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Strategies for Educators to incorporate curriculum integration

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First Strategy for Curriculum Integration: DIVERSE AUTHORS

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First Strategy for Curriculum Integration: DIVERSE AUTHORS

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Selecting diverse authors when teaching, not just during cultural heritage months

-English select diverse authors’ books for teaching: “The Absolute Diary of a Part-Time Indian,” written by Sherman Alexie.

-Sherman comes from a similar story like the main character, growing up on an Indian reservation and overcoming adversity.

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the absolute true diary of a part-time indian

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Second Strategy for Curriculum Integration: REFRAMING HISTORICAL NARRATIVES 

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Second Strategy for Curriculum Integration: REFRAMING HISTORICAL NARRATIVES 

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-As well as teaching about the importance of history, teach about the different perspectives of everyone involved.

-An example is including Indigenous perspectives on colonization. Exploring different articles for students to read and get a better understanding of colonization.

-An article about the struggles of the Indigenous when their land was taken over and exposed to un-natural things.

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Native Americans resisted the efforts of the Europeans to gain more land and control during the colonial period, but they struggled to do so against a sea of problems, including new diseases, the slave trade, and an ever-growing European population.

Subjects

Geography, Human Geography, Social Studies, U.S. History

Image

Diplomacy between Cheyenne and Settlers

Whether through diplomacy, war, or even alliances, Native American efforts to resist European encroachment further into their lands were often unsuccessful in the colonial era.

Photograph of woodcut by North Wind Picture Archives

During the colonial period, Native Americans had a complicated relationship with European settlers. They resisted the efforts of the Europeans to gain more of their land and control through both warfare and diplomacy. But problems arose for the Native Americans, which held them back from their goal, including new diseases, the slave trade, and the ever-growing European population in North America.

In the 17th century, as European nations scrambled to claim the already occupied land in the "New World," some leaders formed alliances with Native American nations to fight foreign powers. Some famous alliances were formed during the French and Indian War of 1754-1763. The English allied with the Iroquois Confederacy, while the Algonquian-speaking tribes joined forces with the French and the Spanish. The English won the war, and claimed all of the land east of the Mississippi River. The English-allied Native Americans were given part of that land, which they hoped would end European expansion-but unfortunately only delayed it. Europeans continued to enter the country following the French and Indian War, and they continued their aggression against Native Americans. Another consequence of allying with Europeans was that Native Americans were often fighting neighboring tribes. This caused rifts that kept some Native American tribes from working together to stop European takeover.

Native Americans were also vulnerable during the colonial era because they had never been exposed to European diseases, like smallpox, so they didn't have any immunity to the disease, as some Europeans did. European settlers brought these new diseases with them when they settled, and the illnesses decimated the Native Americans-by some estimates killing as much as 90 percent of their population. Though many epidemics happened prior to the colonial era in the 1500s, several large epidemics occurred in the 17th and 18th centuries among various Native American populations. With the population sick and decreasing, it became more and more difficult to mount an opposition to European expansion.

Another aspect of the colonial era that made the Native Americans vulnerable was the slave trade. As a result of the wars between the European nations, Native Americans allied with the losing side were often indentured or enslaved. There were even Native Americans shipped out of colonies like South Carolina into slavery in other places, like Canada.

These problems that arose for the Native Americans would only get worse in the 19th century, leading to greater confinement and the extermination of Native people. Unfortunately, the colonial era was neither the start nor the end of the long, dark history of treatment of Native Americans in the United States.

Media Credits

The audio, illustrations, photos, and videos are credited beneath the media asset, except for promotional images, which generally link to another page that contains the media credit. The Rights Holder for media is the person or group credited.

Director

Tyson Brown, National Geographic Society

Author

National Geographic Society

Production Managers

Gina Borgia, National Geographic Society

Jeanna Sullivan, National Geographic Society

Program Specialists

Sarah Appleton, National Geographic Society, National Geographic Society

Margot Willis, National Geographic Society

other

Last Updated

October 19, 2023

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Native Americans resisted the efforts of the Europeans to gain more land and control during the colonial period, but they struggled to do so against a sea of problems, including new diseases, the slave trade, and an ever-growing European population.

