American Indian Studies in Wisconsin
The resources included on this webpage have been selected to illustrate ways in which teachers can integrate and infuse Wisconsin American Indian Studies content into their instruction and practice. The information from each of these resources can be woven into a school district’s curriculum through a balanced, comprehensive, and aligned framework adaptable to local circumstances.
Furthermore, each of these suggested resources are intended to help teachers and students of all ages and in all communities make the connection between the knowledge, skills, and ways of knowing for teaching and learning about each of the eleven federally recognized Wisconsin American Indian nations and tribal communities. These resources provide information that allows for Wisconsin American Indian Studies content to be fully included in a school district’s curriculum.
The following videos provide discussions about and examples of how to successfully integrate or infuse content around American Indian Studies Wisconsin Act 31 in Wisconsin public school districts.
- As a former teacher at Black River Falls High School, Paul Rykken is known for his innovative approach in using Culturally Responsive Teaching when integrating American Indian Studies into middle and high school classrooms. Wisconsin First Nations | Exemplar Profile: Paul Rykken
- A social studies teacher at Prescott High School, Jeff Ryan witnessed the challenges faced by Wisconsin’s Native people, which influenced his passion for infusing American Indian Studies in his classroom. Wisconsin First Nations is a rich collection of classroom, library, and professional learning resources provides PK-12 educators with high-quality materials for the teaching of American Indian Studies in Wisconsin. Wisconsin First Nations | Exemplar Profile: Jeff Ryan
- A third grade elementary teacher at Bowler Elementary School, Lori Mueller partners with the community and connects with the Wisconsin Native nations to teach her students about American Indians. Wisconsin First Nations | Exemplar Profile: Lori Mueller
- A former teacher at the Tomah Middle School, Priscilla Cleveland, has a passion for teaching American Indian Studies. She teamed with her school’s social studies committee to develop curriculum to fulfill Wisconsin Act 31 requirements. Wisconsin First Nations | Exemplar Profile: Priscilla Cleveland
- A the former Native American Studies and Ojibwe Language instructor in the Bayfield School District, Reggie Cadotte advises teachers to connect historical context about Wisconsin’s First Nations with modern life today. Wisconsin First Nations | Exemplar Profile: Reggie Cadotte
- As American Indian Studies Consultant at the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, David O’Connor connects with educators to provide support for their understanding of history, culture, and tribal sovereignty. Wisconsin First Nations | Exemplar Profile: David O'Connor
*The inclusion of any material or resources on this page should not be construed as an endorsement or recommendation by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. Educators are encouraged to preview all the resources and materials and to use their own judgment about appropriateness depending on grade level and/or class preparedness.
Wisconsin First Nations Education
The Wisconsin First Nations Education website is meant to support administrators, teachers, librarians, and many others in exploring a rich collection of educational videos, professional development resources and materials, lesson plan for all grades, and learning tools for your classroom and libraries. This website is to help school districts or libraries integrate information on Wisconsin’s American Indian nations and tribal communities into their curriculum.
Furthermore, teacher professional learning resources are also provided, including a Frequently Asked Questions section for answering hard-to-ask questions you may have when teaching about Native cultures, and exemplar videos featuring Wisconsin teachers modeling how to incorporate American Indian Studies into students’ everyday learning.
Wisconsin Historical Society (WHS)
The resources available from the Wisconsin Historical Society (WHS) Press and Education Services include classroom tools, primary resources, an e-newsletter, an education listserv, and various publications. These materials and resources have been selected to illustrate ways in which teachers and others can include, integrate, and/or infuse American Indian Studies content into instruction and practice.
The information from each of these resources can be woven into a classroom, school and/or district’s curriculum through a balanced, comprehensive, and aligned framework adaptable to local circumstances.
