Curated OER
Eagle Boy: A Pacific Northwest Native Tale
Learners read the story of the Eagle Boy. In this Native American Tale lesson, students discover the respect a boy has for wildlife. Learners discuss eagles and what they symbolize. Students create song lyrics for the story and describe...
Curated OER
Navajo Sand Paintings
Research the use of sand paintings in the Navajo tribe. Your learners work together to design their own sand painting. They share their creation with the class describing what the symbols mean.
Curated OER
Where, Oh Where
Pupils use maps to explore several traditional regions of Native Americans. They research information on the regions' climate, resources, landforms, flora and fauna.
Curated OER
Making Treaties and Weaving Wampum
Middle schoolers are exposed to the cultural and artistic importance of wampum belts and the importance of the belts in American history as markers of relations between the Native Americans and European settlers.
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...
Indian Land Tenure Foundation
Relationships to Places
Young historians take a look at how the Indian tribes of California promoted a mindful relationship between people and the land. They begin to understand how the Indians were champions of conservation, and at preserving the natural...
Curated OER
Designing Clay
Maria and Juliana are two of the most famous Pueblo pottery makers of the modern era. The class will learn about pueblo pottery design and the ways that Maria and Julian use traditional designs in a new and innovative way. They will...
Curated OER
Math and Native Americans
Students explore how math is relevant to Native Americans. Students investigate Indian culture through geometry. They describe and create geometric polygons and patterns. Students problem solve with tangram patterns to make Indian...
Curated OER
The Study of the Main Tribal Nations of North Dakota
Fourth graders compare the tribal nations of North Dakota. In this tribal life instructional activity, 4th graders explore the many different tribes native to North Dakota. By the end of their study, students should be able to explain...
Curated OER
Rock Art and Ritual
Students explore, examine and determine what kinds of rock art motifs are likely the product of ancient ritual descent. They identify connections between rock art symbolism and Native American ritual practices. Each student also views a...
Curated OER
Why Not Fabric?
Students investigate art from Native American culture by creating fabric. In this native art analysis lesson, students identify the art of Plains Indians and discuss how it is represented in their fabrics, beads and decorations. Students...
Curated OER
Artistic Symbols
Students compare and contrast symbols used in African and Plains Indian art. In this visual arts lesson, students compare symbols of 2 cultural groups found in their art. Students write a description of what items might have been left...
Curated OER
Do You Dare to Dream?
Third graders discover the meaning behind dream catchers. In this themes and symbols in art lesson, 3rd graders discuss the meaning of Native American dream catchers. Students use paper plates, beads, and feathers to make the dream catcher.
Curated OER
Coil Vessels with Symbols
Eighth graders explore symbolism in Renaissance art, use ceramics vocabulary, and demonstrate craftsmanship in working with clay.
Curated OER
Indian "Buffalo Skin" Writing
Fifth graders identify common Native American writing symbols. They create paper bag "buffalo skins" and on the back, they write stories about Indian life.
American Documentary
American Aloha: Hula Beyond Hawai'i
In this lesson plan, students will examine Hawaii's issues of colonization, authority, authenticity and cultural identity, and understand the distinction between native and non-native Hawaiians. This lesson plan includes links to videos,...
Curated OER
Numbers in Art
Students choose a number from one to twelve and tell a number story about it. They listen to the teacher read "Numbers in Art" by Lucy Micklethwait. Students choose three numbers from one to twelve and view works of art while looking for...
Curated OER
Imagery: Symbolic/realistic
Students recognize and use the visual arts as a form of communication. They use the computer as a visual arts tool to gather images for a story they are telling. They discuss related stories that differ in their realistic images. They...
Curated OER
The Seminoles
Students explore the Southeast Woodland region and culture of the Seminole Indians using video, art projects, books, maps and discussion.
Curated OER
Tin Relief
Students create a sun tin relief sculpture. In this Mexican art lesson, students incorporate line and form into a relief sculpture that they create of the sun.
Curated OER
Cut Outs: Shapes and Symbols
Learners create collages based on Juan Quick-to-See Smith's "Ode to Chief Seattle." In this shapes, symbols and Native American lesson, students examine the "Ode to Chief Seattle" and Henri Matisse's cutout work. Learners design their...
Curated OER
Indians of the Plains
Second graders, in groups, explore the Plains Indians and explore how the physical climate of the Plains region affected their lives.
Curated OER
Lakota Signs & Symbols
Pupils discuss and identify the signs, symbol, and sacred animals associated with traditional Lakota objects of the past. They then design and create a two-dimensional piece of art that incorporates one of these signs or symbols.
Curated OER
Learning By Looking: Pueblo Indian Ceremonial Dances
Students investigate the uses of ceremonial dance in the Pueblo Indian culture by viewing videos of native dances. They listen to folk tales that explain the dances and compare the traditions of the Pueblo culture to their own culture....