This lesson plan supports the major concepts of Indigenous resistance and survival discussed in An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States for Young People by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz, adapted by Jean Mendoza and Debbie Reese; it expands on these concepts as presented in the following chapters: introduction, 2, 7, and conclusion. In this lesson, students will learn about the contemporary existence of the People of the First Light—the Wampanoag, who continue to live, work, and learn on the land where the Mayflower landed in 1620, despite 400 years of enduring the effects of settler colonialism.
How does the strength of identity and culture survive through time and space?
Resilient Stars Trading Cards – make a 3in. x5in. trading card depicting a contemporary Wampanoag person (or ally currently working with Wampanoag people) and describe his/her role in resistance and survival over the past 400 years. Include an image of the person, the person’s name, and a decorative border for the card. Students must present their individual cards to the class. Students can use people from the videos and news stories, or they can research contemporary and historic Wampanoag people; wherever possible, there should not be duplication of people, in order to get a broad set of cards. Completed cards can be displayed in the school.
Natalie Martinez, PhD (Laguna Pueblo), is a professional educator in New Mexico and a former administrator and teacher at the tribally controlled middle school located in her Pueblo Nation. She has teamed with Indigenous curriculum writers in New Mexico to publish the Indigenous Wisdom Pueblo-based education curriculum and is working with a team to publish an Indigenous-centered public school curriculum for the Indian Education Division of the NM Public Education Department. She’s a curriculum coordinator for the NEH-Teaching Native American Histories Summer Institute in Wampanoag Territory, Massachusetts, and teaches at the University of New Mexico in the College of Education.