Explore 13 Classroom Activities for Indigenous Peoples’ Day

In 1990, South Dakota became the first state to celebrate what they called “Native American Day” on the second Monday of October. Two years later, the city of Berkeley, California, celebrated Indigenous Peoples’ Day on that same day to protest the 500th anniversary of Christopher Columbus’ arrival on the outlying islands of North America. 

In 2021, the White House proclaimed that Indigenous Peoples’ Day would occur on the same day as Columbus Day to honor America’s first inhabitants and the Tribal Nations that still thrive today. You can help your students understand the history of this holiday with classroom activities for Indigenous Peoples’ Day in both social studies and ELA:

• Explore the history and significance of Indigenous Peoples’ Day with social studies activities
• Discover more about the cultures we recognize on Indigenous Peoples’ Day with ELA activities

[Explore the history and significance of Indigenous Peoples’ Day with social studies activities](id-ss)

Use these Newsela Social Studies activities to help students understand why we celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day and how the holiday evolved over the years.

Teach students why we recognize Indigenous Peoples’ Day

Indigenous Peoples’ Day honors the cultures and histories of the Native peoples of our continent and its surrounding territories. Help students dive into the holiday’s significance with resources like:

• A photo essay that explores how various Indigenous peoples celebrate and maintain their culture, heritage, and values in a changing world.
• The full text of some U.S. cities' proclamations acknowledging the change from Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples Day.
• An article about the Portage Path Trail, an 8-mile trail that connects the Cuyahoga and Tuscarawas rivers in Ohio.

Explore significant moments in Indigenous history

Indigenous history is also American history. Teach students more about some of these significant moments and events that have had an impact on our culture, with articles on topics like:

• The push for more Indigenous studies classes to be taught in schools, with states like Connecticut, North Dakota, and Oregon paving the way.
• How more inclusive U.S. history classes are helping students better understand the past and how it connects to their futures.
• The erasure of the Taíno, an Indigenous group of people who lived in the Caribbean, from the mainstream curriculum. 

Discover why the country has shifted away from celebrating Columbus Day

Americans celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day on what has historically been known as Columbus Day. After people started to acknowledge his poor treatment of those who already inhabited the Caribbean islands, they began to shift toward recognizing the experiences and victories of Indigenous communities instead. 

Use this three-part inquiry lesson to help students reflect on three key areas:

• Debating Columbus: Consider the question “How should we remember Columbus?” and read historical accounts to help decide.
• Columbus’ Life: Explore primary sources and maps illustrating Columbus’ journey to the Americas.
• Columbus’ Legacy: Explore primary sources and pro/con articles that compare and contrast how we remember Columbus in America.

Ask students to draw their own conclusions about Columbus’ legacy

Take the debate about Columbus’ legacy further by asking students to review background knowledge and primary sources to determine how they think he should be remembered. Use resources like:

• Have students review background information about the true discovery of America and complete an article analysis worksheet.
• Encourage students to explore primary sources related to Columbus’ voyages and discoveries and complete a primary source analysis worksheet.
• Ask students to use what they’ve learned to complete an argumentative writing prompt evaluating whether Columbus should be taught as a hero in schools or not. If you have Newsela Writing, your students can complete this activity on the platform!

Learn more about Indigenous causes

Indigenous Peoples and communities are striving to change our world for the better. Explore some of the causes they champion and how they advocate for them in areas like:

• Language: See how Indigenous communities are fighting to preserve over 160 native languages in the Americas. 
• Stewardship: Learn about the causes that Indigenous Peoples steward, like natural resource preservation.
• Education: Discover the efforts groups are making to include and improve the Indigenous issues and topics taught in schools.
• Climate and environment: Explore how Indigenous Peoples are spreading awareness and advocating for change on climate and environmental issues.

