7.VA:CR2.3

We Are Still Here, Fix the World People Unit

7.VA:CN11, 7.VA:CR2.3, 7.VA:RE7.2, 7.VA:RE8, 1.VA:RE7.1, 5.VA:RE7.1, 6.VA:RE7.1, 8.VA:RE7.1, PROF.VA:RE7.1, RI.7.7, W.7.1, SL.7.1, SL.7.2

This six-lesson unit explores the intersection of art, language, culture, and Indigenous resilience through the work of Lyn Risling, a Karuk, Hupa, and Yurok artist from Northwestern California. Centered on Risling’s painting We Are Still Here, Fix the World People, students examine how Indigenous art can communicate cultural identity, community strength, connection to place, and resilience in the face of colonization. The unit begins with students closely examining Risling’s artwork using a “Notice, Wonder, Feel” strategy to explore symbolism and consider how animals, plants, family, and the river represent cultural relationships and continuity. Students then learn more about Risling’s life and artistic practice, connecting her work to the histories, traditions, and contemporary experiences of Indigenous communities in Northwestern California. The third lesson provides historical context by examining the impacts of colonization, including the Gold Rush, timber industry, indentured servitude, and boarding schools. Through multimedia resources and guided discussion, students consider the effects of violence, displacement, and cultural disruption and explore the lasting impacts of these histories on Indigenous communities. The unit then shifts toward language revitalization and cultural healing. Students learn about the importance of the Karuk language and hear Karuk linguist, artist, and ceremonial leader Julian Lang interpret Risling’s artwork through the language. Students build on this experience by learning Karuk words and phrases connected to elements of the painting through audio recordings and interactive activities, deepening their understanding of the relationship between language, culture, place, and worldview. The unit concludes with students creating their own artwork inspired by Risling’s painting. Students incorporate symbols connected to their own identities, families, communities, and experiences and develop an artist statement explaining their choices. Throughout the unit, students come to understand how art and language can serve as powerful tools for cultural preservation, healing, resistance to cultural erasure, and the continuation of Indigenous knowledge and identity.

1924 Indian Citizenship Act

HSS 11.5, HSS 11.5.1, HSS 12.2, HSS 12.2.6, W.9-10.2, W.9-10.4, RI.9-10.4, 7.VA:CR2.3, 7.VA:RE7.2

This unit introduces the historical, cultural, and political impacts of the 1924 Indian Citizenship Act by examining how U.S. citizenship was extended to Native peoples and the ongoing struggle for sovereignty and civil rights that has followed. Through interactive activities, visual slides, primary source analysis, and student-led research, learners will build an understanding of Native identity, government policy, and resistance through an Indigenous perspective. The unit is structured into four flexible parts that can be taught across multiple days or as a condensed unit, depending on time and class pacing.

Dam Removal

MS-LS2-1, MS-ESS3-3, CTE.EA.D.13.4, CTE.EEU.A.9.4, 7.VA:CN11, 7.VA:CR2.3, 7.VA:RE7.2, PROF.VA:RE7.1

In this lesson, students will explore the purpose, function, and impact of dams, with a special focus on how they affect river ecosystems, salmon populations, and Native American communities in California. This lesson supports California State Standards MS-LS2-1: Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems by examining how changes in water flow, temperature, and habitat caused by dams affect the balance of life in aquatic environments. It also connects to MS-ESS3-3: Human Impacts on Earth Systems by highlighting how human structures like dams can significantly alter natural systems—and how people can work to restore them. As well as looking at cause and effects through the lens of dams and river health. Students will begin by sharing prior knowledge and building key vocabulary related to ecosystems and dam removal. They will watch a short video featuring Indigenous leaders advocating for the health of the Klamath River and learn about the environmental and cultural significance of dam removal. The lesson emphasizes how dams disrupt the natural relationships between species—such as salmon and their spawning grounds—by blocking migration, increasing parasites, and reducing oxygen levels. Through the case study of the Klamath River, students will gain a timeline of environmental activism, tribal leadership, and collaboration among governments, nonprofits, and local communities that led to the successful removal of multiple dams. They will also analyze how art and protest have played powerful roles in raising awareness and calling for justice. By the end of the lesson, students will better understand the deep connections between human actions and environmental health, and how restoring ecosystems can involve science, policy, culture, and community efforts.

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