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When students get hands-on with history, wonder and excitement fills the classroom — but finding and incorporating high quality immersive resources isn’t always easy! Last spring, we featured new resources from the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) to help teachers do just that.

The North Star, a digital learning product of NMAAHC, allows students to explore history through the African American lens. Using objects, documents, imagery, and videos, students can enhance their content knowledge, hone historical thinking skills, and begin to see themselves as agents of change.

In Spring 2023, DonorsChoose invited teachers to submit a lesson plan using NMAAHC’s  North Star learning modules.

Teachers blew us away with their creativity and thoughtfulness! Check out three lesson plans from our winning teachers below!

North Star Curricula

Becoming a Historian: Historical Context

Ms. Van Weelden | Grades 9–12 

Students will learn how historical context enhances their understanding of past events and individuals, and the methods they can use to uncover and interpret this context effectively.

Lesson Plan

Unit Essential Question: How can we leverage primary sources and texts to educate students
about Black history?
Specific Essential Question: How does historical context enhance our understanding of past
events and individuals, and what methods can we use to uncover and interpret this context
effectively?
Amount of Time Needed to Complete: 1-2 days
Level of Students: 9-12th grade
Class Subject: English/History

Pre-Assessment to Understand “Context” | 10-15 minutes

• Divide the class into small groups of 4-5 students.
• Give each group a short paragraph or sentence open to interpretation without any context. For example: "He saw the bird flying and took aim."
• Ask each group to come up with as many possible meanings for the sentence as they can. Encourage them to think creatively and outside the box.
• After 5-10 minutes, bring the class back together and ask each group to share their
  interpretations.
• Discuss how the different meanings arose due to the lack of context and how context is
  important in understanding a sentence or paragraph's true meaning.
• Next, give each group a different paragraph or sentence with additional context, and ask
  them to interpret it again. For example: "He saw the bird flying and took aim with his
  camera, capturing a beautiful photograph."
• Once again, ask each group to share their interpretations and discuss how the added
  context changed their understanding of the sentence.

Direct Instruction | 15 minutes

Have students take notes on slides 4-6 of the Becoming a Historian slideshow. Explain
what context is and why it is important. Finish by describing the elements of historical
context:

• Definition: Historical context is the background information that informs a deeper
  understanding of a historical individual, group or event.
• Why it is important? Historical context is important because it allows historians
  to better understand history in the ways a historical individual or group
  understood the world around them, which leads historians to analyze the past
  more accurately.
• Elements of Historical Context: Politics - Government - Law; Economics; Socio-Cultural; Religion; Science and Technology; Community Histories; Health - Medicine - Diseases; Environmental; Military; Key Events in History

Formative Assessement | 20-30 minutes

• Divide the class into the same groups of 4-5 students. Depending on how many students are in the class, you can assign multiple elements to one group.
• Give each group one element of historical context to research. (Group 1: Politics - Government - Law; Group 2: Economics; and so on)
• Display the picture of The Poor People's Campaign of 1968 and the Fight Against Poverty on slide 14.
• Explain that each group needs to use Chromebooks (or their phones) to research their specific historical element in order to complete the picture. For example, the group with the “economic” aspect would research what was happening in the economy during the 1960s. They then would examine how these economic factors are depicted in the picture to gain a deeper understanding of the image's context.
• At the end of the allotted time, each group will present their findings to the class
  

(Optional) Summative Assessment: 10-15 minutes‍

Have the students complete the 4 question quis on slide 15 to demonstrate their understanding of the lesson.

• What is Historical Context?
• Why is Historical Context important?
• Identify Elements of Historical Context.
• True or false: A historical research project is stronger when a student or historian does not research the historical context.

The format of this quiz can be given on paper, in Google Forms, or on the website itself.

Becoming a Historian: Cause and Effect

Mr. Bernstein | Grades 10–12 ‍

Students will learn to use historical thinking skills and define cause and effect by comparing and contrasting history with the impacts of computing on society.

Lesson Plan

Subject: AP Computer Science Principles
Grade Level: 10–12
Time: 1 Class Period‍

Objective:
Each student will be able to

• Use historical thinking skills - allow historians to better practice and interpret history
• Define cause and effect and practive employing strategies

Overview
Bell Ringer: Historians ask how an individual, group, event or idea was caused or influenced by events that came before it, as well as what short-term and long-term effects that an individual, group, event, or idea had on what came after. How can we compare and contract history with Computer Sciences Intended Purpose, Functionality, Beneficial, and Harmful Effect?

Agenda‍

Students visit Becoming a Historian: Cause and Effect.

Review Slides and answer questions with your group. Students will share a Google Docs to collaborate and answer the questions as they move throughout the course.

Key Definition:

• Cause and Effect
• Primary and Secondary Sources
• Impact on Society?

