Students explore the connections between tradition and language. They examine the environment, history and culture of the Tlingit, Lakota and Cherokee tribes and identify the importance of maintaining languages for oral traditions.

Learners research the Lakota tribes, culture, art, and family life. They analyze an installation piece created by a Lakota Indian, and connect what they see to the concept of home. They engage in a discussion, creative writing activity,...

Young scholars describe Frieze designs using the work of indigenous people.  In this math lesson, students create 7 frieze designs using different patterns.  They create one row of repeated art and repeat this 7 times...

After reading a Native American legend about dreamcatchers, why not make some. This resource provides several good links that explain the legend of the dreamcatcher and step-by-step instructions for making them with the class. Tip: If...

Use pictures and manipulatives to develop vocabulary with your beginning language learners. This plan can be used with foreign language learners (although you'll have to provide the vocabulary), English language learners, or a young...

Enhance your foreign language young scholars' skills to describe a house. After reading a description of rooms in a house in their target language, they work to answer corresponding questions correctly. Additionally, they view a...

You can use this lesson plan with English language learners, a young language arts class, or speakers of a foreign language. The phrases learned are I need and I don't need. The teacher collects several items around the room, and...

Students edit written work about a fashion show.  In this fashion show lesson, students write a presentation piece and works in groups of 4,6, or 8 to edit what they have written.  Students rehearse by pair sharing and give...

Kids of all ages discover their family histories through pictures. First, flip through the PowerPoint provided (or consider making one of your own). It should show pictures of your family and have clear, easy to understand sentences that...

Students 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.

Young scholars practice descriptive writing by viewing auto-portraits of young children.  In this art analysis lesson, students examine an auto-portrait of their teacher as a young child and ask him/her questions about their youth....

Students present their family shield or crest that was created during the first part of this lesson. For this historical arts lesson, students present their family shield to their classmates and are graded based on the included...

Foreign language learners work in pairs to translate the daily routine of celebrities or everyday people, presented in daily planner format, into English. They then illustrate and record their own daily routines in storyboard (film...

Foreign language learners decipher the meanings of classified ads in the target language. They investigate a large collage created by the teacher of foreign language advertisements and discuss the content with classmates.  Then...

Students understand the meaning of a tradition and know how it is maintained. They have a general knowledge of the environment, history and culture of the Tlingit, Lakota, and Cherokee

Learners examine and review Lakota beadwork designs. They watch an instructional video on how to bead and then design and graph a design on paper. Finally they bead the design onto a leather bag.

Students create power shirts that were highly important in the culture of many Native Americans.

Students invite an elderly person to come talk about the significance of the buffalo in their Native American community. They record and videotape all the activities and create a visual presentation of the day.

Students write about their ideal mate.  In this ideal mate writing lesson, students listen and then help the teacher describe the characteristics of an ideal mate.  Students write about their ideal mate and share with a...

Students write a newspaper article related to a sports event.  For this article writing lesson, students read sports-related articles, complete a graphic organizer to help them see the format of a newspaper article, then they work...

Students practice interviewing and answering questions by creating a mock talk show.  In this communications lesson, students view a classic clip of an older T.V. talk show and plan an outline of material for their own talk show....

Young scholars practice discussing timely manners in a target language.  In this foreign language lesson, students discuss words that represent frequency such as never or often.  Young scholars create a timeline...

Students investigate event planning.  In this literacy and communications lesson, students brainstorm food, activity, and guest  ideas for a monthly classroom celebration of student birthdays.

In this exchange student instructional activity, students create a story about an exchange student. Students draw a map to show the location of community buildings and practice providing directions from location to location.