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Third Strategy for Curriculum Integration: HIGHLIGHTING DIVERSE SCIENTISTS 

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Third Strategy for Curriculum Integration: HIGHLIGHTING DIVERSE SCIENTISTS 

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-When students are learning about important discoveries in the world, it is important to highlight the diversity in science.

-Barbara McClintock beat all odds and proved to the world that women weren’t allowed to major in genetics. Despite this, she discovered transposable genetic elements, often referred to as jumping genes.

-She and her work was questioned because of her gender and her autism. Frustrated, she focused on research when finally the scientific community caught up with her work and awarded her a Nobel Prize in Physiology

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Fourth Strategy for Curriculum Integration: GLOBAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO MATH

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Fourth Strategy for Curriculum Integration: GLOBAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO MATH

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-Math is often taught as something to master and to learn, but by incorporating information about how the world helped shape math can help the students get a better understanding.

-The development of algebra by Muslim mathematicians like Al-Khwarizmi, the “father” of algebra.

-Also educators can use real-world problems based on global contexts (ex., currency exchange, population studies)

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Strategies for Educators to incorporate culturally responsive teaching methods

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Strategy 1 for Culturally Responsive Teaching Methods: INSTRUCTIONAL METHODS

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Strategy 1 for Culturally Responsive Teaching Methods: INSTRUCTIONAL METHODS

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-Always start to build safe relationships with the students

-Connect new concepts to students’ lived experiences or cultural traditions.

-Use Culturally Relevant Examples & Analogies. An example is, in math, use cooking, architecture, or market-based word problems tied to cultural practices (e.g., building designs in Islamic art, traditional recipes).

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Strategy 3 for Culturally Responsive Teaching Methods: FLEXIBILITY 

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Strategy 3 for Culturally Responsive Teaching Methods: FLEXIBILITY 

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-Part of the job of being an educator is being incredibly flexible so incorporating cooperative learning can help express that

-Group students intentionally to encourage peer support and collaboration, especially when diverse perspectives can deepen understanding.

-Letting students take the reigns and have them choose topics on certain assignments that align with their interests and strengths

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Strategy 2 for Culturally Responsive Teaching Methods:  RELATIONSHIP APPROACHES 

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Strategy 2 for Culturally Responsive Teaching Methods:  RELATIONSHIP APPROACHES 

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-Beginning the year with identity projects or cultural autobiographies

-Allow students to write or speak in home languages when appropriate, then guide them in academic translation.

-Be aware of cultural differences in communication (e.g., eye contact, body language, silence).
-Collaborate with families to understand behavioral norms and expectations.

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Strategy 4 for Culturally Responsive Teaching Methods: REFLECTION

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Strategy 4 for Culturally Responsive Teaching Methods: REFLECTION

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-Educators should focus on also their own self reflection, consider sharing your own cultural with the students

-After work: Reflect on your own cultural lens, implicit biases, and assumptions.
-Always make sure that you are providing that safe space that students feel okay to share about their culture and their own identity.

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Fostering a Multicultural Classroom Environment 

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Fostering a Multicultural Classroom Environment 

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Steps to foster a multicultural Classroom environment

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Strategy 1 for Fostering a Multicultural Classroom Environment:  PHYSICAL CLASSROOM SETUP

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Strategy 1 for Fostering a Multicultural Classroom Environment:  PHYSICAL CLASSROOM SETUP

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-Display posters, art, and images that reflect the cultural backgrounds of your students. This could include famous figures from history, cultural symbols, or artwork from around the world.

-An activity an educator could do during the school year is create a "Culture Wall.” Where students can contribute something from their heritage, whether it's a family photo, a quote, or something that represents their background.

-Ensure that classroom decorations aren’t limited to a Western or mainstream aesthetic. Include items that reflect different cultural celebrations, holidays, or practices (e.g., Diwali lights, African kente cloth, Lunar New Year symbols).

