Students will understand the challenges and barriers faced by Native American athletes in the early 20th century, especially in major leagues like MLB. Students will learn about the importance of the World Series in the early 20th century and how it served as both a personal and cultural milestone for players like Bender and Meyers.
This lesson invites students to reflect deeply on the interconnection between people, plants, animals, and the natural environment. By examining the practices of giving thanks found in Indigenous cultures—particularly focusing on the Haudenosaunee tradition—students will gain a deeper understanding of how gratitude and respect for the Earth are central to many Native worldviews. Through storytelling, discussion, and personal reflection, students will consider how the health of human communities is tied to the well-being of the land, water, and air. The lesson encourages students to explore their own experiences in nature and recognize the gifts provided by the environment. Emphasis will be placed on building a sense of appreciation and responsibility toward the natural world. As a culminating activity, students will create a small, personalized booklet to express their gratitude for the elements of the Earth and the living beings that depend on them. This creative project provides students with a tangible way to honor their learning, while also fostering a spirit of stewardship and care for their surroundings.
This three-part unit introduces students to the salmon, red-tailed hawk, and mountain lion as key species representing the water, air, and land ecosystems of California. Across each 60-minute session, students explore how these animals live, survive, and contribute to their environments, to understand why Native peoples in California hold a deep respect for them. In Session 1, students study the salmon’s life cycle, including its migration between freshwater and saltwater, the importance of clean, shaded rivers, and the impact of pollution and drought on its survival. Through discussion, partner work, and short writing prompts, students build a foundational understanding of the salmon’s environmental needs and cultural significance. Session 2 shifts focus to the red-tailed hawk, emphasizing its role as a top predator and its adaptations for hunting, nesting, and raising young. Students learn how hawks contribute to balanced ecosystems by controlling rodent populations, supporting both natural systems and human agriculture. In Session 3, students explore the mountain lion’s powerful body and sharp senses, its hunting techniques, and its role in maintaining healthy deer populations. They discuss how mountain lions use terrain to stalk prey and how they support biodiversity through their interactions with other animals. Each session ends with students compiling their learning into a personalized booklet, reinforcing content through writing, drawing, and storytelling—encouraging students to reflect on their relationship with the natural world and their responsibilities as environmental stewards.
This interdisciplinary lesson explores the near extinction and ongoing recovery of the California Condor, highlighting the critical role played by the Yurok Tribe Wildlife Program in northwestern California. Through an integration of ecological science, cultural history, and visual art, students examine the sacred connection between the California Condor and the Indigenous peoples of the region—particularly the Yurok, Hupa, and Karuk Tribes. The lesson emphasizes environmental stewardship, cultural preservation, and artistic expression. Students will analyze the work of Karuk artist Lyn Risling, whose paintings incorporate traditional basket designs and Indigenous symbolism to express cultural resilience and the deep ties between land, animals, and people. Using a modified Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) approach, students will engage in critical observation and discussion of Risling’s artwork and then apply similar visual elements to create their own symbolic art pieces that reflect the condor's significance. Throughout the lesson, students will: Learn key ecological vocabulary (e.g., habitat, extinction, reintroduction). Discuss the cultural and ecological importance of the condor's return to ancestral lands. Participate in interactive mapping and note-taking activities. View educational videos and live cams to support science learning. Analyze and replicate traditional design patterns. Produce a layered, symbolic art piece "in the style of" Lyn Risling. Reflect on their learning through ART Talk discussions and writing activities. The lesson concludes with a reading of a student-written poem that captures the condor's cultural significance, reinforcing both personal expression and collective heritage. This approach fosters not only environmental awareness but also respect for Indigenous knowledge systems and artistic traditions.
In this lesson, students in TK–2 will explore the Paiute origin story “Why Animals Have Black on Their Fur” to build understanding of Native storytelling, language, and culture. The lesson begins by introducing the Paiute people as one of the first groups to live in the regions we now call Nevada, California, Oregon, and Idaho. Students will learn that the Paiute people have their own language and that they have rich traditions, including storytelling, that help explain the natural world and show the deep connection between people and the land. Teachers will guide students in understanding that while many Native peoples faced hardship through colonization, the Paiute people are thriving today, actively preserving their language, tenuring lands, and revitalizing culture. After this cultural introduction, students will listen to the origin story and describe what happens, including who the characters are—especially animals and celestial beings—and how the animals got the black marks on their fur. As part of this language-integrated lesson, students will learn and practice Paiute words for some of the animals and beings mentioned in the story. Teachers will use visuals, modeling, and interactive slides with audio buttons so students can hear and repeat the Paiute words. This practice supports both oral language development and cultural appreciation. To deepen their engagement, students will complete two hands-on activities. First, they will use a color-and-say worksheet where they color the animals from the story and practice saying their Paiute names. Second, they will trace and write the Paiute words on a writing practice page, helping to develop fine motor skills and letter formation. These activities will allow students to connect storytelling with language learning in a joyful and age-appropriate way. The lesson may conclude with a drawing activity, a group reflection, or a short review of what students learned about the Paiute people and their traditions
In this interactive TK–2 lesson, students are introduced to the Yurok language through a playful and familiar song: Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes. By learning and singing this well-known children’s song in Yurok, students engage with an Indigenous language in a meaningful and memorable way, while gaining awareness of ongoing efforts to preserve and revitalize Native languages. The lesson introduces the Yurok words for head, shoulders, knees, and toes, using the Yurok Language Program’s short video, ‘Ne-mohl, 'Ne-kwoy-te-mehl, 'Ner’-err-kerhl, 'Ne-skey-we-tew. Yurok terms are reinforced through audio playback buttons embedded into the slides and repetition to support pronunciation and understanding. Students practice saying each word together, building confidence and enthusiasm through movement and sound. Once the vocabulary is introduced, the teacher introduces the Yurok words into the familiar tune of the song. Students are encouraged to sing along and perform the matching actions, creating a dynamic and immersive language experience. Throughout the lesson, the teacher can pause and discuss the importance of language revitalization. These moments help students make connections between the song and the cultural significance behind it. The lesson concludes with a worksheet for students to glue the term to match the images from the video.
Students explore the concept of the oak tree as a keystone species and learn who benefits from its gifts—humans and wildlife alike. They are introduced to Indigenous stewardship, including controlled burning as a traditional practice to support oak habitats. Students engage in discussion, categorization activities, and create artwork or writing to define their role as stewards of the land.
Students develop vocabulary and observation skills to identify oak trees and acorn anatomy. Through labeling activities and hands-on exploration, they learn to name tree and seed parts while understanding how Native Americans used oak trees and their products. Students use teamwork and visual prompts to deepen their learning.
This lesson focuses on how California Native American communities traditionally harvested, processed, and respected acorns as a staple food. Students examine real acorns, engage in simulated grinding activities, and explore sustainability through the concept of taking only what is needed. They reflect through art and writing on the cultural importance of oak trees.
Using a PBS KIDS Molly of Denali video, this lesson highlights the cultural and ecological importance of acorns through an Indigenous lens. Students watch a video, discuss key themes, and explore how traditional knowledge helps people care for the land. They make personal connections through observation, storytelling, and drawing activities.
