Teaching Resoures

It is important to learn about Native peoples from actual Natives. We tell our stories best. Try to use Native authors/resources as much as possible. Also be sure to teach about modern Native peoples, not just our past.

Please do not teach your students to “play Indian.” Crafts like paper/fake headdresses, costume like clothing, paper tipis, war paint, fake “war whoops,” etc are a trivialization and mockery of our cultures and are harmful to us. They promote stereotypes and teach incorrect things to students as well as being harmful to indigenous students.

Some of my favorite teaching resources include:

Cradleboard Teaching Project – http://www.cradleboard.org/  – Native made curriculum sources

Woodland Indian Education – http://www.woodlandindianedu.com/ – teacher resources on woodland Natives

American Indians in Children’s Literature blog – https://americanindiansinchildrensliterature.blogspot.com/ – Native evaluation of children’s literature

Rethinking Columbus, The Next 500 years – multiple authors – book of teaching resources on Columbus and Thanksgiving, teaching this history from a Native perspective

Lessons From Turtle Island: Native Curriculum in Early Childhood Years – by Guy Jones and Sally Moomaw

Oyate.org – Resources on Native authors/children’s books, curriculum, modern Native peoples. Be sure to click the “Resources” tab and use the Living Stories, Thanksgiving, How to Tell the Difference, tabs in there, as well as the others. The store is a good place to search for children’s books by Native authors as well as educational sources for teachers and adults.

Strongnations.com – Native authors/books

http://www.native-languages.org/ – great website for a variety of accurate information about Native peoples. Also bigorrin.org is a related site

Eaglespeaker.com – books and resources for education.

Powwows.com – explore information and videos about powwows, dances, drum styles, powwow etiquette, and find local powwows near you. Use the “Native American Information” tab to find info about what a powwow is, dance styles, etc. Use the “Powwow Calendar” tab to search for powwows near you.

native-land.ca – interactive map

Native Knowledge 360 – https://americanindian.si.edu/nk360

I encourage all teachers to read this report called Reclaiming Native Truth: https://rnt.firstnations.org/

illuminatives.org

http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2014/11/12/native-american-heritage-month-resources-teachers-157797 – keep in mind, don’t just teach about us in November. These sources can be used all year.

This is a great blog all around, but I like to start with this specific post for perspective: https://indigenoushistory.wordpress.com/2013/05/09/what-if-people-told-european-history-like-they-told-native-american-history/

To keep up to date on current Native events and issues, follow Native news sources like Native News Online, Indianz.com and Native American Times, Indian Country Today, Digital Smoke Signals, Last Real Indians, American Indian Digital Reporter, Indigenous Environmental Network, etc