TeachersFirst Native Americans' Contributions to American Culture
Native Americans, the indigenous peoples of North America, have had a huge impact on the fabric of American culture, shaping the nation's identity in countless ways. This comprehensive collection of resources offers a deep dive into the indigenous peoples’ influence on the United States, spanning from pre-colonial times to the present day. From agricultural innovations and environmental stewardship to art, language, and political thought, these materials highlight the diverse and significant impacts of hundreds of distinct tribal nations. This curation includes a selection of historical documents, oral traditions, archaeological findings, and more in the fields of medicine, military service, literature, music, and cuisine. It serves as a testament to the resilience, creativity, and ongoing importance of Native peoples in shaping American culture and identity.
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American Experience: Native Americans - PBS LearningMedia
Grades
6 to 12
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The American Experience: Native Peoples collection on PBS LearningMedia provides educators with a curated selection of documentaries and resources that delve into the histories, cultures,...more
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The American Experience: Native Peoples collection on PBS LearningMedia provides educators with a curated selection of documentaries and resources that delve into the histories, cultures, and experiences of Indigenous communities in the United States. Topics covered include the forced relocations such as the Trail of Tears, the impact of government-run boarding schools on Indigenous children, Native American involvement in the Civil War, and the American Indian Movement's role in events like the Wounded Knee occupation. These materials offer valuable insights to enhance classroom discussions and promote a deeper understanding of Native American histories and contemporary issues.
tag(s): civil war (141), native americans (116)
In the Classroom
After exploring topics like the Trail of Tears or Native American boarding schools, have students create a timeline using Timeline, reviewed here or Timelinely, reviewed here that includes both historical events and modern Indigenous rights movements or cultural revivals. After viewing a clip on government-run boarding schools, students can write a fictionalized journal entry from the perspective of an Indigenous child attending one of these schools, using historical details to guide their writing. Using inspiration from the We Shall Remain series, instruct students to create a digital collage using PhotoCollage, reviewed here or short video using Animoto, reviewed here.You must be registered and logged in to add items to your favorites.
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Monah - Monah
Grades
9 to 12
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Monah offers lessons on the First People, including the Black Kettle and the Washita River Massacre, The Sterilization of Native American Women in Oklahoma, The Tonkawa People: A Retracing...more
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Monah offers lessons on the First People, including the Black Kettle and the Washita River Massacre, The Sterilization of Native American Women in Oklahoma, The Tonkawa People: A Retracing of Steps from Texas to Oklahoma, Choctaw Code Talkers of World War I, Quapaw Nation Food Sovereignty, and Osage Massacres and Gender Roles. Lesson plans include an introduction, materials, learning objectives, slides, quizzes, websites, primary sources, and map activities.
tag(s): native americans (116)
In the Classroom
Students can engage in the lessons presented as they are from the site. They can also take a virtual tour of the Museum of Native American History Monah Virtual Tour. Students can also compare two different groups/tribes of Native Americans. Compare using a tool such as ClassTools Interactive Venn Diagrams reviewed here. You can click on the right side to choose between a two or three-circle Venn diagram.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Indigenous Rights and Controversy over Hawaii's Maunakea Telescope - Facing History & Ourselves
Grades
6 to 12
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Facing History & Ourselves Indigenous Rights and Controversy over Hawaii's Maunakea Telescope offers a free lesson on why the Native Hawaiians opposed its construction. The lesson...more
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Facing History & Ourselves Indigenous Rights and Controversy over Hawaii's Maunakea Telescope offers a free lesson on why the Native Hawaiians opposed its construction. The lesson gives a historical context for understanding the protests against constructing the Thirty Meter Telescope on Maunakea. The site includes two activities, a handout, articles, and videos. The lesson itself is adaptable and can be shared on Google Classroom.
