Curriculum Connections A free online publication for K-12 educators provided by ADL’s A World of Difference® Institute. www.adl.org/lesson-plans © 1993 by George Littlechild UPDATED 2019 Lewis and Clark: The Unheard Voices CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS | UPDATED FALL 2019 2 In This Issue The disadvantage of [people] not knowing the past is that they do Contents not know the present. History is a hill or high point of vantage, from which alone [they] see the town in which they live or the age Alignment of Lessons to Common —G. K. Chesterson, author (1874–1936) in which they are living. Core Anchor Standards Each year classrooms across the U.S. study, re-enact, and celebrate the Lewis and Clark expedition, a journey that has become an emblematic symbol of Lessons American fortitude and courage. While there are many aspects of the “Corps of Elementary School Lesson Discovery” worthy of commemoration—the triumph over geographical obstacles, the appreciation and cataloging of nature, and the epic proportions Middle School Lesson of the journey—this is only part of the history. High School Lesson While Lewis and Clark regarded the West as territory “on which the foot of civilized man had never trodden,” this land had been home for centuries to Resources millions of Native Americans from over 170 nations. For the descendants of Tribal Nations Whose Homeland these people, celebrations of the Corps of Discovery mark the onset of an era Lewis and Clark Explored of brutal repression, genocide and the destruction of their culture. Resources for Educators and Students The lesson plans in this issue of Curriculum Connections take an in-depth look at the history of U.S. expansion and Indian policy, and present the voices and perspectives of Native Americans on the Lewis and Clark expedition. These materials offer an alternative viewpoint on an often-glorified era, and call attention to the dangers of ethnocentric and one-sided versions of history. In South Dakota, a group re-enacting the Lewis and Clark expedition was confronted by American Indian leaders who questioned the legacy of the journey and its effects. “All [they] did by coming up into our territory is open old wounds,” commented a Lakota member of the delegation. “You are re-enacting the coming of death to our people.” As educators plan historical commemorations into their curriculum each year, it is critical that they incorporate lessons that encourage curricula that encourage multiple perspectives and values, reduce cultural encapsulation and highlight the experiences of those who have been traditionally marginalized in history. This issue of Curriculum Connections offers a prime opportunity to model such an approach. A Note about Terminology You will notice that the terms “Native American” and “American Indian” are used interchangeably throughout this resource to refer to the indigenous people of the Americas. While it is most accurate to use the tribal name when speaking of a specific nation (e.g., Blackfeet, Shawnee), there is no definitive preference for “Native American” or “American Indian” when talking more generally. While the use of "Native American" gained popularity throughout the 1990s as a more culturally sensitive term, a 1995 Department of Labor survey found that only 37 percent of Native Americans prefer that term, whereas close to 50 percent favor “American Indian.” Most writers tend to use “Native American,” but sometimes “American Indian” is more appropriate because it distinguishes American Indians from others born in the Americas and therefore “Native American” by place of birth. “Indian” is also more exact in some contexts, as in the case of proper names (e.g., Bureau of Indian Affairs) or when trying to capture the language of other historical eras. Lewis and Clark: The Unheard Voices © 2019 Anti-Defamation League CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS | UPDATED FALL 2019 3 As a general rule, it is most respectful to be specific about tribe and nation grouping when referring to Native Americans and to ask people (when possible) how they wish to be described. Quick Facts There were 5.3 million U.S. residents counted in the 1800 census. The census count in 2000 was 281 million—more than 50 times higher than the 1800 count. In pre-Columbian times (prior to 1492) the Native American population of the area north of Mexico is conservatively estimated to have been two million (though some authorities believe the population to have been as large as 10 million or more). The 2000 census count indicates a total of 4.1 million American Indians and Alaska natives nationwide—anywhere from 2 times higher to less than half of the pre-Columbian era. According to the 2010 Census, 5.2 million people in the United States identified as American Indian and Alaska Native, either alone or in combination with one or more other races. Out of this total, 2.9 million people identified as American Indian and Alaska Native alone. As of 2018, the population of American Indian and Alaska Native increased to 6.1 million. Of the 300 original Native languages in North America, about 175 exist today. Of the 175, 55 are spoken by one to six elders and only 20 are spoken by all age groups in everyday use. Since 1778, over 2.2 billion acres of tribal lands have been ceded to the U.S. government. Today, 56 million acres remain in Native hands. Lewis and Clark: The Unheard Voices © 2019 Anti-Defamation League CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS | UPDATED FALL 2019 4 Alignment of Lessons to Common Core Anchor Standards Elementary Middle School High School Content Area/Standard School Lesson Lesson Lesson Reading R.1: Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly and to X X X make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text. R.2: Determine central ideas or themes of a text and analyze their X X X development; summarize the key supporting details and ideas. R.3: Analyze how and why individuals, events, or ideas develop and X X interact over the course of a text. R.4: Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text, including X X X determining technical, connotative, and figurative meanings, and analyze how specific word choices shape meaning or tone. R.6: Assess how point of view or purpose shapes the content and X X X style of a text. R.7: Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse media and X X formats, including visually and quantitatively, as well as in words. R.8: Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a X text, including the validity of the reasoning as well as the relevance and sufficiency of the evidence. R.9: Analyze how two or more texts address similar themes or topics X in order to build knowledge or to compare the approaches the authors take. R.10: Read and comprehend complex literary and informational texts X X X independently and proficiently. Writing W.1: Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive X topics or texts using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence. W.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey X X complex ideas and information clearly and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content. W.4: Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, X X X organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. W.7: Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects X X based on focused questions, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation. Lewis and Clark: The Unheard Voices © 2019 Anti-Defamation League CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS | UPDATED FALL 2019 5 Elementary Middle School High School Content Area/Standard School Lesson Lesson Lesson W.8: Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital X sources, assess the credibility and accuracy of each source, and integrate the information while avoiding plagiarism. W.9: Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support X analysis, reflection, and research. Speaking and Listening SL.1: Prepare for and participate effectively in a range of X X X conversations and collaborations with diverse partners, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively. SL.2: Integrate and evaluate information presented in diverse media X X X and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally. SL.3: Evaluate a speaker’s point of view, reasoning, and use of evidence and rhetoric. SL.4: Present information, findings, and supporting evidence such X X X that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the organization, development, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. SL.5: Make strategic use of digital media and visual displays of data X to express information and enhance understanding of presentations. Language L.1: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English X X grammar and usage when writing or speaking. L.2: Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English X X capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing. L.3: Apply knowledge of language to understand how language X X X functions in different contexts, to make effective choices for meaning or style, and to comprehend more fully when reading or listening. L.4: Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple- X X X meaning words and phrases by using context clues, analyzing meaningful word parts, and consulting general and specialized reference materials, as appropriate. L.5: Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word X X X relationships, and nuances in word meanings. L.6: Acquire and use accurately a range of general academic and X X X domain-specific words and phrases sufficient for reading, writing, speaking, and listening at the college and career readiness level; demonstrate independence in gathering vocabulary knowledge when encountering an unknown term important to comprehension or expression.