Native Americans and Indigenous Peoples

The following is a handout providing information on the current and historical challanges faced by American Indians.

https://pixabay.com/en/eliza-archie-wall-painting-portrait-226583/

Activity begins with warm-up of images showing native American culture alive today in North America. The main purpose of the activity is for students to write a letter to President Obama.

https://pixabay.com/en/dreamcatcher-native-american-1082228/

A series of though-provoking questions to measure awareness of Native American influences in U.S. history and culture.

In this lesson, students view photographs which document Native American voices and explore the themes of identity, cultural displacement, and resilience. Native America exists beyond stereotypes...

Standards aligned

https://pixabay.com/en/uluru-australia-nature-travel-2613817/

How the indigenous Australians used fire to change their environment

https://pixabay.com/en/desert-drought-landscape-sand-tree-2227962/

The peoples COP15 will see activists, indigenous locals and grass routes representatives come together to discuss the climate change issue. There will be music theater and exhibitions throughout...

Navajo Times Lydia Chais' interview of Peter McDonnell, surviving Code Talker Bill Donovan, Navajo Times freelance reporter

https://pixabay.com/en/john-stanley-painting-oil-on-canvas-81527/

Smithsonian Institute

Native American stories and songs recorded over 100 years ago are the only known sound recordings of several indigenous languages. They're being rescued by something called optical scan technology...

https://pixabay.com/en/john-stanley-painting-oil-on-canvas-81529/

Power point of how Native Americans survived from our lands rich resources.

Essential question: How has the government shutdown affected everyday life in America?

In this activity, students will look at historical images to learn about three types of Native American dwellings — teepees, pueblo adobe structures, and hogans. Students will make observations...

Common Core

Art, Dance, Language and MusicBack to top

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Brother Sun, Sister Moon & Yup'ik Moon Song - Master artist, storyteller and dancer, Chuna McIntyre, performs traditional Yup'ik dance and song accompanied by percussion on a hand drum. He...

American Indian Dance Theatre features Native American dances, music, regalia, and traditions in a theatrically staged presentation. Two pieces are highlighted: "The Eagle Dance" & "The Hoop...

https://pixabay.com/en/rock-art-aboriginal-culture-art-444867/

Aboriginal Art

American Indian/Alaska Native Heritage Month takes place each November and is a great way to celebrate the traditions and cultures of the first Americans. Colorín Colorado salutes the rich history...

This article about the evolution of language instruction in Native American communities over the past 30 years was written for Colorín Colorado by Dr. Catherine Collier, a leader in the fields of...

Cherokee Syllabary

A reading passage about Sequoyah, creator of the Cherokee syllabary (alphabet). It has some background on his work and describes the impact literacy made on the Cherokee. It includes pictures of...

Sovereignty and RightsBack to top

The typical Thanksgiving story involves a harmonious meeting between "Pilgrims" and "Indians." Unfortunately many details of the history of indigenous people are left out of U.S. History textbooks...

George Littlechild

The lesson plans in curriculum unit take an in-depth look at the history of U.S. expansion and Indian policy, and present the voices and perspectives of Native Americans on the Lewis and Clark...

Columbus Day is a federal holiday that commemorates Christopher Columbus’ landing in the Americas (the “New World”) on October 12, 1492. It became an official holiday in 1937. For many, the...

Carte de la Louisiane et du cours du Mississipi (detail), Library of Congress Geography and Map Division (call number: G3700 1718 .L5)

In this episode of 60-Second Civics, we discuss early European settlement of North America and explore Cahokia, a large and culturally important Native American settlement in what is today...

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0

Indigenous Peoples Day, alternative to Columbus Day celebrations, Berkeley, CA, October 2012. By Quinn Dombrowski, USA [CC BY-SA 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Once again this year many schools will pause to commemorate Christopher Columbus. Given everything we know about who Columbus was and what he launched in the Americas, this needs to stop.

...

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This lesson is part of a five day unit on European Imperialism. In this lesson students gather evidence for a written argument. Using a blend of both literary and informational text allows...

Common Core

Join the Bill of Rights Institute and Share My Lesson for a webinar examining the liberty and equality for...

Citizenship, Part 18: Native American citizenship.
In this podcast from 60 Second Civics we begin our discussion of the legal status of Native Americans in the United States.

Citizenship, Part 20: The Indian Citizenship Act.
In this podcast from 60 Second Civics we describe the Indian Citizenship Act of 1924.

There is a decades-old controversy over the Washington Redskins’ name and recently it has come back into the news in a major way. The Washington Redskins, a National Football League (N.F.L) team,...

The Rohingya people are an ethnic minority group (the vast majority of whom are Muslim) in the country of Myanmar, a predominantly Buddhist country. The Rohingya numbered about one million people...

Teenage Kara girl from the Omo River Valley in southwestern Ethiopia. Her community is on the verge of losing their culture and self-sustaining way of life.

Jane Baldwin

In this lesson, students explore photos of the Kara tribe and discuss the environmental and cultural impacts of the Gibe III dam in Ethiopia. Indigenous communities find their self-sustaining ways...

Standards aligned

Nature and Climate ChangeBack to top

Facts about the many diverse and indigenous tribes of the rainforest regions

Shelton Kokeok looks through his window at the eroded shoreline. His home is the last one on this part of the island, which is still resisting erosion. Nine years ago, he moved his home 100 feet inland, but the erosion has progressed greatly since then. He doesn't have the resources to move again.

In this lesson, students view a photo essay which documents an island in Alaska impacted by climate change and discuss connections between community, traditions, and place. Indigenous communities...

NGSS

Indigenous people—nature’s first defenders—play a vital role in sustaining our planet. This lesson enables students to understand that role and to explore the many perspectives and issues involved...

The U.S. National Park Service marked its 100th anniversary in 2016, and PBS NewsHour Student Reporting Labs observed the milestone by producing video stories about national parks across the country in a series called “America the Beautiful.”

Essential question: Whose job is it to protect public lands?

Related CollectionsBack to top

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Find new ways to teach your students about the meaning of the Thanksgiving holiday. Share My Lesson's vetted collection includes free K-12 lesson plans, activities and resources that explore this...

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English language learners, or ELLs, have become a large piece of the educational landscape for many educators. And teachers recognize that as student demographics change, they may need to learn...

Native Americans and Indigenous Peoples

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