Curated OER
Crossroads of the Continent: Early Trade in Kansas
Students study early Native American-European trade. They play bartering games to discover trade as an economic funtion, as well as other implications of trading one good for another.
Curated OER
Life of a Navajo Weaver
Students explore Native American weaving patterns and dance movements. In this Native Americans lesson plan, students view examples of weaving patterns on the Internet and compare the patterns to a Native American dance. Students...
Sargent Art
Glass Jar Sand Art: Inspired by Navajo Sand Painting
Sand has been used as an artistic medium for centuries and can be found in cultures across the globe. The class examines sand art created by the Navajo people. They mix tempera paint and sand to create their colors, and then fill jars,...
Curated OER
Indians in Georgia: How Do We Know What We Know?
Students discover archaeology by investigating the history of Native Americans in Georgia. For this U.S. history lesson, students participate in a mock archaeological excavation in their classroom by recovering artifacts and drawings...
Indian Land Tenure Foundation
Leaders' Decisions and Actions
Community leaders try to make choices that protect the community and the environment. Little ones learn about how tribal communities look to their chief to guide the decision-making process. Your class will become part of the community...
Scholastic
Pilgrim and Wampanoag Daily Life
A instructional activity looks at the Pilgrims and Wampanoag tribe during the first Thanksgiving. Scholars compare and contrast information presented by an online activity then discuss their findings. Learners examine the two group's...
Scholastic
Voyage on the Mayflower
After completing an online activity about the Mayflower, scholars draw a picture about what they know of the Thanksgiving holiday, including a one-sentence summary. A reading of If You Were at the First Thanksgiving by Anne Kamma is the...
Curated OER
Between the Rivers
Second graders compare and contrast historical American cultures. In this American history lesson, 2nd graders participate in reading, writing, oral, and hands on activities. Students discuss the similarities and differences between...
Indian Land Tenure Foundation
Relationship with Nature
After a class discussion that focuses on kinship and extended family, young learners explore how Native Americans have lived in clans and other forms of extended family divisions. Pupils also see how Native Americans relate to the...
Curated OER
Timeless Totems
Students respond an email from Roger Totem, who is the curator of a new museum opening. students discuss with the art teacher to explain the project and get support. Students, in accordance with the guidelines, divide into groups...
Curated OER
Plains Indians Pictographs
Students explore methods of written communication. In this Plains Indian instructional activity, students create pictographs representing everyday modern life after observing the pictographs used by the Plains Indians. Pictograph stories...
Curated OER
Transportation of the Tribes
Second graders compare the transportation system of the Eastern Woodland Indian Tribe and the Plains Indian Tribe. They use a chart imbedded in this lesson to further their understanding of the Plains Indians, then engage in a craft...
Indian Land Tenure Foundation
Elders' Stories
Very young learners study the ways that oral traditions play such a huge part in the culture of Native Americans. They see how Elders pass along stories to the younger generations. If possible, a tribal Elder comes into the class to...
Curated OER
Weather/Climate
Students examine traditional Native American weather/climate knowledge. They keep a weather journal and research cloud cover.
Indian Land Tenure Foundation
More Tribal Homelands
Here is a very fun idea that introduces young learners to how geographical location affects cultural development. They are introduced to four areas where Native Americans have lived in the past by reading stories and examining images....
Curated OER
Create Your Own Native American Board Game
Young scholars are asked to identify different parts of the Monopoly game. They discuss the different tokens, the play money, the houses, and the different places. Students are asked to hypothesize why the creator of the game, Charles...
Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary
Benjamin Franklin and the Long Struggle for Independence
Students explore U.S. history by reading biographical material in class. In this Benjamin Franklin lesson, students identify the life of Franklin and the events that led him to become one of America's first heroes. Students complete an...
Curated OER
Ft. Vancouver the Fur Trade: A Skin for a Skin
Young scholars study Fort Vancouver. They discuss trading and what is meant by "a skin for a skin." They complete math story problems that represent possible trading scenarios. They explore the Chinook Jargon trade language.
Curated OER
Games around the World
There are three little words every teacher is just dying to hear; investigate, discuss, and play. Kids love those words too, and they'll love finding out what types of things children did for fun long ago. As homework, they interview...
Curated OER
Parts of Art
Young scholars define and use new vocabulary associated with the elements of art. As a class, they brainstorm different ways in which we communicate with one another. In groups, they view different pieces of art from the Native American...
Curated OER
Happy Thankgiving: Traditions in Culture
Young scholars relate their own Thanksgiving experiences to those of the past through colonial games, Thanksgiving story books, and personal interviews. They develop a concept of how to celebrate Thanksgiving and plan a class time...
Curated OER
Cumulative Game on Native Americans
Second graders complete a written activity as well as play a review game about the Eastern Woodland Indian tribe and the Plains Indian tribe - natural resources, food, shelter, clothing, transportation, etc.
Curated OER
Field Trip to Living History Farms
Students tour "Living History Farms" in Iowa. In this field trip preparation lesson, students observe ways Native Americans began growing crops in the 1700's as well as how the farm changed in the 1800's. Upon their return from the trip,...
Curated OER
Language Arts, African Americans, Oral Tradition and the Blues
When slavery took Africans from their land, they were separated from the rich musical and oral traditions native to each country and region. While working as slaves, Africans found they had two places where they could use these musical...