence would say that Indigenous harvesters have instructions for living in a way that keeps nature balanced over time, and that matches the author’s message.

• Ask: If you replace restore with your inferred meaning, does the sentence still make sense? Why?

  • Yes. The sentence would say that stories help bring balance back, and that fits with the idea of returning to the circle once again.

• Say: Now check your guess using a dictionary, glossary, or thesaurus (print or digital) to find the word’s precise meaning. If the word has multiple meanings, choose the one that fits the context.

• Ask: After checking a reference material, which parts of your inferred meanings were accurate?

  • My meaning for sustainability was accurate because it included keeping balance over time. My meaning for restore was also accurate because it included bringing something back.

• Say: Then verify your guess by rereading for context or checking a dictionary. Revise your understanding if needed. Write the verified definition in your notes. This last step matters because readers confirm their understanding instead of stopping at a first guess.

Connection to Today’s Learning

• Say: Today, we are going to discuss the principles of the Honorable Harvest as explained in Chapter 16 of Braiding Sweetgrass. Concepts like sustainability and attempts to restore balance and reciprocity to the environment are key to these principles.

Part A: Analyzing the Principles of the Honorable Harvest (RI.8.2, RI.8.3) (15 minutes)

Transition students into pairs to reread key sections of Braiding Sweetgrass, “The Honorable Harvest.”

Turn-and-Talk

Instruct students to take out their copies of Braiding Sweetgrass and work with their partner to skim “The Honorable Harvest” and discuss the questions below.

Say these Directions: Skim Chapter 16 of Braiding Sweetgrass with your partner to look for the answers to the questions below. Reread the chapter as needed, discuss the questions, and be prepared to share your thoughts in a whole-class discussion.

• Ask: Select one or two principles. How do your selected principles represent the central idea of reciprocity?

  • One of the principles: Never take more than half. Leaving some for others represents the central idea of reciprocity. For example, she says, “If we’re picking berries or gathering nuts, taking only what is given makes a lot of sense” because the berries “offer themselves,” but we must continue to “plant” in order to give back (p. 166).

• Ask: Choose ONE principle. What specific example does Kimmerer give to illustrate this principle? How does this example show what it means to "live responsibly within natural systems"?

  • We chose the principle “Ask permission before taking. Abide by the Answer.” Kimmerer illustrates this through the example of harvesting leeks (wild onions) in the woods. She explains that a responsible harvester does not clear-cut a patch just because it is there. Instead, she describes the act of looking at the abundance of the patch and takes from the “center of a patch” so it can help “the growth of the remaining plants” (p. 163). This example demonstrates that living responsibly within natural systems requires a conscious recognition of limits and honoring the permission given to you by the plants. By taking only what is necessary for survival or health, it ensures that the plant population continues to thrive and that there is a “long-term benefit to plants and people" (p. 163).

• Ask: Where do you see the words sustain or restore connected to the Honorable Harvest principles?

  • The word sustain is explicitly used in the principle "Sustain the ones who sustain you" (p. 171). This principle requires humans to protect the very biological systems that provide their food and medicine. The Honorable Harvest principles are designed to restore a sense of balance between taking and giving. For example, when we "Give something in return," we are helping to restore the nutrients or energy we took from the earth, ensuring the cycle of life continues through reciprocity.

Circulate through the room as students work, asking pairs to briefly share their answers to the questions.

Part B: Discussing the Principles of the Honorable Harvest (RI.8.2, RI.8.3, SL.8.1.a) (15 minutes)

Transition student pairs into small groups.

Collaborative Idea Board

Provide each small group with one blank copy of the 3-Column Chart graphic organizer. Instruct student groups to label the three columns: “Principle,” “Example from Text,” and “What It Shows About Living Responsibly Within Natural Systems.”

Explain that student groups will complete the chart as a way to analyze the principles of the Honorable Harvest and how they connect to one of the essential questions for the unit: What does it mean to live responsibly within natural systems?

Say these Directions: As a group, complete the organizer to analyze the principles of the Honorable Harvest. Label the three columns of the organizer “Principle,” “Example from Text,” and “What It Shows About Living Responsibly Within Natural Systems.” Complete the 3-Column Chart graphic organizer by discussing and recording:

• Principle of the Honorable Harvest

• Example of how the author illustrates this principle in the chapter

• How the principle connects to the essential question:

  • What does it mean to live responsibly within natural systems?

Transition students into reflecting on their learning from the lesson by completing a Quick Write response.

Quick Write

Say these Directions: Using the evidence from the chart, synthesize the information to answer the question:

• Which principles of the Honorable Harvest are most clearly illustrated with specific examples in the text, and how do those examples show what it means to live responsibly within natural systems?

  • The principle of "Share” is best illustrated by the hunter, Oren, making “moccasins” for families and feeding “all three families” when he hunts his deer (p. 169). This example shows that living responsibly means to live with gratitude, and by sharing, you are demonstrating that “gratitude” (p. 169).

Instruct students to complete the following homework in preparation for the next lesson.

• Read the chapter “In the Footsteps of Nanabozho: Becoming Indigenous to Place” in Braiding Sweetgrass (pp. 178–189) and annotate for the lessons Nanabozho learns about living with nature in your Journal.