Nihewan Foundation Curriculum

The Nihewan Foundation’s Curriculum Development program creates three kinds of curriculum:

• Core Curriculum (Matches National Content Standards)
• Tribe Specific Curriculum (Provided by a local tribe to their distant Cradleboard partner class)
• Supplementary Curriculum (Non-core units and materials; and free supplements)

Nihewan curriculum is delivered in whichever way is most appropriate. Some curriculum is interactive and delivered online. Some is delivered via interactive multimedia CD-ROM. Some units are printable pdf files, and some curriculum involves personal interaction. Certain curriculum is available only to Cradleboard Teaching Project subscribers. Other materials are available to everyone. To inquire, email info@nihewan.org

CORE CURRICULUM:

In the US, the term "core curriculum" refers to subjects considered to be essential to continuous education. Most schools used to place Native American subject matter in the category of "hobby stuff", because materials did not address standards for core curriculum. Nihewan Foundation core curriculum matches National Content Standards in five core subjects: Science, History, Geography, Music, and Social Studies, each of which is presented “through Native American eyes". Each unit is created at three grade levels: elementary, middle and high school.

Nihewan's Native American Core Curriculum has formerly been available only to participating Cradleboard classes in the U.S.A.. During 2001-2002 we are expanding to serve more people.

By popular demand, several of our core curriculum units are being made available to everyone. The first is Social Studies, which is delivered online. The second is the highly acclaimed interactive multimedia CD-ROM, SCIENCE: Through Native American Eyes. which is already available. (See below.)

Online Core Curriculum:

As opposed to residing on a CD-ROM , our Social Studies units are delivered as online interactive curricula. Elementary students learn that Native American people have had governments for thousands of years, and they study three specific forms of Native American government. Middle school students are mandated by National Content Standards to learn about stereotyping. High school classes study government and contemporary Native American issues.

Students receive their Lessons, do their Quizzes, and share their opinions online. They instantly see their test results, can view how their scores compare with those of other students, and the immediate feedback reinforces learning. The teacher receives an automatic email of each child's responses.

Online Supplements:

Making Things Better is a supplement to the Social Studies unit. Recognizing Racial Stereotyping, Boarding School Blues, Mascots, Guilt & Bitterness. Delivered online as a pdf file. For more information, contact info@nihewan.org

Free Online Supplements:

Located in the Little Extras section of the Cradleboard website Curriculum area.

Squash - A Good Traveler
What Color Is Corn?
Baskets and Pots: So What?
Native American Inventions for Survival
Bury a Fish - Not Superstitious: Practical
Quinine: Cure for Malaria

Free, but please credit as follows: Cradleboard Teaching Project www.cradleboard.org

Native American Online Networking:

The Cradleboard website is everybody's doorway to Native peoples of the Americas on the web, free and at your own schedule convenience to supplement other Nihewan (or your own) curriculum work.. You can visit hundreds of tribal website, organizations, magazines, entertainers, tribal colleges and lots more by clicking on Native American Resources.

CD-ROM Curriculum:

SCIENCE : Through Native American Eyes is the ground breaking interactive multimedia science curriculum, available to everybody on CD-ROM. Order online at:
http://www.cradleboard.org/2000/store.html

SCIENCE: Through Native American Eyes works with both Macintosh and Windows and answers a need of home school teachers, education departments, grad students, universities, and interested people outside of classroom teaching who just want to know more about Native American everything.

This interactive multimedia CD-ROM is something truly unique in education. Acclaimed by teachers and home schools, it is mandated by university teacher education departments. This program teaches science by way of videos, music, experiments, animations, an image library of rare photos, self-grading interactive quizzes. It reaches children not just through reading but also through multiple learning paths (something like oral traditions).

“This multicultural treasure is a must for any classroom.
"Outstanding!"

MultiMedia Schools, October 2000
Reviewer: John Drag, Jr., Assistant Principal
Eagle Ridge Science and Technology Magnet School, FL
More Reviews click here.

CANADA:

Through Teacher Training workshops during 2001-2002, our Canadian teams will modify existing core curriculum units to reflect appropriate local as well as Canada-wide content. For further information, email info@nihewan.org

CROSS CULTURAL PARTNERING:

The Nihewan Foundation is the parent of the Cradleboard Teaching Project, which helps students to build cross cultural friendships through personal interaction as they build a knowledge base in core curriculum and Native American studies. The program is for subscribing Native American and mainstream classes of children in established school systems, grades 3-12. Cradleboard connects each non-Indian class with a class in a Native American community and the two classes study together.

In addition to core curriculum, subscribers also access Tribe Specific cultural units written by Native American participants. The year long interaction includes a clearly focused partnering curriculum with time sensitive self identity activities, exchanges, and sometimes face to face visits between partners.

The Cradleboard Teaching Project website (www.cradleboard.org ) has further information.
See also Programs at the Nihewan Foundation website for a quick description.

©2001 Nihewan Foundation

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