tag(s): hawaii (10), native americans (116), telescopes (11)
In the Classroom
Students can engage in the lesson as it is on the website. Students can create a timeline using Google Drawings, reviewed here. Students can debate these issues by providing reasons for or against them. Students can use an online debate tool like Kialo Edu reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Coyote Story - Crow Animations
Grades
4 to 8
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The video "Coyote Story" tells the story of Coyote discovering a group of ducks and devising a plan to trick them. This traditional Chippewa tale, shared in the Ojibwe storytelling...more
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The video "Coyote Story" tells the story of Coyote discovering a group of ducks and devising a plan to trick them. This traditional Chippewa tale, shared in the Ojibwe storytelling tradition, aims to bring Native American stories to broader audiences while preserving the rich language and cultural heritage of the Ojibwe people. If your district blocks YouTube, then the video may not be viewable.
tag(s): native americans (116), stories and storytelling (65)
In the Classroom
Have students retell the story of Coyote and the ducks using illustrations or puppets they create. Encourage them to focus on the sequence of events and the lessons learned. Challenge students to write their own Coyote story, following the traditional format using Book Creator, reviewed here or on paper. Assign students to research the Ojibwe people, focusing on their storytelling traditions, culture, and history. They can present findings as a poster or a multimedia presentation using Canva, reviewed here or Visme, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Complete History of Indigenous People Before Colonialism - Chronicle
Grades
6 to 12
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The Chronicle video "The Complete History of Indigenous People Before Colonialism" explores the rich history and traditions of pre-Columbian Native American life, as narrated by Dr....more
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The Chronicle video "The Complete History of Indigenous People Before Colonialism" explores the rich history and traditions of pre-Columbian Native American life, as narrated by Dr. Evan Adams, an Indigenous Canadian actor, playwright, and physician. It provides a three-hour video divided into chapters, making it accessible for specific topics like creation stories, ancient tools, and cultural traditions. The video features "like" timestamps for easy navigation and a synchronized transcript for immersive learning. The message "In 1492, our world was changed forever. But we did not disappear" captures the resilience and ongoing significance of Native cultures, inviting students and educators alike to delve into this history. If your district blocks YouTube, then this video may not be viewable.
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tag(s): colonial america (97), native americans (116)
In the Classroom
Provide blank maps of the Americas and have students label regions with the Indigenous groups discussed in the video. Include a key for languages, traditions, or significant achievements. Using a free tool like Class Tools reviewed here or Canva, reviewed here, students can build timelines highlighting major events and cultural milestones for Native American societies before European contact. Students research how specific Indigenous groups preserved their traditions post-1492. They can present findings as posters or slideshows/videos using Google Slides, reviewed here or FlexClip, reviewed here, connecting past resilience to present-day Indigenous activism. Assign students to read and compare creation stories featured in the video with myths from other cultures they've studied. They can create Venn diagrams to identify similarities and differences.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Picaria: A Zuni Pueblo Math Game - National Indian Education Association
Grades
6 to 8
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"Picaria: A Zuni Pueblo Math Game" introduces a traditional Native American strategy game from the Zuni Pueblo culture, designed for students in grades 6-8. This engaging activity combines...more
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"Picaria: A Zuni Pueblo Math Game" introduces a traditional Native American strategy game from the Zuni Pueblo culture, designed for students in grades 6-8. This engaging activity combines cultural learning with critical thinking and mathematical skills. The document includes detailed instructions for playing Picaria, a game similar to tic-tac-toe, with background information on its cultural significance. Teachers can use this resource to enrich math or social studies lessons, encouraging strategic thinking, problem-solving, and an appreciation for Indigenous traditions in an interactive and meaningful way.
tag(s): native americans (116), problem solving (242)
In the Classroom
After playing the game, discuss the cultural significance of Picaria and its origins in the Zuni Pueblo. Have students research other Indigenous games and share their findings with the class. They can use Google Slides, reviewed here or Canva, reviewed here to make digital presentations of their findings. In math class, analyze the strategies used in Picaria and connect them to mathematical concepts like probability, patterns, or logic. Have students write about or present the mathematical strategies they used to win. Challenge students to design their own versions of Picaria boards using geometry and measurement concepts. Host a class-wide Picaria tournament where students compete in pairs. Use a bracket system to track progress, encouraging strategic thinking and friendly competition.
