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Curated OER
Plains Indians Pictographs
Students explore methods of written communication. For this Plains Indian lesson, students create pictographs representing everyday modern life after observing the pictographs used by the Plains Indians. Pictograph stories are written on...
Curated OER
European Expansion in America
Students explore human settlement in America - from the 1500s to about the turn of the 20th Century. They follow the relationships and changes beginning in the east, then head west to witness the final battles of this era.
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
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
The Treaty Trail: Examining an Artist's Perspective
Elementary school leanrners examine artwork from the time period of the United States and Native American treaties. They discuss the causes and effects of the treaties being signed. They also examine how cultural perspective influences art.
Channel Islands Film
Once Upon a Time (Saxipak’a): Lesson Plan 4
How did the environment and natural resources found on the Channel islands influence the culture of the Chumash? Archaeology meets technology in an activity designed for middle schoolers. After viewing West of The West's documentary Once...
Scholastic
The First Thanksgiving Feast for Grades 6–8
It's time for the feast! Young historians complete their study of the First Thanksgiving by completing an online activity, watching a slideshow, and examining a First Thanksgiving timeline. After answering text-dependent questions to...
Huntington Library
Further Exploration - Exploring the California Missions
How did Native Californians and Franciscans influence one another in early California? Learners analyze a few cultural pieces to examine the impact that integration had on Franciscan and Native Californian culture.
Channel Islands Film
Cache: Lesson Plan 2 - Grades 4-6
Class members will dig this activity that has them trying their hand at recovering artifacts. Groups are assigned a section of a sandbox, carefully uncover the artifacts in their section, and then develop theories about who might...
Annenberg Foundation
Egalitarian America
What does a true American represent? Scholars investigate the equal rights era of the 1960s and 1970s in the 20th installment of a 22-part series on American history. Using photographic, magazine, written, and video evidence, groups...
Channel Islands Film
Arlington Springs Man: Lesson Plan 4
West of the West's documentary Arlington Springs Man introduces viewers to the remarkable finds on Santa Rosa Island. Archaeologist have discovered on this small island that is part of the Channel island chain, human and pygmy mammoth...
Curated OER
What is Meant by Returning to Fundamental Principles?
What did the Founding Fathers mean by the importance of continually returning to fundamental principles? Your young historians will analyze a series of quotations illustrating the fundamental ideals and principles of the...
Curated OER
Practice: Word Problems
Congratulations, you've just hit the word problem jackpot! Covering an incredible range of topics from integers and fractions, to percents, geometry, and much more, this collection of worksheets will keep young mathematicians...
National Park Service
Leave it to Beavers
Many people know cats mark their territories by rubbing the back of their necks to leave a scent, but not many people know beavers also leave a scent to mark their territories. During the first activity of two, scholars use their noses...
Curated OER
Boarding Schools And Native American Culture
Students engage in a instructional activity that focuses on the influence of American values placed upon the Indians. Students use primary and secondary documents in order to explore the indoctrination. They create a project that...
Curated OER
Native Americans - People of the Plains
Students explore Plains Indians and practice computer skills by reading creation and migration stories on People of the Plains CD-ROM, and watching Plains video. Students examine village life of Plains Indians, and view different...
Curated OER
Oral traditions: Facilitating education through verbal traditions
Bring oral traditions into the classroom to engage learning and facilitate best practices. From story telling to listening skills, this article provides reasons and rational behind oral traditions as a tool for education.
Curated OER
Lewis and Clark Expedition
Students examine the effect of the Lewis and Clark Expedition on Native American nations. In this Native American history instructional activity, students research Internet sources to find out how the expedition impacted Native Americans...
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
More Than Tipis and Feathers
Fourth graders research Native American People of the plains, the forest, the northwest coast and the desert. They compare how their lives were similar and how they were different. They make a model of one type of dwelling.
Curated OER
Thanksgiving Menu
Students explore the First Thanksgiving. In this U.S. history lesson, students read about the Pilgrims and Native Americans and discuss how they obtained and prepared food. Students develop a possible first Thanksgiving menu and draw a...
Curated OER
Making Rose Petal Beads
Students make homemade beads from flower petals while exploring Native American history, culture, and art.
Curated OER
Maskmaking
Students examine masks from various cultures focusing on the Native Americans. Using the internet, they research the purpose of the masks and various designs. They create their own mask showing their own culture and personality and...
Curated OER
Analyzing a Poster
Eleventh graders work in small groups to analyze a poster provided to them depicting Native Americans. They prepare a response to present to the class. They conduct a group discussion from the poster. The discussion should lead into...