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-There are about 500 American Indian tribes across the United States
-Feathered headdresses were worn on ceremonies for worthy members
-Different tribes had different shelters, (Tipis, Clay Adobes, Wood, and nowadays houses and apartments
-Native clothing that is appropriate would be dancing shawls, moccasins, etc
-Don't teach only around Thanksgiving
-Focus on the fact that there are different tribes with different clothing, shelter, beliefs, culture, and languages

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-Show diversity and differences within a culture
-Combat preexisting or future stereotypes about American Indians
-Grow knowledge on another culture while enhancing motor skills, sorting and matching skills, collaboration skills, analysis skills, creativity, attention skills, and more
-Educate the children about the 2/500 chosen tribes
-Remind children that this culture is not extinct
-Allow the children to experience the cultural ideas and work together

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-After each activity have a picture of the activity being shown of a nowadays American Indian.
-Keep the books and toys in the classroom through out the school year
-Navajo- Na-Vuh-Hoe
Oglala Sioux- Sue
-Look for scheduled and close Powwow celebrations in the area to show parents

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-Were the children able to identify the colors and icons during the feast?
-Did the children collaborate during the feast creation?
-Was the game and rules appropriate for the age group?
-Was the shelter building too messy?
-Was the idea of two types of homes confusing?
-Did the children wait their turn for the different stations?
-Were the children able to construct a structure somewhat representing a shelter?
-Did the children stay on task?
-Did the created food tie well in with the book?
-Were children able to use whisper voices?
-During the ceremony, was there rough play or was it overwhelming?
-Did the children learn about this culture in a respectful way?

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1:  2 yellow paper icons of corn, bread, squash, and rice
2 orange paper icons of pumpkins, herbs, and berries
2 brown paper icons of buffalo, fish, potatoes, and beans
scissors, stapler, and bowl
2: sheet of brown construction paper, tape, scissors, 3 sticks, rubber band, markers, mud clay mixture, 4-8 sticks, cleaning supplies, spatulas, spoons, forks, tray/dish, towels, and aprons
3: Frybread Children's Book, printed recipe, 3 cups of vegetable oil, 1 cup of all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder 1/4 teaspoons of salt, 1/2 cups of milk (Multiply ingredients for amount of children), honey, plates, napkins, and cinnamon
4: the Rainbow Crow children's book
5: technology to display Powwow video, one-three drums, cleared dancing space

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1: If some children have difficulty moving around then give 2-4 paper icons to them so students can communicate together to find the pairs, if color-blind then create icons darker lined
2: Have plenty of tools available, unique mud trays, a peer model, extra guidance, encouragement, or hand-over-hand demonstration
3: Ask all parents for their children's allergies and cultural food preferences. Adapt the fry bread recipes to allow each child to eat. Also, slice bread for some children.
4: Some children should sit next to a teacher for a more clear word (sign language, audio, writing, and describing), some children can play the game with charades
5. Have headphones for children who don't like the drum sounds, allow physical touch for vision impairment, allow soft carpet for dancing, and create clear rules and boundaries for students

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1. Teacher will snap a picture of the students collecting and matching foods for the feast
2: Teacher will snap a picture of each student playing with the mud and the teepees will be displayed in class
3: Students will bring home a printed recipe of the fry bread
4: Ask the students to tell their families about the story and day and to ask their families if they know any legends
5: Teacher will snap pictures of their dancing students then send home a picture album of the informative and fun week

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Many American Indian tribes rely on their community and it is a very family first idea. To feed, house, and care for the community everyone does their part.

1. Print out two of each 11 icons of food and cut them to the same size

2. Tell the children that we are a community and we are creating a feast

3. Scatter the separate icons along the open floor

4. Have the children find and match the icon foods together and bring them to you to stable and add to the feast.

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Separate the children into two groups for both stations at a time
Navajo's lived in hogans which were made of sticks and mud

1. Prepare a tray will an adult hand's amount of mud

2. Lay out towel, utensils, and cleaning supplies on tables

3. Allow each child to put on an apron

4. Give picture examples of the hogans and give each child a tray of mud

5. After play, have each child wash their hands, teacher should discard trays in private, and clean tables

Sioux lived in teepees which were made of long sticks and leather

1. Roll your brown paper into a cone and tape in place. Crumple the paper a little and spread it out again beforehand, if you like to look more like leather.

