TeachersFirst's Native Americans Resources
This editor's choice collection of reviewed resources from TeachersFirst is selected to help teachers and students learn about the rich heritage and legacy of Native Americans and to plan projects and classroom activities so students can explore the contributions and experiences of the native nations of North and South America. Whether you spend one class exploring these resources or plan an entire unit on Native Americans, the ideas included in the "In the Classroom" portion of reviews will launch discussions and projects your students will not forget.
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Illuminative Lesson Resources - Illuminative and the National Indian Education Association
Grades
K to 12
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This site shares many resources that provide accurate cultural information and representation of the Native Indian culture, which are available in most content areas, including math...more
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This site shares many resources that provide accurate cultural information and representation of the Native Indian culture, which are available in most content areas, including math and science. Download lesson plans that encourage students to explore and research the work of Indigenous leaders, learn about Native American recipes, and read about storytelling and traditions. Visit any link to access the lesson plan in PDF format, which includes activities and links to supporting materials.
tag(s): cooking (31), crafts (57), cross cultural understanding (170), cultures (147), game based learning (182), landmarks (21), native americans (97), poetry (194), stories and storytelling (51)
In the Classroom
Bookmark this site as a resource for lessons on Native American cultures that present information in a culturally accurate manner. Find lessons and activity guides that integrate into your current subject area lessons; for example, one activity is called "Picaria: A Zuni Pueblo Math Game." Picaria is a game of logic and strategy that easily integrates into math station rotations that involve games of logic and strategy. Ask students to use Canva Docs, reviewed here to create and share flyers that include instructions for games they play.
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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 (147), native americans (97)
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 (147), native americans (97), poetry (194)
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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Native American Mascot Controversy - The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica
Grades
6 to 12
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The Britannica entry on the "Native American Mascot Controversy" provides an in-depth look at the debate surrounding the use of Native American imagery and names for sports teams and...more
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The Britannica entry on the "Native American Mascot Controversy" provides an in-depth look at the debate surrounding the use of Native American imagery and names for sports teams and mascots. It explores the historical context, detailing how these mascots have long been considered offensive by many Native American groups, who argue that such representations perpetuate stereotypes and diminish the significance of their culture. The article also discusses key legal cases, decisions by educational institutions, and shifts in public opinion, as well as the broader conversation about cultural appropriation and respect for Indigenous peoples.
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tag(s): courts (20), cultures (147), debate (42), native americans (97)
In the Classroom
Challenge students to design an alternative, respectful mascot for a fictional sports team. Use a platform, such as Kialo Edu, reviewed hereto debate the topic. Have students research different Native American tribes and their cultural practices.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 (90), cultures (147), native americans (97)
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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The Gilder Lehrman Collection - The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History
Grades
6 to 12
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The Gilder Lehrman Collection, hosted by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, is a remarkable online archive offering access to a vast array of primary sources in American...more
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The Gilder Lehrman Collection, hosted by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History, is a remarkable online archive offering access to a vast array of primary sources in American history. Its collection encompasses more than 70,000 items, ranging from artifacts to documents, covering important moments and figures in American history from the 16th century to the present. This resource is an invaluable tool for educators and students, providing a deep dive into the events, figures, and themes that have shaped the United States. Accounts are needed to use some aspects of the site. Please check your district's policies before having students create accounts.
tag(s): 1900s (73), 20th century (62), bill of rights (31), civil rights (201), civil war (137), cold war (30), constitution (93), elections (81), electoral college (23), Juneteenth (22), maps (207), native americans (97), presidents (135), primary sources (119), railroads (14), slavery (78), supreme court (27), war of 1812 (15), women (144), world war 1 (78), world war 2 (161)
In the Classroom
Teachers use the provided discussion questions to enhance your unit of study. Use the questions to activate knowledge or to assess students. Students can search the site for primary sources that can be downloaded and used in reports or presentations. Display maps on whiteboards to show students important places in history. Have students view the online exhibitions centered around historical figures and events. English teachers can use the primary source documents to discuss writing structures and illustrate how written English has changed over the years.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Columbus/Indigenous Peoples Day - Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History
Grades
9 to 12
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Visit this site to access resources for teaching about Columbus/Indigenous Peoples' Day through various perspectives. Resources include links to a primary source document from 1585,...more
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Visit this site to access resources for teaching about Columbus/Indigenous Peoples' Day through various perspectives. Resources include links to a primary source document from 1585, videos, guided readings and essays, and lesson plans. Free registration is required to access all of the materials provided.
