Grade Level: High School (12th grade) 

 

Inquiry Question: Why does the Taino tribe in Puerto Rico have not been recognized by the Federal Government? 

 

Overview of the content: Although the Spanish colonizers decimated the Taínos during the early stages of the Puerto Rican colonization, some people on the island today still consider themselves Taínos. The Federal Government took control of the island in 1898, and since then, the Taínos have not entered the list of recognized tribes by this level of government. This lesson seeks to have the students use diverse data to validate or invalidate the claim that this indigenous group should be part of the tribes that the Federal Government has recognized. The students will also be able to identify gaps in their research, write questions, and visit Taíno ceremonial sites on the island to fill in the information gaps. Once they have a holistic view of the issue, they'll create a civic action plan. They can choose to write a petition to either the state or federal legislative bodies asking them to promote the recognition of the Taínos as a tribe or to request the school board to dedicate an area to celebrate this Native American group. However, their choices will not be limited to the ones presented here and will depend on the student's findings and conclusions while working throughout the unit.