Native American Studies Department
Recommended Lesson Plans
Teaching Indigenous Nations Content & Discovery
Researched and complied by Alexandra Tsosie,
Curriculum Development, July 2007 NASD
Topic Area &
Grade Level
Geography
Social Studies
Website Information
History
6-8
Native Words Native Warriors (National Museum of the American Indian)
o http://www.nmai.si.edu/education/codetalkers/
o information on American Indian Code Talkers of World Wars I and II
o history
o pictures, personal stories of Code Talkers
o overview and how to use lessons
http://www.nmai.si.edu/education/codetalkers/html/lessons.html
o resources http://www.nmai.si.edu/education/codetalkers/html/resources.html
History
Social Studies
9-12
We Have a Story to Tell: Native Peoples of the Chesapeake Region
o http://www.nmai.si.edu/education/files/chesapeake.pdf
o lesson plan and readings with research activities for students
Social Studies
4-6
A Life in Beads: The Stories a Plains Dress Can Tell
o http://www.nmai.si.edu/education/files/NMAI_lifeinbeads.pdf
Social Studies
6-8
The Kwakwaka’wakw: A Study of a Northern Pacific Coast People and the Potlatch
o http://www.nmai.si.edu/education/files/Kwak_Poster_TG.pdf
History
Social Studies
4-8
Lone Dog’s Winter Count: Keeping History Alive
o http://www.nmai.si.edu/education/files/poster_lone_dog_final.pdf
Indigenous Geography (National Museum of the American Indian)
o http://www.indigenousgeography.si.edu/home.asp?lang=eng
o Hopi, Kawésqar, Q'eqchi', Native Village of Akhiok, Na Po‘e o Hana, and
Wolastoqewiyik tribal groups of North and South America as well as Hawaii
o Includes geography, origins, seasons, living world, economy, family, community, ritual
and language.
o Videos, pictures, charts/graphs, and audio
o In English and Spanish
o Links to lesson plans for each community
o http://www.indigenousgeography.si.edu/education_main.asp?lang=eng
Social Studies
6-8
The A:shiwi (Zuni) People: A Study in Environment, Adaptation, and Agricultural
Practices
o http://www.nmai.si.edu/education/files/poster_zuni.pdf
Social Studies
4-8
A Native Place: Celebrates the National Museum of the American Indian
o http://www.nmai.si.edu/education/files/NMAI-TGDweb.pdf
Social Studies
K-8
Native American Dolls
o http://www.smithsonianeducation.org/educators/lesson_plans/native_dolls/index.html
o Navajo, Inupiat, Ojibwe, Seneca, and Seminole dolls
History
Social Studies
K-4
5-8
9-12
Lakota Winter Counts
o http://wintercounts.si.edu/html_version/pdfs/lakotaTG_full.pdf
o Grades K-4 (Recording Your Community’s History)
o Grades 5-8 (Oral Histories)
o Grades 9-12 (Using Primary Sources)
Social Studies
4-8
To Honor and Comfort: Native Quilting Traditions
o http://www.nmai.si.edu/education/files/quilts.pdf
Social Studies
6-8
Harvest Ceremony: Beyond the Thanksgiving Myth
http://www.nmai.si.edu/education/files/harvest.pdf
9-12
Assimilation (PBS)
o http://www.pbs.org/indiancountry/educators/assimilation.html
Language Arts
Social Studies
9-12
History
Government
9-12
Social Studies
History
9-12
History
Geography
8-12
Language Arts
Theater
8-12
Language Arts
Civics
8-12
Language Arts
Life Science
8-12
History
Government
Civics
7-12
Native Humor (PBS)
o http://www.pbs.org/indiancountry/educators/humor.html
Tribal Sovereignty (PBS)
o http://www.pbs.org/indiancountry/educators/sovereignty.html
Revitalizing Culture (PBS)
o http://www.pbs.org/indiancountry/educators/culture.html
The Nez Perce and the Dawes Act (PBS)
o http://www.pbs.org/weta/thewest/lesson_plans/lesson03.htm
It’s All Part of the Story (PBS)
o http://www.pbs.org/circleofstories/educators/lesson1.html
Our Small World (PBS)
o http://www.pbs.org/circleofstories/educators/lesson2.html
Record and Preserve Your Family Stories (PBS)
o http://www.pbs.org/circleofstories/educators/lesson3.html
Freedom of Religion: A Supreme Court Simulation (PBS)
