Have students work in groups or as a class to think about how we tell time and what their geospatial understanding. How do they know? Have them work individually or in groups to research maps and calendars using library and internet resources. Incorporate the jigsaw method to assign some groups time and others mapping. Teachers can decide how much class time and how much homework they want to allot for this exercise. Facilitate a class discussion about what students learned. Did their research support or contradict what they thought they knew? What surprised them the most? How does our knowledge of astronomy impact how we track time across cultures? What is the Gregorian calendar? Why is north “up” and is that a universal understanding?
Learn more about the history and culture of Native Americans through these additional resources:
- North Dakota Heritage Center & State Museum and state historic sites.
- Handy-Marchello, Dr. Barbara and Fern E. Swenson. Traces: Early Peoples of North Dakota. Bismarck, ND: State Historical Society of North Dakota, 2018.
- Teachings of Our Elders—The North Dakota Native American Essential Understandings
- National Museum of the American Indian—a Smithsonian Museum
- Treuer, Anton. Everything You Wanted to Know About Indians But Were Afraid to Ask. St. Paul, MN: Minnesota Historical Society Press, 2012.
- National Museum of the American Indian. Do All Indians Live in Tipis?: Questions and Answers from the National Museum of the American Indian. New York, NY: Smithsonian Institution Press, 2007.
- Each reservation in North Dakota has a college, and most of them have museums, cultural centers, and a tourism division. Follow their social media feeds to learn more about programs, events, and other learning opportunities.