tag(s): columbus day (6), cultures (147), explorers (66), native americans (97), primary sources (119), westward expansion (39)
In the Classroom
Use the materials shared on this site to enhance your current lessons about Christopher Columbus and Indigenous Americans. Many lessons include using organizational frameworks like Frayer Models and adding a Frayer Model to Google Slides, reviewed here, or Microsoft PowerPoint, reviewed here for students to share their information digitally. Find ready-to-use Frayer Model templates on sites like SlidesMania, reviewed here, by using the search feature. As students explore the primary source documents and information shared during the lesson activities, use Padlet, reviewed here, to curate and share information with students. Add links for viewing primary source documents, supplemental articles, and videos related to the lesson topic. As a learning extension, ask students to share their understanding of history by creating websites using Site123, reviewed here, which provides documentation and reflection upon the different historical perspectives found during the lessons.
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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 (66), native americans (97), primary sources (119), professional development (407), thanksgiving (23), westward expansion (39)
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 (170), cultures (147), dance (30), holidays (181), native americans (97), north america (15), stories and storytelling (51)
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 (97)
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 American Month Resources for Teachers - Library of Congress
Grades
K to 12
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Start your search for Native American Heritage Month lessons and activities with the resources provided by the Library of Congress. This site includes a Teacher's Guide and primary...more
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Start your search for Native American Heritage Month lessons and activities with the resources provided by the Library of Congress. This site includes a Teacher's Guide and primary source resources from the National Archives, National Gallery of Art, and other national institutions. Lesson focus is on many different types of primary sources, including maps, artwork, and music.
tag(s): native americans (97), primary sources (119)
In the Classroom
Bookmark this site to use not only for Native American Heritage Month but as a supplement for any lessons that include activities that teach about Native Americans. Take advantage of the many free primary source Strategy Guides available at Read Write Think, reviewed here, for teaching with primary sources. For example, search for the Inquiry Charts (I-Guide) Strategy Guide to download and use the printout that helps students focus on the content of any primary source. Create an inquiry chart using Google Slides, reviewed here, or Jamboard, reviewed here, for students to complete as a group. Enhance learning through the use of a video add-on tool such as edpuzzle, reviewed here. edpuzzle offers options to add comments and questions into videos to help students focus on important concepts. Extend learning by asking students to share their understanding of Native Americans using a variety of online tools. For example, ask students to use Google My Maps, reviewed here, to create maps sharing information of different tribes found around the United States. Another option is to use Adobe Express for Education, reviewed here, and offer students options for creating videos Adobe Express Video Maker, or web pages sharing facts and information learned during your unit.
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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 (97), thanksgiving (23), westward expansion (39)
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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Wisconsin Biographies - PBS Wisconsin Education
Grades
3 to 6
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Wisconsin Biographies is a robust collection of information sharing the stories of famous people from Wisconsin. Each biography includes an interactive featuring videos, images, teaching...more
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Wisconsin Biographies is a robust collection of information sharing the stories of famous people from Wisconsin. Each biography includes an interactive featuring videos, images, teaching activities, and leveled reading booklets. Use other site features to create trading cards and build graphic organizers and timelines. Learn more about Wisconsin through three thematic videos that analyze the stories and provide context for how events connect over time.
tag(s): agriculture (48), biographies (95), civil rights (201), environment (245), journalism (72), native americans (97), recycling (45), slavery (78), wisconsin (5), womens suffrage (50)
In the Classroom
Use this fabulous site as part of your lessons on biographies or as you learn about the states. Ask students to choose one of the biographies as a starting point for researching other Americans. For example, after learning about Walter Bresette, challenge students to learn about others who teach about American Indian rights and protecting the earth. Extend learning by using this site as a model for student-created projects or as a class project. Use a website creation tool like about.me, reviewed here, to build a webpage to tell about the famous person being researched. Include a video created using Adobe Express for Education, reviewed here, to bring their story to life; find many ideas and templates to help students organize information on Read Write Think, reviewed here. When finished, upload student-created documents similar to the booklets found on the site. Use the idea maps found on the Wisconsin site to create a timeline or other graphic organizer and include it on the student webpage using a link or by uploading their saved PDF. Create and include a trading card using Canva Edu, reviewed here, and sharing a link on student pages.