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In Our Words - First Thanksgiving - Discovery Ed
Grades
8 to 12
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This Discovery Education video explores Indigenous perspectives on the first Thanksgiving, providing a more inclusive look at the holiday's history. By centering on Indigenous experiences,...more
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This Discovery Education video explores Indigenous perspectives on the first Thanksgiving, providing a more inclusive look at the holiday's history. By centering on Indigenous experiences, it highlights the cultural practices and contributions of Native American tribes, particularly the Wampanoag people, who were instrumental in helping the Pilgrims survive their first years. It also addresses the challenges, misunderstandings, and significant contributions of Indigenous peoples, offering a more balanced view of Thanksgiving than traditional narratives. This resource can encourage students to consider multiple perspectives and develop a deeper, more respectful understanding of Indigenous cultures and histories surrounding this holiday. Teachers can use the video to prompt discussions on historical empathy, perspective-taking, and the importance of acknowledging all voices in history.
tag(s): empathy (38), holidays (228), native americans (116), perspective (23), thanksgiving (25)
In the Classroom
Students can create visual art or a collage that contrasts traditional Thanksgiving imagery with representations of Indigenous cultures and perspectives. They can use a free resource such as PhotoCollage, reviewed here. Have students explain their artwork in a gallery walk format, fostering discussions about historical accuracy, respect, and representation. Provide students with primary sources like excerpts from Pilgrim diaries or early colonial documents. Ask them to analyze the sources to identify different perspectives and motivations, encouraging critical thinking about reliability, bias, and how history is documented. Students can write a reflective essay on how learning about Indigenous perspectives of the first Thanksgiving has altered their understanding of the holiday. Encourage them to research present-day perspectives from Indigenous voices and suggest how these insights might change their approach to Thanksgiving traditions.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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DocsTeach American Indians Primary Resources - National Archives
Grades
6 to 12
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DocsTeach is a versatile educational website designed by the National Archives to provide teachers with primary source documents and interactive activities. The "American Indians" section...more
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DocsTeach is a versatile educational website designed by the National Archives to provide teachers with primary source documents and interactive activities. The "American Indians" section offers a wealth of resources for teaching about the history and culture of Native American peoples. Educators can access historical documents, photographs, maps, and videos that explore various aspects of Native American life, policies, and U.S. government relations. Teachers can use these primary sources to create custom lessons or use pre-made activities to engage students in critical thinking and historical analysis.
tag(s): cultures (242), native americans (116)
In the Classroom
After exploring primary documents about U.S. policies towards Native Americans, organize a classroom debate on key issues like land treaties, the Indian Removal Act, or the reservation system. Students can be assigned roles representing different perspectives, such as Native American leaders, U.S. government officials, or settlers, allowing them to deepen their understanding of the issues involved. Create stations with different primary sources, such as treaties, photographs, or government policies related to Native Americans. Students rotate between stations, analyzing each document and responding to prompts. Have students use primary sources to create an interactive timeline of significant events in Native American history, such as the Trail of Tears, the establishment of reservations, or key legal decisions using a resource such as Time.Graphics Timeline Maker, reviewed here.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Living Nation, Living Words: A Guide for Educators - Library of Congress
Grades
7 to 12
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The Living Nations, Living Words Educator Guide from the Library of Congress offers a rich resource to explore contemporary Native American poetry and culture. This guide is designed...more
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The Living Nations, Living Words Educator Guide from the Library of Congress offers a rich resource to explore contemporary Native American poetry and culture. This guide is designed to accompany the Living Nations, Living Words poetry collection, featuring works by 47 Native American poets. The educator guide provides thoughtful lesson plans and activities that help students engage with themes of identity, resilience, and connection to land through poetry. The guide focuses on Indigenous perspectives and voices. It helps teachers create meaningful discussions in English/language arts, social studies, and cultural studies classrooms, fostering a deeper understanding of Native American contributions to literature and society.
