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Subjects

• Language Arts
• Social Sciences

Grade

• Pre-K
• K-2
• 3-5
  

Brief Description

Highlight Native American stereotypes in students' drawings of an American Indian child at home.

Objectives

Students learn misconceptions of Native Americans in the drawings they make.

Keywords

Native American, American Indian, stereotype, misconception, multicultural, diversity, tolerance

Materials Needed

drawing materials

Lesson Plan

• Teepees -- Teepees were common to some Plains Indian tribes but not to many other tribes.
• Warbonnets -- Some tribes wore warbonnets, but Hollywood planted headdresses in the American conscience.
• Bows and arrows -- Some tribes hunted with bows and arrows, but most tribes used a wide variety of tools and weapons in hunting.
• Headbands -- Many Native Americans wore headbands to keep their hair out of their eyes, but they were not typical of most tribes' dress.

The discussion of the children's pictures might lead to blasting some other stereotypes. (For example, today most Indians speak the English language, live in homes like other people's, go to college, drive cars, and shop at grocery stores.)

Extension: Discuss with elementary students stereotypes of Native Americans they might see in the media.

Assessment

Lesson Plan Source

Submitted By

Gary Hopkins

National Standards

Language Arts:
NL-ENG.K-12.4
NL-ENG.K-12.9
NL-ENG.K-12.12

Social Sciences:
NSS-USH.K-4.3

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