Once Students have completed Becoming a Historian: Cause and Effect, students will use their new knowledge to connect these key concepts to Computer Science and Computational innovations focusing on Beneficial and Harmful Effects, Impact on Society, Culture, Economy, Data Privacy, and how computational innovations have a cause and effect within the innovation for society.

Extra ticket: Complete the 3,2,1

• 3 things I learned
• 2 things I found interesting
• 1 question I still have

CTE Standards and Benchmarks

CSP Conceptual Framework

• CRD-1 - Incorporating multiple perspectives through collaboration improves the computing innovations being developed.
• IOC-1 - While computing innovations are typically designed to achieve a specific purpose, they may have unintended consequences.
• IOC-2 - The use of computing innovations may involve risks to your personal safety and identity.

CSTA K-12 Computer Science Standards (2017)

• IC - Impacts of Computing
• 3A-IC-24 - Evaluate the ways computing impacts personal, ethical, social, economic, and cultural practices.
• 3A-IC-27 - Use tools and methods for collaboration on a project to increase connectivity of people in different cultures and career fields.
• 3B-IC-25 - Evaluate computational artifacts to maximize their beneficial effects and minimize harmful effects on society.

Grades: Use Canva to create an infographic based on what is Cause and Effect and compare and contract how it is in History and Computer Science.

Becoming a Historian: Comparison

Ms. Bavuso | Grade 6 

Students will develop their comparison skills by analyzing primary documents, comparing life today to other periods of history, and drawing conclusions about history through those comparisons.

Lesson Plan

Learning Target: I can develop my comparison skills to become a better historian.

Success Criteria

• I can compare life during other periods of history to today.
• I can analyze primary documents.
• I can draw conclusions about hisrory based on my comparisons.

Introduction

Historical thinking skills allow historians to better practice and interpret history.

This Learning Lab will guide us through the process of defining historical comparison and practicing employing strategies from an example dealing with four personalities living through Jim Crow in the late nineteenth century.

Comparison is when historians note the similarities and differences of individuals, events, and groups. They question how and why these similarities or differences impacted history or even the modern day.

Instructions: You will have 7 minutes to, with your group/partner, review the slides entitled “How to Find Comparison?” to develop your knowledge about finding comparisons.

Mid Lesson Assessment: Independently complete the “Test Your Knowledge” Quiz to ensure that you are ready to move on!

Research Project: Each group has been assigned a civil rights activist. Using your assigned activist and the resources provided, complete your chart about your activist.

Resources:

• Secondary source videos
• Internet research

Group Presentations: Each group will present the information they found on their chosen activist. You must take notes on the activists you did NOT research in order to help you develop your comparison.

Independent Practice: Independently, complete the practicing comparison slides and develop your comparison statements based on research completed by you and your classmates. In short response form, independently respond to the following question: Who do you think had the most effective response to Jim Crow and securing civil rights?

Inspired to bring these lessons to your students? Create a project to request all the resources you need to bring them to life.

Students of all backgrounds benefit from diversity in the classroom. And classrooms thrive when teachers can show up as their whole, authentic selves. Read on to hear, in their voices, what these teachers want you to know about their experiences:

Meet Crystal Madril, elementary school teacher, California

On her unique perspective as a Native American teacher:

“I am a mixed Jicarilla Apache and Filipino teacher. I understand the challenges to find spaces that reflect who I am and spaces that allow me to be my authentic self. Narratives of people like me were not something I was exposed to in my own schooling experience. Today, I can include (and highlight) these perspectives when I teach. I now have the ability to make space and hold space for students with varied backgrounds and experiences. The Native American community, the community where I live (and where I grew up) gives me so much support allowing me to be my authentic self and share with those I work with and those I educate.”

On what students gain by honoring culture and heritage:

“My students gain a more inclusive perspective of the history of this country and the local area that we call home when we honor Native American Heritage. My students gain respect for different cultures, land, natural resources and diversity in general.  They are able to identify and bring attention to incidents of racism and cultural appropriation.”

On engaging students in learning about diverse cultures:

I know that representation matters. As we read books and content that resonates with students, I can see their eyes light up. They sit at the edge of their seats wanting to share. Students come in days later sharing that their relative is also Native American. I always encourage them to be curious and ask further questions and learn about their family heritage.

Meet an anonymous preK teacher, Arizona

On relating to students and families:

I am a kindergarten teacher on a Native American Reservation located in Arizona. [My school] is predominantly a Native American school, which is what makes it unique. I love that I am able to teach in the place I grew up and that I can relate to my students and families. I feel the ability to relate to our students and families, both academically and socially, is a key ingredient to their success.

Meet Jennifer Gant, middle school teacher, Indiana

On her unique perspective as a Native American teacher:

“I always try to have my students look at multiple points of view for every story. This way, they can develop empathy and see that history isn't always so black and white but full of gray!”