2. Cut the bottom off to make it flat. Cut the top of the cone to make the opening bigger.

3. Decorate your teepee with Native American designs.

4. Find three thin sticks and cut or break them so they are a little taller than your teepee.

5. Tie the sticks together at the top with a rubber band. Insert the sticks into your cone.

6. Tape the sticks to the inside of your cone.

7. Display your teepee with some animal or Indian toys.

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Indian Americans were often given flour as a federal source. With that the tribes made a home-food of fry bread

1. Prepare and cook frybread using the recipe the day before and store

2. Lay out fry bread along with honey and cinnamon for a student's preference

3. Gather the children for reading Fry Bread

4. Ask questions and have the children point out things of interest

5. Serve each child one serving of  fry bread with their choice of topping on a plate along with a napkin

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Explain that often in American Indian tribes there are Legends which are stories passed down from generation to generation.

1. Gather the children in a circle

2. Explain legends and the game play for telephone and practice whispering voices

3. Whisper a word such as hello to one student and have them with whisper voices, pass it on to the next

4. The final student can say the word they heard out loud to see if it is the original word

5. Explain how this relates to legends then read the Rainbow Crow

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Ceremonies are a good way tribes gather as a community and enhance their connections. There is lot of dancing!

1. Have children sit and watch the follow-along video for the dance

2. Clear dancing area and gather children into a circle

3. Create a consistent drum beat while appointing numerous leaders for a certain period of time

4. Ask other children to keep beats and dance in circles and with feet along with children

5. Slow down the beat to a stop and allow children's heart rates to go down.

6. Ask children about what they've learned during the week

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Bring Excitement with Room Changes

To start this exciting day of new experiences, room changes must take place to give the children a feeling of a fresh environment. Here are some great places to begin.

Make a Teepee: Gather flexible PVC, long cardboard pieces from an appliance box or other tall materials to tie at the top and create a teepee shape. Next, drape a large sheet, painter's canvas or any other light, natural colored material over the teepee shape. Tie it around the top and pin back the sides to create an opening. It is also fun to add a wrapped baby, moccasins, pretend fruits and baskets in and around the teepee.

Add a Talking Stick: Create a talking stick to help manage circle time. Preschoolers will see how Native Americans respected and listened to one another while they spoke.

Story Time: Add flannel pieces to the flannel board, such as Native Americans, fish, fruits and vegetables, teepees, long houses, and animals. Let the children make up their own story, record it and together hang around the flannel board.

Weaving Table: Set up a weaving table where preschool children are able to weave with paper or cloth on a plastic frame to create potholders.

Pottery: Place self hardening red clay on a small table. Place a chart to show steps on how to make a coil pot, pinch pot, slab pot and a tile. When the clay work dries, allow children to paint and take them home, or save the pottery for an art show at the end of the week.

Fishing: Place craft foam fish and small nets in the water table; alongside the table, hang a picture showing how Native Americans would catch fish to eat.

Writing: Set up a writing center for preschoolers to make up stories using symbols. Explain that a symbol is a picture to represent a word or event. Children can choose to create their own symbols to represent words. They may draw a picture to represent their story.

Native American Art

Mask Making: Preschool children will have a great time being culturally expressive with this mask activity. Start with large, round white paper plates with precut eye holes, and hot glue a tongue depressor stick to the back of each (adults only with the glue gun). Provide a large amount of art medium to be used for decoration of these masks, such as crepe paper, tempera paint, glue, feathers, oil pastels, string, beads, mosaic squares, ribbon, markers, craft foam and any other materials to be thought of. While the children gather to begin this cultural activity, inform them that masks were used by Native Americans during storytelling, for fun and also for medical reasons, such as healing purposes. Let the children know their mask will have special representation of their choice.