tag(s): cultures (242), native americans (116), poetry (196)
In the Classroom
Have students create visual art pieces that represent the themes or imagery from selected poems. Assign students to research the cultural background and history of a specific Native American tribe represented in the poetry collection. Students select a poem from the Living Nations, Living Words collection and conduct a close reading. They analyze the poem's themes, imagery, and cultural significance. Following their analysis, students create their own poem inspired by the original work, incorporating similar themes or cultural references.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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White Cloud: A Hero to His People - National Gallery of Art
Grades
4 to 7
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The Heroes and Heroines lesson from the National Gallery of Art website explores the painting White Cloud, Head Chief of the Iowas by George Catlin, offering a rich resource for ...more
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The Heroes and Heroines lesson from the National Gallery of Art website explores the painting White Cloud, Head Chief of the Iowas by George Catlin, offering a rich resource for classroom instruction. Teachers can use this lesson to engage students in discussions about historical figures and Native American culture. The lesson includes guided questions, information about White Cloud's leadership, and an analysis of Catlin's artistic choices. In the classroom, this resource can spark conversations about leadership, cultural representation, and the role of art in documenting history. Activities like art projects or research assignments on historical figures can further enrich the learning experience.
tag(s): art history (111), cultures (242), native americans (116)
In the Classroom
Organize a short reenactment of White Cloud's journey to Europe. Students can role-play different figures, such as White Cloud, his companions, and George Catlin. Assign students to a Native American tribe affected by the Indian Removal Act and have them research the tribe's culture, geographical displacement, and challenges during the period. Students can create their own portraits of a modern-day hero using mixed media. Have students write a journal entry from White Cloud's perspective, detailing his journey to London and his feelings about representing his people.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Visualizing History - Clio Visualizing History
Grades
3 to 12
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Cliohistory.org is an educational organization that develops engaging online history projects designed to assist educators through documentaries, websites, and other media. Viewers...more
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Cliohistory.org is an educational organization that develops engaging online history projects designed to assist educators through documentaries, websites, and other media. Viewers learn about various American historical events through virtual history and photography exhibits. A few examples are: Votes for Women, Quilts As a Visual History, Native Americans: Our First Historians, among others. Some exhibits contain ready-made lesson plans, and videos for grades 3-12.
tag(s): history day (39), native americans (116), womens suffrage (64)
In the Classroom
Engage your students in learning about history with interactive maps, multimedia resources, and primary and secondary sources. All students, especially visual learners, will find these resources help them connect with historical events and figures more personally to make history feel more relevant and engaging. Enhance learning by having students create a timeline of historical events using Padlet, reviewed here. Use the exhibits as writing prompts to analyze historical information. Have students explore an exhibit as a resource for a research project, then create a multimedia presentation of their findings using Genially, reviewed here, where students will have a choice for their presentation format.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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National Museum of the American Indian - Smithsonian Institution
Grades
K to 12
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The National Museum of the American Indian contains an expansive collection of Native American artifacts. In addition, the museum's online offerings share photographs, media, and additional...more
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The National Museum of the American Indian contains an expansive collection of Native American artifacts. In addition, the museum's online offerings share photographs, media, and additional resources for educators and students. Browse through the homepage to view current exhibits and events; online events are clearly labeled, and there is a different section with a link to all online resources. Be sure to visit this site section to find links to various topics, including poetry, Native American women, and much more. Select the link from the dropdown box at the top of the page to view materials provided for educators. Included in the resources for educators is Native Knowledge 360 Education Initiative, reviewed here, which offers many teaching resources, including lessons, media, and professional development webinars. If your district blocks YouTube, then the videos may not be viewable.
