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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

My Important Place

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
The story of Chief Joseph and the Nez Perce Indians of Oregon is told here. Pupils are shown pictures of the ancestral lands of the Nez Perce, and they learn about how they were forced to leave it. Learners complete an essay which...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Chief Joseph and the Nez Perce

For Teachers 11th
Eleventh graders explore the life of Chief Joseph and Nez Perce.  In this US History lesson, 11th graders analyze paintings and photos detailing the flight of Nez Perce.  Students create a narrative newspaper article based on their...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Nez Perce and the Dawes Act

For Teachers 11th
Eleventh graders explore westward expansion in the United States. In this US History lesson, 11th graders watch the epic struggle of the Nez Perce. Students evaluate how a variety of Americans viewed Nez Perce through a role play. 
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Journey of the Nez Perce

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students study the retreat of the Nez Perce Native Americans into Montana while tracing their journey on a map. They use the law of cosines to solve problems based on the navigational methods of the Nez Perce. They work with both the law...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

US Emergence of Power in the Pacific Northwest: General Howard and the Nez Perce Tribe War

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students discuss the role of the military in acquiring territory in the Pacific Northwest. Using a map, they locate the areas in which the Nez Perce were prominent and the routes used by the military to chase them. They discuss whether...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Petroglyphs: Protecting the Past

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders investigate the three types of rocks and study about petroglyphs. They explore why petroglyphs were used by the Nez Perce People. Students investigate the properties of the three types of rocks and they discuss cultural...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

An Encounter of Former Foes

For Teachers 7th - 8th
Students examine a timeline on the internet showing the relationship between the American Government and the Nez Perce in the 19th Century. After looking at the timeline and included map, students answer questions.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Appaloosa - Horse of the Nez Perce

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders investigate the use of Appaloosa horses by the Nez Perce Native Americans during the War of 1877. They examine the geography of the area and determine why the Appaloosa horse was suited to this use after looking at...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Journey of the Salmon

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders predict salmon migration routes and explore how dams affect the salmon migration. They explore the cultural significance of salmon to the Nez Perce people and design technology to aid salmon migration.
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Suitcase, Parfleche and 'Isaptakay

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders explore farfeche and how the Nez Perce people use natural materials to derive colors for their artwork. They explore traditional paints and dyes used by the Nez Perce and create their own parfleche 'isaptakay.
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Website
PBS

Idaho Public Television: Lewis & Clark in Idaho

For Students 9th - 10th
Site offers perspectives on the most difficult part of the Journey - the Bitterroot Mountains. Also gives perspectives from Native Americans - and an engineer tracks the trail! Transcripts of two PBS programs are provided.
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Article
Discovering Lewis & Clark

Discovering Lewis & Clark: Marias River Decision

For Students 9th - 10th
This section of the larger website Discovering Lewis & Clark explores the Corps of Discovery's time at the Marias River.
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Website
PBS

Pbs: New Perspectives on the West

For Students 9th - 10th
This in-depth resource presents a history of the American West from pre-Columbian times until World War I with profiles, documents, and images. It encourages visitors to link these into patterns of historical meaning for themselves....
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Lesson Plan
PBS

Pbs the West: The Nez Perce and the Dawes Act

For Teachers 9th - 10th
This companion article from the PBS series, "New Perspectives on the West," offers a lesson plan which approaches the Dawes Act from the perspective of the Nez Perce.
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Primary
PBS

Pbs the West: Chief Joseph Speaks

For Students 9th - 10th
This Archive of the West site provides selected statements and speeches of the great leader of the Nez Perce Indians. They are reprinted from Chester Anders Fee's "Chief Joseph: The Biography of a Great Indian" which was published in 1936.
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Website
Other

Colorado College: Tutt Library: Helen Hunt Jackson Papers

For Students 9th - 10th
Site includes a biography, chronology, and collection of writings of and about Helen Hunt Jackson.
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Primary
Curated OER

National Park Service: A Sharp Little Affair [Pdf]

For Students 9th - 10th
Although somewhat difficult to read, this PDF file from the National Park Service describes the Battle of Big Hole and the history and archeology surrounding this battle site. A most extensive study.
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Website
Smithsonian Institution

National Museum of Natural History: Camping With the Sioux: Fieldwork Diary of Alice Fletcher

For Students 9th - 10th
A fascinating site that presents the story of Alice Fletcher who traveled to Dakota Territory to live with Sioux women. Click on dates on the calendar for diary entries. Also includes historic photo gallery.
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Handout
Other

Lumen Learning: Encroachment and Resistance

For Students 9th - 10th
In the latter part of the 1800s, settlers began to ignore treaties when expanding westward. The government followed suit by declaring they would no longer negotiate new treaties, that they had the power to enforce laws on reservation...
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Website
Nebraska Studies

Nebraska Studies: The Dawes Act

For Students 9th - 10th
The Dawes Act, also known as the General Allotment Act, was written by Henry Dawes in an attempt to assimilate Native Americans into American culture. Use this site to learn about what propelled Dawes to write this document and how his...
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Website
The History Place

The History Place: Chief Joseph Surrenders

For Students 9th - 10th
This site provides a brief explanation of the surrender of Chief Joseph along with the original text of his famous surrender speech.
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Activity
PBS

Pbs: Lewis and Clark: Wishram Indians

For Students 9th - 10th
A look at a little-known tribe, the Wishram Indians, encountered by the Corps of Discovery on their return trip up the Columbia River. Read about the importance of trade networks to the Indians. From PBS.
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Primary
PBS

Pbs the West: The Pursuit and Capture of Chief Joseph

For Students 9th - 10th
Provides detailed information on the Nez Perce campaign and the capture of Chief Joseph in an eyewitness account by Charles Erskine Scott Wood, aide to General Howard.
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Handout
PBS

New Perspectives on the West: Oliver Otis Howard

For Students 3rd - 5th
Use this site to learn about Oliver Otis Howard (1830-1909), the man who was devoted to seeing that freed slaves were given their own piece of land. Site by PBS.