Students analyze a Navajo poem. Then they watch a video and learn more about the way of life of the Plains Indians. Next they watch an animated map showing Native American lands from 1784 to present day, and they respond to the map from two points of view—as a settler and as a Plains Indian. Finally they look at two photos—one of Apache children arriving at the Carlisle School and one of children at the end of their training at the school—and they write a diary entry for one of the children.
Students read an introduction explaining that settlers moving west occupied lands that had long been home to Plains Indian tribes and review the lesson objectives. They view an image of Cheyenne girls at the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation, then read an excerpt from a Navajo poem that personifies corn and squash plants. Students create a drawing that illustrates the poem in a style appropriate to Navajo Indians.
Teacher MovesPresent the lesson overview, objectives, key vocabulary (nomadic, possess, healer, boarding school), and briefly situate the Navajo as distinct from Plains tribes. Lead a discussion of the poem, prompting students to explain how the speaker views the plants and to identify the main idea about a cooperative relationship between humans and nature. Encourage students to reflect this relationship in their illustrations before unlocking the next scene.
Students examine an image titled “Assiniboine Hunting Buffalo, by Paul Kane” and read background text describing the nomadic and semi-nomadic lifestyle of the Plains Indians, their reliance on the buffalo, their use of every part of the animal, the near extinction of the buffalo, and their spiritual beliefs about the Great Spirit and spirits in nature. They read What did the Indians use from the buffalo? to learn specific ways Plains Indians used different parts of the buffalo, then create a concept map that organizes key ideas about Plains Indian culture, economy, and beliefs.
Teacher MovesHighlight important details from the text and image, emphasizing nomadic movement, dependence on the buffalo, and spiritual beliefs. Support students as they build their concept maps, offering sample ideas such as nomadic lifestyle, multiple tribes, hunting and farming practices, use of all parts of the buffalo, and belief in the Great Spirit. Use student maps to check for understanding before unlocking the next scene.
Students read an explanation of how, by 1889, the federal government forced Plains Indians onto reservations and pressured them to assimilate into white culture. They watch Native American Lands: Animated Map to see how Native American landholdings changed from 1784 to the present, then complete a two-column table by writing reactions to the map from the perspectives of a settler family moving to Oregon and a Cheyenne (Plains) Indian.
Teacher MovesGuide students in summarizing what they observed in the animated map, emphasizing the shrinking of Native lands and the westward push onto reservations. Optionally direct students to examine the Census-based map of American Indians and Native Alaskans from the Student Pack to deepen their understanding. Prompt students to articulate contrasting viewpoints in the table, modeling or sharing example reactions from both settler and Plains Indian perspectives, and clarify misconceptions before moving on.
Students read about U.S. efforts from George Washington through the late 1800s to “Americanize” Native peoples, including the creation of boarding schools such as the Carlisle Indian Industrial School. They closely examine two photographs of Chiricahua Apache children—one on arrival at Carlisle and one after training—and contribute to a word cloud identifying visible differences between the images. Students then choose to imagine themselves as a child in one of the photos and write a diary entry describing their experiences at the Carlisle Indian School, followed by reading classmates’ entries and responding to at least two with questions or positive comments.
Teacher MovesExplain the historical context of assimilation policies and boarding schools, connecting them to earlier discussions of reservations and cultural change. Guide students in comparing the two photographs, prompting them to notice differences in clothing, hairstyle, footwear, and demeanor, and to infer what these changes suggest about forced cultural assimilation. Facilitate sharing and discussion of diary entries, encouraging empathy and, where appropriate, inviting students with immigrant backgrounds to share perspectives on assimilation and cultural loss.
Students complete the exit quiz by answering all the questions.
Teacher MovesFacilitate the assessment and use student data to evaluate understanding, address misconceptions, and identify areas for growth.
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