tag(s): explorers (65), native americans (116), primary sources (120), professional development (272), thanksgiving (25), westward expansion (41)
In the Classroom
Be sure to bookmark this site for use with lessons on Thanksgiving, using primary sources, or when teaching about Native Americans. Consider using curation tools such as Padlet, reviewed here, or Wakelet, reviewed here, to organize resources for easy retrieval. Padlet and Wakelet are also handy when sharing information and resources with students. As you begin your lessons on American Indians, begin with a formative assessment to gauge your students' understanding of the topic. Use an easy online quiz tool such as Baamboozle, reviewed here, to engage students in your learning activities. As you continue in your lessons, continue to motivate and engage students using Wooclap, reviewed here, to review information either in class or as a homework activity. Instead of testing to assess knowledge upon completing your unit, offer students the opportunity to share their understanding of content in various ways. Examples include creating an infographic using Canva Infographic Maker, reviewed here, an explainer video made using Clipchamp, reviewed here, and an interactive map built using Google My Maps, reviewed here.
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Indigenous Peoples of the Americas - The Kennedy Center
Grades
K to 8
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This diverse collection of resources provides many opportunities to experience the culture of Indigenous Peoples of the Americas through visual arts, dance, music, and more. Resources...more
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This diverse collection of resources provides many opportunities to experience the culture of Indigenous Peoples of the Americas through visual arts, dance, music, and more. Resources include lessons for grades K-8 that focus on learning about indigenous people through integrating the arts with science, social studies, and language arts. Other resources include videos that feature Native Americans discussing their crafts through interviews and storytelling. The videos are hosted on YouTube. If your district blocks YouTube, then they may not be viewable. Lessons correlate to National Core Arts Standards, Common Core, and Next Generation Science Standards.
tag(s): cross cultural understanding (176), cultures (242), dance (32), holidays (228), native americans (116), north america (15), stories and storytelling (65)
In the Classroom
Print lesson plans during Native American Month, as a supplement to social studies lessons about cultures and states, or during geography lessons. Lesson plans are available in PDF format or as Google Documents; save any lesson to your Google Drive as a copy of the original document and edit it to fit your curriculum or adapt it as desired to fit current lessons. Use any or all materials found on this site as a personalized learning lesson for students to complete in person or remotely. For example, add a video, poem, and reflective activity, and additional materials to a SchoolStack, reviewed here, an activity that offers students a choice of learning materials and activities. Consider asking students to work in collaborative groups to research indigenous people based on their interests. For example, have a group explore dance, another their art and sculpture, and a group that researches geographic locations of the different tribes. Ask each group to share their learning by creating simple websites made with Telegra.ph, reviewed here. Telegra.ph provides simple website creation tools without all the distractions of backgrounds, templates, and other distractions. Easily add text, images, and links to any Telegra.ph site.
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Native American Heritage Collection - PBS LearningMedia
Grades
3 to 12
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Learn about Indigenous art, history, and culture with the PBS LearningMedia Native American Heritage Collection. This collection of teaching resources includes videos, lesson plans,...more
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Learn about Indigenous art, history, and culture with the PBS LearningMedia Native American Heritage Collection. This collection of teaching resources includes videos, lesson plans, media galleries, learning interactives, and more! Open each resource in this collection and find entire lessons already created for you. Share items quickly with your students with the share to Google Classroom or sharing links. Teachers can use the site's included Lesson Builder to create detailed lesson plans customized just for them. A free account is required to download and save resources.
tag(s): native americans (116)
In the Classroom
Use this collection during Native American Heritage month to dive deeply into studying America's Indigenous people and culture. Teachers can enhance learning by downloading videos and creating interactive questions using tools such as Edpuzzle, reviewed here. Resources from this collection include support materials that you can use with Kami, reviewed here, or upload to your learning management system. Many included resources have comprehension or discussion questions that classes can discuss digitally with tools such as FigJam, reviewed here.
