Seminar: Connecting to Place Through Culturally Sustaining and Investigative STEM for/with Indigenous Students
Program: CSIS
Subject Area: English Language Arts
Grade Level: 7th
Year of Publication: 2025
Abstract
The curriculum was created to teach certain skills according to the ceremonial calendar. Teachers also have to be mindful of what is taught because not all students are allowed to learn certain material until they are initiated into a certain society. Students have the opportunity to learn how to introduce themselves, basic conversation skills, and learn about the Hopi culture according to the Hopi calendar.This curriculum unit will be taught to Hopi and Navajo students in seventh grade in November or December. On the Hopi reservation the weather is starting to change during these months which begins the storytelling months. Storytelling time is usually done in the homes with elders or older relatives. Families use this time to re-connect or even share how the world was long ago. Storytelling is done during this time because the world is supposed to be quiet because it is going into resting mode when the sun goes down sooner.