The “Plant and Animal Relatives of the Blue Ridge” curriculum is designed for second grade classrooms, although it can have impacts far beyond elementary school. Funded in part by an Appalachian Trail Conservancy Community Impact Grant, the goal of the project is to provide students with indoor and outdoor experiences which demonstrate the interconnected web of ecological relationships and foster a strong connection to place. Indigenous knowledge systems are an important component to the curriculum. Here’s of overview of the resources available on this page:
- Background Resources for Educators — connecting to Indigenous perspectives
- Teaching History & Science
- Plant Relatives — three sisters gardening, outdoor inquiry activities, math & language arts connections, and more
- Wildlife Relatives — local animals and wildlife activities
- Stories — a collection of stories told by tribes across North America
Background resources for educators
Part I: Contemporary Indigenous issues
- Video: “We Shall Remain” (18:28) In this TED Talk, LoVina Louie discuss the challenges faced by many Indigenous people.
- Video: “A Conversation with Native Americans on Race” (6:23)
- Video: “Decolonization is for Everyone” (13:19) TED Talk by Nikki Sanchez
- Video: “The Power of Sharing History Through Story-telling” (16:35) TED talk by Dan Nanamkin
Part II: Indigenous Virginia
- Video: “The Virginia Indians: Meet the Tribes” (25:09)
- Website: “The Land Speaks: the Monacan Nation and Politics of Memory” We live, work, and play on Monacan land. This site from Virginia Tech digs deeper into Monacan culture.
- Video: “Save Rassawek” (5:03)
- Articles: “On Monacan Land” and “Acknowledging Past Injustices” A three-part series by Toby Cox of The Central Virginian
- Article: “Powhatan and his people: The 15,000 American Indians shoved aside by Jamestown’s settlers” by Dana Hedgpeth of The Washington Post
Part III: Land and Water
- Website: “Our Home on Native Land” Whose land is it where you live, work, play, go on vacation?
- Video: Acknowledging the Past (5:44)
- Video: “The Last Holders” (3:51)
- Video: “The Standing Rock resistance and our fight for Indigenous rights” (11:03) TED Talk by Tara Houska
Part IV: Food Justice
- Video: “Seeds of Our Ancestors, Seeds of Life” (16:37) TED Talk by Winona LaDuke
- Video: “Indigikitchen: healing from trauma through traditional foodways” (7:29) TED Talk by Mariah Gladstone
- Video: “The (R)Evolution of Indigenous Foods” (18:27) TED Talk by Sean Sherman
- Video: “A guerilla gardner in South Central LA” (10:45) TED Talk by Ron Finley
Part V: Gifts of the Land
- Video: “Growing minds by growing school gardens” (9:56) TED Talk by Laurie Brekke
- Video: “Gifts of the Land” (20:49) A guided nature tour with Robin Wall Kimmerer
Teaching History & Science
- Article: “Lessons Learned in Teaching Native American History” by Christine Boatman for Edutopia
- Study guide: “Harvest Ceremony, Beyond the Thanksgiving Myth” (PDF)
- Study guide: “Rethinking Columbus” (PDF)
- Study guide: “New to TEK: Teacher’s Guide” and “Dos and Don’ts for Teaching TEK”