National First Ladies' Library
Will the Real Pocahontas Please Stand Up?
Learners explore the life of Pocahontas and Powhatan Indians. After studying information on a given website, students compare and contrast what they read about Pocahontas and what they previously thought of her. They explore life in a...
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The Navajo Homeland
Students identify the historical and traditional location of the Navajo Homeland. They study the four original clans system and the development of other adopted clans, e.g. Nakai Dine (Mexican), Notahi Dine(Ute), Ozii Dine (Hopi); and,...
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The Displacement of the Native Americans
Seventh graders comprehend the interaction and conflict between Native Americans and white settlers in the years following the Civil War. They examine how those conflicts impacted the Native American way of life on the Great Plains.
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CSI: Native America
Students discuss the murders of Native Americans in Indiana. In groups, they research and make drawings of the scene as if they were part of a CSI team. They complete any needed experiments to help them solve the crime and create a...
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The Constitution & Native Americans
Students identify and consider US Constitutional origins in American Indian culture. They discuss and consider what it means to them to attribute the origins of the US Constitution to American Indian oral tradition. They compare the...
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The Trail of Tears; Its Grief and Loss
Fifth graders are introduced to the removal of Native Americans along the Trail of Tears. In groups, they examine the political factors that caused this removal and its effect on society. To end the activity, they discuss various ways...
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Eastern Woodland Indians
Fifth graders research the Eastern Woodland Indians in this lesson. They list the tribes and write a description of the physical environment. They list examples of the types of food, clothing, transportation, home/shelter,...
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California Indians
Fourth graders discuss the major nations of California Indians, their geographic distribution, economic activities, legends and religious beliefs. They describe the function of Spanish missions and the influence of Catholicism. In...
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Native American and Greek Myths
Fifth graders identify seven different constellations and explain a myth that accompanies it. As a class, they listen to myths associated with the Greek and Native American cultures. To end the activity, they write their own myth...
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Native American Tribe Cultures
Third graders choose two Native American tribes to compare and contrast using an assigned website. They complete a chart that shows how the tribes are the same and different. Using information gathered on their charts, they answer...
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Native Americans and the Clash of Cultures: Then and Now
Students begin the lesson by identifying how and why the Native Americans came to North America. Using the internet, they examine how their culture spread throughout the continent and in groups they discuss the stereotypes between the...
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Plains Indians
First graders create a KWL chart on Native Americans and listen to a speaker from a local Indian Reservation. As a class, they are read part of a Native American story in which they pick their own Native American name and identify their...
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The Muskogees
Second graders read a story from their textbook about the Muskogee (Creek) Native American Indian tribe. They discuss various aspects of Native American culture--specifically that of the Muskogee tribe. They explore online resources,...
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Westward Expansion: Chief Joseph's Words Of Surrender
Students explore westward expansion in the United States as it relates to Native Americans and the novel Holes. Students read a passage from Holes and discuss how westward expansion affected the Native Americans. Students compare and...
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Westward Expansion: The American Indian Experience
Students complete a brief presentation documenting the life of an American Indian. In class, students discuss the pros and cons of placing American Indians on a reservation. After their discussion, students choose a issue in Native...
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Native Americans of Rockland County
Students comprehend Native American cultures through the use of both secondary and primary sources. They explore and investigate Native Americans in New York State. Students are shown some old Indian arrowheads and they are challenged...
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Storytelling
Students study and participate in a Native American traditional learning experience--storytelling. They read legends and choose a legend to tell and illustrate.
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Cowboy Tourism
Students disucss the role the tourist industry played in popular perceptions of cowboys and Indians. They discuss the image of cowboys, as it is presented in fashion and contemporary advertisements. Students read about a town in Montana...
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Parent and Baby Lookalikes
Learners research baby animals, their special names and the vocabulary to describe their relative sizes through discussion, listening to a Salish story, looking at pictures, and creative artwork . They will also explore the significance...
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Introduction to Indians and the First Thanksgiving
Students use yarn to create a timeline of the first Thanksgiving. After a class discussion, they view pictures of artifacts and Native Americans to identify the tools and items present during the first Thanksgiving. In groups, they...
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Reading Images: Maconaquah
Students examine a portrait of Maconaquah and compose a list of things they observe about her. They look at her age, clothing, jewelry, and her emotions based on her facial expression. Conclusions are drawn as they "read" the pictures...
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Who Owns The Past?
Students research the validity and legality of ownership. Through the use of primary sources, web based and print media research, students become familiar with and evaluate the varying viewpoints regarding the...
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Dream Catchers
Students create Native American dream catchers to represent the Native American culture. After reading and discussing the origin of the Dream cather, they begin to construct their dream catchers using wire hoops, thread, beads, and...
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The Expanding United States
Students display comprehension of the concept of nationalism. They design a tool to conduct a survey. Students conduct a survey to find out which groups students feel affiliated (family, nation, religion, school, etc). They complie...