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Native Knowledge 360 Education Initiative - Smithsonian Institute
Grades
K to 12
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Find support for teaching about Native Americans with the many resources found at Native Knowledge 360. Access live and recorded professional development webinars that feature guidance...more
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Find support for teaching about Native Americans with the many resources found at Native Knowledge 360. Access live and recorded professional development webinars that feature guidance on the proper use of primary sources, understanding problematic narratives about Native Americans, and much more. Browse through the lesson resources to view and use featured activities, handouts, digital posters, and more. The search feature includes tools to filter searches by grade level, subject, region, or format of resources. Several lesson options are available in Spanish. This website also offers free virtual field trips led by museum educators; advance registration is required. These events fill up quickly; sign up to receive newsletters and updates to receive notification in advance of event signups.
tag(s): native americans (116), thanksgiving (25), westward expansion (41)
In the Classroom
Replace some (or all) of your current written Native America resources with the genuine artifacts and stories available for viewing on this site. Use Padlet, reviewed here, to organize important information and resources found on this site to share with students. As students learn about Native Americans, instead of written or oral presentations, ask student groups to create quizzes for their classmates using a quiz-creation tool like Baamboozle, reviewed here. Baamboozle is a quick and easy resource for creating and sharing quizzes for teams of two. As a final project, transform and extend student technology and learning by using Book Creator, reviewed here, to create class books sharing information about Native Americans. Book Creator is a digital book creation site offering the ability to add images, text, video, and more. Be sure to share student-created books on your class website or blog after publication.
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Native American Heritage Month - Described and Captioned Media Program
Grades
K to 12
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Each November, we celebrate American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month. This site provides a series of videos for students to learn about the history and stories of Native Americans....more
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Each November, we celebrate American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month. This site provides a series of videos for students to learn about the history and stories of Native Americans. The website features five video series, broken into the categories of A History of Native American Achievement, Native American Culture, Native American Folklore, Native American History, and Celebrate Native American Educators. Each video includes suggested grade level use and links to content standards. Most videos are available as a preview, register for your free account to view videos in full.
tag(s): commoncore (60), native americans (116)
In the Classroom
Include these videos as part of your studies of American Indians and their heritage. Engage students by making the videos interactive using edpuzzle, reviewed here, to add both teacher and student comments. Use Google My Maps, reviewed here, for extending learning when students create virtual field trips sharing locations and information found during their research of American Indians. Have students create interactive timelines using Timeline Infographic Templates, reviewed here, for younger students, or Timeline JS, reviewed here, for older students who can include music, photos, videos, maps, comments, and more.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Reading Treks: Buffalo Dance The Journey of York - TeachersFirst
Grades
10 to 12
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TeachersFirst Reading Treks create a virtual field trip of resources about a piece of literature or text using the My Maps feature of Google Maps. This Reading Trek provides inspiration...more
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TeachersFirst Reading Treks create a virtual field trip of resources about a piece of literature or text using the My Maps feature of Google Maps. This Reading Trek provides inspiration and suggestions for using the trade book Buffalo Dance The Journey of York. Get to know York, the only enslaved man on the Lewis and Clark expedition, through these poems that provide insight into how and what York may have felt and thought. Use our robust Instructional Guide with students in grades 10-12. Content correlates to Common Core Standards, ISTE Student Standards, and National Curriculum Standards for Social Studies. Find the entire selection of Reading Treks here.
tag(s): 1800s (72), commoncore (60), explorers (65), lewis and clark (13), poetry (196), westward expansion (41)
In the Classroom
Take advantage of the many suggested classroom uses for this resource found on the Instructional Guide (PDF). As a class, discuss social justice situations within the school, the community, state, nation, and the world. To enhance learning and the discussions of online information, use Fiskkit, reviewed here, as a collaborative discussion tool. Fiskkit allows you to highlight and add comments to online articles. Have students share their written work, including poems, to bulb, reviewed here. bulb includes free resources for creating and sharing online portfolios that include images, written work, and video making it perfect to use for sharing student work during parent conferences and when submitting college applications.