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Strategy 2 for Fostering a Multicultural Classroom Environment: INCLUSIVE LANGUAGE
 

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Strategy 2 for Fostering a Multicultural Classroom Environment: INCLUSIVE LANGUAGE
 

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-Educators can use words like “families,” instead of “moms and dads,” to acknowledge diverse family situations. Also using the word “celebrations,” instead of “holidays” for diverse traditions that students may have.

-Make an effort to learn the students names, it is important so that they can feel important

-Teachers can also use different greetings using different multicultural languages.

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Strategy 3-Fostering a Multicultural Classroom Environment: COMMUNITY NORMS

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Strategy 3-Fostering a Multicultural Classroom Environment: COMMUNITY NORMS

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-Students need to be aware of certain boundaries and rules that a classroom has. The rules should reflect respect, empathy, and curiosity about differences.

-Inviting the community around the school for potluck so that students can learn about cultures. Having someone come in and talk about their culture while sharing a popular dish that the students can indulge in.

-Encourage Cultural Curiosity: Normalize asking respectful questions about one another’s cultures and experiences, creating a “learning together” mindset.

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-Have students create "Cultural Identity Projects" or "Heritage Portfolios" where they explore and share aspects of their cultural background—such as language, traditions, foods, holidays, or family stories.
-Display these projects around the classroom or on a dedicated “Culture Wall” or “Global Gallery.” Students can add to or update their displays throughout the year.
-Encourage students to include keywords or phrases from their home language in their projects. Provide sentence starters and scaffolds for sharing in a way that’s accessible to all learners.

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Category 4: Engagement with Families and Community

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Category 4: Engagement with Families and Community

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Strategies to involve community and families within the classroom

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Strategy 1-Engagement with Families and Community: STORYTELLING PROJECTS

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Strategy 1-Engagement with Families and Community: STORYTELLING PROJECTS

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-Invite a family and community to gather and share their story about their culture. The families bring a special desert or famous meal that they grew up eating. The students will get to experience a touch of their culture from famous rare authentic stories. Then the students will have to write a reflection or digital presentation about their thoughts and how they can connect the significance.

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Strategy 2-Engagement with Families and Community: SPECIAL EVENT

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Strategy 2-Engagement with Families and Community: SPECIAL EVENT

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-With special months that celebrate certain cultures, highlight them and put on an event in honor. In May, Asian American and Pacific Islander month, there is a festival where people can learn about the culture.

-INTERNATIONAL NIGHT: evening where families bring food, wear traditional clothing, perform dances or music, and showcase crafts or artifacts. Provide students with passports they can get stamped at each "country" station.

-Living Museum Day: Students and families work together to create mini-exhibits or presentations about their heritage. Invite the school and broader community to attend and interact.

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Strategy 3- Engagement with Families and Community: PARENTS AND CAREGIVER WORKSHOPS

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Strategy 3- Engagement with Families and Community: PARENTS AND CAREGIVER WORKSHOPS

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-Culturally Responsive Curriculum Night: Instead of a traditional back-to-school night, host an event where families learn about how the curriculum integrates diverse cultures and how they can contribute their perspectives or resources.
-Multilingual Family Workshops: Offer sessions in families’ home languages, focusing on how to support learning at home, navigate school systems, or access community resources. Use interpreters and translated materials.
-Family Learning Nights: Co-create events where families and students engage in fun learning together—like math games, storytelling circles, or science experiments—while honoring cultural knowledge and home practices.

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Strategy 4-Engagement with Families: VOLUNTEER 

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Strategy 4-Engagement with Families: VOLUNTEER 

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-Create a rotating schedule where family or community members volunteer to share something from their culture with the class—this could be a recipe, a traditional game, a craft, music, or even a career-related talk with a cultural lens.

-It empowers families as co-educators, fosters pride in cultural identity, and gives students a firsthand look at the richness of their peers’ backgrounds.
- It can be monthly, tied to curriculum themes, or integrated into morning meetings. Presentations can be in-person, recorded, or virtual to accommodate schedules and comfort levels.