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Deep Dive
3 ways to expand Native American curriculum beyond Thanksgiving myths
Generalizations tied to the holiday don't paint the whole picture of the numerous cultures that were spread across the Americas.
Lauren Barack
Nov. 6, 2019
Classroom lessons around the Thanksgiving holiday are populated by
mostly mythic stories about the celebration's origins, painting rosy
images of the pilgrims of Plymouth, Massachusetts, and local Wampanoag
tribe of Native Americans coming together to share a feast.
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Children's and young adult author Cynthia Leitich Smith sees room for
educators to push beyond their lessons a bit when it comes to teaching
these topics, suggesting curriculum can be integrated throughout the
school year — and across any discipline — with just a bit more
sleuthing on the part of teachers and students alike.
Teaching a science unit on astrophysics or the space program? A picture
book about Chickasaw astronaut John Herrington, "Mission to Space," for
example, is a nice fit.
"Inclusion of Native topics in the curriculum should be
interdisciplinary and take place all year round," Smith told Education
Dive by email. "Rather than tie into Thanksgiving, focus instead on
Native Heritage Month, and then continue integrating respectful lesson
plans during every other month of the year, too."
When it comes to using Thanksgiving as the traditional marker for
incorporating lessons on Native American culture and history, many
experts, like Natalie Martinez, a New Mexico Public Education
Department Indigenous New Mexico Curriculum Initiative curriculum lead
team member, point out that these "origin myths" are rife with
inaccuracies and stereotypes.
The better approach is to bring original sourcing, along with native
voices, to the classroom and weave these perspectives into lessons.
Those who want to get started can begin by examining the history in
their own backyard.
Finding sources in your community
Martinez suggests educators begin their search online, where there are
a number of curriculum options for K-12 classrooms. She points to the
"Indigenous Wisdom" curriculum from the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center,
the "Since Time Immemorial" curriculum mandated by the state of
Washington, and "An Indigenous Peoples’ History for Young People,"
which has an added curriculum guide written by Martinez along with
several lesson plans for teachers to use.
Educators should also look within their own neighborhood and community
for sourcing. To start, Martinez points to the website Native Land,
which is curated by an indigenous-led, nonprofit group and includes an
interactive map that can users can search to find indigenous
territories across Canada and the United States.
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