Browse lesson plans

Along the Trail of Tears

A part of history is often forgotten when teaching younger students. This is the relocation of the Cherokee Indians when the white settlers wanted their property. The US Government moved whole groups of Indians under harsh conditions. This trip became known as the Trail of Tears. Using this as a background students will explore and experiment with persuasive writing as they try to express the position of Cherokee leaders.

Format: lesson plan (grade 4–5 English Language Arts and Social Studies)

By Glenda Bullard.

Family story with research

Using the book, When The Legends Die and a Native American story-telling unit, students gather a family story of their own.

Format: lesson plan (grade 11–12 English Language Arts and Social Studies)

By Eric Broer.

Native American poetry workshop

This week-long set of lessons uses four different center activities to help students respond to poetry written by American Indians. This lesson plan was written with ESL (English as a second language) students in mind, so there are many opportunities to practice vocabulary, discuss and talk with others, and model expectations.

Format: lesson plan (grade 4 English Language Arts and Social Studies)

By Liz Mahon.

Pottery traditions

In Intrigue of the Past, page 4.5

Students will learn how Indian people of North Carolina made and used coiled pottery, summarize why archaeologists study pottery, and make and decorate a replica of a North Carolina coiled pot.

Format: lesson plan (grade 4 and 8 Visual Arts Education and Social Studies)

Resources on the web

LitSite Alaska

LitSite Alaska, created by the Creative Writing Department at the University of Alaska Anchorage and the Alaska Literary Consortium, includes workbooks designed to help teachers design effective assignments in reading and writing. Examples... (Learn more)

Format: website/lesson plan

Provided by: University of Alaska Anchorage

National Museum of the American Indian

This website uses Flash technology to present online multimedia exhibitions about the history and culture of American Indians. An excellent online educational resource about codetalkers during WWI and WWII is also available. (Learn more)

Format: website/lesson plan

Provided by: Smithsonian Institution