November is Native American Heritage Month, commonly referred to as American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month.
Although incorporating Native American history, traditions and culture can (and should!) occur throughout the school year, November is a time to raise awareness about the unique challenges that Native people have faced historically, and continue to face, along with ways in which they have worked to overcome them.
Looking for a way to create interactive lessons for your students around Native American History Month?
We’ve got you covered! PBS LearningMedia Lesson Builder is a tool that allows educators to create personalized lessons for students which can be used for in-class activities or homework assignments. This short tutorial guides you through the process of using the Lesson Builder tool to share content with your students. It's easy to combine some of your favorite resources, along with PBS resources to create engaging lessons that encourage critical thinking and conversation.
Don’t have a PBS LearningMedia account yet?
Don’t worry - it’s 100% free and easy to sign up! This tutorial shows you how to get started.
Take a spin through these additional How-Tos to quickly become a PBS LearningMedia expert!
Oh, and did we mention?
PBS LearningMedia's 30,000+ digital resources are aligned to national and Michigan PreK-12 standards for all subject areas, and are single sign-on compatible with Google Classroom, Clever, Remind, Schoology and ClassLink.
If your West or Southwest Michigan-based school is interested in a PBS LearningMedia Workshop, we do that, too! Reach out via email or call 616-331-6666.
We’ve gathered some of our favorite resources below to support learning as your students honor and celebrate the rich diversity and important contributions of Indigenous people in Michigan, and across the United States.
Map the Native Lands Where You Are
Why Honoring Native Lands Matters
A Guide to Respectfully Acknowledge Ancestral Lands
Tips for Creating an indigenous Land Acknowledgement Statement
Design a Poster to Honor the Indigenous Lands You Live On(Gr. PreK-5)
PBS LearningMedia
Let's Share a Story: Fry Bread (Gr. PreK-K)
Honoring Indigenous Experiences (Gr. K-2)
Molly of Denali Collection (Gr. K-2)
Native American Winter Count Activity Starter (Gr. K-5)
Native American Board Schools Activity Starter (Gr. K-5)
The Warrior Tradition (Gr. K-12)
Native American Heritage Month Collection (Gr. K-12)
Oral Traditions (Gr. 3-5)
Why Teach Native American History (Gr. 3-12)
American Experience: Native Peoples Collection (Gr. 3-12)
Native American Heritage Collection (Gr. 3-12)
Miss Indian America (Gr. 3-12)
The Bozeman Trail (Gr. 3-12)
Shoshone Drum (Gr. 3-12)
An Educator's Guide to Expanding Narratives about American History & Culture (Gr. 6-12)
Native America in the Classroom (Gr. 6-12)
Thanksgiving Through the Lens of of Native Americans Today Lesson Plan (Gr. 6-12)
Unladylike 2020: Indigenous Women (Gr. 6-12) *includes a gallery walk interactive designed by teachers
Social Studies Arts Toolkit: Native American Culture (Gr. 6-12)
The Ways Collection: Native Communities Around the Great Lakes(Gr. 6-12)
Michigan Native American and Tribes Resources
Grand Rapids Public Museum Collections
Look into the Michigan Tribes - WCMU
Trace Native Michigan Genealogy
PBS KIDS - for ages 2-8
8 Children's Books to Celebrate Native Heritage
Thanksgiving: Practicing Gratitude and Honoring the Real Story
Molly of Denali Activities, Games, Crafts Recipes, and More
