Native American
Teaching Activity PDFs
The Cherokee/Seminole Removal Role Play
Teaching Activity PDF. By Bill Bigelow. 10 pages.
Role play on the Cherokee-Seminole removal or Trail of Tears.
Democracy & Citizenship, Native American, Racism & Racial Identity
Andrew Jackson and the “Children of the Forest”
Teaching Activity PDF. By Bill Bigelow. 5 pages.
A lesson in which students develop critical literacy skills by responding to Andrew Jackson’s speech on “Indian Removal.”
Discovering Columbus: Re-reading the Past
Teaching Activity PDF. By Bill Bigelow. 6 pages.
How to engage students in a critical analysis of the textbook version of “discovery.”
The People vs. Columbus, et al.
Teaching Activity PDF. By Bill Bigelow. 8 pages.
Role play in the form of a trial to determine who is responsible for the death of millions of Tainos on the island of Hispaniola in the late 15th century.
The Color Line
Teaching Activity PDF. By Bill Bigelow. 6 pages.
A lesson on the countless colonial laws enacted to create division and inequality based on race. This helps students understand the origins of racism in the United States and who benefits.
African American, Laws & Citizen Rights, Native American, Racism & Racial Identity, Slavery
‘Don’t Take Our Voices Away’: A Role Play on the Indigenous Peoples’ Global Summit on Climate Change
Teaching Activity PDF. By Julie Treick O’Neill and Tim Swinehart. 16 pages.
A role play on the Indigenous Peoples’ Global Summit on Climate Change that asks students to develop a list of demands to present to the rest of the world at the U.N. climate change treaty meeting.
Environment & Food, Native American, Pacific Islander, Science, World History/Global Studies
Rethinking the U.S. Constitutional Convention: A Role Play
Teaching Activity PDF. By Bob Peterson. 14 pages.
A role play on the Constitutional Convention which brings to life the social forces active during and immediately following the American Revolution with focus on two key topics: suffrage and slavery. An elementary school adapation of the Constitution Role Play by Bill Bigelow.
Democracy & Citizenship, Laws & Citizen Rights, Native American, Slavery, Women's History
Columbus and Las Casas
Teaching Activity PDF. By Gayle Olson-Raymer. 15 pages.
Questions and teaching ideas for Chapter 1 of Voices of a People’s History of the United States on Columbus’ arrival in the “New World,” and the contrasting accounts of Bartolome de Las Casas and Eduardo Galeano.
Dirty Oil and Shovel-Ready Jobs: A Role Play on Tar Sands and the Keystone XL Pipeline
Teaching Activity. By Abby Mac Phail. 12 pages.
Role play on the Keystone XL Pipeline battle.
Environment & Food, Native American, Organizing, US Foreign Policy, World History/Global Studies
Indian Removal
Teaching Activity PDF. By Gayle Olson-Raymer. 18 pages.
Questions and teaching ideas for Chapter 7 of Voices of a People’s History of the United States on the American policy of “Manifest Destiny” and Native American resistance to their own displacement.
Teaching Guides
Rediscovering America / Redescubriendo America
Book – Teaching Guide. Edited by Gioconda Belli, et al. 1992. 104 pages.
Rethinking Columbus: The Next 500 Years
Teaching Guide. Edited by Bill Bigelow and Bob Peterson. 2003. 192 pages.
Readings and lessons for pre-K to 12 about the impact and legacy of the arrival of Columbus in the Americas.
Articles
On the Road to Cultural Bias: A Critique of The Oregon Trail
Article for Educators in PDF. By Bill Bigelow. 13 pages.
Critque of the popular Oregon Trail computer game.
Books: Fiction
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
Book – Fiction. By Sherman Alexie. 2007. 288 pages.
Coming-of-age-tale set on Spokane Indian Reservation.
The Birchbark House
Book – Fiction. By Louise Erdrich. 1999. 244 pages.
Historical fiction set in the mid-19th century in the Lake Superior area.
Dzání Yázhí Naazbaa’: Little Woman Warrior Who Came Home
Book – Fiction. By Evangeline Parsons Yazzie. Illustrated by Irving Toddy. 2005. 32 pages.
Historical fiction for upper elementary about the Navajo Long Walk (forced removal by U.S. soldiers) of 1863-1864.
The Game of Silence
Book – Fiction. By Louise Erdrich. 2006. 288 pages.
The second in a series of novels for middle school and high school students about an Ojibwe family in the mid-19th century. The story parallels the time of the widely read Little House on the Prairie.
Hurricane Dancers
Book – Fiction. By Margarita Engle. 2011. 160 pages.
Historical fiction in the form of poetry about the conquest and resistance.
The Porcupine Year
Book – Fiction. By Louise Erdrich. 2010. 244 pages.
The third in a series of novels for middle and high school students about an Ojibwe family in the mid-19th century. The story parallels the time of the widely read Little House on the Prairie.
Books: Non-Fiction
500 Años del Pueblo Chicano – 500 Years of Chicano History in Pictures
Book – Non-fiction. By Elizabeth Martinez. 1991 (2nd Edition). 238 pages.
Chicano history as told through hundreds of pictures.
