How These Elementary Students Paid Homage to Native Americans Who First Lived on their School Land
Ask Students: Where is the elementary school described in this story located? Who was the mural paying tribute to besides the school?
Summary
A group of 5th graders at Valley Elementary School in Poway, California, partnered with ArtReach San Diego to paint a mural on their campus that celebrates their community and the Kumeyaay Tribe, whose Native land the school sits on. NewsHour Student Reporting Labs went to the school to delve into the journey of this project.
Discussion Questions
- Where is the elementary school described in this story located?
- What is the program that works with Title I schools described here?
- Why did this project allow all students to participate?
- Who was the mural paying tribute to besides the school?
- How does this mural represent the school?
Focus Questions
The principal interviewed in this story talks about incorporating Native American people once on the land through the elementary school mural. What are other ways that teachers can teach their students how to pay tribute to Native Americans who first inhabited the land?
Media Literacy: Having learned about this unique mural, in what ways can journalists bring awareness to native people in their reporting? Check your local newspaper to see if there is a story about a mural in your town or region.
Additional Learning
Look at the different parts of the mural. What part speaks to you? Why
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Additional Activity: Who Came Before You?
Here’s the map of the American Indian tribes who had lived on the land long before settlers colonized it. What tribes lived on the land your school is located on? Did you learn about them in school? Find a similar map to the one you saw in this video on the internet. If you are not sure how to find it, what search terms do you think would help you?
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Additional Resources
Developing Empathy Through Indigenous Cultures and Stories
Activity, Handout, Lesson Plan, Presentation, Worksheet | Grades 3-12, Professional Development
Republished with permission from PBS NewsHour Classroom.
PBS NewsHour Classroom helps teachers and students identify the who, what, where and why-it-matters of the major national and international news stories. The site combines the best of NewsHour's reliable, trustworthy news program with lesson plans developed specifically for... See More
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