EARLY NORTHWEST COAST PEOPLE

Help students nail ELA and social studies standards as they create realistic characters and learn the importance of roles in their community.

When European settlers arrive, students must employ speaking, listening, and decision-making skills as they persuade, compromise, and negotiate to resolve problems. When a treaty is introduced to relocate villagers onto a reservation, in the unit’s critical incident, this injustice fuels civic discussion about democracy and the role we play as citizens.

Includes:

• Teacher’s handbook
• Reproducible handouts
• Student portfolio
• Content slide sets
• Electronic version

“I just wanted to tell you how much I appreciate your Early Northwest Coast People Storypath. After creating a beautiful environment frieze…a ‘settler’ barged in today and told the community that they would be chopping down trees and making a mill and building cabins. The response was one of the best moments I have ever witnessed in teaching. Without any prompting from me, the clan elders immediately got together and made some quick decisions. Then they (also not at my prompting) held a meeting with the community…The discussion was passionate, but organized, sustained, productive—just so amazing…I have never seen such intensity of discussion and deep thought from them. I was blown away. Thank you for creating it. I’m hooked.”
—Diana Kushner, Meridian Park Elementary, Shoreline, SD