Talking Stick: The talking stick is a useful tool to add to the preschool classroom on a permanent basis. Children will be guided to listen with respect and without interruption to the one who holds the stick, just as Native Americans did. Start with a strong, smooth branch or a thick dowel. One stick can be made for the classroom, as well as individual sticks to be taken home. The stick may be painted, wrapped with ribbons, and beads or feathers may be attached to the ribbons that hang down from the stick.

Pow Wow Drum: Begin with a common coffee can. Wrap and glue any color construction paper around the can. Have patterns for children to trace and cut, or have pre-cut shapes for younger children, such as mask shapes, sun and moon shapes and other various symbols. Glue these shapes to the paper covered coffee can. If desired, add beans or rice to the inside of the can for different sounds when children tap the top of the can lid. Be sure to attach lid securely with hot glue.

Music and Dancing

Dancing Ceremony: This special ceremony will have children bouncing with excitement! Gather drums made from art activity above, and have children beat the drums to a pattern, perhaps a two or four count beat. Ask some children to stand and begin hopping to the beat of the drum. Let them know this is called the "crow hop" and Native Americans dance how they wish to the beat, which is special and unique. Preschoolers may wish to hold hands and form a circle while dancing to the beat of the drums.

Group Activities

The Gift of Nature: Gather preschoolers in a circle; ask them how Native Americans would have lived without grocery stores, pet stores, construction stores or clothing stores. Where would they gather their supplies from?

Be prepared with laminated or contact paper covered posters or pictures of trees, a river and/or ocean and land. These posters will have several hook and loop Velcro pieces so that smaller pictures with hook and loop Velcro are able to be attached. Show and explain one poster at a time as a resource, something we use to give or supply us with something else. Pass the smaller laminated pictures backed with Velcro, such as a totem pole, a long house, a canoe, shellfish, salmon, a pitcher of water, fruit and vegetables and clothes. Have children come up one at a time and show their small picture; ask the class to discuss and answer what resource was used to gather each material or staple.

Have a Potlatch: To prepare for this, cook several items ahead of time (see cooking activity for a recipe to make with children). Include corn bread, dried fruits, strawberry juice, corn on the cob, beans and squash. Tell the children a potlatch is a Native American ceremony where gifts are shared while songs and dances are performed. Many gifts that were shared were food and hand-made things like blankets. During this activity, you all will share food and show the crafts children have made. This can be used as a closing activity at the end of the lesson, if desired.

The leader will begin talking with the talking stick and pass to each child to show their art. When showing is complete, food can be enjoyed and a song, dance and story shared (use other activities during potlatch if desired).

Cooking

Strawberry Juice: Have the children help make strawberry juice just as the Native Americans made. Gather preschoolers around the table and give each a sealed bag with 3 or 4 strawberries inside; have them crush with hands or gently with blocks. When the strawberries are crushed, have the children pour them into a bowl. Have boiling water ready, away from the children, and add two cups to the crushed strawberries; let the bowl sit for thirty minutes in a safe area unable to be reached by the children. Next, when the strawberries are at a safe temperature, let the children observe and note how the juice came out of the strawberries over time. Later, pour the juice into a strainer over a pitcher. What was left over? Save pulp to put on biscuits or crackers. Add honey or maple syrup, as Native Americans did, to add sweetness to the juice. Lastly, pour juice over ice for each child to enjoy.

Inform the children that Native Americans celebrated with strawberries, knowing they were a sign and gift of spring. They considered the juice to be healing, like a medicine.

Stories With Extensions

The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush by Tomie de Paola

After reading this story, crush some fruits from the earth such as blackberries, strawberries, raspberries and other dark juice fruits. Have children use these juices and thin paintbrushes to paint something in nature they love and appreciate.

When Clay Sings by Byrd Baylor

When completing this book, have children work with clay to create pots and etch their own designs to tell a story.

