Assimilation: The Native American Boarding Schools
Title: Assimilation: The Native American Boarding Schools
Author: Mike Mestelle
Overview / Description:
In the 1870’s, the United States Government began a system of education for Native Americans in the U.S. Richard Pratt, a military veteran of the Civil War, was chosen to lead a school intended to assimilate Native American children into white American culture. Students there would be forced to cut their hair, speak the English language, change their names to Christian names, and change from their traditional religious beliefs to Christianity. Pratt founded the Carlisle Indian School in Carlisle, PA in 1873. The boarding schools would have a profoundly negative impact upon generations of Native Americans and forced many to lose contact with their traditional culture. Several boarding schools were operated in Wisconsin, including one in Lac du Flambeau, WI.
Subject(s): Native American History, Assimilation, Boarding Schools, Carlisle Indian School
Grade Level(s): 9th grade - 12th grade
Learning goals/objectives:
After completing this activity, students should be able to:
Understand the events that led to the creation of the Indian Boarding Schools in the United States
Identify cultural assimilation and understand its impact upon Native Americans.
Create and present a project to their classmates.
Type of Activity:
X Individual X Small Group X Whole Class |
Teaching Strategies:
X Discussion
X Partner work
X Use of Technology
X Video
Content Standards:
Length of Time:
2 class periods for the video, 3 class periods to create a group project, several class periods to present projects to the class.
Materials:
The video “In the White Man’s Image”, available on Youtube at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUCIMqlztd0
Newspaper article “Scared of the Dark”
Newspaper article “The Untold Story of the Lac du Flambeau Boarding School”
A weekly schedule for boys and for girls at the Lac du Flambeau Boarding School
Instructions for the School Creation Project
Directions (Step-by-Step):
Students will watch the video “In the White Man’s Image” to learn about the beginning of the boarding school program founded by Army veteran Richard Pratt during the 1870’s. Pratt founded the Carlisle Indian School in 1873, which became a model for other boarding schools throughout the United States.
Students will read the newspaper articles “Scared of the Dark” and “The Untold Story of the Lac du Flambeau Boarding School.” Both of these articles detail experiences for Native American students at the Lac du Flambeau Boarding School.
Students will study the Boarding School Schedule for one week of experiences for boys and for girls at the Lac du Flambeau Boarding Schools.
Students will create a project where they will design their own school that they feel will be more successful in educating Native American students and present their school design project to their classmates.
Wrap-Up:
Students will create a project where they will design their own school that they feel will be more successful in educating Native American students and present their school design project to their classmates.