NACA Inspired Schools Network
Resource Hub
INDIGENOUS SCIENCE
Essential Questions & Enduring Understandings
*These resources are primarily for Grades 6-12. If you are looking for Elementary resources, they are on the Elementary page.
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How can I use STEAM-H to positively impact and advocate for my community?
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Why is my relationship with Nature important for my identity and community?
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What scientific discoveries and technologies provide us the foundation of how living things and nonliving things function to create a natural balance in the world we live and interact?
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How do communities on various levels work to create balance?
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How might an imbalance in one community impact other communities?
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What roles and responsibilities do have as participating members within our communities?
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How does the past inform us today to prepare us for the future?
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How will climate change affect sacred sites, species and traditional practices?
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How are tribal community’s understanding about nature and climate different than western scientific approaches?
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What unique features allow us to live on earth?
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How does the relationship between humans and the earth impact the quality of our life and those in the future?
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The Aboriginal concept of respect for the environment has a specific importance and meaning.
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Traditional Aboriginal cultures used natural resources for transportation, shelter, and food gathering.
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Traditional Aboriginal activities and lifestyles changed with the seasons.
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How are humans shaped by Earth’s systems, and how do humans in turn shape Earth?
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What is the relationship between the micro and the macro?
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How do small, individual changes in organisms result in life as we know it on Earth?
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How are observed properties and unseen molecular world related?
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How does an understanding of the molecular world help us responsibly manage our resources?
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How does scientific practices help us understand our world?
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How do we use science to improve the lives of future generations?
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How do we determine what is true?
*as a note, all documents listed here are under continual improvement and revision. If used, please cite.
Grade 6, Example 1, NACA Yearlong
Grade 6, Example 2, NACA Yearlong
Grade 9, Physics NACA Yearlong
Grade 10, Chemistry NACA Yearlong
Grade 10, Chemistry NACA Unit 1
Grade 12, NACA Example 2 Yearlong
Grade 12, NACA Example 1 Yearlong
Rob Salazar (HS Indigenous Science/ Physics and Chem), NACA, shares his story and his perspective on how "traditional" and "academic" science are misnomers; that you can and should have both perspectives.
Example School UbDs
Yearlong, Unit, and Lesson Plans
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Fox, Sandra J. Creating Sacred Places for Students in Grades 7&8. National Indian School Board Association, Polson, MT. Office of Educational Research and Improvement (ED), Washington, DC. 2001. (Page 5-110 for Science)
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Fox, Sandra J. Creating Sacred Places for Students in Grades 9-12. National Indian School Board Association, Polson, MT. Office of Educational Research and Improvement (ED), Washington, DC. 2001. (Page 5-157 for Science)
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Curriculum Design of Preservice Teacher Education for Indigenization of Elementary School Science
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A Collection of Curricula for the STARLAB Native American Mythology Cylinder
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Montana, Indian Education For All Science LPs: http://opi.mt.gov/Programs/IndianEd/Curric.html#gpm1_9
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SACNAS, Ideas for themes: http://sacnas.org/community/native/resources
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National Center for Case Study Teaching In Science: http://sciencecases.lib.buffalo.edu/cs/collection/
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Southwest specific article on developing indigenous science curriculum: http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/jar/HOH/HOH-3.pdf
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First Nations (Under Development): under development: http://www.fnesc.ca/science-first-peoples/
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Indigenous Knowledge and Western Science: Dr. Leroy Little Bear Talk: https://youtu.be/gJSJ28eEUjI
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Indigenous Knowledge and Western Science: Dr. Gregory Cajete Talk: https://youtu.be/nFeNIOgIbzw
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Indian Land Tenure Foundation, 2014. Grades K-2, Environmental Stewardship
Tylar Rodriguez (HS/MS Indigenous Science), NACA, shares his story and how he learns about his students and integrates their knowledge, perspectives, and passions into the classroom.