Grades PK-2 Student-Centered Learning Activities

Native American Dwellings

In this activity, students will look at historical images to learn about three types of Native American dwellings, and learn about the significance of each structure, including who used this structure, why it was used, and what it was made of. Students will then have the opportunity to make observations about the different types of Native American dwellings by writing and/or drawing about their thoughts and reactions.

Time: About 1 hour

Penobscot Nation Youth Ball & Triangle Game: A Game of Chance

In this activity, students will learn about the significance of the Ball & Triangle Game to Penobscot Nation Youth and have the opportunity to create a modern-day version of a game that will engage them in the concept of chance.

Time: About 30-minutes - 1 hour

A Lesson in Symmetry: Learning About Navajo Rugs

In this activity, students will explore and learn about patterns and symmetry by learning about Navajo culture as expressed through their weaving and art, specifically Navajo rug designs. Students will then have the opportunity to create the own symmetrical works of art.

Time: About 30 minutes - 1 hour

Apache Woven Baskets

In this activity, students will learn about the significance of woven baskets to many Native cultures, as a form of art, focusing specifically on the Apache tribe, and Apache Woven Baskets. Students will then have the opportunity to create their own woven baskets.

Time: About 1 hour

Haudenosaunee Wampum Belts

In this activity, students will learn about the Great Law of Peace that created unity between the Haudenosaunee nations, and how that unity and peace translated over the creation of the Hiawatha Wampum Belt, and peace with the Europeans. Students will then have the opportunity to create their own Wampum belt to represent unity within their family and community.

Time: About 1 hour

Native American Dolls

In this activity, students will explore the various types of Native American dolls from the perspective of various Native American doll makers. Students will then have the opportunity to make their own cornhusk dolls.

Time About 1 - 2 hours

Fry Bread: A Native American Family Tradition

In this activity, students will read a picture book that discusses fry bread as a Native American family tradition and its importance to many Native cultures, while discussing questions related to the book and the tradition, as well as traditions and traditional foods in their own culture. Students will then have the opportunity to make their own picture book about a traditional food in their culture or home life.

Time: About 1 - 2 hours

The Transformation of Water

In this activity, children will understand the importance of transformation in Native American stories and culture, specifically the transformation of water as nature changes and adapts to the changing seasons. Students will then have the opportunity to explore the transformation of water into a gas, liquid, and solid, and identify transformations of water in their home.

Time: About 1 hour

Native American Games: The Game of Lacrosse

In this activity, students will learn about the significant of Lacrosse and Snowsnake to Haudenosaunee people, and have the opportunity to make their own Lacrosse and Snowsake sticks for outdoor fun.

Time: About 1 hour

The Medicine Wheel

In this activity, students will learn about the significance and meaning of the Medicine Wheel to many Native American tribes and cultures. Students will then have the opportunity to make their own medicine wheels, and discover that each piece of the medicine wheel represent something different.

Time: About 1 - 2 hours

Shingebiss - A Chippewa Indian Tale: A Story of Resilience & Fearlessness

In this activity, students will learn about Shingebiss: A Chippewa Indian Tale that discusses the resilience, fearlessness and courage of small being that won't see winter as his enemy. Students will then have the opportunity to write their own stories of times they were fearless or resilient, and what it meant to them to overcome that journey.

Time: About 1 hour

Making a Talking Stick: The Legend Behind the Talking Feather

In this activity, students will read "The Legend of the Talking Feather ", that involves a sacred Eagle Feather, used as a "talking stick" to teach and build skills of listening and empathy. Students will then have the opportunity to build their own talking sticks, and learn the significance of listening and understanding other people's perspectives.

Time: About 1-2 hours

Recognizing & Managing Emotions: The Oneida Legend of Why the Owl Has Big Eyes

Navajo Medicine Men: Sand Painting

In this activity, students will learn about the Legend of Why the Owl has Big Eyes. Students will then talk about times in their lives they were angry, and what the consequences were of that anger, and how they could have better handled that anger or expressed how they were feeling in a better way. Students will then have the opportunity to visualize those emotions by creating an imaginary animal that represents these emotions, while telling a story of how that animal came to be.

Time about 1-2 hours

In this activity, students will learn about the importance of sand painting as a Navajo ceremony used by Navajo medicine men to drive away evil spirits. Students will then have the opportunity to create their own sand paintings.

Time: About 1-2 hours

The Long Night Moon: Learning about the Moon Phases

Native American Games: The Guessing Game

In this activity, students will read The Long Night Moon, a story that was inspired by the Native American custom of naming full moons. Students will then have the opportunity to learn about the different phases of the moon, and why they exist that way. Students will then be able to identify and/or name each moon phase and use this activity to name each moon phase when they look out at the moon each night.

Time: About 1 hour

Guessing games were very popular and important to many Native American children. In one version of the game, Native American children would make up riddles about their dreams, and other children would try to guess what the dream meant. In another version, children would try to guess which ball was passed from one person to another. In this activity, your child will have fun engaging in both of these games with you and others in your family or the community.

Time: About 1 hour