- Indian Nations of Wisconsin: Histories of Endurance and Renewal (Revised 2nd Edition) with a “Understand By Design” Lesson Plan Framework Teaching Guide
- Native People of Wisconsin: Revised and Expanded Edition with a Teacher’s Guide and Student Materials
Here is a list of other resources and materials available from the WHS Press:
- Aztalan: Mysteries of an Ancient Indian Town
- Electa Quinney: Stockbridge Teacher
- Good Seeds: A Menominee Indian Food Memoir
- Hidden Thunder: Rock Art of the Upper Midwest
- How to Be an Indian in the 21st Century with Poetry Lesson Plan
- Little Hawk and the Lone Wolf: A Memoir
- Mountain Wolf Woman: A Ho-Chunk Girlhood
- Ojibwe Traditions Coloring and Activity Book Series
- Rebel Poet: More Stories from a 21st Century Indian
- Seventh Generation Earth Ethics
- Skunk Hill: A Native Ceremonial Community in Wisconsin
- Survival Food: North Woods Stories by a Menominee Cook
- People of the Big Voice: Photographs of Ho-Chunk Families
- People of the Sturgeon: Wisconsin’s Love Affair with an Ancient Fish
- The Bingo Queens of Oneida: How Two Moms Started Tribal Gaming in Wisconsin
- The Story of Act 31: How Native History Came to Wisconsin Classrooms
- Wisconsin Indians: Revised and Expanded Edition
The University of Wisconsin Press additionally has resources and materials for American Indian Studies. The following books are available from the UW Press:
- American Indian Art
- Memories of Lac du Flambeau Elders
- Place Names of Wisconsin
- Spirits of Earth The Effigy Mound Landscape of Madison and the Four Lakes
- Wisconsin Indian Literature: Anthology of Native Voices
- Wisconsin Talk
Like WHS Press, the Minnesota Historical Society (MNHS) Press offers numerous resources and materials to support Native American Studies. The following information from each of the resources and materials listed below can be woven into a classroom, school and/or district’s curriculum through a balanced, comprehensive, and aligned framework adaptable to local circumstances.
- Bowwow Powwow
- Caring for American Indian Objects
- Everything You Wanted to Know About Indians But Were Afraid to Ask
- Gaa-izhi-miinigoowizid a’aw Anishinaabe What We Were Given as Anishinaabe
- History of the Ojibway People, Second Edition
- Hungry Johnny
- Living Our Language Ojibwe Tales and Oral Histories
- My Mother Is Now Earth
- The Language Warrior’s Manifesto How to Keep Our Languages Alive No Matter the Odds
- Strength of the Earth:
PBS Wisconsin
PBS Wisconsin Tribal Histories features tribal community members, elders, and storytellers sharing the cultures and oral traditions of their nations that have shaped their communities across generations. The series of half-hour programs will present the histories, cultures, and traditions of all eleven federally recognized Wisconsin’s American Indian nations and tribal communities, plus one nation that is seeking to regain its federal recognition status. The following documentaries are released in the Tribal Histories project:
- Bad River Ojibwe History
- Brothertown History
- Ho-Chunk Nation History
- Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe History
- Lac du Flambeau Ojibwe History
- Menominee History
- Mole Lake Ojibwe History
- Oneida History
- Potawatomi History
- Red Cliff Ojibwe History
- St. Croix Ojibwe History
- Stockbridge-Munsee Mohican History
In addition, PBS Wisconsin has numerous other relevant resources, documentaries, an image gallery, various maps, and outreach activities:
- Ma'iingan: Brother Wolf
- Native Journeys
- Ojibwe History
- Ojibwe Music
- Since 1634: In the Wake of Nicolet
- Way of the Warrior
- When Wisconsin Was New France
PBS Wisconsin Education | Learning Powered by Curiosity
This series of 4-5 minute videos feature information on each of the eleven federally recognized American Indian nations and tribal communities in Wisconsin. These videos also include present day examples of the daily lives of Wisconsin American Indian people and tribal communities. Here is list of videos from The Ways project:
- Clan Mother: Healing the Community
- Hunting Deer: Sharing The Harvest
- Lady Thunderhawks: Leading The Way