Pocahontas by Edgar Parin d' Aulaire

This is a book to enjoy comparing and contrasting to another more cartoon version of the story. Spend time in small groups looking at the differences and listen to what the children have observed; make a chart with differences.
More Books!
Salmon Summer by Russ Kendall

Dancing Teepees by Virginia Driving

Houses of Hide and Earth by Bonnie Shemie

Wrap It Up

The Native Americans had such a beautiful way of life with peace and simplicity. As I know the majority of Native Americans are now modernized and live life much like the average person, I feel it is important for children to see where and how a certain quality of life came about. I like to observe the Native American ideas and activities for preschool in action, and then note how proud they are of their accomplishments. Native Americans took much pride and respect for the work they completed, and this is a value young children can take with them from these activities.

References

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Unique Native American Ideas and Activities for Preschool

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Have fun with these Native American ideas and activities for preschool in your classroom! Everything from talking sticks to strawberry juice to mask making will take place. Preschool children will appreciate learning that not everyone lives the same as they do and different is exciting!

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Preinstructional Planning

These ready-to-use teaching ideas for students support cooperation, social studies, and literacy skills.

Two small clay balls: one red, one green

Blank paper

Drawing materials

Activities

Pass the Stone Game

Guessing games were popular among many Native American children.

Step 1: Spread a blanket on the floor and invite children to sit with you in a circle on the blanket.

Step 2: Hold two clay balls in your closed hand. Pass one to the child to your right, without letting the child see which ball you have passed.

Step 3: Ask the child to guess which color ball you have passed. If the child guesses correctly, give him both balls. This child then passes one clay ball to the next child.

Step 4: That child will guess which color ball has been passed. If this child guesses correctly, both balls are passed to her and the game continues. If the child guesses incorrectly, she moves out of the circle and the game continues.

Step 5: Play the game until one child is left in the circle.

Guessing Dreams and Wishes

Explain to children that the Iroquois are a league of six Native American nations located in Canada and New York. Tell children that dreams and wishes are very important to the Iroquois people. At some festivals, people make up riddles about their dreams and others try to guess what the dream means.

Step 1: Ask children to think of a dream or a wish that they have had.

Step 2: Provide children with paper and drawing materials. Ask children to draw a picture about their dream or wish.

Step 3: During meeting time, invite several children a day to share their drawings with the class. Encourage children to guess what their classmates' drawings may be about. Ask each child to tell about her special dream or wish. Children can also play charades and act out their dreams and wishes.

Step 4: Display children's drawings and include a dictated or written description.

Remember: It may be hard for some children to remember their dreams or identify a wish. Help children to brainstorm and ask lots of questions about their drawings.

Literacy

Explain that legends are stories that are passed down from one generation to another, and they often describe how something came to be. Share a Native American legend. Invite children to write their own classroom legend. Make a list of their ideas and work together to choose one to write about. Record the story on chart paper, giving each child a turn to add to it. Continue the activity for several days. Arrange legends in book format to develop a class legend anthology.

Related Books

Jubal's Wish by Audrey Wood

Knots on a Counting Rope by Bill Martin, Jr. and John Archambault

Native American Games and Stories by James Bruchac

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Preinstructional Planning These ready-to-use teaching ideas for students support cooperation, social studies, and literacy skills. Two small clay balls: one red, one green Blank paper Drawing materials Activities Pass the Stone Game Guessing games were popular among many Native American children.

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Teaching Kids the Wonderful Diversity of American Indians

The awareness teachers and parents need to teach Head Start children about American Indians accurately and respectfully.

By Bernhard Michaelis, Founder, Native Child

This article is reprinted from Children and Families, Vol.XVI No.4 , Fall 1997, the journal of the National Head Start Association. Children and Families is published quarterly for NHSA members. For information on joining NHSA, please call (703) 739-0875.

"Don't yell like a bunch of wild Indians!" shouts a mother trying to quiet her children in a supermarket in Cortez, Colorado. A long- time American Indian Head Start teacher from the Navajo Reservation is standing close by, feeling hurt and insulted. "We would never say that to our Head Start kids," the teacher explains. "But I hear things like that all the time when I go shopping off the Reservation." The teacher's frustration is understandable.