Black Elk Speaks: Being the Life Story of a Holy Man of the Oglala Sioux
Book – Non-fiction. By John G. Neihardt, Standing Bear, Raymond J. Demallie. 2008. 334 pages.
The life and visions of the Lakota healer Nicholas Black Elk and the history of his Sioux people.
Black Indians: A Hidden Heritage
Book – Non-fiction. By William Loren Katz. 2012. 272 pages.
History book for ages 10 to adult that traces relations between Blacks and American Indians since the time of the conquest.
African American, Native American, Racism & Racial Identity, Slavery, Wars & Related Anti-War Movements
Dangerous Memories: Invasion and Resistance Since 1492
Book – Nonfiction. By Golden, McConnell, Poppen, and Mue. 1991. 272 pages.
Essential text on U.S. history; includes many primary sources on people’s movements.
A Different Mirror: A History of Multicultural America
Book – Non-fiction. By Ronald Takaki. 2008. 560 pages.
A multicultural history of America, in the voices of Native Americans, African Americans, Jews, Irish Americans, Asian Americans, Latinos and others.
African American, Asian American, Immigration, Labor, Latino, Native American, Pacific Islander, Social Class
Lies Across America: What Our Historic Sites Get Wrong
Book – Non-fiction. By James Loewen. 2007. 464 pages.
The mis-education provided by monuments and historic markers across the United States.
Occupied America: A History of Chicanos
Book – Non-fiction. By Rodolfo Acuña. 2010 (7th Edition). 432 pages.
A leading textbook on Chicano history.
A People’s History of the United States: 1492 – Present
Book – Non-fiction. By Howard Zinn. 2005. 702 pages.
Howard Zinn’s groundbreaking work on U.S. history. This book details the lives and facts that are rarely included in textbooks — an indispensable teacher and student resource.
African American, Civil Rights Movements, Democracy & Citizenship, Economics, Education, Immigration, Imperialism, Labor, Laws & Citizen Rights, Native American, Organizing, Racism & Racial Identity, Slavery, Social Class, US Foreign Policy, Wars & Related Anti-War Movements, Women's History
Films
Bartolomé de las Casas: “Devastation of the Indies: A Brief Account”
Bartolome de las Casas’ “Devastation of the Indies: A Brief Account” (1542) read by John Sayles, Viggo Mortensen, and Staceyann Chin. From Voices of a People’s History of the United States.
Chief Joseph: “Account of His Trip to Washington, D.C.”
Chief Joseph’s “Account of His Trip to Washington, D.C.” (1879), read by Q’Orianka Kilcher. From Voices of a People’s History of the United States.
Democracy & Citizenship, Environment & Food, Native American
Chief Tecumseh: “Speech to the Osages”
Chief Tecumseh’s “Speech to the Osages” (Winter 1811-1812) read by Deepa Fernandes. From Voices of a People’s History of the United States.
Incident at Oglala
Film. 1992. 90 minutes. By Michael Apted. Produced by Arthur Chobanian. Narrated by Robert Redford.
Documentary about the conviction of Native American activist Leonard Peltier.
Thunderheart
Film. 1992. 118 minutes. By Michael Apted.
Captures some of the conflicts on the Pine Ridge Reservation in the 1970s relating to corporate/government collusion to exploit Native lands for profit.
Unlearning “Indian” Sterotypes
Film. 1977 (Updated in 2008). Rethinking Schools and the Council on Interracial Books for Children.
Native American history through the eyes of Native American children.
We Shall Remain
Film and website. 2009. 450 minutes.
Three hundred years of Native American history.
Civil Rights Movements, Laws & Citizen Rights, Native American, Racism & Racial Identity
Picture Books
Dzání Yázhí Naazbaa’: Little Woman Warrior Who Came Home
Book – Fiction. By Evangeline Parsons Yazzie. Illustrated by Irving Toddy. 2005. 32 pages.
Historical fiction for upper elementary about the Navajo Long Walk (forced removal by U.S. soldiers) of 1863-1864.
Posters
Lies My Teacher Told Me About Christopher Columbus
Poster. By James W. Loewen. 2006. Booklet, 48 pp. Poster, 32.5″ x 21″
Graphic corrective to the Columbus story told in many American classrooms.
Profiles
Joseph, Chief Hinmton Yalaktit
Profile. Chief Joseph Hinmton Yalaktit. Native American Leader, 1840—1904.
Parsons, Lucy Gonzales
Profile. Lucy Gonzales Parsons, Labor organizer, Orator, 1853–1942. By William Loren Katz.
Spanish/Bilingual
500 Años del Pueblo Chicano – 500 Years of Chicano History in Pictures
Book – Non-fiction. By Elizabeth Martinez. 1991 (2nd Edition). 238 pages.
Chicano history as told through hundreds of pictures.
Rediscovering America / Redescubriendo America
Book – Teaching Guide. Edited by Gioconda Belli, et al. 1992. 104 pages.
Websites
Alcatraz is Not an Island
Website.
The history of the 19 month occupation of Alcatraz by Indians of All Nations.
American Indians in Children’s Literature
Website. By Debbie Reese.
Critical perspectives of indigenous peoples in children’s books, the school curriculum, popular culture, and society-at-large.
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