- Lake Superior Whitefish: Carrying On a Family Tradition
- Language Apprentice: Bringing Back The Ho-Chunk Language
- Living Language: Menominee Language Revitalization
- Manoomin: Food That Grows On Water
- Prayers In A Song: Learning Language Through Hip Hop
- Pow Wow Trail: Keeping The Beat
- Spearfishing: A Living History
- Waadookodaading: Ojibwe Language Immersion School
- Warriors Boxing: Fighting for Our People
A second series of resources from the PBS Wisconsin Education | Learning Powered by Curiosity are the Wisconsin Biographies, “a collection of media to enrich the social studies and literacy curriculum, using the stories of notable figures in Wisconsin history. For each story, a 3-5 minute animated video engages learners of all ages. The content was designed around 4th grade standards, but is appropriate for use with younger and older students.” Two stories in particular to reference are the following:
- Chief Oshkosh: Leader in Trouble Times
- Electa Quinney Mohican Teacher and Mentor
- Walter Bresette: Treaties Rights and Sovereignty
Additionally, there is Wisconsin Hometown Stories, which is ten programs, for grades 2 through 12 in social studies that traces the evolution of a specific community in Wisconsin through the stories of its residents.
We Are Healers
We Are Healers is a digital media resource featuring stories of American Indian health professionals. We Are Healers “aims to inspire American Indian youth to envision themselves as dentists, nurses, pharmacists, physicians, etc., all through stories of Native role-models. To this end, We Are Healers endorse healthy, active lifestyles and encourage youth to harness the strength of their tribal ‘healing tradition’ as they explore educational opportunities."
- Aaron Robinson: Medicine and Public Health
- Annette Sampson: Registered Nurse
- Dove Spector - Workforce Development
- Dr. Amanda Bruegl: Gynecological Oncology
- Dr. Amy Delong: Family Medicine
- Dr. Arne Vainio: Family Medicine
- Dr. Brett Benally Thompson: Palliative Care Family Medicine
- Dr. David Baines: Family Medicine
- Dr. Erik Brodt: Family Medicine
- Kala Cornelius: Community Health Nurse
- Lakita Maulson: Medical Student
- Trisha Patton: Dental Therapist
- Vernon Grant: Public Health Researcher
- Whitney Schreiber: Diabetes Outreach Nurse
Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission (GLIFWC)
The resources available from GLIFWC include an opportunity to subscribe to the GLIFWC newspaper Mazina'igan, as well as booklets, written supplements, posters, books, maps, educational media, videos such as Ojibwe Treaty Rights: Connections to Land & Water, and other educational brochures available for purchase. Each of these materials and resources are available through GLIFWC Education Materials and Treaty Rights sections.
- Crossing the Line: Tribble Brothers
- Every Step: A Healing Circle
- Gathering the Pieces: The Jondreau Decision
- Lifting Nets: Gurnoe Decision
- Mikwendaagoziwag (They Are Remembered)
- The Sandy Lake Tragedy
Links to Other Instructional or Related Resources:
An important consideration when looking for good literature and written resources is to determine the historical and cultural accuracy of the materials and resources. The following links are for online guidance documents on how to determine the accuracy of books and other resources as well as to lists of vetted materials regarding American Indian Studies.
- American Indian Children’s Literature (AICL)
- American Indian Library Association
- Birchbark Books & Native Arts
- Black Bears and Blueberries Publishing
- Cooperative Children’s Book Center (CCBC)
- Heartdrum - Harper Collins
- Indigenous Reads Rising
- Native Voices Books
- NDN Girls Book Club
- Teaching Books for Schools - Wisconsin Lists
- Woodland Pattern Book Center
For a more extensive list of additional resources, please go to the DPI American Indian Studies Program Bibliography Series section. Additionally, here information to A Tiered Purchasing Plan for Supporting Wisconsin Act 31 in Your Classroom or Library, which is “meant to support educators and librarians in identifying and collecting materials to support Wisconsin Act 31.”