Throughout our lives, we have been bombarded by stereotypical portrayals of American Indians. Books, television programs, movies, and toys tend to depict Native Americans as oversimplified feather-wearing characters. Inaccurate and often offensive representations of American Indians are deeply rooted in the American consciousness.

As a result, we have become desensitized to terminology and imagery that is offensive to American Indians. For example, we might not think it's odd to ask our kids to line up Indian file. And we might not see any reason our kids shouldn't dress up and play Indians.

American Indian children who frequently encounter stereotypical images of their cultures are hindered in developing a feeling of pride in their heritage and a healthy self-image. When asked, there are American Indian preschoolers who will say they are not Indians. Why? Because they have already learned from popular movies and cartoons that Indians wear feathers and face paint and live in tipis and carry tomahawks. Preschoolers don't look like that, so they don't consider themselves Indians.

Young children believe what they see and hear. As Head Start teachers, we are in an excellent position to teach children factual information about American Indians and at the same time dispel any myths or stereotypes that have entered our classrooms.

American Indians are not all the same

One of the most popular misconceptions about American Indians is that they are all the same - one homogenous group of people who look alike, speak the same language, and share the same customs and history. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Although American Indians make up less than one percent of the U.S. population, American Indians represent half of the nation's languages and cultures. This statistic may seem incredible, but remember that American Indians were the soul inhabitants of this continent until Europeans arrived only five centuries ago. Before that, Native Americans had thousands of years to migrate across the country in small groups and, in relative isolation from one another, develop unique cultural identities.

Today there are about 500 American Indian tribes, each with its own language and cultural traditions. The Diné Nation (Navajo) is by far the largest, with 170,000 members. Other large tribes include the Oglala Sioux, Cherokee Nation, Blackfeet, Fort Apache, Gila River, Hopi, Papago, San Carlos Apache, Rosebud Sioux, and Zuñi Pueblo. Almost half of all tribes have fewer than 1,000 members, but they still have their own unique identity. From tribe to tribe, there are large differences in clothing, housing, life-styles, and cultural practices.

Sadly, these differences are not appreciated by most non-Native Americans, because the rich diversity of American Indians is not reflected, nor is it presented accurately, in readily available teaching materials, popular entertainment, and children's toys. Toy manufacturers typically misrepresent American Indians by creating toys that, for example, mix the tipi from the Plains culture or the totem pole from the Northwest Pacific Coast groups with the Navajo rug, loom, or desert plants from the Southwest groups.

The truth about feathers and headbands

We are all familiar with the popular use of a headband with one feather or a headdress containing numerous feathers (warbonnet) as symbols for Indian imagery. And many of us encourage our children to make feather headbands - after all, we made them when we were kids. But these headbands are a trite representation of American Indians.

Historically, eagle feathers were worn only by certain members of the Plains cultural groups who had distinguished themselves as worthy of such adornment. Feathered headdresses were not worn as everyday clothing, but rather for special ceremonial occasions. Today, feathers still carry highly religious meaning in most tribes. Making feathered fans in tribes for Pow Wows and religious ceremonies is accompanied by appropriate prayers and songs. Handling feathers is not taken lightly.

Despite the purpose of feathers in certain American Indian cultures, it might seem a little severe to stop making feather headbands in Head Start classrooms. After all, it's just a fun way of introducing our children to Indians. But as teachers, would we put a Catholic priest's robe in the dramatic play area?

Strategies for teaching about American Indians accurately

American Indian tribes all over this country are putting enormous effort into preserving, restoring, and reviving their cultural heritages for future generations. There are specific strategies Head Start teachers and parents can embrace to assist in this process.

