Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sacred Art

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students view a PowerPoint about Tibetan monks to help them explain the culture's world views, myths and religious beliefs. They investigate Navajo sand paintings and compare how they are similar to the Tibetan monks' artwork.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Conflict On The Plains

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders investigate the culture and lifestyles of the Lakota Sioux and the Northern Cheyenne tribes. They use a variety of resources for research. They create questions based on information to be used during classroom discussion...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Andrew Jackson

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders examine the presidency of Andrew Jackson. Using the Internet, they research his decision to remove the Indians from their land and place them on reservations. They discuss the effects of the Indian Removal Act of 1830.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ft. Vancouver the Fur Trade: A Skin for a Skin

For Teachers K - 4th
Students 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.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Gluskap Story Skits

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students read and analyze a Gluskap (Algonquin legend) story. Together, they discuss the morals and values these stories demonstrate and in groups, create and perform an imaginative skit based on one of them. They perform their skits for...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Photography and the National Park Service

For Teachers 9th - 12th
During the 1800s the United States was expanding westward; land was there for the taking.  Kids explore how some early photographers used their photography to influenced the US Congress to save areas like Mirror Lake. They...
Lesson Plan
Smithsonian Institution

Dia de los Muertos: Celebrating and Remembering

For Teachers K - 2nd
Help scholars understand the history, geography, traditions, and art of Dia de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead. Find background information for your reference as well as a detailed cross-curricular lesson plan. Learners compare...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Making a Report to President Washington

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Learners gain an understanding of some of the challenges the U.S. faced at its birth. They are asked to compose a report on the state of the nation in 1790 (addressed to President George Washington), which includes a narrative, maps and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Worth a Thousand Words

For Teachers 1st
First graders examine the significance of the American bison to the American Indians of the Great Plains. They create a story in pictographs in the style of American Indians of the Plains.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Inference By Analogy

For Teachers 4th - 12th
Students infer the use or meaning of items recovered from a North Carolina Native American site based on 17th-century European settlers' accounts and illustration.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Language Arts, African Americans, Oral Tradition and the Blues

For Teachers Pre-K - 6th
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...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Prehistoric Indians

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders identify the four Native American groups of Wisconsin. They compare the four groups through discussion and list the four groups with their tools, food, shelter, and time period.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Indian Basket Weaving

For Teachers K - 3rd
Students explore Indian Basket designs, experiment with weaving materials and create their own baskets in this 5-day Arrt lesson for the early-elementary classroom. The lesson includes scoring guides and illustrated directions for students.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Miwok Storytelling Legend Movie

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students research the art of storytelling. The stories were used by societies to tell about significant events in the lives of individuals. There are important aspects of storytelling composition and performance that make the delivery...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Lewis and Clark's Journey West: A Timeline Activity

For Teachers 3rd - 12th
Students complete a scavenger hunt which highlights events on the journey by Lewis and Clark. Using the internet and journals, they identify events on the journey and places them on a timeline. They complete a worksheet as well to end...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Minority Graduation Rates: A 50-50 Chance

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers conduct research on issues and interests by generating ideas and questions and by posing problems. They gather, evaluate and synthesize data from a variety of sources. For this lesson the issue is minority graduation rates.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Let's Look at Legends: Oregon quarter reverse

For Teachers 2nd - 3rd
Analyzing historical legends is a fun way to develop critical-thinking skills. Pupils will use a graphic organizer to compare and contrast two historical legends relating to volcanoes. While this lesson focuses on the image of Crater...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

No Man is an Island

For Teachers 3rd - 12th
Students sing the melody of the song, "No Man is an Island," in the Oneida native language. They memorize the song and discuss how the words demonstrate important feelings of the Oneida people.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Paper Mache Birds - Pueblo Pottery Inspired

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
Students explore the Pueblo culture and art work. Students compare and contrast various forms of artistic expression and discover how artists get ideas. Students use a variety of resources to gain an examineing of artists and art forms....
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Native American Poetry

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders locate the poetry section of the LMC. They produce a hand written transparency based on the poem Hiawatha by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Students illustrate a poem from their poetry section. It is a mystery to them what...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The History of Thanksgiving Day

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders study the history of Thanksgiving. In this holiday lesson plan, 3rd graders read about the history of Thanksgiving, complete vocabulary activities, and write a journal entry from the point of view of someone who lived...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Sand Painted Teepees

For Teachers 2nd
Second graders create "Sand Painted teepees" using sand, paper, glue, and information about Native American culture in this 2nd grade Art lesson. The lesson includes a vocabulary list, a materials list, a resource link, and a short...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Ponce de Leon

For Teachers 5th
Fifth graders explain that the discoveries of Ponce de Leon were important, both in and of themselves and to the destinies of Europeans and Native Americans. They write an essay highlighting two of his important discoveries.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Create a Family Crest

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
Students create their own family crest using prior knowledge and Japanese and Native American examples of symbolic art. Lesson extensions include the creation of a school crest or woodblock examples of crests.