A parent mentioned recently that our 1st and 2nd graders don't get much exposure to Native Americans except around Thanksgiving. What books and activities do you all use to teach about Native Americans other than things related to Thanksgiving? TIA.
The Legend of the Bluebonnet Legend of the Indian Paintbrush - both Tomie dePaola Mud Pony We compare the different homes of different tribes to our own. They do some art projects using weaving and shells for beading, make dream catchers with paperplates. We write our own legends and and think like a Native American long ago. I also think either they don't get much instruction on Thanksgiving because most schools have vacation at least most of that week. Or people concentrate on the feast with the pilgrims. Native American culture happens to fascinate me and most kids come in with skewed views about their aggression-they enjoy learning about different traditions.
Not much We also tend to only teach about indians and their experiences with the pilgrims. I think that our younger students should be exposed to Native American culture. I agree with PP that too much of what our children see (regarding indians) potrays indians as enemies or aggressors. I'm looking forward to seeing what books and activities other teachers can share.
I taught my PS the Indian symbols--they loved it. The symbols were like a secret code and simple enough that they understood them.
I think it is important to not lump all American Indians (which is the name THEY prefer as per the 2006 survey of all registered "Native Americans/American Indians/First Americans.") Just like you wouldn't try to teach a youngster about the "European Culture" or the "Asian Culture." Pick a particular tribe or nation and stick to that, just like you would teach a country's culture rather than an entire continent. There is so much on the internet now that it isn't hard to find information. If you choose Powhatan Indians, Lakota Indians, or Pueblo Indians, I can share some information because I teach units on these three tribes. I know many other teachers would be more than willing to share information on specific tribes if you choose one. Perhaps you could choose the tribe that lived closest to where your school is located?
The American Indians from the Thanksgiving story are called Wampanoag Indians -- in case you are interested in that.
RainStorm You make a great point. I will do research on PA Indians. I actually find "Native American" a bit clumsy, but was under the mistaken impression that Indian had become an unacceptable term. Thanks for your insight.
The curriculum is so structured in Georgia that teachers are told to stop adding in their own units of study. You follow the standards. There is no time to study what you want to. However, 2nd, 4th, and 5th all have standards regarding Native Americans, so I think it gets a through study, at least in our state.
When I cover the Jamestown settlement I teach about the Native Americans. I also teach about the group that settled in the Oregon/Washington area.
Eduardo Galeano has excellent books of vinettes on Aboriginal issues in South America. The Canadian government has great curriculum resources on Aboriginal populations. I use a great book on residential schools too (a story book). Aboriginal issues are in every grade level of our curriculum and it is very specific. (i.e. Grade 10 history includes their role in both world wars, treaty issues in the 20th century, etc - there are probably about 20 curriculum expectations related to Aboriginal issues in that course).
In 1st we talk more about the Pilgrims and 2nd we teach more Native Americans. We use a lot of Paul Goble's (I think that is his name) books.
"A House is a House for Me" (I can't remember the author) has a page showing three or four Native American Indian homes. If you Google the title you will find several lesson plans to use with it.
I have a huge basket of biographies...my kids love reading them. Many cultures are represented in our biography study... Consider: Sacagawea Squanto Pocahontas Jim Thorpe (Jim Thorpe, a part Sac and Fox Indian, won both the 5 event pentathlon and the 10 event decathlon and although he did not medal also finished fourth in the individual high jump and seventh in the individual long jump. King Gustav of Sweden told him "Sir, you are the greatest athlete in the world" and supposedly Thorpe replied "Thanks, King". The title Greatest Athlete in the World is often unofficially given to the winner of the decathlon ever since.) Current baseball players with Native American heritage: (none of these are in my biography basket) Jacoby Ellsbury Navajo Joba Chamberlain Winnebago Entertainment field: (not in my biography basket) Tori Amos - pianist and singer-songwriter (part Cherokee) Jessica Biel, actress (part Choctaw) Johnny Depp, actor (part Cherokee) Angelina Jolie, actress and humanitarian (Mother of Iroquois descent) Wayne Newton singer and entertainer Will Rogers (Cherokee) Liv Tyler- actress (part Cherokee) Carrie Underwood - singer (Muscogee) Pete Wentz, bassist for Fall Out Boy (German/Native American father and Hawaiian mother) The same complaint could be made that African Americans are mostly focused upon during 'Black History Month'...or Women in Women's History Month...It's all about balance, and trying to juggle it all, and more and more curriculum being required of us every year...
