Introducing California’s First-Ever Native American Studies Model Curriculum
The Native American Studies Model Curriculum (NASMC) marks a historic milestone in California education as a state-funded comprehensive, standards-aligned curriculum dedicated to Native American Studies. This groundbreaking effort was created in collaboration with California Tribes, Native scholars, community leaders, educators, and organizations who brought their wisdom, expertise, and lived experience to the curriculum and resources.
The NASMC is more than a curriculum, it is a living educational framework that brings Native American voices, histories, cultures, and contemporary realities into classrooms across the state. Designed to be culturally sustainable, inclusive, and adaptable for K–12 classrooms, the curriculum offers standards aligned units, mini units and lessons that integrate Native perspectives across disciplines including history, English language arts, science, social studies, and the arts.
The updated and revised History of Native California video offers a comprehensive account of California’s Indigenous history and contemporary Native experiences. Originally produced for Cal Poly Humboldt’s Native American Studies Department and the Place Based Learning Communities (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-azcPugmKQ&t=4s) the revised film expands beyond a Northern California focus to include diverse tribal histories, movements, and voices from across the state. Through interviews with Indigenous scholars the documentary explores critical topics such as the reservation and rancheria systems, federal recognition, the American Indian Movement, NAGPRA, Indian gaming and the Land Back movement. This film is a powerful resource for educators and institutions, supporting professional development and strengthening the integration of Native American Studies into California’s K–12 classrooms. It underscores the importance of culturally responsive teaching and highlights why Indigenous perspectives are essential to a complete and accurate general education. We encourage all visitors and folks wanting to engage with the NASMC resources to watch this video as a guiding resource for implementation of the NASMC in classrooms and schools.
