We know this period of American history is vastly under-examined in the U.S., especially in our schools. A nationwide study examining Indigenous representation in state content standards found that only five states—Arizona, Washington, Oklahoma, Kansas, and North Dakota—even mention Indian boarding schools (Shear et al., 2015; ND.6_12.4, 2019). This, of course, is no guarantee that those states address the truth and impact of this history in a meaningful way. Though, we do know that 45 states in the U.S. are not required to engage students on the legacy of Indian boarding schools.

By providing access to these lessons, we are hopeful that this contribution can help respond to the challenges that distance learning has placed on families and schools. These lessons were designed with teachers, parents, and students in mind, to be able to begin a conversation on the history and impact of U.S. Indian boarding schools. To implement even deeper inquiry, we invite you to visit our recommended reading resource.

These lessons are scaffolded into three separate age groups—primary, middle, and upper grades—and are themed, Truth in History, Impacts, Personal Stories, and Healing. The lessons ought to be a foundational layer to student inquiry and are designed to be highly customizable. Each lesson contains three main instructional sequences: INTO, THROUGH, and BEYOND. Representing the element to start the conversation and begin a phase of wonder, INTO is meant to act as a hook for the lesson. Identifying the comprehension and exploration aspect of the learning goals, THROUGH should be the stage where connections are being made. Representing the sequence where learning can be extended, BEYOND is the place where essential understandings can be deepened and taken to the next level.