€¦  · Web viewIn 1990, President George H. W. Bush approved a joint resolution designating November 1990 “National American Indian Heritage Month”. Since then, November has

Celebrating Native American Heritage Month (NAHM)

In 1990, President George H. W. Bush approved a joint resolution designating November 1990 “National American Indian Heritage Month”. Since then, November has been a time for learning more about the important contributions of indigenous Americans and for celebrating their diverse cultures, traditions, and histories. GCS is one of only 20 school districts in North Carolina with an American Indian Education (AIE) program that provides educational and cultural supports for teachers and indigenous students.

One of AIE’s valued partners is UNC Pembroke. CLICK HERE for more information about how they are celebrating NAHM and HERE to learn about their Museum of the Southeast American Indian. Also, the current Poet Laureate of the United States in Jo Harjo, a Native American. CLICK HERE to see her reading one of her poems. And there is a lesson to accompany it.

Classroom Resources for Recognizing Native American Heritage Month by Holly Loranger, Global View, UNC Chapel Hill (Reprinted with Permission)

Did you know that North Carolina is home to over 122,000 individuals who identify as American Indian? American Indians have lived in North Carolina for more than 12,000 years. We are home to the largest American Indian population east of the Mississippi River and the 8th largest Indian population in the United States. To view a map of North Carolina’s Tribal Communities, CLICK HERE . Click on the tribes below as well:

Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians (Graham, Jackson, and Swain counties) Coharie Indian Tribe (Sampson and Harnett counties) Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina (Robeson and surrounding counties) Haliwa Saponi Indian Tribe (Halifax and Warren counties) Sappony (Person County) Meherrin Indian Nation People of the Water (Hertford and surrounding counties) Occaneechi Band of Saponi Nation (Alamance and surrounding counties) Waccamaw Siouan People of the Fallen Star (Columbus and Bladen counties)

North Carolina’s State Advisory Council on Indian Education (NCSACIE) provides a rich collection of culturally-responsive instructional materials for teaching about American Indians, as well as working with indigenous youth. You can access NCSACIE HERE .

The North Carolina Museum of History in Raleigh will host the 24 th Annual American Indian Heritage Celebration on Saturday, November 23, 2019, from 11 am to 4 pm. You can find more information about this annual celebration HERE . The celebration features musicians, artist, storytellers, dancers, and authors from North Carolina’s eight state-recognized tribes.

Tools & Resources This link takes you to a wonderful coloring book entitled, Powwow: The Heartbeat of a

People by Joe Liles and published by the NC Museum of History (suitable for all ages). This is the official NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH WEBSITE .

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Native Knowledge 360° is the National Museum of the American Indian’s national initiative to inspire and promote improvement of teaching and learning about American Indians. The site includes an Essential Understandings framework, which builds on the ten themes of the National Council for the Social Studies curriculum standards. The site also includes lesson plans, online digital lessons, and a variety of multimedia resources connected to a wide range of disciplines and grade levels. The Museum also publishes a quarterly magazine accessible HERE .

Last year, PBS premiered, Native America, a four-part series on America’s First Peoples. The website includes a number of multimedia features and resources, including maps, animated stories, and extended interviews.

The National Archives also offers a collection of primary sources and ready to use teaching activities connected to American Indians. Access the collection HERE .

Did you know that the National Park Service offers educator resources connected to a range sf subjects and grade levels? Search for educator resources related to American Indians at the NPS education WEBSITE .

The Global Oneness Project believes in the power of using stories as a pedagogical tool for bringing the world’s cultures to the classroom. Focusing on cultural, environmental, and social issues, they offer a library of free multimedia stories through films, photos essays and articles. The collections also include free companion curriculum and discussion guides. The thematic collection on “endangered cultures” explores the stories of indigenous peoples around the world.

Oyate is a Native organization working to see that Native lives and histories are portrayed with honesty and integrity. Under their Resources tab, see their sections on Thanksgiving and evaluating books for anti-Indian bias. And don’t miss the Living Stories section under Resources!

The American Indian Center at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill is a campuswide center to advance the University’s overall mission of research, teaching, and public service by creating an environment in which quality research, scholarship, and engagement related to American Indians is strengthened, nurtured, and coordinated.

Mia Malesovas is the GCS Office of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion’s American Indian Education (AIE) Program Coordinator. She is dedicated to American Indian children, youth, and their families. Contact: Mia Malesovas, AIE Program Coordinator, [email protected], 336-370-2337 or Esther Coleman, Executive Director, [email protected], 336-370-8104.

Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)

Our Core Purpose is to disrupt systemic inequities by providing knowledge and skills that change attitudes, aspirations, and behaviors for greater outcomes.

We are Student Focused; Ensuring Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. It’s Our Way of Doing Business.

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