Transforming Teaching and Learning about Native Americans
To start the new school year, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian is offering new K–12 classroom-ready resources that provide educators and students with new perspectives on Native American history and cultures.
The museum’s national education initiative, Native Knowledge 360° (NK360°), provides online educational materials and teacher training to help educators and students learn about the rich, complex and dynamic histories and cultures of the Indigenous peoples of the Western Hemisphere.
Professional Development
Native Knowledge 360° Teach-In
Saturday, September 20, 10 AM–2:30 PM
National Museum of the American Indian
1 Bowling Green, New York, NY 10004
Educators play a crucial role in advancing the museum’s work to transform popular understandings of Native histories, cultures, and contemporary lives. The ninth annual Native Knowledge 360° Teach-In, hosted by the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian in collaboration with Teaching for Change, is an opportunity for educators to convene in person and strategize ways to uplift and bring Native voices directly into the classroom. This year’s theme is Native Americans and the American Revolution: Conflict, Resilience, and Legacy with keynote speaker Dr. Scott Manning Stevens (enrolled citizen of the Akwesasne Mohawk Nation). Recommended for K-12 educators.
Online | edX Course: Foundations for Transforming Teaching and Learning about Native Americans
Register here
Enroll in Foundations for Transforming Teaching and Learning about Native Americans, a self-paced online course from the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian. Learn from experts how to center Native voices in the classroom and teach more accurate narratives. Available through November 7, 2025.
In this course, participants will learn how problematic narratives about Native Americans impact society and student education, and learn ways to recognize and share more complete narratives, both inside and outside the classroom.
This course, based on a three-part live webinar series taught by educators at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian, is designed for education professionals who are new to incorporating more complete narratives about Native American histories, cultures, and contemporary lives into their teaching. Educators whose primary subject area is social studies, English language arts, or library sciences and who work with students in grades 4–12 are encouraged to enroll. Homeschoolers, parents, and others looking for digital educational resources about Native Americans are also welcome to register.
Access new lessons and resources at AmericanIndian.si.edu/NK360
- The Impact of the Gold Rush on California Native Americans
- The “First Thanksgiving”: How Can We Tell a Better Story?
- California Native American Survival and Resilience During the Mission Period
For more information: AmericanIndian.si.edu
