Stories and Activities to Celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day

September 26, 2022 by Evan-Moor | 0 comments

Celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day with activities that highlight the traditions and stories of Indigenous cultures.

Berkeley was the first city to celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day in 1992, but it wasn’t until 2021 that President Joe Biden declared a day in October (typically the second Monday) as Indigenous Peoples’ Day. One purpose of this day is to recognize the Indigenous communities that have lived in the Americas for thousands of years. In observance of this day, people participate in ceremonies and activities to remember the extraordinary resilience of Indigenous peoples and honor their distinct cultures and contributions. This commemorative day seeks to empower Indigenous communities and recognize the diverse peoples who were the first inhabitants of the Americas.

There are many ways to observe Indigenous Peoples’ Day and honor the history and culture of Indigenous nations present in pre-Columbian America. Listed below are a few ideas, free activities, and stories to highlight Indigenous stories and traditions.

Free Activities and Nonfiction Stories

Download these free units here.

“Glad to Be Me: Forrest Goodluck’s Story” Grade 1

This unit includes a two-page nonfiction story about Forrest Goodluck, an Indigenous American actor who is proud of his heritage and proud to represent Indigenous people in movies and television. He is breaking Hollywood stereotypes of how Indigenous people have been portrayed historically. The unit includes a suggested teaching path, individual and partner activity pages, a class discussion, and a project menu.

“Dreams Do Come True: Wes Studi’s Story” Grade 2

This unit includes of a two-page nonfiction story about Wes Studi, an Indigenous American actor who has done many jobs during his life but never gave up on his dream of becoming an actor in Hollywood. The unit includes a suggested teaching path, individual and partner activity pages, a class discussion, and a project menu.

“Let Your Heart Shine Through: Bethany Yellowtail’s Story” Grade 6

This unit includes of a two-page nonfiction story about Bethany Yellowtail, an Indigenous American fashion designer and founder of the brand B. Yellowtail. She always felt that to be happy, her work had to reflect her culture. The unit includes a suggested teaching path, individual and partner activity pages, a class discussion, and a project menu.

Teachers Pay Teachers Native American Lessons and Activities

Teach your students Indigenous legends, history, and traditions with these reading activities from TeachersPayTeachers.

The Little People (A Native American Fable) Grades 2–3

This two-page read-and-understand Native American fable is about a boy who meets some little men and turns down an offer to trade bow and arrows. The unit includes four skill activities on synonyms, comprehension, word meanings, long vowels, homographs, rhyming words, and the suffixes “er/est.”

The Three Sisters (Lexile 630) Grade 3 Reading Unit

This leveled reading unit tells the story of a Native American legend about “sisters” Bean, Corn, and Squash. Students read the tale, answer questions, define vocabulary, and practice a variety of reading skills on five activity pages.

Dancing to the Drum Grades 4–6 Reading Unit

This unit on celebrating diversity presents a two-page article about Native American powwows (ceremonies) and the importance of the drum. The unit includes four skills activity pages on answering comprehension questions, synonyms & using vocabulary, writing/comparing celebrations, & planning a celebration.