On how her experiences as an educator have changed over the years: 

“I changed from teaching English Language Arts to Science. The narrative writing required has lessened, but it has allowed me to help my students find scientists of all nationalities!”

On incorporating diversity (of all kinds!) in the classroom:

“My newcomers loved Hispanic Heritage month. They were the experts and it really empowered them!”

Meet an anonymous high school teacher, Arizona

On facing challenges with their students:

I teach in a high school that is primarily Native American. The school is located on the Navajo Reservation. I have worked in many other places, but, this place is special to me. My students are the reason why I love teaching math. I would love for my students to have the all the tools necessary for them to succeed. However, my students are faced with many challenges; Most students here ride the bus to school and some students may spend 30 minutes to 2 hours on the bus one way.

These challenges may prevent them from getting ahead in life. Many of my students struggle with math, so I provide them time after school where they can stay in my classroom to get help from me.

Meet Tawnya Jacocks, middle school teacher, Connecticut

On her unique perspective as a Native American teacher:

“My [multiracial African-American, Native-American, and Caucasian] heritage allows me to truly celebrate the beauty and meaning that can be found in the cultural diversity of our school and our world. I am very inspired by teaching multicultural art lessons that help students become more open-minded and able to value cultural differences and connect through similarities. My heritage also has taught me to value nature, patience, perseverance and compassion all of which are reflected as values in my classroom.”

Meet an anonymous elementary teacher, Arizona

On helping their students:

I am an Indigenous teacher working at a K-8 elementary school on my reservation. The majority of my students do not see a future for themselves outside of our reservation. I have been trying to show them options by talking about my own travels, bringing other cultural items in and having them think about their future(s). I am hoping that by honing skills they wouldn't normally be exposed to, it will spark their desire to learn more about the outside world.

‍“It was a profound moment.” – Mr. Perez‍

“The day we unpacked the boxes of supplies, the room buzzed with excitement. Eyes lit up and smiles spread contagiously as each student received a personal set of materials. It was a profound moment, witnessing students who had previously known the anxiety of empty hands now holding the keys to unlock their learning potential. These supplies have not just removed a barrier; they have opened a door, behind which lies the boundless creativity and curiosity of eager young minds.

Your support has rippled beyond individual moments, becoming an integral part of our daily learning environment. Students from other classes often stop by, knowing that our room is a place where they can replenish what they lack to continue their studies without interruption. This constant use is a vivid illustration of the need that existed, and the incredible impact your generosity has had. You've given more than just school supplies; you've provided a daily reminder to my students that there are people who believe in their potential.”

“Your gift means more than just paper.” – Mr. Kiczek

“Thanks to your kindness, we now have lots of paper to use for fun and exciting activities. This paper is like a magical ticket to creativity and learning. It means we can draw, write, and do all sorts of cool projects. It's like having a treasure chest of ideas!

But your gift means more than just paper. It shows us that there are awesome people like you who care about kids and their education. You're our secret ingredient to success! It makes us feel really special and encourages us to work super hard and dream big dreams.

We promise to use the paper wisely and make the most amazing things with it. Your gift will stay in our hearts and make our classroom a better place for learning, growing and most importantly, MAKING ART!”

“You hold a very special place in my heart.” – Ms. Douglas

Oh my goodness, I believe your kindness and generosity just set a new record! From the time our project went live to being fully funded, it was just 2 hours and 22 minutes!! Let's do this again, sometime! 😊

Seriously, though, your support of our classroom and our children...and children yet to enter our classroom...deeply touches me, and you hold a very special place in my heart.♥️ Because of you, our children will get to experience these award-winning stories and connect themes such as acceptance, kindness, friendship, and perseverance to their personal lives.

Thank you so very much for helping my students reach for the stars and develop their imaginations!🌟🌟🌟”

“Your contribution is like the plot twist that makes our narrative unforgettable.” – Ms. Richards

“You're our literary hero without a cape! We can't thank you enough for making our creative writing dreams come true. Your support has been the ink in our pens, the spark in our stories, and the icing on our metaphorical cake (because, well, cake can be a great source of inspiration, right?).

You've turned our writing journey into a grand adventure. We're now crafting words that dance, sentences that sing, and stories that sizzle with creativity. You've given us the tools to turn our wildest ideas into words and worlds.

In the spirit of wit and wordplay, let us just say this: you're more awesome than a thesaurus in the hands of a poet on a sunny day!

From the bottom of our writerly hearts, thank you for believing in us, for nurturing our creativity, and for being a part of our story. Your contribution is like the plot twist that makes our narrative unforgettable.”

“There are people who believe in them and their potential.” – Mrs. Ibarra‍

“Your donation has not only enriched our classroom environment but has also instilled in my students a sense of appreciation for the power of education and the importance of community support. Your generosity has shown them that there are people who believe in them and their potential, and this has boosted their confidence and motivation.”