o http://www.pbs.org/pov/pov2001/inthelightofreverence/lessonplan1.html
History
Government
Civics
7-12
History
6-8
Sacred Ground or Federal Land?: A Conflict Resolution Role Play (PBS)
o http://www.pbs.org/pov/pov2001/inthelightofreverence/lessonplan2.html
History
6-8
Lewis and Clark and Native Americans, Part 3 (PBS)
o http://www.pbs.org/lewisandclark/class/l07.html
History
6-12
Manifest Destiny and the Power of Perspective (PBS)
o http://www.pbs.org/kera/usmexicanwar/educators/md1_power.html
o U.S.-Mexican War
History
Social Studies
6-12
History
Government
8-12
History
Government
8-12
Social Studies
9-12
Primary Sources (studying the Cherokee Trail of Tears) (PBS)
o http://www.pbs.org/opb/historydetectives/educators/class_sources.html
Language Arts
History
3-12
History
6-8
Designing Codes like the Navajo Code Talkers
o http://www.education-world.com/a_lesson/00-2/lp2213.shtml
Government
6-12
Comparing the U.S. Bill of Rights and Navajo Nation Bill of Rights
o http://www.sanjuan.k12.ut.us/SS%20Curriculum/Secondary%20Files/Unit%206Us%20Gov%20&%20Citizenship,%20Freedoms%20and%20Rights.htm
o Need book: Marzano, Pickering, and Pollock. (2001). Classroom Instruction that
Works. Alexandria, Virginia: Association for Supervision and Curriculum
Development.
The Navajo Long Walk (NMSU Regional Educational Technology Assistance)
o http://reta.nmsu.edu/modules/longwalk/default.htm
o interactive three-part online lesson
History
Lewis and Clark and Native Americans, Part 1 (PBS)
o http://www.pbs.org/lewisandclark/class/l05.html
Sovereignty is the Goal (PBS)
o http://www.pbs.org/itvs/alcatrazisnotanisland/educators2.html
Victory from Loss (PBS)
o http://www.pbs.org/itvs/alcatrazisnotanisland/educators1.html
Native American Teens: Who We Are (PBS)
o http://www.pbs.org/inthemix/educators/lessons/nativeamericanteens_guide.html
Teaching with Documents – Navajo Code Talkers
o http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/code-talkers/
History
4-12
The Navajo Long Walk (Musuem of New Mexico)
o http://www.museumeducation.org/pdfs/LessonPlan-walk.pdf
o Some of the links in this document are not updated.
o Photo tour - http://www.museumeducation.org/online_exhibits.php?tourID=005
History
Arizona
History
7-8
The Navajo Treaty of 1868
o http://www4.nau.edu/ifwfd/ts_lessons/Treaty/treaty/home.htm
o Lesson targets Navajo students, but the information on the interactive website is useful.
Social Studies
Visual Arts
K-12
Navajo Weaving
o http://www.museumeducation.org/pdfs/LessonPlan-weaving.pdf
o Some of the links in this document are not updated.
o Photo tour - http://www.museumeducation.org/online_exhibits.php?tourID=002
Social Studies
Language Arts
4-8
Reading
Language Art
9-12
Geography
Social Studies
Language Arts
3-12
Introduction to Cultural Diversity
o http://www.indigenousgeography.si.edu/pdfs/intro_cultural_diversity_ENG.pdf
History
Social Studies
K-12
History
Social Studies
Land and Native American Cultures
o http://www.smithsonianglobalsound.org/images/docs/native_american_learning.pdf
Montana Office of Public Instruction - Information for Teachers
o http://www.opi.state.mt.us/
o Lesson plans, online videos, recommended curriculum.
o Communication, sign language, Montana tribes, misnomers, and appropriate tribal
names
Minnesota Department of Education - American Indian Curriculum
o http://education.state.mn.us/MDE/Academic_Excellence/Indian_Education/K12_Curri
culum/index.html
o Lesson plans
Indian Education – Utah State Office of Education
o http://www.schools.utah.gov/curr/indianed/teacher/lessons.htm
o lesson plans, PDFs, links, some videos
o tribal groups, tribal history, tribal leaders
Indians in Oregon Today – Middle School & High School Curriculum
o http://www.ode.state.or.us/search/results/?id=112
o Oregon Department of Education – Indian Education website:
o http://www.ode.state.or.us/search/results/?id=112