Researching Native American Life

My 3rd grade scholars (most of whom are English language learners and first generation students) have rich cultural traditions that we integrate into our classroom community regularly. They are fascinated and curious about other cultures and have demonstrated interest in learning about other traditions and ways of life. A Social Studies unit investigating early Native American life and history will give them an opportunity to learn about other cultures, and will provide them with an opportunity to begin to develop research skills and deepen their understanding of report writing through self-selection of a topic.

While research projects provide students with autonomy and produce high interest and engagement in learning, without the essential materials, students cannot fully execute searches that enhance their learning. Because of limited access and a short supply of classroom computers, students cannot rely exclusively on the Internet to help facilitate their studies. Furthermore, our library is limited in its titles that address the topics of daily life and cultural practices of Native Americans. Without a supply of good, up to date literature that students can access daily during the unit, research into their topics will be challenging and unlikely to provide them with a meaningful learning experience.

My students need fiction and non-fiction book titles to facilitate a personal inquiry on an aspect of Native American life. The range of selected titles supports the California Social Studies Content Standards that students are expected to master for this unit and covers a broad range of topics. Through read-alouds, discussion and self-selection of books, students will be able to find answers to their inquiry questions and use those to support their research and report writing. These selections will also be paired with reading from the adopted curriculum’s textbook, which will help students to gather facts and information for their report writing.

In a time of “high-stakes” testing, subjects like socials studies often go by the wayside in the name of math and language arts. It is imperative that students understand the history of their country and local communities and hone research skills that will keep them academically competitive and prepare them for the demands of secondary education. It is possible to teach reading and writing through the lens of social studies using good literature. Your help will ensure that my students are able to develop a joy of learning through personal inquiry and meet the needs of the whole-child, not just those prescribed through math and language arts.