Parent and museum educator Renée Gokey (Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma) shares strategies for teaching about Thanksgiving and introducing students to more meaningful content about Native Americans during Native American Heritage Month and throughout the year.

Corn was first domesticated by the Indigenous people of Mexico. Planted in late spring and harvested at the end of summer, corn has long been an important food source for many communities throughout North and South America. Cornhusk is also a useful material that can be used to create everything from dolls to bags and artwork. Create a cornhusk dragonfly.

Sunflowers are a common crop in Indigenous communities throughout North America. This familiar flower is used as a food source, and the sunflower design is used to create beautiful beadwork. Beadwork is a form of decoration and adornment that honors and shows respect for individuals and natural resources, and represents a valuable form of Native expression and artistic skill. Create a sunflower chain bracelet.

Strawberries are celebrated every year by many Native communities. The plants flower in late spring and bring an abundance of nourishing fruit throughout the summer. They have long been enjoyed by Native people as the first fruit after long winter months. Learn more and have fun creating a decorative paper strawberry.