As you spend November encouraging thankfulness and gratitude in your classroom, consider dedicating time to celebrating our nation’s Native American communities and acknowledging the treatment of Indigenous peoples in the Americas.

These projects from teachers across the country celebrate Native American Heritage Month through games, music, art, books, technology, film, and more:

Telling the Story

Mrs. Amber’s classroom serves Native American preschoolers from across her district. Her goal is to connect students with their Native history, cultures and traditions, instilling pride and confidence to achieve challenging academic standards. Through her project, Pre-K Indigenous Theater, she gave her students the opportunity to immerse themselves in imagination, creativity, cooperative learning and self-expression.

“We are most often inspired by picture books written by Indigenous storytellers and authors. We integrate our learning through hands-on experiences that I create in and outside of the classroom. Many of the stories we hear have animal characters that interact with the world around them and teach us valuable lessons about traditional ecological knowledge, culture and history. The students engage deeply in identifying and exploring ideas with the use of puppets. Over time, we have acquired bear, beaver, turtle, frog, otter, hare, and bee puppets, and we are still working to add others to our collection.”

By choosing a puppet theater with enough puppets for multiple students, she also gave her class opportunities to participate collaboratively on a story.

Sharing Students’ Traditions

As part of her project, Indigenous Heritage Month Materials, Ms. Slatoff let one of her students pick the materials for her DonorsChoose request:

“One of our students wanted to teach the class some Navajo String Games her shimásání (grandmother) taught her, so she picked out two different kinds of string to peer-teach this lesson to her classmates and share a piece of her history with us.”

Include the Indigenous students in your classroom in your lesson planning by inviting them to share their family histories and traditions as Native American Heritage Month activities!

Documenting Home 

In his project, Reservation Filmmakers Shoot Breathtaking Aerial Shots with a Drone, Mr. Snethen combined technology with the most abundant resource available: the Earth.

“My indigenous Lakta students are gifted and natural performing artists. They want to make movies here on the Pine Ridge. They want to showcase their homeland, their communities and their people.”

One drone (or for your classroom, a no-special-license-required camera!) will enable students to capture the true beauty of the land they live on, their neighborhood, or their school community.

Lifting Our Voices

Dr. Gardner loves her students’ stories. Her project, We Got to Tell it or Yell it!,  to help emergent bilingual students gain confidence by recording oral histories to share with family and friends.

“We want to record and tell motivational stories of their struggle and overcoming to inspire others. Those who have a story are often shy or fear public speaking. Yet, we want to hear what they have to say. These gifts would help build up their confidence.”

Finding Yourself on the Page

Through her project, Culturally Responsive Whole-Class Novel for Honors 9th Grade English!, Ms. Cunningham requested a class set of “The Marrow Thieves” by Cherie Dimaline, an Indigenous Métis author.

“Our school, located in Southwest Phoenix, serves students from a wide variety of cultural backgrounds including a number of local Indigenous tribes and communities. These students, however, rarely get to see themselves and their culture reflected in the classroom, on the syllabus, and in the texts they read.”

By selecting a text that highlights the struggles and joys of Indigenous people, Ms. Cunningham aimed to give her students a book that’s “fun to read but still captures important messages about human nature, the historic mistreatment of Indigenous Americans, identity, the power of knowing who you are and where you're from, and hope”.

Turning up the Volume

Mr. Meyers wants to teach his students about the expansive world of percussion and introduce new instruments to his classroom. His project, Needs More Cowbell, provided them with instruments of many cultures and traditions, including Indigenous, Latin, and African peoples.

“Music is an important facet of education that students need. Because of your generous donation, my students have an opportunity to practice music that is culturally relevant. I am so excited to start this school year with even more instruments at our disposal.”

Use instruments (or a bluetooth speaker!) to introduce your students to worldwide music as a full lesson or as a three-minute transition from one activity to the next.

Reading, then Writing

Honor Native American Heritage Month all year long like Ms. Jody did with her project, Taking a Deep Dive into Indigenous History. Her high-schoolers got college-ready by developing their writing skills throughout the semester by studying Indigenous People’s history and writing a research paper on a topic of their own choosing.

“The classroom library that I will build with your help will allow students to conduct research by having access to the works of important Indigenous writers of our time.”

Check out these titles from Ms. Jody’s newly-stocked library:

• Project 562: Changing the Way We See Native America
• The Red Deal: Indigenous Action to Save Our Earth
• Standing with Standing Rock: Voices from the #NoDAPL Movement
• Flight: A Novel
• The Heartbeat of Wounded Knee: Native America from 1890 to the Present
• Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI
• Red Nation Rising: From Bordertown Violence to Native Liberation
• Apple: (Skin to the Core)
• Love Medicine: Newly Revised Edition
• The Earth Is Weeping: The Epic Story of the Indian Wars for the American West
• An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States (ReVisioning History)
  

Check out this blog post for resources to guide Native American Heritage Month lessons in your classroom, including the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian’s lesson plan: Celebrating Native Cultures Through Words: Storytelling and Oral Traditions.

