Curated OER
Selling of the West, or The Portrayal of Emigrant Travel on the Oregon Trail
Young scholars compare and contrast the realistic and romantic art and literature about experiences on the Oregon Trail. Using this information, they compare their viewpoints and write messages on what they believe it was like on a trip...
Curated OER
Labyrinths
Whether studying metaphors or Greek mythology, this labyrinth project is a fantastic lesson plan to add to your unit. It includes two versions of the labyrinth; making it with yarn or stone. If your materials are limited, you can even...
Curated OER
The First Texans
Fourth graders discover the different groups of people who colonized Texas. They research their way of life and create an informative and creative booklet.
Curated OER
Creation Stories
Students read and research American Indian creation stories as a way to understand the origins of American Literature. They conduct Internet research utilizing Internet search engines. They create an online report page as well as write...
Curated OER
Anasazi Basket Weaving
The Anasazi Indians of Mesa Verde are the focus of this art and social studies lesson plan. Working in pairs or groups of three, students utilize computers and go online to search for websites about the Anasazi. Students will choose two...
Curated OER
Native American Friendship Dance
The performing arts offer artistic perception, creative expression, historical and cultural context and aesthetic valuing. This dance helps students understand dance history and develops cultural awareness. Students are given the...
Curated OER
Artwork of World Cultures
Seventh graders research a culture and art produced by the people of that culture. They create a PowerPoint presentation to explain their findings. Students make a sand painting depicting the art of that era.
Curated OER
Living in America (The Earliest Years)
Fifth graders work in groups to study a particular group of Native Americans. They use a study guide to guide their research and use the internet and text resources to gather information. Students post their research on a class web page.
Curated OER
Earth Connections
Students explore the concept of the planet Earth and its connection to the Native American traditional beliefs of 'Mother Earth.' Students describe and illustrate the Native American beliefs for 'Mother Earth.' Students interpret words...
Curated OER
The Civil Rights Movement
Students compare and contrast African-American, Asian-American, Chicano and Native-American movements with the civil rights movement and are exposed to the sociopolitical and economic factors involved in the rise of social movements.
Curated OER
Rediscovering Forgotten Women Writers
Women's voices are becoming more prominent in the world of literature, but for centuries, this wasn't the case. Young historians research a woman whose writings are considered to be lost, out of print, or forgotten. They develop an oral...
Curated OER
Native American Legends, Folk Stories and Tales
Middle schoolers write an Indian tale explaining a natural event, an animal characteristic,
Curated OER
Indian Reservation Haiku Poem
Young scholars examine and write about the relocation of Native Americans to Indian reservations. They view and discuss primary source photographs, brainstorm for details and emotions in a small group, and write a Haiku poem about the...
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Ceremony
Students complete multiple lessons to identify the human rights and social justice for Native Americans. In this human rights lesson, students complete fifty one days of activities to a lesson titled "Ceremony" about the Native...
Curated OER
Social Studies: Manifest Destiny or Bust
Fifth graders explore the westward movement between 1800 and 1861 in the United States. They write narratives from the standpoint of those cultures that were repressed during this period, such as Native Americans, slaves, or Mexicans. ...
Curated OER
The Four Sacred Elements
Fourth graders observe the Four Sacred Elements image in PowerPoint as projected on a screen and discuss what they see and then summarize the details. They discuss what the image represents and how the Four Sacred Elements are an...
Curated OER
Imagen e ldentidad/Image and Identity: Multiple Voices, Violations and Victories
High schoolers spend a year involved in a project researching the diversity of Native Americans.
Curated OER
Cinderella Trilogy
Students look at three different versions of the Cinderella story. In this comparative literature lesson, students read the Chinese version "Yeh-Shen", the Egyptian version "Rhodopis," and the Native American version "The Hidden One" of...
Curated OER
Weather/Climate
Pupils examine traditional Native American weather/climate knowledge. They keep a weather journal and research cloud cover.
Channel Islands Film
Once Upon a Time (Saxipak’a): Lesson Plan 4
How did the environment and natural resources found on the Channel islands influence the culture of the Chumash? Archaeology meets technology in an activity designed for middle schoolers. After viewing West of The West's documentary Once...
San Francisco Symphony
Music and Early Man
Creative projects are great ways to increase interest in topical research. Middle schoolers learning about primitive life styles in the Americas explore the importance of music to hunter gatherers. They research and create musical...
Quia
Charlotte’s Web Lesson Plan
Make your classroom into a place of kindness and compassion with E.B White's Charlotte's Web. The first four pages of the lesson plan guide you through several steps and projects, including discussions on Charlotte and Wilbur's...
Curated OER
Native California Americans
Fourth graders study the differences in the ways of life of five different Native California Tribes. They assess the use of technology, computers and the Internet as valuable investigation tools.
Curated OER
It's All Part of the Story
Students explore storytelling through pantomime, improvisation, and dramatization. They watch an online video, discuss Native American earth stories, role-play various situations, explore websites, and present an oral story to the class.