EDS 206 General Education Assignment & Rubric
Native American education and its implementation in the classroom.
1 Using a minimum of two outside sources, define Act 31 and its implementation in the Wisconsin classroom. Specifically, define what Act 31 is, why it is important, and the requirements for the classroom teacher.
2 Discuss in detail how you were educated in school on Native American studies/Act 31. Your discussion can either explain how you were taught about Native Americans or how you think those discussions could have been added to your classroom. In other words, discuss what was done or where you think it should have been addressed.
3 In addition to reflecting what and how you were taught about Indigenous populations, document and reflect upon how your social identity markers (e.g., race, ethnicity, social class, gender, geographic location, etc) may account for your experiences. Also, consider how you might be able to leverage any privileges you may have in society to better address the intent of Act 31 in your future role as an educator.
4 As a pre-service education student, develop ideas on how Native American studies/Act 31 could be included in your future classroom. How can you, as an educator, incorporate an understanding of this history into your classroom? Provide specific ideas, including references to resources outlined by the Wisconsin State DPI, on how you can use Act 31 in the classroom you plan to teach. Make connections between your pedagogical ideas to James Banks’ ideas about the “Five Dimensions of Multicultural Education.”
5 Using APA format, include a Works Cited page with a minimum of three works cited in your paper
Book Titles
The Story of Act 31 by Call Number: LC71 .S86 2018ISBN: 9780870208324Publication Date: 2018-03-15
Mapping Wisconsin History by Call Number: 977.5 S83 2000ISBN: 9780870203183Publication Date: 2000-10-05
Indians of North AmericaCall Number: 970.004 I93 1997ISBN: 9781566961202
Using Murphy Library's search tool with the search terms "native americans" and limiting the results to the Curriculum Center, you can further limit the results to picture books only by using the filters on the left side. Link to the results here.
Helpful Library Sources
- Education Databases via EBSCOhost This link opens in a new windowThis cluster of EBSCOhost databases allows you to search 5 education databases at one time:
Education Research Complete | Educational Administration Abstracts | ERIC | Professional Development Collection | Teacher Reference Center.
Please Note: This cluster includes only EBSCOhost databases. Please visit the Education page for links to other essential education resources. By searching multiple databases at one time, unique features of individual databases are disabled.
Using the search terms "act 31 wisconsin" with the library search tool, there are many kinds of information in various formats to help with your research--use the filters on the left side of the screen to further narrow down your results. Link to the results here.
Another search uses the search terms "native americans" and if limited to the Curriculum Center, lists picture books, fiction, informational books, and professional teacher resources. Link to the results here.
You can narrow results of this search further by adding "wisconsin" to "native americans". Link to these results here.
Reminder: read the call # to see what kind of book the record is describing and where it will be located in the Curriculum Center:
Examples:
Picture Books (E = easy reader)
Graphic Novels
Information Book
Professional Teacher's Resource
Fiction Novels
Helpful Online Sources
Reminder! When using free online sources, remember to scrutinize the source from several angles to make sure your source is credible, accurate, relevant, timely and non-biased. Below are some curated suggestions:
The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) is the non-partisan state education and public library management agency in the state of Wisconsin.
Here is a direct link to the DPI's information about Act 31 and the State Statutes for American Indian Studies in Wisconsin. On the left of the webpage there are several links to more information, including basic fact sheets with important background information, more information and a map of the Wisconsin tribes, the original signed Memo of Understandings between all tribes and the State of Wisconsin (MOU), and other useful resources, including:
- Articles, journals, reports and research
- American Indian Studies Program Publications
- Teaching and Learning ideas and sources (resources for teachers, lesson plans, and materials for students)
- Lesson Planning resources
- Maps
- Wisconsin Social Studies Standards
- More teaching resources for the teaching of Social Studies in Wisconsin
- and much more!
Wisconsin First Nations Education is an online collection of educational videos, teacher professional development resources, lesson plans for all grades, and learning tools.
The Wisconsin Indian Education Association (WIEA) is an advocacy group and can offer information to pre-service teachers as to how perspective matters depending on whose vantage point is being considered. You can find information on Act 31, educational websites and other resources for teaching and learning.
The Milwaukee Public Museum has educational resources for teachers and students called the Wisconsin Indian Resource Project to help teachers meet the requirements of Act 31: culture, history, sovereignty, and treaty rights of Wisconsin Indian tribes.
PBS Wisconsin Education has a helpful section called The Ways: a collection of language and culture stories from Native communities around the central Great Lakes that explores traditional ways and those of today. The series supports educators in meeting the requirements of Wisconsin Act 31. See also the Wisconsin Biographies section for these important people:
American Indians in Children's Literature
- Resources for the conversation "Native or Not?"
- Resources for the conversation surrounding Boarding and Residential Schools
Teaching for Change is a non-profit organization based in Washington D.C. with the motto of "building social justice, starting in the classroom." This organization uses publications, professional development, and parent organizing programs to accomplish their goal. You can find teaching resources here. Use the search box with the search terms "native americans".
Learning for Justice (formerly Teaching Tolerance) is a non-profit educational organization that designs teaching tools that create civil and inclusive school communities where children are respected, valued and welcome participants. Teaching Tolerance emphasizes social justice and anti-bias, which encourages children and young people to challenge prejudice and learn how to be agents of change in their own lives. Classroom resources, professional development, and articles for discussion are found. Use the search box with the search terms "native americans".
The American Indian Youth Literature Award, (announced in January during even years) is awarded biennially. The AIYLA identifies and honors the very best writing and illustrations by Native Americans and Indigenous peoples of North America.
