Curated OER
Columbus Day (Native American Perspective)
Teach your class the perspective Native Americans had on Christopher Columbus. They will examine the effects of Christopher Columbus' exploration on the Native Americans using a reading theater and a carousel brainstorming activity. They...
DocsTeach
The Settlement of the American West
What do Abraham Lincoln and the Transcontinental Railroad have in common? Using a set of primary source documents, including pictures, maps, and treaties, class members link together the common themes of expansion into the American West....
PBS
Myth of the West: The Battle of the Washita
Go West, young man! Scholars use PBS video clips, slide shows, and interactive materials to create a picture of Manifest Destiny in the American West. Using a variety of primary and secondary sources, young historians learn about the...
Curated OER
In the Footprints of Lewis and Clark: 19th Century Artists -- Depictions of Native Americans
Eighth graders read excerpts of "Undaunted Courage" by Stephen Ambrose. As a class, they view slides of artwork from the time period of westward expansion and Native Americans, write their reactions and share them with the class. To...
Curated OER
Native American Homes
Fifth graders research and create a model of a Native American home. In pairs, they conduct research on a selected type of Native American home, then draw designs for their building construction. Students then construct their model...
Curated OER
Northwest Native American Art
Eighth graders first study the art of the U.S. Northwestern Coast Native American peoples. They select an image or make their own and make a drawing and then make a 6-inch linoleum block print.
Stanford University
Carlisle Indian Industrial School
How do policies aimed to help actually hurt? Native American boarding schools—an attempt at assimilating children of indigenous tribes into white culture—had a shattering effect on those who attended. With primary sources, including...
DocsTeach
Reasons for Westward Expansion
"Go West, young man!" is a familiar refrain in American history. But why did people leave their homes in the East to travel westward and what impact did that movement have on people already living in the American West? By examining...
Annenberg Foundation
Exploring Borderlands
What motivated Europeans to explore the New World, and what effects did their exploration have on Native American populations? The second installment of a 16-part American Passages series prompts pupils to watch a video and read several...
Curated OER
Native Americans
Students develop an appreciation of American Indians. They sing "Ten Little Indians," then act out "Brave Little Indian," an action story. They learn the poem "Then and Now."
DocsTeach
Lewis and Clark's Expedition to the Complex West
Lewis and Clark's famous expedition is a prime example of the United States' westward expansion. Aspiring historians examine maps from Lewis and Clark's journey, as well as discuss their interactions with Native American tribes. The...
DocsTeach
Patent Analysis: Joseph Glidden's Barbed Wire
Barbed wire may have made cattle farming easier, but it brought to an end the free-roaming days of the plains. No longer could Native American groups continue their nomadic lifestyle, and the days of cowboys herding large groups of...
PBS
Myth of the West: Kit Carson to the Rescue
There's nothing like the Wild Wild West! Scholars investigate the American Frontier through the eyes of Kit Carson. To complete the first installment of a three-part series, they use presentations, a short video, and primary and...
Curated OER
Native Lands: Indians in Georgia
Young scholars research what Native Americans looked like in order to dispel common stereotypes. In this Native American history lesson, students begin by drawing their mental picture of an Indian, then they research North American...
Curated OER
Wagons West: Native Americans
Students examine interactions between Native Americans and settlers. In this Westward Expansion lesson plan, students analyze select passages from Plains Indians by Dana Newmann and The World of Native Americans by Marion Wood....
Curated OER
Native Americans: Origins
In this Native Americans worksheet, students read about the origins of the Native Americans and the discovery of North America. Students also read about the arrival of the Europeans to the continent and the Plains Indians.
Curated OER
Creating An Understanding of the Past/Through The Art of George Catlin and Native American Artifacts
Young scholars explore Native American culture. They observe and discuss the paintings of George Catlin. Students examine the lives of the Pawnee Native American Indians during the time period of 1830-1840. Numerous cross curriculum...
Curated OER
Native American Culture
Students investigate the lives of the American Indians who made their homes in the Midwest. In this Native American history lesson, students research the tribes of the Midwest and create PowerPoint presentations based on their research...
Curated OER
Native Americans
Fifth graders discover that different Native American groups had different ways of living because of their environment. They discuss with the teacher to learn that different environments have different food choices. They then research a...
Curated OER
Native American and White Settler Lifestyle
In this American West worksheet, students review the lifestyles for the Native Americans and the white settlers. Students determine why there would be conflict between the groups based on the lifestyles.
Curated OER
Third Grade Social Studies- Quiz
In this social studies worksheet, students complete a 25 question multiple choice quiz about early American colonial life and the Cherokee and other Native American tribes.
Curated OER
Surviving the Winter
Fifth graders investigate given cultures using the internet, personal interviews and other sources, They examine how the civilizations of six Native American tribes and six Australian Aboriginal tribes survived during their respective...
Curated OER
Indian Removal
Learners discuss how the various acts used to force Native Americans from their home. Using the Internet, they compare and contrast the policies toward the Native Americans by presidents through Jackson. They evaluate the impact of...
Curated OER
Totem Mask
Sixth graders study totems of the Northwest Native Americans and design their own.