The Truth about Native Americans: The Dine'

​Native American Heritage Month

In the US, November is designated as Native American Heritage Month to honor and remember our indigineous peoples.​

​Some of you may not know this, but I lived and taught Science in Teec Nos Pos, Arizona on the Navajo Reservation for six months. I joined a Cultural Immersion group at Indiana University where I learned about an opportunity to student teach on the Navajo Reservation. We spent an entire year preparing for our six-month teaching jobs, learning the history, culture, language, customs, as well as meeting members of the Diné to prepare ourselves for the challenge of living and teaching on a Native American reservation.

​Because the Navajo reservation is so large, most of the students, from Kindergarten through 8th grade, live at the school during the week in dormitories.

Multiple Choice

From Sunday night through Friday afternoon, most children on the Navajo reservation...

• live at home.

• live in a city.

• live in the school dormitory.

• live in an apartment.

Poll

Have you ever visited a Native American reservation?

• Yes

• No

Poll

Have you met or do you personally know someone who identifies as being Native American?

• Yes

• No

Watch the video and just listen to the music and singing. Now is the time to settle your mind.

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​Mindfulness Activity

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Open Ended

Would you ever listen to Navajo traditional music on your own?

Give one reason why or why not. Write in complete sentences!

​In Navajo, the community where I lived, is called "T'iis Názbąs" and they call themselves "Diné". 

Hello is "Yá'át'ééh"

and Have a nice day or See you later is "Nizhónígo Nee Ado'ááł"

​Watch the video to hear a member of the Dine' speak!

Multiple Choice

In the video, Mr. Brown teaches us how to say "hello".

• Hi

• Hello

• Y'át'ééh

Multiple Choice

How do the Navajo people say 'goodbye'?

• 'later

• So be it...or it shall be the same...

• Goodbye

• See Ya

​​Smoke Signals:

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​Why the story of Thanksgiving is a lie.

Multiple Choice

By 1620, nearly ______ of all indigenous people died from diseases brought by early European explorers or kidnapped into the slave trade.

• 1/2

• 3/4ths

• 2/3rds

• 1/5th

Multiple Choice

What was one of the first things the Pilgrims did when they arrived at Plymouth?

• Rob the graves of the Wampanoag Tribe for provisions and stored grain.

• Build Boston harbor.

• Set up a campsite.

• Make friends with the indigenous people.

Reorder

Tisquantum "Squanto"

• was taken in 1614 by British slavers and sold to Spain to be a slave.

• escaped slavery in Spain.

• made a deal with British merchants to take him back to America.

• showed the puritans how to grow crops and communicate with other indigenous people.

1

2

3

4

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4

Listen as Paul Chaat Smith (Comanche) talks about what Thanksgiving means to him.

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Pervasive, powerful, at times demeaning, the images, names, and stories reveal the deep connection between Americans and American Indians as well as how Indians have been embedded in unexpected ways in the history, pop culture, and identity of the United States.

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​What Thanksgiving means to a Native American...

Open Ended

Give one example of how Native Americans are portrayed in American society today. Explain how this example is negative or positive for Native Americans. Write in complete sentences.

​Watch the video to learn more about the Navajo people.

​A focus on the Navajo People

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Open Ended

What is one main idea or fact you learned about the Navajo people from watching the video?

​Hágoónee'

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Have a peaceful and safe Thanksgiving. Be mindful for what you are grateful for...​