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Reading Treks: The Journey of York The Unsung Hero of the Lewis and Clark Expedition - TeachersFirst
Grades
2 to 6
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TeachersFirst Reading Treks create a virtual field trip of resources about a piece of literature or text using the My Maps feature of Google Maps. This Reading Trek provides inspiration...more
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TeachersFirst Reading Treks create a virtual field trip of resources about a piece of literature or text using the My Maps feature of Google Maps. This Reading Trek provides inspiration and suggestions for using the trade book The Journey of York The Unsung Hero of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. York, the only enslaved man on the journey, did not choose to go. Slaves did not have choices. However, his contributions to the expedition were valuable, and this is his story. Use our robust Instructional Guide with students in grades 2-6. Content correlates to Common Core Standards, ISTE Student Standards, and National Curriculum Standards for Social Studies. Find the entire selection of Reading Treks here.
tag(s): 1800s (72), commoncore (60), explorers (65), lewis and clark (13), native americans (116)
In the Classroom
Take advantage of the many suggested classroom uses for this resource found on the Instructional Guide (PDF). Consider using the historical information and primary sources from the book to have students create timelines of the important events throughout the time of Lewis and Clark's explorations. Find a variety of free online timeline creation tools at located here. Using the map and locales, trace and then calculate distances for some of Lewis and Clark's travels.
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Americans - Smithsonian Institution
Grades
6 to 12
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Take a virtual field trip to the National Museum of the American Indian Americans exhibit that features the American Indian identity since before the birth of the United States. Click...more
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Take a virtual field trip to the National Museum of the American Indian Americans exhibit that features the American Indian identity since before the birth of the United States. Click on gallery images to read and learn more about the artifacts shared including coins, dolls, posters, and much more. Additional links take viewers to videos and displays telling the story of Thanksgiving, Queen of America (Pocahontas), The Removal Act, and The Indians Win.
tag(s): battles (17), native americans (116), thanksgiving (25), westward expansion (41)
In the Classroom
Replace some of your current written Native America resources with the genuine artifacts and stories available for viewing on this site. Introduce the site to students on your interactive whiteboard to demonstrate the different features available and how to find them. After students have time to explore, create groups to do in-depth research within the four different featured areas. Create a Padlet, reviewed here, with four columns for students to share web and video resources found during their research. Instead of written or oral presentations, ask student groups to create quizzes for their classmates using a quiz-creation tool like Baamboozle, reviewed here. Baamboozle is a quick and easy resource for creating and sharing quizzes for teams of two. As a final project, transform student learning by using Book Creator, reviewed here, to create class books sharing information about Native Americans. Book Creator is a digital book creation site offering the ability to add images, text, video, and more. Be sure to share student-created books on your class website or blog after publication.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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The Ancestral Pueblo People - National Park Service
Grades
6 to 10
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Discover a wealth of information about the Bandelier National Monument, the Pueblo people in New Mexico and their historical significance beginning 15,000 years ago. Gorgeous pictures...more
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Discover a wealth of information about the Bandelier National Monument, the Pueblo people in New Mexico and their historical significance beginning 15,000 years ago. Gorgeous pictures bring the history of the Pueblo people to life in screens with short, informative pieces to read. Be sure to click the "Learn About the Park" tab at the top to find virtual tours, multimedia, more images, history and culture, and other topics of interest.
tag(s): archeology (29), geology (61), native americans (116)
In the Classroom
Assign this activity in pairs when studying native Americans. The student challenges teach about the Ancestral Pueblo people and how they adapted to their harsh environment. The text portions might be challenging. Pair weak readers with a strong reader. Allow your ENL/ESL students to try using a text to speech program such as Text to Speech Reader, reviewed here, that will allow these students to follow the text as the article or passage is read to them.
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