For instance, instead of teaching children that "Indians lived in tipis," which incorrectly implies that all American Indians lived in tipis, explain that different tribes lived in different dwellings. For example, the Pueblo Indians lived (and some still do) in terraced-style stone and adobe houses. The people of the Northwest lived in spacious buildings made of wood. Some tribes in the East lived in huge longhouses constructed of tree poles and bark. The Navajos (Diné) of the Southwest lived in hogans, a hexagon tree pole structure covered with mud. Still others lived in structures adapted to nomadic life, using wooden poles and coverings available from the surrounding environment.

Today, of course, Native Americans live in houses, apartments, and mobile homes. It is important to point this out to children and teach them about the many aspects of life among contemporary Native Americans. Otherwise, children may think that Indians are extinct.

When referring to one tribe or Indian nation, use its correct name: Cheyenne, Hopi, Apache, and so forth. Choose books that focus on a single tribe. Make sure that the depiction of housing, life-style, clothing and so forth is accurate for the specific group.

Make sure your books portray Indians in a respectful manner. For example, books with illustrations of animals, cartoon characters, or children at play wearing headdresses, pipes, or other items sacred to American Indians are especially offensive and disrespectful. Such illustrations do not encourage us to view Native Americans as human beings.

When evaluating books, toys, or play activities, ask yourself these questions: Is there anything that would embarrass or hurt a Native child? Is there anything that would foster stereotypical thinking in a non-Indian child? If you're not certain which materials are appropriate, use it as a learning opportunity: Contact American Indian Head Start staff members to expand your knowledge.

In the dramatic play area, dress your American Indian dolls in the same clothing as your other dolls. Bring out native clothing, such as moccasins, dancing shawls, and so forth, only on special occasions.

When purchasing posters and pictures of children for your classroom, choose ones with multiracial groups, including American Indians. This will help give the children, staff, parents, and visitors in your Head Start classroom a greater appreciation for the wonderful racial diversity of Americans.

At Thanksgiving time, shift the focus away from reenacting the First Thanksgiving and decorating your classroom with Pilgrims and Indians. Instead, focus on things the children can be thankful for in their own lives. Teaching about American Indians only at Thanksgiving exclusively from a historical perspective will promote the idea that they exist only in the past.

Increase your knowledge about American Indians by looking for Pow Wows - social or religious gatherings - in your area. Contact the organizers and ask whether you and your students can attend. Invite American Indians to your classroom to discuss their culture. Treat them as educators for your children, not entertainers.

A challenging and rewarding undertaking

Not all American Indian communities have had the same historical experience and because each American Indian is unique, what may be offensive to one may not be offensive to another. For example, most Native Americans find the popular Head Start song "Ten Little Indians" offensive. But others don't mind it. One American Indian Head Start teacher sings an enlightening variation of the song in which she adds verses for "Ten Little Mexicans," "Ten Little African-Americans," and so on.

The diversity of American Indian cultures is so grand that it may be challenging to comprehend. Yet, as educators and parents, it is our responsibility to try. Just the act of trying to inform ourselves about American Indians is a great sign of respect. And using your new knowledge and common sense will go a long way in helping us successfully determine how to best teach our children about American Indians.

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Teaching kids the wonderful diversity of Native Americans

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pay with paypal or credit card By Bernhard Michaelis, Founder, Native Child This article is reprinted from Children and Families, Vol.XVI No.4 , Fall 1997, the journal of the National Head Start Association. Children and Families is published quarterly for NHSA members. For information on joining NHSA, please call (703) 739-0875.

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November is a popular time to teach children about Native peoples in America. What follows are teaching guidelines from Oyate, a Native organization whose goal is to insure that native peoples' histories are portrayed honestly and accurately.

Do present Native peoples as appropriate role models with whom a Native child can identify. Don't single out Native children, ask them to describe their families' traditions, or their people's cultures. Don't assume that you have no Native children in your class. Don't do or say anything that would embarrass a Native child.

Do look for books and materials written and illustrated by Native people. Don't use ABC books that have "I is for Indian"' or "E is for Eskimo." Don't use counting books that count "Indians." Don't use story books that show non-Native children "playing Indian." Don't use picture books by non-Native authors that show animals dressed as "Indians." Don't use story books with characters like "Indian Two Feet" or "Little Chief."

