New York was the first state to set aside a day to honor the contributions of Native Americans. Called American Indian Day, it was established in 1916. President George W. Bush approved National American Indian Heritage Month in 1990.
Did You Know?
1. Native Americans shared their cure for Scurvy, a disease caused by the lack of Vitamin C. They made a tea from evergreen branches and gave it to French Explorer, Jacques Cartier and his men(1536).
2. Did you know that Native Americans shared with the Pilgrims the idea of using dead fish when planting corn? It was a natural fertilizer.
3. At the first Thanksgiving, in 1621, the Wampanoag people shared foods such as squash, corn, maple syrup, cranberries, pumpkins and turkey, with the Pilgrims.
4. Have you placed the game of lacrosse? It was first played by the Native American. Interestingly, it wasn’t a “game” but a way to settle arguments. The French explorers first saw the game and named it.
5. The Native Americans played a game called “shinny”. The French called it hockey!
6. Native Americans shared toboggans and whirligigs(spinning tops) with the colonists.
7. Some ideas in the Constitution and Declaration of Independence, came from the Haudenosaunee Confederacy. The Great Law of Peace included ideas such as people have rights and limited the power of government over people.
8. Moccasins and the Parka(hooded jackets with feathers still attached to skins) were shared with colonists.
9. Native Americans were believers in conservation. They only took what they needed from the Earth.
10. During World War 2, secret messages were sent by both sides. Each side tried to crack the other’s code. The U.S.Army came up with a code that was never broken. It used the Navajo Indian language!
Activities:
1. Some words in English from Native Americans:
manatee, opossum, parka, raccoon, skunk, squash, succotash, woodchuck, moccasin, chipmunk
Write a short story using all these words.
2. Read a Native American short story, illustrate the story and write and summary.
3. Look at the Navajo Code Alphabet:
Write a message and have another person try and decode it.
4. LOTS of Famous Native Americans: Research one of the following people, draw a picture of that person and write 5 facts learned about them on your drawing. Here are just a few possible people to highlight.
Sacagawea, Sequoyah, Jim Thorpe, Squanto, Sitting Bull, Pocahontas, Chief Joseph, Tecumseh, White Cloud, Geronimo, Crazy Horse, Maria Tallchief, Wilma Mankiller, Dr. Susan La Flesche Picotte,
More links of interest:
Resources of Interest:
FREE Download: Native American Heritage Month
Gail Hennessey (My Website for Teachers/Kids)
|
Sign up for our free weekly newsletter and receive
top education news, lesson ideas, teaching tips and more!
No thanks, I don't need to stay current on what works in education!
COPYRIGHT 1996-2016 BY EDUCATION WORLD, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
COPYRIGHT 1996 - 2025 BY EDUCATION WORLD, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.