Explore the causes and impacts of the Indigenous Rights Movement

The Indigenous Rights Movement is an ongoing, global campaign by Indigenous Peoples to reclaim their lands, secure fundamental rights, and protect their cultures and languages. Students can learn more about key subgroups and issues that are part of this movement, like:

• Veterans: Explore how the U.S. government has treated Indigenous veterans across wars, service organizations, and campaigns.
• Wounded Knee Massacre: Teach students what this event was and how its outcome became a rallying cry for the Indigenous Rights Movement.
• Occupation of Alcatraz: Discover why Indigenous Peoples occupied Alcatraz for 19 months and how the protest ended.
• Standing Rock: Assess if the events at Standing Rock are a continuation of the Indigenous Rights Movement.

Explore Indigenous cultures of North America

Indigenous Peoples is a broad term that describes those with Native Roots across North, South, and Central America. Explore the histories, cultures, and struggles of North American groups with students like Indigenous Peoples of the:

• Great Plains
• Northeast
• Southeast
• Southwest
• Great Basin
• Alaska

[Discover more about the cultures we recognize on Indigenous Peoples’ Day with ELA activities](id-ela)

Use our Newsela ELA lessons to explore the world of Indigenous literature, poetry, and current events to better understand the cultures we recognize on this holiday:

Recognizing the U.S. as Native Land

When we’re so used to living in today’s world, it’s easy to forget that our country didn’t always look the way it does now. Before the first English settlers arrived, Indigenous groups inhabited the land that makes up much of the boundaries of the United States. Teach students more about the relationships between those groups and the early settlers this Indigenous Peoples’ Day:

• Assign an article about the complex relationship between Indigenous people and English settlers in the New England territories.
• Read the full text of Indigenous leader Tecumseh’s letter to Governor Harrison in 1810, calling for a united Native American resistance.
• Discover the legacy of land-grant colleges and universities, which were created through the forced removal of Indigenous people from their lands.

Making current events connections between Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples’ Day

Over the last several years, many cities and towns across the U.S. have begun to question whether they should celebrate Columbus Day, Indigenous Peoples Day, or both. Help students make past-to-present connections and decide which holidays should be celebrated with the following lesson:

• Pose the guiding question, “Why are some groups calling for the observance of Indigenous Peoples’ Day instead of Columbus Day?”
• Next, have students read articles and primary sources about the history of Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples in the United States.
• Finally, ask students to complete a comparing multiple sources graphic organizer to look at how the sources frame each holiday similarly and differently. Try customizing it with Luna!

Making genre connections using Indigenous literature

Like many other cultures, Indigenous groups in the Americas have passed down stories from one generation to the next. These stories teach lessons, share values, and explain events in nature. Students can learn more about the cultures and experiences of these groups by reading and analyzing texts like:

• “How Grandmother Spider Brought Fire,” a Choctaw myth that explains the creation of the sun, moon, and stars.
• “A Time of Troubles,” a fiction story by Ruth Spencer Johnson that describes the potential struggles of a Sioux family living on a reservation in the 1880s.
• “A Song of a Navajo Weaver,” a poem by Bertrand N.O. Walker that reflects on the Navajo culture.

Discovering Indigenous culture through novel studies

Build background knowledge about Indigenous cultures with paired primary sources and texts in our Novel and Book Studies collection for popular titles like:

• “There There” by Tommy Orange
• “Firekeeper’s Daughter” by Angeline Boulley
• “Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian” by Sherman Alexie”
• “The Birchbark House” by Louise Erdrich
• “The Marrow Thieves” by Cherie Dimaline

Recognizing Indigenous Peoples’ Day with poetry

See the world through the eyes of Indigenous writers by exploring poetry selections like:

• “Autumn” by Alexander Posey
• “Changing Is Not Vanishing” by Carlos Montezuma
• “A Mojave Lullaby” by Bertrand N.O. Walker
• “America, I Sing Back” by Allison Adelle Hedge Coke
• “Navajo Mountain” by Norla Chee

Newsela’s products go beyond Indigenous Peoples’ Day

We hope these resources make it easier for you to develop relevant, engaging activities about the history and celebration of Indigenous Peoples’ Day in your class. But Newsela’s products have even more great content, interactive activities, and assessment tools that you can use all year.

If you’re not a Newsela customer yet, sign up for Newsela Lite for free and start your 45-day trial of our premium content to access everything you need to teach about nearly any historical, current event, or student interest topic in your classroom.