A literature and cultural analysis lesson exploring setting, dual worlds, and heritage in Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve's short story 'The Medicine Bag'. Students examine the tension between the Iowa suburban setting and the Rosebud Reservation, trace how physical environments influence identity, and reflect on their own family heirlooms and traditions.
Have you ever felt self-conscious or proud about your family customs in front of peers? Explain.
5
Part 5: Synthesis Question
At the end of the story, Martin returns to the Rosebud Reservation to place the prairie sage inside the medicine bag. How has Martin’s understanding of place and identity shifted since the beginning of the story?
The Medicine Bag Literature Study Page 2 of 2 • Setting, Culture & Personal Connections
Question B (Dignity): Grandpa does not rush or hide. He walks with calm purpose, dressed in his finest ribbon-like clothes, holding himself with immense dignity despite his fatigue and fainting spell. His pride is internal, not theatrical.
The Medicine Bag Teacher Resource Page 1 of 2 • Pedagogy & Page 1 Answer Key
Worksheet Answer Key & Differentiation
Artifacts, Synthesis & Rubrics
Page 2
4. Part 3 Sacred Geography & Object Symbolism Guide
1. Broken Shell
Place: Northern high plains, remnant of ancient prehistoric inland seas.
Significance: Connects the wearer to the timeless land and the ancestors who walked it before written history.
2. Piece of Iron
Place: Found on a vision quest hilltop during an era of white westward expansion.
Significance: Represents Iron Shell’s vision, resilience, and adopting the iron trade to survive in a changing world.
3. Prairie Sage
Place: Wild sagebrush growing on the hills of the Rosebud Reservation.
Significance: Martin must harvest it himself, completing the generational circuit and cementing his personal commitment.
5. Part 4 & 5 Evaluation Criteria & Exemplars
Part 4: Personal Heirloom / Tradition Criteria:
Look for genuine reflection rather than material value. Valid student choices: a passed-down piece of jewelry, a grandmother’s handwritten recipe, cultural clothing, a family storytelling ritual, or a specific ancestral hometown. High-quality responses articulate why the object carries memory and reflect honestly on how peers view it.
Part 5 Synthesis Exemplar Response:
“At the beginning of the story, Martin views setting purely as a social mask—he enjoys living in suburban Iowa and only uses his Sioux roots to impress classmates with dramatic western stories. By the end, Martin recognizes that true identity requires honoring the sacred geography of Rosebud. When he travels back to the reservation to place sage into the medicine bag, he is no longer performing for his friends; he is embracing his lineage with solemn pride.”
6. Scaffolding & Extension Strategies
Support / Scaffolding:
Provide sentence starters for Part 1 (e.g., “In Martin’s neighborhood, kids expect... whereas on Rosebud, elders...”).
Allow students to sketch their personal heirloom before writing their explanation in Part 4.
Extension / Challenge:
Compare Cheryl’s reaction (Martin’s younger sister, who immediately invites friends) to Martin’s apprehension. What does this reveal about age and peer pressure?
Research contemporary Sicangu Lakota youth initiatives on the Rosebud Reservation today.
The Medicine Bag Teacher Resource Page 2 of 2 • Synthesis Exemplars & Differentiation
