Native Americans In History, Written by Jimmy Beason

 


From The Publisher:

"Powerful stories of influential Native Americans―for kids ages 8 to 12

From every background and tribal nation, native people are a vital part of history. This collection of biographies for kids explores 15 Native Americans and some of the incredible things they achieved. Kids will explore the ways each of these people used their talents and beliefs to stand up for what’s right and stay true to themselves and their community.

This book of Native American history for kids teaches them about:

  • Becoming a leader―Learn how Sitting Bull led with spiritual guidance and a strong will, and how Tecumseh inspired warriors to protect their communities from white American hostility.
  • Staying strong―Discover athletes like Maria Tallchief, who broke barriers in ballet, and Jim Thorpe, who showed the world that a native man could win Olympic gold.
  • Fighting for change―Find out how Deb Haaland and Suzan Harjo use their activism to raise awareness about Native American issues today.

Go beyond other books on American history for kids with a closer look at Native Americans who helped change the world."

Text Features: 

  • Collection of short biographies featuring historical and contemporary Native Americans
  • Ordered chronologically
  • Key terms highlighted in bold (e.g., ancestors, colonization, spiritual, injustices) and defined in an extensive kid-friendly glossary
  • Each biography includes "Think It Through" questions and "More To Explore" to help kids go deeper in their learning
Critical Literacy Suggestions:

Read & Discuss: 

  • In the book's introduction author Jimmy Beason writes "Beginning in 1492, European colonization brought dire consequences to indigenous people...Today, indigenous people are continuing to recover from these historical injustices...We all have talents, skills, and abilities. Know that you can use these to create a better world for others." As you read each biography, pause to reflect on and discuss the following questions:
    • What harm did European colonization cause?
    • How did indigenous people fight back (attempt to stop/minimize/repair the harm)?
    • Did others help to fight back against the harm caused by European colonization? Why or why not?
    • What can we learn from [subject]'s life about how to make the word a better place?
Write & Act: 
  • Choose one of the individuals featured in the book. Write about what their life story helps you to understand about Native Americans, colonization, justice/injustice, personal courage and determination, ways to take action to make the world a better place. 
  • Explore one of the resources listed in the "More To Explore" section. Explore and share what you learned. 
  • Collaborate with classmates to explore what books your classroom/school has that represent Native Americans. Generate a list of questions aimed at exploring how accurate the historical content and/or representation in these books is. Discuss your findings and take action to improve your text collection. Remember to think about analyzing content for accurate representation of historical events (including harm/injustice) but also positive affirmation and celebration of the diversity of human experience within indigenous cultures.  

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