Teaching kids about Native American history is a fascinating challenge. The first people of our nation, Native Americans were living here for thousands of years before the first European settlers arrived. Theirs is a rich and varied history, spanning the many different cultures of the different tribes that lived all across North America. Here are some ideas for exploring Native American history with your students.
Overview
Share with your students the many different tribes of Native Americans that have lived here. A comprehensive list, with links to more information about each nation, is available at http://www.nativeculturelinks.com/nations.html Explain that the way of life for each of these tribes was very different, based upon their individual traditions and ways, and upon the climate and geography of where they lived. Show your students photos of different native American dwellings from different regions; the teepees of the Plains Indians, the igloos of the Inuit people, adobe houses of the Southwest region, wetus of the woodland dwelling Indians of the Northeast, etc. Discuss the varying lifestyles of different tribes.
Who Was Here Before Us?
Find out which Native American tribes once lived in your area. Explore their customs, language, rituals and art. Try to find pictures of what their homes and clothing looked like. Search online for traditional recipes or foods typically eaten by those tribes. Local museums, heritage sites and libraries may have authentic artifacts on display. Do descendents of these tribes still live in your area? Why or why not?
Living Gently
Native American people believed (and still believe) in living harmoniously with the Earth, and treating the land with respect. The life of the Native American was very much tied to the changing seasons and the world around them, with every effort being made to minimize their impact on the world. Share with your students the old Indian proverb, "Treat the Earth well: it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children. We do not inherit the Earth from our Ancestors, we borrow it from our Children." Explore ways the Native American people ensured that they did not waste, pollute or otherwise harm the Earth.
Native Language in Our Language
How many words in the English language can you think of that have their origins in Native American languages? Moccasin, squash, igloo, skunk, succotash…many of the words that we use every day are not English at all, but come to us from the many languages spoken by the Native American peoples. How many Native American words can you think of?
It is impossible to teach students about Native American history without discussing some difficult topics. While much of the documented history of the interactions between the European settlers and the Native Americans is portrayed as friendly and mutually beneficial (The First Thanksgiving, Sacagawea, etc.), the fact is that the thousands upon thousands of Native Americans were killed as a result of European settlers coming to the New World. While it is not a proud time in our nation's story, it is essential that we never forget the tragic road that the Native American people have walked as a result of the actions of our forebears.
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