As you spend November encouraging thankfulness and gratitude in your classroom, consider dedicating time to celebrating our nation’s Native American communities and acknowledging the treatment of Indigenous peoples in the Americas.

National Native American Heritage Month gives teachers of all backgrounds a unique opportunity to elevate Indigenous voices and teach students about their culture and contributions. The resources below can help you create an authentic and inclusive Native American Heritage Month lesson plan:

Native Knowledge 360° 

Created by the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian, this guide has educational materials, virtual student programs, and teacher training programs that challenge common misconceptions and highlight historical and contemporary Native American narratives.

Living with the Land Lesson Plan

In honor of Indigenous Peoples’ Day, Illuminative partnered with Amplifier and Nia Tero to create a project-based lesson plan asking students: How does honoring and restoring land stewardship to Native Americans impact human lives and property, biodiversity, and air and water quality?

Indigenous Peoples’ Day Resources

This selection of lessons, books, and films by the Zinn Education Project helps students critically analyze the history of Columbus, the Indigenous Peoples’ Global Summit on Climate Change, the historic struggle surrounding the Dakota Access Pipeline, and the Trail of Tears.

Whose Land Are We On?

Dr. Emma Humphries recommends starting close to home when learning about Native American history. This website maps Indigenous territories all around the world and is searchable by address.

Wisconsin First Nations Education

This collection was created to give educators and pre-service teachers an accurate and authentic way to start teaching about the American Indian Nations of Wisconsin. The collection includes educational videos, teacher professional development resources, and lesson plans for all grades. Especially helpful: their three starter questions for kicking off an engaging conversation about American Indian Studies:

• How long have humans lived here?
• In 1800, which American Indian nations called the lands you are on today home?
• Who are my tribal neighbors today?
  ‍

Additional National Museum of the American Indian Resources

The Museum’s educational collection includes a chapter on cultural repression, specifically histories from the federal Indian boarding school system (recommended for middle- and high-school students). The Museum has also developed a unit on Celebrating Native Cultures Through Words: Storytelling and Oral Traditions, with classroom activities and resources appropriate for all grade levels.

‍Teachers, create a project today to help bring Native American history into your classroom. (Need some inspiration? See what your fellow teachers are doing.)

"We want to continue building culturally relevant curriculum in our schools by being intentional about what we teach with. We can go beyond land acknowledgments as a community and create a different narrative by centering Indigenous stories missing from our classrooms." —Mr. Yu, Elementary School teacher, OR

Every child deserves to see themselves reflected in the books they read. And every child should have access to books about cultures beyond their own. That's why we've compiled a list of must-read books that center Native American voices and highlight the heritage of Native peoples.

Elementary Books

The Water Protectors, by Carole Lindstrom

How do you protect the water that your community and sacred land relies on? This is what a young girl named Winona aims to discover as she learns of the Dakota Access Pipeline and the harm it may cause on the environment and her people. That’s also when she meets The Water Protectors.

This engaging tale shows the reader the power behind people coming together, and is a page-turner for any young learner.‍

Key themes: Community, environmentalism, resilience

Berry Song, by Michaela Goade

Tag along with a young Tlingit girl and her grandmother on a berry picking adventure in this story that is filled to the brim with lush illustrations of the Alaskan landscape. ‍

Berry Song is a rich celebration of intergenerational relationships, cultural heritage – and our connection to the natural world and one another. You won’t want to put it down!‍

Key themes: Grandparent-grandchild relationships, nature, cultural preservation, family

We are Grateful: Otsaliheliga, by Traci Sorell

This nonfiction picture book is filled with vivid depictions of how the Cherokee people celebrate every aspect of life  — from food to family to festivals.  

Filled with Cherokee words and pronunciations, this book can teach you more about the Cherokee culture.

Key themes: The connecting power of music, family, migration, biography

Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story, by Kevin Noble Maillard

Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story is a children's picture book about family heritage and traditions. In Kevin Noble Maillard’s debut publication, he tells this story about a Native American family cooking fry bread using lively and powerful verse. 

The book also features a recipe to make your own fry bread.

Key themes: Identity, community, culture, traditions

Middle School Books

Ancestor Approved: Intertribal Stories for Kids, by Cynthia Leitich Smith 

Set at a powwow, this award-winning collection of intersecting stories all written by different Native writers immediately weaves you into the worlds of the diverse characters and lives unfolding on the pages.

Edited by bestselling author Cynthia Leitich Smith, Ancestor Approved shines with hope and resilience through and through.

Key Themes: Intertribal experiences, Native culture, multiple perspectives, short stories

‍Rez Ball, by Byron Graves

Tre Brun knows what brings him joy. Happiness to him is a basketball in his hands as he plays on the Red Lake Reservation high school team. The same team his late brother once played on. But will he get his chance to represent his Ojibwe rez all the way to their first state championship? 

