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17 Native American Heritage Month Activities For Students

Leo Migdal
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17 native american heritage month activities for students

People in the United States have honored Native American Heritage Month since 1990. Celebrated in November, it coincides with the end of the traditional harvest season for many Indigenous tribes, which is typically a time for celebration. Today, we’re sharing 17 Native American Heritage Month activities to help your students better understand the experiences of various Native American tribes in the United States. Need a lesson to introduce your students to Indigenous traditions, culture, or leaders? Try one designed for their grade band to share on-grade-level themes, questions, and analysis. With your youngest students, you can explore Indigenous traditions from different regions in the United States, from the East Coast, Central Plains, West Coast, and Alaska and Hawaii.

Students can learn different festivals, events, and cultural clothing that are hallmarks of different tribes. Upper elementary students can dive deeper into cultural hallmarks of these tribes by exploring Indigenous art, music, food, and architecture. Use a variety of question and response types, like audio responses and matching, to check their understanding. November is an important annual opportunity to pause and reflect on the rich cultural heritage, enduring traditions, and profound contributions of America’s indigenous peoples. As a teacher with Apache tribal heritage, I created this list of Native American Heritage Month activities to help fellow educators foster in our students greater respect, empathy, and appreciation for our nation’s indigenous... Since the United States was built upon the ancestral lands of diverse tribal nations, it’s crucial that we take time to honor their legacy through Native American Heritage Month.

We can show respect to the original stewards of this land we now all occupy by acknowledging the vibrant cultures, belief systems, and lived experiences of the indigenous people who have called these regions... President George H.W. Bush signed a joint resolution in 1990 to designate November as Native American Heritage Month. During this month, all Americans are invited to deepen their understanding and appreciation of Native communities across the country. This commemoration provides a dedicated chance to educate ourselves, amplify Native voices, and find meaningful ways to support tribal sovereignty and self-determination. Whether it’s attending cultural events, reading works by Native authors, or learning about our arts and culture, this is the time to honor the first people of this country and ensure their rightful place...

As you celebrate Native American Heritage Month with your students, here are some important tips for approaching Native traditions and activities with the respect and reverence they deserve. As you seek to learn more about the rich cultural heritage of our Native people through Native American Heritage Month activities, it’s important to approach this exploration with a deep sense of respect and... Native culture is not merely costumes or gimmicks to be donned for a fleeting trend—they represent ancient, living traditions that are profoundly personal to our families and our way of life. These practices and beliefs have been passed down through generations, carrying the weight and wisdom of the ancestors who came before. They are not to be treated lightly or superficially, but rather with the understanding that you are being welcomed into a world of profound spiritual and communal significance. There are estimated to be over 450,000 million Indigenous people around the world.

Their lands overlap with over 90 countries, and encompass thousands of languages. Some of the oldest Indigenous cultures stretch back tens of thousands of years. The sheer depth, breadth, and impact of Indigenous cultures is staggering. And while we may not be able to cover it all, we can offer students the vital history of the land upon which they stand, and how Native and Indigenous people and cultures continue... In that spirit, and with those challenges in mind, we've gathered teaching and learning resources that primarily focus on Native Americans and First Nations people in North America. These resources were predominantly developed by or in partnership with Native people and/or tribal organizations and nations.

Many are culturally responsive and meant to include ways of being and knowing rooted in Native and Indigenous traditions and histories. With these tools and resources, students can explore the rich culture and history, values and beliefs, and innovations and contributions of specific nations and tribes. We've organized resources by approximate grade band, though there's some overlap, so they're all worth a look. Resources touch on every school subject, and many offer novel cross-curricular approaches. There are activities that engage each of the senses and cover topics from math to poetry to gain a deeper understanding of Native people's impact on the world and our future. Weave them into your curriculum all throughout the year, as well as on Indigenous People's Day or during Native American Heritage Month/Indigenous History Month.

Editor's note for all of the YouTube videos in this article: Pressing play on the YouTube video will set third-party cookies controlled by Google if you are logged in to Chrome. See Google's cookie information for details. See how Newsela’s products help you build a solid educational foundation so you can engage, support, and grow every learner. Newsela launched in 2013 with a bold mission: Meaningful classroom learning for every student. Today, our team constantly strives to deliver powerful solutions that inspire our users. Newsela products are purpose-built to unlock student motivation, inspire teachers, and drive long-lasting learning outcomes.

Everything you need to be successfully while using the Newsela suite of products. See how Newsela’s products help you build a solid educational foundation so you can engage, support, and grow every learner. November is National Native American Heritage Month! Declared a federal event in 1990, this awareness month is a great reminder to make sure your curriculum includes Indigenous history, current events, and culture. We’ve rounded up a few of the best ways to celebrate Native American Heritage Month with your students. Plus, read on to the end for recommendations on the best books about Native American people and communities to read with elementary students.

<img fetchpriority="high" fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" class="wp-image-39665 alignleft" src="https://www.waterford.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/iStock-1178221141.jpg" alt="group of elementary students" width="634" height="423" srcset="https://www.waterford.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/iStock-1178221141.jpg 1254w, https://www.waterford.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/iStock-1178221141-300x200.jpg 300w, https://www.waterford.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/iStock-1178221141-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://www.waterford.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/iStock-1178221141-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 634px) 100vw, 634px" /> Looking for ways to celebrate Native American Heritage Month with your elementary school students? Keep these engaging activities about Native American history and heritage in mind. For a social studies lesson that can easily engage young learners, listen to recordings of traditional Native American songs and discuss the feelings they inspire in your students. The Native American Music archive at the Smithsonian website is a great place to start, with videos of Indigenous people performing traditional and contemporary songs. Summer Series: Issue 7 – Getting Outdoors

Summer Series: Issue 6 – Finding Your People Summer Series: Issue 4 – Joyful Movement Written by Lynna Sutherland | Homeschooling Celebrating National Native American Heritage Month in a homeschool setting provides a unique opportunity to explore the rich history, culture, and contributions of Native American peoples with children. You can explore Native American music, language, and traditional foods, making a memorable and engaging experience. By visiting virtual exhibits or watching educational documentaries together, kids gain a deeper understanding of the influence of Native American heritage on our society today.

This month-long celebration can help foster respect, appreciation, and awareness of Native cultures while building a foundation for further exploration throughout the year. These dream catcher printables are a lovely way to introduce children to this aspect of Native American heritage, art, and culture. These coloring pages are a great activity for students to do while you read to them about Native American history or play traditional Native American music for them. Get immediate, free access to this dream catcher printable when you join the Your Large Family Homeschool email list. We'll send you all of the Native American Heritage Month resources on this page for you to download today. Explore traditional homes build by different Native American tribes as a part of your exploration of National Native American Heritage Month in November.

These coloring pages are engaging and also educational. November is Native American Heritage Month! Celebrate the diverse cultures of Native Americans with this collection of activities. From Navajo to Iroquois, these hands-on crafts help kids a fun way to learn about how different North American tribes celebrate their cultures. Click on an activity in the set below to see more info. Become a Premium member to empower every learner—at home, in the classroom, or on the go, along with:

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