Grade 9

“Mortar holes Indian Grinding Rock State Historic Park.” Wikimedia Commons. 9/3/11.

California Indian Geographies: Reading Maps and Mapping Space

HSS 8.8.2, L.9-10.4

This lesson introduces students to the important concepts of Indigenous geographies and mapping in California. The lesson covers the historical and political context of mapping and uncovers its relationship to U.S. invasion and ongoing occupation of California Indian homelands. The lesson covers 4 key terms and analyzes 3 significant California Indian places in order to demonstrate mapping to students beyond a one dimensional understanding of what maps are. The lesson includes videos and a creative in-class activity where students will get the chance to draw their own map of California.

Greenville, CA (Mountain Maidu land) © Lowry

Native Origin Stories: I am my Ancestors' prayers

This lesson introduces Northeastern Indigenous cultures, pre-contact; including origin stories, resources, social structure, and connection to the environment. How can patterns of cause / effect manifest themselves in the core values of a culture? Which Native core values generalize into other cultures? What is different? Students will read and listen to origin stories, evaluate the cultural perspectives and creatively write their own story.

Indigenous Food Sovereignty and Health

Indigenous Food Sovereignty and Health

9-12.2.1.N, 9-12.2.2.N, 9-12.7.4.N, 9-12.8.1.P, 9-12.8.2.P

This lesson introduces students to Indigenous food sovereignty and the concept of food futures, emphasizing the importance of traditional food systems in maintaining cultural identity. Through a focus on seaweed, acorns, and salmon, students will explore how these foods are integral to Indigenous cultures, health, and sustainable practices. The lesson also examines the impact of colonization on Indigenous food systems and the ongoing efforts to restore food sovereignty in communities. In this lesson students will explore connections between health of the land and health of the people and apply this to their own understanding of health and wellness.

LandBack and Land Acknowledgements

LandBack and Land Acknowledgments

HSS 11.11, HSS 11.11.2, HSS 11.11.5, HSS 11.11.7, RH.11-12.7

This lesson plan for high school students (grades 9–12) introduces and critically explores the concepts of land acknowledgements, land dispossession, and the #LandBack movement, with a focus on Indigenous history in California. Beginning with discussions on what land acknowledgements are and why they matter, students are encouraged to research the Indigenous peoples whose land they occupy and to reflect on the significance of recognizing these communities. Through videos, articles, and class discussions, students gain insight into key concepts like Traditional Ecological Knowledge and the 18 unratified treaties of California, developing a deeper understanding of Native sovereignty and environmental stewardship.

Native Ways of Knowing Mock Trial The People vs. Governor Peter Hardeman Burnett

Native Ways of Knowing Mock Trial: The People vs. Governor Peter Hardeman Burnett

This mock trial learning activity will allow students to question and consider California’s first governor, Peter Hardeman Burnett’s policies and treatment of Native Americans. This activity encourages students to analyze history critically and empathize with those impacted by injustice. This mock trial script is designed to engage students in critical thinking about history while fostering empathy and analytical skills. This activity encourages critical thinking, empathy, and a deeper understanding of history. This lesson plan integrates critical thinking, collaboration, and historical analysis, fostering a deeper understanding of California’s early governance and its consequences. This mock trial can be adapted based on the desired educational or dramatic focus, emphasizing historical facts, ethical dilemmas, and the broader implications of Burnett’s policies.

© Cheryl Tuttle

Nome Cult Walk

HSS 8.8, W.8.1, W.8.4, RI.8.1, RI.8.2, SL.8.1, RH.6-8.2

This lesson introduces students to the removal and relocation of California Natives in the 1800’s. Focusing on primary and secondary sources students will discover the background of California’s Trial of Tears, the Nome Cult Walk. Students will read a newspaper article and Forest Service flier, watch a video on the Walk, and listen to four interviews of individual Native people who participate in the commemorative Nome Cult Walk. Students will take notes as they read, listen, and watch and these notes will be used in a final assessment, as students write a short essay on their understanding of the historical circumstance Nome Cult Walk.

Broken Heart by Bob Whipple (Yuki/Wailaki) © Cheryl Tuttle

Against Their Will: The Systematic Servitude of California Indians

HSS 8.8, W.8.2, W.8.4, RI.8.1, RI.8.2, SL.8.1

This powerful lesson invites 8th grade students to explore a critical yet often overlooked chapter in California’s history, the systematic servitude and exploitation of California Indian peoples. Through historical readings, primary source links, and thought-provoking discussions, students will uncover how Indigenous Californians were forcibly used as the primary labor force under Spanish and Mexican colonization, and how this forced servitude tragically continued even after California became a state. Students will examine the Act for the Government and Protection of Indians, which legally sanctioned the continuation of Indigenous servitude and contributed to government-backed campaigns of violence and extermination.

As immigration enforcement becomes more aggressive, schools have become increasingly risky places for undocumented students.

Deportation & Community Resistance

HSS 11.11, RI.11-12.7, W.11-12.6

Students will trace the relationships and make connections between refugee trauma, criminalization, community organizing, and collective healing by critically evaluating narratives of assimilation or the model minority and engaging with primary source materials to create an infographic.

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