Rez Ball is an intensely compelling coming of age story, worth picking up whether you are a sports fan or not. 

Key Themes: Family, grief, coming of age, reservation life

Tallchief: America’s Prima Ballerina by Maria Tallchief

Based on true events, this historical fiction novel tells the story of Maria Tallchief, America’s first Native American prima ballerina. According to Osage tradition, women are not allowed to dance. Fortunately, Maria’s parents believed in her talent and led her to make history.

Today, Maria Tallchief is admired for her courage, talent, and strength. This fascinating story will captivate and inspire all readers. 

Key themes: Family relationships, finding your talent, overcoming obstacles

Two Roads, by Joseph Bruchac

In this Great Depression-era tale, a young Cal leaves life with his father, a WWI veteran, to join the unknown world of the Challagi Indian Boarding School. 

Along with other Creek boys in the boarding schools, Cal discovers more of his Creek heritage after an unexpected turn of events. 

Key themes: Family, culture preservation, coming of age

High School Books‍

The FireKeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley

Daunis Fontaine feels like an outsider in both her hometown and on the nearby Ojibwe reservation. She has already put her dreams on hold to care for her mother in the wake of a family tragedy — and now Daunis has just witnessed a shocking murder. One that she will soon be made to go undercover to investigate. 

This vivid story is a complex, but beautiful tale of tribal life, finding identity, and the lengths one can go to protect your community. 

Key themes: Family history, complexities of identity, community, magical realism

There There, by Tommy Orange

Journey to the Big Oakland Powwow of California in this a multigenerational tale of Native American heritage told through the eyes of diverse characters. With each chapter, the reader gets to know a new person and the unique relationship they hold with their Native American heritage and community.

Each character will capture the hearts of the reader and demonstrate just how much of a person’s journey lies below what we see on the surface.

Key themes: Storytelling, family history, complexities of identity, resilience

Where the Dead Sit Talking, by Brandon Hobson

This 2018 National Book Award Finalist follows a teenage Cherokee boy through his journey in the foster care system. Sequoyah must define and redefine home as he bounces from house to house in rural Oklahoma. 

Key themes: Home, identity, displacement

Samsung’s Solve for Tomorrow (SFT) program is a national competition challenging public school students in grades 6-12 to explore the role of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) in solving significant issues in their local communities, with the opportunity to win a share of $2 million in Samsung technology and classroom supplies. Samsung partners with crowdfunding nonprofit DonorsChoose to ensure that diverse students across the U.S. have the tools and experiences they need to power their STEM education.

Beyond the competition, SFT sheds light on local issues and possible solutions, which creates a positive ripple effect for communities. The visibility created by Samsung and DonorsChoose for teachers, students, and schools not only leads to community and government recognition but also initiates increased funding for more comprehensive STEM curricula. What’s more, SFT students have gone on to study STEM in college, pursue STEM careers, and take active civic leadership roles in their communities.

Read the full awards write up.

Congratulations to our friends at SamsungSolve for Tomorrow, who also received the Ragan CSR & Diversity Award, Education or Scholarship program!

“In a powerful collaboration, Panda Cares [the philanthropic arm of Panda Express] teamed up with DonorsChoose with the goal to make a significant difference in the world of education and communities. Through its campaign, the partnership has managed to fund numerous teacher projects, deliver meals to classrooms and engage associates, fostering a sense of pride and community connection….

The campaign’s success is a testament to the collective efforts of 44,961 donors who contributed to the cause. The PandaCares and DonorsChoose partnership continues to shape a brighter future for education and communities across the nation.”

Read the full write up.

‍

For Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month celebrations this year, Ruby Broobs, a Chicanx artist based in San Francisco, helped us surprise some of our Latino/a educators with beautiful portraits that they can cherish forever. To see the portraits and the teachers we featured, head to Instagram!

Ruby also shared a little about the teachers who supported and inspired them.

Read more about the DonorsChoose Hispanic and Latinx Heritage Month celebrations here.

This Hispanic and Latinx Heritage Month at DonorsChoose, our community went all-out in celebrating AND supporting the amazing Latino/a teachers who make a difference in their classrooms year-round.

In fact, our donors and partners helped fund a total of $10.1 million in support of Latino/a teachers — or schools where the majority of students are Latino/a. And those numbers are only half of the story. For the rest? We compiled a recap of just some of the highlights from this month’s celebrations.

What Our Teachers Say

Ms. Ocampo knows the unique connections she gets to make with her students being a teacher who is part of the Latina community and the LGBTQ community, both big and small.  

Ms. Banda understands just how critical representation can be when helping her kids learn, and her story about a student learning to feel proud of their skin tone in her classroom certainly shows the impact.