Do avoid arts and crafts and activities that trivialize Native dress, dance, or ceremony. Don't use books that show Native people as savages, primitive craftspeople, or simple tribal people, now extinct.

Don't have children dress up as "Indians," with paperbag "costumes" or paper-feather "headdresses." Don't sing "Ten Little Indians." Don't let children do "war whoops." Don't let children play with artifacts borrowed from a library or museum. Don't have them make "Indian crafts" unless you know authentic methods and have authentic materials.

Do make sure you know the history of Native peoples, past and present, before you attempt to teach it. Do present Native peoples as separate from each other, with unique cultures, languages, spiritual beliefs, and dress. Don't teach "Indians" only at Thanksgiving. Do teach Native history as a regular part of American history.

Do use materials which put history in perspective. Don't use materials which manipulate words like "victory," "conquest," or "massacre" to distort history. Don't use materials which present as heroes only those Native people who aided Europeans. Do use materials which present Native heroes who fought to defend their own people.

Do discuss the relationship between Native peoples and the colonists and what went wrong with it. Don't speak as though "the Indians" were here only for the benefit of the colonists. Don't make charts about "gifts the Indians gave us."

Don't use materials that stress the superiority of European ways, and the inevitability of European conquest. Do use materials which show respect for, and understanding of, the sophistication and complexities of Native societies.

Do use materials which show the continuity of Native societies, with traditional values and spiritual beliefs connected to the present. Don't refer to Native spirituality as "superstition." Don't make up Indian "legends" or "ceremonies." Don't encourage children to do "Indian" dances.

Do use respectful language in teaching about Native peoples. Don't use insulting terms such as "brave," "squaw," "papoose," "Indian givers," "wild Indians," "blanket Indians," or "wagon burners."

Do portray Native societies as coexisting with nature in a delicate balance. Don't portray Native peoples as "the first ecologists."

Do use primary source material - speeches, songs, poems, writing - that show the linguistic skill of peoples who come from an oral tradition. Don't use books in which "Indian" characters speak in either "early jawbreaker" or in the oratorical style of the "noble savage."

Do use materials which show Native women, Elders, and children as integral and important to Native societies. Don't use books which portray Native women and Elders as subservient to warriors.

Do talk about lives of Native peoples in the present. Do read and discuss good poetry, suitable for young people, by contemporary Native writers. Do invite Native community members to the classroom. Do offer them an honorarium. Treat them as teachers, not as entertainers. Don't assume that every Native person knows everything there is to know about every Native Nation.

Published by Oyate, ©1998 Oyate, 2702 Mathews St., Berkeley, CA 94702.

For more information, contact Oyate at (510) 848-6700.

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Teaching Respect for Native Peoples | Scholastic

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November is a popular time to teach children about Native peoples in America. What follows are teaching guidelines from Oyate, a Native organization whose goal is to insure that native peoples' histories are portrayed honestly and accurately. Do present Native peoples as appropriate role models with whom a Native child can identify.

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(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Save Recipe

Fry bread is a Native American bread that stretches back generations, particularly in the Navajo Nation with whom it originated. It's enjoyed all over the U.S. and is easily found throughout the Southwest. There's no need to go looking for it because it's surprisingly quick and easy to make at home.

There are many recipes for fry bread, varying with the region and tribe. It may be made with yeast and cornmeal, and some recipes add shortening, lard, or another fat, or include an egg. This recipe is made with all-purpose flour and baking powder, creating a very simple fry bread with no extra fat or eggs.

Once you learn how easy it is to make from scratch and how delicious fry bread is, you'll find lots of ways to enjoy it. Fry bread is an excellent choice to serve with a hearty stew or chili, and you can make fry bread tacos with seasoned ground beef and your favorite toppings. It's also a tasty snack when served with honey, maple syrup, or fruit jam or preserves.

This recipe makes four small fry bread loaves. It can easily be scaled up for a larger family.

