Are you wishing for a secular US History program that covers Native Americans and Indigenous People? We’ve got you covered! This program was written to cover what other history programs don’t, in a kid friendly way. Your child will hear stories of people across North America, from Mexico to Canada and hop over and learn about how Hawai’i became a state before ending with lessons on modern day Native American life. The time line of this program stretches from pre-colonization to today, because Native America history didn’t end the day Europeans arrived.
But what does each lesson actually include? Every lesson gives you a list of books to read, the most authentic books we could find, and activities to do. Your child will learn about the biomes of North America and have lessons on the animals and plants found the in the stories. YouTube video links in the guide will bring alive lessons in a way children enjoy. Hands on activities promote both more in-depth learning and understanding, and develop fine motor skills. Our hands on activities are chosen to help your child appreciate, not appropriate, while learning.
Beyond that, lessons include activities to do for language arts, copy work, math, life skills and even social skills. This program is designed to teach your child as a whole person, and to work in educational activities in a variety of ways to be the most engaging, well rounded lessons possible.
Written by an occupational therapist, lessons include notes on how to adapt the program to work for children with learning challenges, dyslexia, dysgraphia, ASD, ADHD, and more. Not only can this program work for your child, but it is made to be easy to adapt for them!
We are continually working to improve this curriculum and make it more authentic.
Your purchase includes a full-color, downloadable PDF document which includes book and supply lists, worksheets, and corresponding activities for a full semester of learning. You’ll also get access to our Online Resources with links to videos and external resources.
This program contains 14 lessons made up of over 120 different activities and discussion topics. The program is designed to be completed in a semester. Each lesson should take between one to two weeks with you and your child completing two or three of the suggested activities each day. The topics covered in the American History – Indigenous People of North America and Hawai‘i include:
- Writing exercises
- Copy work
- Types of literature: myths, biographies, trickster tales, and journey stories
- Word relationships
- Literature Comparisons
- Letter Writing
Science and Math:
- Symmetry and Graphing
- Fractions, Patterns, and Estimation
- Engineering and astronomy
- Biology and chemistry
- Weather Science
- Fire Saftey
- Cultural compare and contrast
- Disability awareness
- Social Justice
Art and Life Skills:
- Art appreciation
- Drawing and painting
- Sculpture and crafts
- Cooking and baking
- Social skills
- Music and dance
- Logic and Reasoning
American History from the Beginning
This unit includes stories from fourteen different Native American nations from different regions of North America, including Mexico and Canada, and spans thousands of years of history. This unit study covers a wide range of Native American nations and Indigenous People including Lenape, Cherokee, Mound Builders, Lakota, Inuit, Mogollon, Zapotec, Hawaiians, and Navajo.
The goal of this unit study is to provide a survey of Native American nations, their traditional stories, histories, and cultures in a child-friendly manner. The nations and stories included have been selected to give your child an understanding of how there were many different groups of Indigenous People who not only lived here before European settlers but to make clear that they are still here today.
Learning Through Literature
Each lesson starts with a beautiful picture book. By looking at the pictures in the story, your child can imagine themselves there in the story with our characters. The act of not only hearing the story but also seeing it, engages both the sense of hearing and vision, bringing the story to life. The stories included in American History – Indigenous People of North America and Hawai‘i are beautifully illustrated and include vibrant and descriptive language. We have sought to focus on books written by Native American authors, who can tell the most authentic history possible
Young children benefit from learning from picture books because the pictures help them to understand the story more fully. Books that take place in a place or culture the child is unfamiliar with can be more approachable to children through pictures. It can be hard to describe the difference between a wigwam and a tipi to a child who has only ever lived in a house. Seeing them in the context of the story helps the child grasp the concept and even visualize how living in one would be similar or different to living in a house.
Incorporating hands-on activities that tie into the story help your child relate to the characters and the narrative on a deeper level. Your child will get to eat the foods discussed in the stories and make an erupting volcano. By relating the activities and discussions to the story, you take the pressure off both you and your child to “get through” a certain number of subjects in a day. You will be exploring topics as they come up in the story in a natural way, following your child’s interest and discovering new passions. Your child will be learning without feeling like they are being taught. It is almost magical!
Written by an Occupational Therapist for all children
Children learn best when all of their senses are engaged, and the topics are presented in a way that respects childhood development. Too many curricula for children skip over the importance of play and exploration, moving straight into reading, writing, and math. Subjects are often taught in a way that isolates them from other ideas making them feel more foreign and complicated than they need to be.
As an occupational therapist, I have a unique perspective on childhood development. Children use games and play to explore their world naturally. By using play and fun activities, you can tap into their natural curiosity and feed their minds while helping them develop the physical skills needed for success in academics and life.
Five Senses Literature Lessons is designed to be used with any child, regardless of where the child stands concerning academic readiness. Such flexibility is possible because the curriculum is developmentally appropriate and respects the child. It is adaptable and expandable to suit your child’s interest and pursue growth in your child’s abilities in a gentle and fun way.