Native Americans

Indigenous People's Day and Native American Heritage Month (in November) are an opportunity to learn about Indigenous peoples' history, culture, and perspectives. 

Students learn about the growing effort to acknowledge the Indigenous people whose lands we inhabit - and create their own land acknowledgment statement.

Students deepen their understanding of an aspect of Indigenous peoples' relationship with the earth through two short films about peoples’ resistance to the loss of access to clean drinking water.

The holiday invites exploration of everything from American history to gratitude.

Students read about and discuss the movement by the Standing Rock Sioux and their allies to stop a pipeline - and the Army Corps of Engineers' decision to reverse its approval for the pipeline section, for now.   

Students untangle facts and myths about Thanksgiving through reading, discussion, and roleplaying through tweets.   

What is happening at Standing Rock? Students learn about and discuss the growing protest by the Standing Rock Sioux and their allies to stop a pipeline.   

In two readings and a media analysis exercise, students examine the campaign to change the Washington Redskins’ name and to end the use of stereotypical depictions of Native Americans in U.S. sports. 

Students learn about Chester Nez, the World War 2 Navajo code talker, who died on June 4, 2014. They consider why he was willing to help the U.S. war effort despite the terrible bigotry that he had endured. Through small group activities, students put themselves in Nez's place to encourage them to...

Students consider facts, myths and perspectives about Thanksgiving Day, including Native American perspectives.