North American Indian History

[MillyR]

DS is going to be doing the North American Indians as a history topic in year 8. Is there a scheme of work (or something similar) for this? I can't find it at the DCSF website.

More generally, do schools have to cover every unit on the DCSF website or do they only do some of them?

DS is doing up to 1750 in year 7, and that would be units 1-9 if they cover all of them.

I am asking because DS is not doing well in History (just been to parents' evening) and I want to do some recapping and preparation for what is to come so I can get him back on track. I just want to go over his year 7 topics at the moment and would then look at the North American stuff in the summer.

I don't know but I'll bet you won't find anything by searching for 'american Indians'. I doubt there were any Indians in North america before 1750.

That is the title as given by the school. The topic is about the native people of North America, but will not be in the 1750 period.

It is an appropriate term - this website for example:

www.native-languages.org/languages.htm

Oh - I got the impression when I lived in the US that no one used the term 'Indian' in relation to Native Americans any more. I'm still a bit suprised the school would, TBH but I guess its not taboo.

The Native Americans themselves call their civil rights organisation the 'American Indian Movement' and their main inter-tribal group is called the 'International Indian Treaty Council.'

How non-native Americans refer to native peoples is not really important in England.

Are they still studying this at school for GCSE? I did it as part of my history GCSE back in 1991. The teachers must be very bored of it.

Anyway, we studied it as part of a wider topic called "The American West" along with the history of the Mormons. I vividly recall learning all about Joseph Smith and his golden plates.

Can you not ask the teacher for help?

DD's school calls them the IPNA - Indigenous Peoples of North America.......she told me off when I used the term Red Indian

I could ask the teacher for help, but I'd rather not if someone on here knows. I feel a bit awkward contacting a teacher in a Secondary school - it just feels totally different from contacting a class teacher in a Primary.

My children study Native Americans for at least part of the curriculum here in the US every year. In my opinion (and theirs I think) it is mind numbingly dull. May not be any help but these books are fantastic if you can get them, they may look a little babyish given his age but the information is fantastic and there is a version for just about every tribe of Native American.

Thanks Tuppy, that is a really good idea. I don't know what the school wants him to learn but I want him to understand that indigenous tribes are diverse and were diverse, rather than thinking they are all the same culture.