The Importance of Native American Heritage Month

Do you use tribally approved lesson plans and curriculum?

Are you certain that the material that you have is accurate, not promoting stereotypes, and is culturally acceptable?

Native Americans are routinely celebrated for their participation in the settlers first Thanksgiving, however, there are countless other contributions that Native people have made to the development of this country. There's chocolate, vanilla, and even many of the ideals put forth in the Constitution. But that’s just the beginning! Did you know that Native American's knowledge of plants and herbs contributed to the development of more than 20% of medicines in use today? Its time to recognize what an impact American Indians had on the development of this nation, and what better time to do that than Native American Heritage Month!

Up until now, teachers have had very few resources available to them to help them learn how to be certain that classroom material portrays the Native American perspective as well as the nonnative perspective, that explains the misuse of cultural items such as war bonnets, sacred Indian names, and various arts and crafts projects, that explains stereotypes and promotes the fact that Native American cultures are alive and thriving.

Our websites provide you with information to help you assess appropriate, and inappropriate, material. Everything you need to teach a full months worth of great fun facts, as well as some of the facts on our nation's harsher truths for your older students can be found on this page or elsewhere on this site. Turn your students loose on STAR and see what reports they come up with. We have been helping students gather information for years!

If you need more than you find here, visit www.changingwinds.org and click on the Education button for great info.

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