Teaching Resources for
Native American Heritage Month
Textual Connections:
Before Columbus: The Americas of 1491 by Charles Mann
Mann paints a superb picture of pre-Columbian America. In the process, he overturns the misconceived
image of Natives as simple, widely scattered savages with minimal impact on their surroundings. Wellchosen, vividly colored graphics and photographs of mummies, pyramids, artifacts, and landscapes as
well as the author's skillful storytelling will command the attention of even the most reluctant readers.
Eye-catching sidebars and oversize chapter headings seem to pop from the pages. Mann constructs the
narrative around three crucial questions that continue to confound historians today: Was the New
World really new? Why were the Europeans successful? What ecological impact did Natives have on
their surroundings? (This book is currently being used in the Fourth Grade Social Studies Curriculum.)
The Birchbark House by Louise Erdrich
Opening in the summer of 1847, the story follows the family, in a third-person narrative, through four
seasons; it focuses on young Omakayas, who turns ""eight winters old"" during the course of the novel.
In fascinating, nearly step-by-step details, the author describes how they build a summer home out of
birchbark, gather with extended family to harvest rice in the autumn, treat an attack of smallpox during
the winter and make maple syrup in the spring to stock their own larder and to sell to others. Against
the backdrop of Ojibwa cultural traditions, Omakayas also conveys the universal experiences of
childhood--a love of the outdoors, a reluctance to do chores, devotion to a pet--as well as her ability to
cope with the seemingly unbearable losses of the winter. (This book is currently a part of the Fourth
Grade ELA Curriculum.)
Cradle Me by Debby Slier
Each page features a Native baby in a cradleboard specific to her tribal nation. Some smile, others sleep
peacefully. Beneath each photograph is a line for writing in the word for the expression or activity
shown on the page (e.g. sleeping, yawning, frowning) in another language. A brief explanatory note
about cradleboards is included. (PreK-K)
Do All Indians Live in Tipis? Questions and Answers from the National Museum of the American
Indian
If you've ever wondered about where Native Americans came from, whether they really used smoke
signals, or if they wore socks, this book has the answers. From clothing, food, origins, ceremonies, and
language to love, marriage, art, music, and casinos, DO ALL INDIANS LIVE IN TIPIS? debunks widespread
stereotypes and answers all of the most common questions about Native Americans. (Secondary)
Office of Humanities
Baltimore City Public Schools
Lesson Plans:
Native American Cultures Across the U.S.
By the time children in the U.S. begin school, most have heard and developed impressions of "Indians"
from books, movies, or in the context of the Thanksgiving holiday. This lesson helps dispel prevailing
stereotypes and generalizing cultural representations of American Indians by providing culturallyspecific information about the contemporary as well as historical cultures of distinct tribes and
communities within the United States. Teachers can divide the class into groups that each study a tribe
from a different region, or the class can select one region to study, such as the geographical region in
which the school is located. (Grades K-2)
American Indian Perspectives on Thanksgiving
This National Museum of the American Indian resource looks at Native American communities
through the prism of three themes that are central to understanding American Indians and the
deeper meaning of the Thanksgiving Holiday. (Grades 4-8)
We Have a Story to Tell: Native Peoples of the Chesapeake Region
This National Museum of American Indian teachers guide provides resources for teaching about
the Native Americans of the Chesapeake Bay region. It covers ways of life before European
contact through contemporary times. (Grades 9-12)
Websites
National Museum of the American Indian
Sample lesson plans, virtual exhibits, and resources lists are just some of the resources available on this
site.
Library of Congress
This website allows teachers and students to gather information on American Indian leaders and
culture. They can study essay, music, maps, and images related to the treatment and portrayal of
American Indians by European explorers and settlers.
Office of Humanities
Baltimore City Public Schools