National Museum of the American Indian | Smithsonian
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Native Knowledge 360° Education Initiative
Transforming teaching and learning
about Native Americans
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workshops and programs.
In the Spotlight
The Native Knowledge 360° (NK360°) team is excited to welcome teachers to another school year with two in-person professional development opportunities, as well as our new Thanksgiving lesson for elementary grades.
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Source investigation
The Impact of the Gold Rush on Native Americans of California
This lesson asks students to answer the question: Do American actions against the Native peoples of California during the gold rush meet the United Nations definition of genocide? Grades 8–12
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Inquiry Design Model (IDM)
The “First Thanksgiving”: How Can We Tell a Better Story?
This resource examines the “First Thanksgiving” through multiple perspectives, including those of the Wampanoag nation, who have been largely absent from this national story. Grades 3–5
Illustration of an adult and kids in silhouette watching a screen
Video
What's the Story with National Stories?
This short video asks how national stories shape understanding of our nation's shared history with Native people. Grades 3–8
Featured Teacher Programs
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2024 Indigenous Peoples' Day Curriculum Teach-In
September 28, 2024
Washington, DC

The eighth annual Indigenous Peoples' Day Curriculum Teach-In convenes educators in person to strategize ways to uplift and bring Native voices directly into the classroom.

Program Details

Native New York: Educators' Open House
October 5, 2024
New York, NY

Join us for the 2024 Educators' Open House at the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian in New York City.

Program Details
Native New York exhibition logo

students in a classroom working on laptops
2024 Native Knowledge 360° Teach-In
November 2, 2024
Online

The 2024 Native Knowledge 360° Teach-In, in collaboration with Teaching for Change, is an opportunity for educators to strategize ways to uplift and bring Native voices directly into the classroom.

Program Details
Explore NK360° Educational Resources
collage featuring a basket, writing, a photograph of a woman, a photograph of a man, an illustration of a figure, and a woven bag with shells
California Native American Survival and Resilience During the Mission Period: Middle & High School Edition
illustration featuring panels with figures engaging in life activities
The “First Thanksgiving”: How Can We Tell a Better Story?
illustration of an adult and kids in silhouette watching a screen
What's the Story with National Stories?
collage of photographs and articles
The Impact of the Gold Rush on Native Americans of California
photograph of the Pamunky River
Life Along the River: The Pamunkey Indian Tribe of Virginia
illustration of silhouetted figures
Lenape (Delaware) Homeland
illustrations of figures on a map
Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Lands and the American Revolution
photograph of a basket filled with cranberries
Cranberry Day: Traditional Harvest Festivals
illustration of Congress signing legislation
American Indian Removal: What Does It Mean to Remove a People?
Search the museum’s collection
Bring impactful, Native-centered primary source materials into your classroom through the museum’s Collections Search.
Educators participating in teacher workshops
Professional Development
Explore workshops designed to equip teachers with critical concepts and engaging pedagogy to support a transformation in teaching and learning about Native Americans.
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Group Timed Entry
Fall 2024 Group Self-Guided Timed Entry Reservations for the imagiNATIONS Activity Center in New York will available in October.
Frequently Asked Questions about Native Americans
What is the correct terminology: American Indian, Indian, Native American, Indigenous, or Native?
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