What the Stats Show

We know we said the numbers only tell half the story, but we also couldn’t help sharing with you the overall impact that we were able to achieve together for classroom projects during this month:

$10,145,265 funds for classrooms with Latino/a teachers and students

$914,169: Daily average of project donations during Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month 

92,503: Number of donors who gave

‍What’s Happening in Classrooms

Speaking of fully funded projects, we couldn’t help showcasing just a few of the many classroom projects that will now become reality thanks to our teachers and supporters efforts during Hispanic and Latinx Heritage Month:

“Thank you so much for supporting my classroom! It will make the learning environment amazing. They will walk in and feel like they have left the US and entered any of the other Spanish speaking countries!” —Ms. Dubose, whose “Spanish Welcoming“ project will give her students a warm and open learning environment as they dive into their Spanish studies.

“My students are bilingual students trying to not only learn the English language, but they are learning to be successful in their first language. These engaging games and activities will not only help encourage my students to learn, but they will enjoy the learning process.“ —Ms. Dominguez, whose Reading Growth Must-Haves project will be providing her young readers with the language-learning resources they need.

“Your support will provide the means for these extraordinary young musicians to unleash their artistic potential and shape a harmonious future through the power of music.” —Mr. Lacari, whose Empowering Students Through Turntablism! project is giving his creative class the gift of music, mixing, and motivation to learn big.‍

‍Even Our Staff Got in on the Action

Hear directly from the DonorsChoose staff on Instagram!

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Indigenous Peoples’ Day is a moment to celebrate the history and contributions of Native American communities, and recognize the truth of how Indigenous peoples in the Americas have been treated. 

Thanks to ongoing efforts by activists like Millie Ketcheschawno and groups like Resistance 500, over 130 cities and 14 states celebrate Indigenous Peoples' Day, giving teachers of all backgrounds a unique opportunity to elevate Indigenous voices and teach students about their culture and history.

In the Classroom

“In history class, another student once said that without Columbus there would be no us or the United States today. That really got under my skin; I don’t think he knew what really happened.”
    — Citlaly Patricia Ortega of the Fernandeño-Tataviam Band of Mission Indians. This quote was taken when she was a student at John F. Kennedy High School.

Traditionally, the American school system has largely forgotten or grossly misrepresented Native American people, their cultures, and their histories. A 2015 study by Pennsylvania State University found that 87% of the references to Native Americans in state standards  are in a pre-1900s context, with no mention of Native Americans’ accomplishments in the 20th and 21st century.

“Student textbooks I have encountered often leave out many important people, places, leaders, events, losses, and triumphs of Indigenous People.” —Mr. Stohl, American History Means Indigenous History!

In response, many educators are finding ways to introduce Native American voices, narratives, and perspectives. By partnering with Indigenous local leaders for semester long projects, comparing Indigenous poetry, dance, and song to United States primary source documents, empowering Native American girl students to advocate for themselves and others, creating a STEAM Lab to explore community and environmental issues in the Navajo community, and many other creative teaching practices, these educators are bringing Native American stories into their classrooms.

"At our High School, I am working to create a program to empower my teen Native American girl students to advocate for themselves and to become "Warrior Ambassadors" for the Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women of our tribes. Together, we can create a culture of empowerment for young Native American women and change the statistics of abuse." — Mrs. Pasquinelli, Our Native American Girls Are Warriors For Change

Classroom Resources

• Native Knowledge 360° was created by the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian and has educational materials, virtual student programs, and teacher training programs that challenge common misconceptions and highlight historical and contemporary Native American narratives.
• Living with the Land Lesson Plan: In honor of Indigenous Peoples’ Day, Illuminative partnered with Amplifier and Nia Tero to create a project-based lesson plan asking students: How does honoring and restoring land stewardship to Native Americans impact human lives and property, biodiversity, and air and water quality?
• Indigenous Peoples’ Day Resources: This selection of lessons, books, and films by the Zinn Education Project helps students critically analyze the history of Columbus and understand the meaning of Indigenous People’s Day.
• Whose Land Are We On? Dr. Emma Humphries recommends starting close to home when learning about Native American history. This website maps Indigenous territories all around the world and is searchable by address.
• Wisconsin First Nations Education: This collection was created to give educators and pre-service teachers an accurate and authentic way to start teaching about the American Indian Nations of Wisconsin.

Teachers, create a project to help bring Native American history into your classroom.

At DonorsChoose, we love that back-to-school feeling. That “new locker to decorate, freshly sharpened pencil, whole year of endless possibilities ahead of you” kind of feeling.

We also know that it’s teachers who are the ones working hard to make that feeling happen every year. That’s why rallying support for our educators’ back-to-school projects is always important to us around here. This year, that support came through in a big way: Over 112,100 teachers received support this year!