"This is one of the quickest fried food recipes I've encountered. It was quite fun to make, and the cleanup was simple. The fry bread came out crispy on the outside and dense on the inside. It's also easy to adapt to make larger loaves. Just cut the dough into two portions rather than four." - Colleen Graham

1. In a deep, 10-inch cast-iron skillet or heavy saucepan, heat about 1 inch of oil to 350 F.

If you don't have a deep-fry thermometer to attach to the pan, dip the handle end of a wooden spoon in the oil. The oil should bubble around it fairly steadily when it's ready. The popcorn method is another option: Place a kernel of popcorn in the oil, and it will pop when the oil reaches 350 to 360 F.

2. Knead 3 or 4 times on a floured surface.

How to Serve Fry Bread

Sprinkle the fry bread with a little cinnamon and sugar.

Dust fry bread with powdered sugar and add a drizzle of honey or syrup.

Serve the bread as a taco salad base or with taco toppings (popularly called Navajo tacos). Be sure to make the circles of dough very thin for this use.

Cut hot fry bread into wedges and serve with salsa or a dipping sauce.

Tips

Be careful not to knead the dough too much because the bread will be hard and tough.

The dough is sticky but easy to work with; keep your hands and work surface well-floured.

Adjust the thickness of the dough for your use. For instance, when making tacos, start with a very thin dough (less than 1/4 inch). Press a deep indentation into the center to prevent it from turning into a ball.

Use your favorite type of oil for frying. Vegetable oil and shortening are popular options, canola oil is considered a little healthier, and lard is traditionally used by many Native Americans.

The key to using different oils is to ensure whichever you choose has a high smoke point. Some, such as extra-virgin olive oil, will smoke before it reaches the desired temperature, and the bread will taste burnt, and your kitchen will fill with smoke.

If using lard to fry the bread, make sure that you use about 2 1/2 cups of lard instead of the 3 cups of vegetable oil.

If using shortening instead of vegetable oil, you will need about 2 1/4 cups for frying.

When cooking a larger batch, keep finished fry bread warm in the oven. Set the drained fry bread on a baking sheet fitted with a cooling rack so it doesn't get soggy.

What's the Best Way to Store and Reheat Fry Bread?

Fry bread is best when it's freshly fried. If you need to store leftovers, keep it at room temperature loosely wrapped in plastic or in an unsealed plastic bag for up to 2 days. To reheat it, wrap the bread individually in foil and bake in a 375 F oven for about 10 to 12 minutes.

Can Fry Bread Be Frozen?

Fry bread can be frozen for up to three months. Wipe the oil off with a paper towel once the bread cools and wrap it tightly in plastic, then place it in a freezer bag. For better results, freeze the uncooked dough when it's still in the ball shape using the same type of packaging. Thaw the dough overnight in the refrigerator, unwrap it and let it reach room temperature before shaping and frying as normal.

What's the Difference Between Fry Bread and Sopapillas?

Many cultures throughout the world have a version of fried bread. Native American fry bread and sopapillas are two types that are nearly identical and have similar origins. During the 1860s, the Navajo people and other tribes were resettled onto reservations in eastern New Mexico﻿﻿. Fry bread made good use of the government rations they relied on, which included flour, sugar, salt, and lard. Around the same time, residents of older New Mexico towns received the same ingredients and they too created a fluffy, crispy fry bread that became known as sopaipilla in Spanish. The Navajo version is round, while sopapillas are typically square. The recipes for each vary greatly, though sopapillas most often use shortening and water rather than fry bread's milk.

The Spruce Eats uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Miller, Jen. Frybread. Smithsonian Magazine. July 2008.

I don't like this at all. It's not the worst. Sure, this will do. I'm a fan-would recommend. Amazing! I love it! Thanks for your rating!

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Classic Fry Bread for Meals or Navajo Tacos

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(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.) Save Recipe Fry bread is a Native American bread that stretches back generations, particularly in the Navajo Nation with whom it originated. It's enjoyed all over the U.S. and is easily found throughout the Southwest.

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