This video includes first-person history and stories from Native Americans of the Pacific Northwest.
Students will learn about the history, culture, and practices of these Indigenous Americans, as well as the systemic racism, hurtful laws, bad-faith practices, and harm they have experienced.
The Native Americans interviewed also discuss their connection to the land, their appreciation for nature, and their unwasteful ways of living.
Teaching Tips
Positives
This video is incredibly educational and features the first-person perspective of Pacific Northwest Indigenous people.
Students will get to see tribal customs, hear how laws impacted people, and learn about how this culture carries on today.
Additional Prerequisites
Students should have prior knowledge of the history of colonization in North America.
Differentiation
Cross-curricular connections can be made in science classes discussing sustainability practices, especially sustainable fishing, or in health classes discussing how different cultures live healthy lives.
Before watching this video, have students share what they know about Native Pacific Northwest tribal culture, the interactions between governments and tribes, or any other ideas about the topic. After viewing, use these ideas and what was learned in the video to have a class conversation.
Scientist Notes
This 12-minute video spotlights how the forests, marine resources, cultural heritage, and lands of the native people of the Pacific Northwest coast were decimated, and how their cultural norms and values were criminalized by Western governments. Over time, they have fought this systemic racism and brought back their cultural heritage. They have also been able to instill their cultural values and norms to the younger generations, as these values were important drivers for natural resources management and conservation. This resource is recommended for teaching.
Standards
College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Standards
Dimension 2: Civics
D2.Civ.12.9-12 Analyze how people use and challenge local, state, national, and international laws to address a variety of public issues.
D2.Civ.8.9-12 Evaluate social and political systems in different contexts, times, and places, that promote civic virtues and enact democratic principles.
Dimension 2: History
D2.His.1.9-12 Evaluate how historical events and developments were shaped by unique circumstances of time and place as well as broader historical contexts.
D2.His.14.9-12 Analyze multiple and complex causes and effects of events in the past.
D2.His.5.9-12 Analyze how historical contexts shaped and continue to shape people's perspectives.
D2.His.7.9-12 Explain how the perspectives of people in the present shape interpretations of the past.
Common Core English Language Arts Standards (CCSS.ELA)
Speaking & Listening (K-12)
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.11-12.3 Evaluate a speaker's point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric, assessing the stance, premises, links among ideas, word choice, points of emphasis, and tone used.