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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 (75), native americans (97)
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 (75), commoncore (75), explorers (66), lewis and clark (14), poetry (194), westward expansion (39)
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 (75), commoncore (75), explorers (66), lewis and clark (14), native americans (97)
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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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 (26), geology (62), native americans (97)
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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Edward S. Curtis - The North American Indian - Northwestern University
Grades
9 to 12
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Between 1909 and 1930, photographer Edward Curtis set out to document the life and culture of the North American Indians, and this site shares his work. Like so many of ...more
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Between 1909 and 1930, photographer Edward Curtis set out to document the life and culture of the North American Indians, and this site shares his work. Like so many of his time, he viewed Native Americans as a "primitive" race of people whose customs were a source of curiosity. As westward expansion began to destroy the culture of indigenous people, Curtis wanted to record, through photographs and narratives, what he believed was a savage and mysterious world before it disappeared. While Curtis' work represented the popular viewpoint of his time, today we recognize that it is, at best, the impressions of someone who neither understood nor particularly valued what he was recording. This digital reproduction of the entire project needs to be carefully previewed and introduced so that we don't perpetuate this way of viewing Native American life. In fact, some of the images of the ceremonial life were never intended to be seen by "outsiders," and their use today is controversial. The site does a good job of setting the context for the use of Curtis's work and helps establish respectful boundaries.
tag(s): difficult conversations (61), native americans (97)
In the Classroom
We have come a long way from the study of Native Americans as a single generic group. Careful use of the images and narratives from Curtis' work can help illustrate that outdated mindset and provide a contrast to today's understanding of the contributions indigenous Americans have made to US history and culture. Share these images on your interactive whiteboard or projector as part of a guided discussion.Add your comments below (available only to members) | Become a Member
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Seminole Tribune - Seminole Tribune of Florida
Grades
4 to 12
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Published monthly, The Seminole Tribune of Florida is the official newspaper of the Seminole Tribe of Florida. Current issues and archives are available via PDF download. Click...more
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Published monthly, The Seminole Tribune of Florida is the official newspaper of the Seminole Tribe of Florida. Current issues and archives are available via PDF download. Click on the appropriate tab at the top, or scroll to the bottom menu. The cultural information includes art, basketry, beadwork, housing, clans, language, legends, green corn dance, food and recipes, and clothing. Read an explanation about the current government within the tribe. Florida Seminole Tourism offers information for events and places to visit. Note: You do not need to subscribe to use this site. Simply click to view Current Issue or Archives. Scroll to to the very bottom to find the link for the Archives.
This site includes advertising.
This site includes advertising.
tag(s): civil rights (201), cross cultural understanding (170), cultures (147), myths and legends (24), native americans (97)
In the Classroom
Use this site to study the Seminoles as part of a unit on Native Americans. Have students enhance their learning by comparing and contrasting to the Native Americans within your own state or region. Use an online tool such as Interactive Two Circle Venn Diagram, reviewed here. Use this as a resource when discussing civil rights. In language arts class, use it to explore legends.
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Carlisle Indian Industrial School - Dickinson College
Grades
6 to 12
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Discover the controversial legacy of the Indian School. In the last quarter of the nineteenth century, the US Government encouraged the establishment of so-called Industrial Schools...more
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Discover the controversial legacy of the Indian School. In the last quarter of the nineteenth century, the US Government encouraged the establishment of so-called Industrial Schools designed to "civilize" Native American children and prepare them for careers outside the reservations and within white society. Today the legacy of these schools remains controversial: did they provide children with useful skills, or were they a form of ethnic cleansing that robbed them of their culture, self identity, and heritage? The Carlisle Indian Industrial School is probably best known for being the home of internationally renowned athlete Jim Thorpe, but it is also part of the family history of many Native Americans today whose ancestors attended the Pennsylvania school. Dickinson College maintains this digital archive of student records, images and special collections for use by relatives of former students and by scholars doing research on the legacy of the Indian Industrial Schools. Search by student name, by nation, or within collections of school publications and other documents. The archive is an ongoing project and will continue to grow.
tag(s): colonial america (94), cross cultural understanding (170), difficult conversations (61), diversity (37), history day (39), identity (28), native americans (97), westward expansion (39)
In the Classroom
Too often US history survey classes broadly consider Native Americans and their role in the original colonization of North America, or their role in Westward Expansion, without taking the time to understand the differences among nations, or the impact of European settlement on these pre-existing societies. Even if there isn't time for in depth study, consider asking students to study the individual record of one young man or woman approximately their own age who attended the Carlisle Indian School. How old was he when he left home? What skill was she trained in? What happened to him after he left Carlisle? Enhance student learning by having students use Fakebook, reviewed here, to create a "fake" page similar in style to Facebook about the individual they researched. This personal contact with the real life of another student from another time and another culture will reduce the tendency to stereotype Native Americans as they so often are during the study of US History. Of course, the site is also a wonderful resource for in depth research such as a National History Day project. Were the identities of these people stolen? Use the resources Analyzing Before and After Photographs... and the Telling Lives: The Lost Ones Documentary Film to discuss identity and whether or not that was taken from these students.
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