Celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day!

We want to acknowledge that we are all gathered on land that has traditionally been, and in many places, is currently cared for by Indigenous people. It is our responsibility to learn the history and to respect Indigenous knowledge and practice.

The following post shares an Indigenous Peoples’ Day lesson plan and resources, as well as sessions and keynotes for those who are attending NAAEE’s 2021 Research Symposium and Conference. 

Lesson Plan

Indigenous Peoples’ Day Lesson Plan by Nia Tero, IllumiNative, and Amplifier

“In honor of Indigenous Peoples’ Day on October 12, we celebrate the millions of Indigenous people who are at the forefront of resistance. We honor those living with the land and of the land by facilitating conversations that lead to liberation.”

Download the project-based learning lesson plan tied to Common Core State ELA standards.

Resources

Let's support Native writers, illustrators, and educators!
A fundraiser by We Need Diverse Books

“This initiative aims not only to give Native books to Native students, but to support Native creatives to hone their work and get their books published.”

Support Native writers, illustrators, and educators.

This is Indigenous Land: An Indigenous Land-Based Approach to Climate Change Education
A case study by the Global Environmental Education Partnership

“The most important outcomes, from an Indigenous land-based climate change education perspective, include strengthening the connections that urban Indigenous youth have to (urban) land, and to each other, and addressing the ecological grief associated with climate change and land loss.”

Read the case study.

The 7 R’s of Integrating Tribal and Indigenous Partnerships Into Aquaculture Literacy 
A review by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

“As panelists shared their experiences and insights, they reflected on Teaching Through the Four R's of Indigenous Education: Respect, Relevance, Reciprocity and Responsibility, and a common theme emerged around an additional three ‘R’s’ — rights, reconciliation, and relationships — in building tribal and Indigenous partnerships.” 

Read the review.

NAAEE2021

It is with the utmost gratitude that we humbly honor the presenters and keynote speakers who continue to teach, challenge, and nurture knowledge and action at the NAAEE Annual Research Symposium and Conference. 

It’s not too late to register! Presentation recordings will be available for six months after the close of the Research Symposium and Conference.

Register today!

Bright Spot:

Bringing Indigenous Ways and Knowledge into Place-Based Programs and Projects
Presenters: Laura Arndt of Global GreenSTEM and RunningHorse Livingston of Mathematize

“The thing that I would like to challenge everybody on is to think about what you currently are including that fits in with the Indigenous ways of knowing, and then think about one or two shifts you can make to really bring that voice forward.”

Conference Sessions:

Listen to Country: Reflections on Aboriginality in Australian Environmental Education
Professor Peter Blaze Corcoran of Florida Gulf Coast University
Wednesday October 13, 5:15 - 5:55 PM EDT

Description: Increasing recognition of Aboriginality takes place in the context of a grave continental climate crisis. This provides opportunities to bring ancient knowledge forward. Corcoran, Walker, and Bowler will look at trends in Australian EE through two projects: embedding cultural understandings in field-based tertiary education and learning Aboriginal perspectives in elementary school curriculum.

Reconciling Relationships and Reimagining Environmental Education Through an Indigenous Lens
Haley Higdon of Natural Curiosity
Wednesday October 13, 6:15 - 7:15 PM EDT

Description: Environmental education is not a new idea. Indigenous Peoples across Turtle Island (North America) have practiced learning on the land since time immemorial. Experience Natural Curiosity's transformative pedagogy that encourages children's environmental inquiry through an Indigenous lens, developed with guidance from a national Indigenous Education Advisory Board across Canada.

Keynotes:

Research Symposium

Plenary Session: Cultivating Just, Sustainable, and Culturally Thriving Futures Now–Research Beyond Coloniality and Capitalism with Dr. Megan Bang
(Recorded on October 8th)

“I hope that as you continue to think about this, you really continue to consider what is our responsibility, our collective responsibility, given the challenges of our times.”

In honor of Indigenous Peoples’ Day, a recording of this plenary session is available to view for all.

Conference

Stories: The Power of Connection with Ramona Big Eagle
Tuesday October 12th, 3:30—5:30 PM EDT

Description: Join us for a special #NAAEE2021 Conference Welcome and Opening Keynote featuring renowned storyteller, Ramona Big Eagle of the Tuscarora Nation of North Carolina. 

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Are you attending an event honoring Indigenous Peoples’ Day? Do you have a resource to share? Tell us in the comments below!