By the Classroom

Thanks to $43M from 218,779 individual donors and 205 corporate and foundation partners, the amazing teachers on our site had exactly 108,833 classroom projects fully funded during back-to-school — ranging from calculators to band instruments to library books. Here’s just three of those thousands of classrooms — with words of thanks from the teachers themselves!

‍Books and Art Supplies for Mrs. Moskal’s Students‍

“Thank you so very much for the educational books and art supplies to bring our Great Lessons to life! … This year will be better than ever thanks to your generous donation! This really means the world to me and my students.”— Mrs. Moskal, “The Great Lessons” 

‍Microscopes for Mr. Vinderland’s Kids

“HOT DIGGITY DOG! Thank you for fully funding our prepared microscope slide project on DonorsChoose! Your contribution will further understanding and comprehension in my science classroom — and microscopes are just dang cool to use. My students can't wait to use the materials you've helped to provide! We all appreciate you!” — Mr. Vinderland, “Everyone Loves Microscopes!” 

‍Flexible Seating for Mrs. Schryver’s Class

“Thank you so much for helping to fund my project. My students were so thrilled to hear the news when the email arrived this morning. They are so excited to have a new table to sit at each day. I can barely wait to see their faces when it arrives ready for them. They will be over the moon with excitement.” — Mrs. Schryver, “Kindergarten Table”

By The Numbers

Of course, behind every heartwarming note of gratitude is also real, tangible impact. Don’t just take our word for it either, the numbers from this back-to-school season speak for themselves:  

• $43M: Total funds from 218,779 total donors for back-to-school projects 
• $524,390: The back-to-school daily average for donations raised on our site
• July 28: Our Biggest posting day so far with 7,192 total projects submitted by teachers who need items for their classrooms
• $62: The average donation given by individual donors during back-to-school season — it adds up so fast!
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By Our Partner Power

In addition to the 218,779 supporters from our online donor community who showed up at this time, we also were honored to connect with 205 partners who gave generous match gifts and beyond for back-to-school, including: 

• The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, who teamed up with our generous community of donors to support nearly 25,000 teachers at over 16,000 schools across the country in one incredible day.
• SONIC provided a 1.5X match for every single project across the country, up to $1M.
• 3M fully funded all STEM projects in St. Paul, followed by a 5X match and $200 first donation to STEM projects across St. Paul, North St. Paul, and Maplewood, Minnesota.
• Frances P. Bunnelle Foundation matched all donations to Equity Focus Schools in Georgetown County, South Carolina.
• Panda Cares doubled donations to every classroom furniture project for an amazing day of funding, creating countless wonderful learning environments with teachers.
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That’s just to name a few big moments, too! Our entire all-star lineup of partners below gave critical funds for local schools and teachers across the country, and we seriously can’t thank them enough!

3M 

Alaska Department of Education & Early Development

Allstate Foundation 

Alpine School District Foundation 

Altice USA

Amazon 

Antioch Schools Education Foundation

Audrey Hillman Fisher Foundation 

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

BJ’s Charitable Foundation 

Bloomingdale’s

Calmenson Foundation

Carter's OshKosh B'gosh

Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies

Charles Schwab

Chevron 

The Chuck Lorre Family Foundation

College Football Playoff Foundation

Colorado Department of Education

Dial Soap

DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation

Edmond Public Schools Foundation

Education Foundation of Sarasota County

Ferrero U.S.A., Inc.  

Fiesta Bowl Charities

Frances P. Bunnelle Foundation 

Gates Ventures

General Motors Corporation

Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation

H-E-B Read 3

Home Run Inn 

Horace Mann 

Horace Mann Foundation

Impetus Foundation

INK! (Investing in Kids)

Johnson Ohana Foundation

Mission Tiger

Kickstart 

Kleenex

Lakeshore Learning

LOFT 

The Montgomery Family Fund

National Corn Growers Association 

 The State of Oklahoma

OKCPS Foundation

Olathe Public Schools Foundation

Panda Cares

Perry and Donna Golkin Family Foundation

Peterson Family 

Quill

Riot Games 

San Antonio ISD Foundation

SDGE 

State Farm Insurance

Subaru Hawai'i

Thea Foundation

Tracy Family Foundation

United Airlines

VanTrust Real Estate

Wawa Inc

….and a few anonymous partners too!

By The Possibilities Ahead: 

More teachers hear about DonorsChoose every single day. And — as teachers get to know their students this year — they are continuing to request the perfect materials to help kids learn and grow. Right now…‍

• ‍This back-to-school season 71,363 new DonorsChoose teachers joined DonorsChoose
• Right now, 3,584 total new teacher projects are submitted every day on average

Pretty tremendous, right? Every student deserves to enter a classroom that has what they need to succeed. And with the support of our amazing teachers and DonorsChoose community behind them, that’s exactly what they’ll have this year.

‍Want to make this back-to-school season the very best for a classroom in your community? Find teacher projects in your area today.  (If you’re a teacher, you can learn more here.)