Learn About USA: Indigenous Territories

This week we are headed to the United States of America.

Before the arrival of Europeans, the land was inhabited by an estimated 50 million indigenous peoples, who lived in dozens of different tribes throughout the land. Today, the indigenous population is around 4.5 million, the result of disease and genocide committed by empires driven by their desire for conquest.

For this week’s activity, you will color a map of the USA and identify key geographic landmarks, then find indigenous tribe names in a word search. This map of the United States shows the areas of land that were occupied by 34 indigenous peoples during the time before European settlers colonized North America, only a small portion of the tribes that used to live on this land. It is important to note that many indigenous populations have been known by different names, many of which are not what they refer to themselves as. For this reason you may not recognize all of the tribe names on this map. Try and see what you can learn about the names you don’t know.

Indigenous peoples – a term of self-identification that describes a person/people who have a long history living in and strong link with a specific territory, who have distinct cultures and societies, that pre-date colonial settlement

Genocide – the organized killing of a group of people, because of their race, religion, culture, or nationality

Empire – one ruler who gathers and controls a group of territories or peoples

Conquest – to gain something (in this case, land), often with force and violence

Resources/Further Reading

• National Museum of the American Indian – Native Knowledge 360: Transforming Teacher and Learning about Native Americans
• United Nations – Indigenous Peoples, Indigenous Voices
• Kid’s Britannica – Genocide

Download Activity Sheet:

Download PDF](https://www.encantosworld.com/resources/learn-about-usa-indigenous-territories#)

Benefits of Bilingualism (FAQs):

Do you recommend teaching different subjects in different languages? For example, the solar system in English and the days of the week in Spanish? Or is it better for kids to try to learn in both languages all the time?

Parents who live in an English-speaking country need to remember that children are always going to learn English; Their world is in English, their peers speak English, even if they’re doing dual immersion programs, they are still going to school in English. I know that many native Spanish-speaking parents want their children to learn English because they want them to do well in school and feel that it’s important for their future. However, though it can feel a little counterintuitive, it’s important to give kids as much education as possible in the home in Spanish. They will inevitably learn English, and it will be even better if they learn their native language first, a strong foundation in Spanish will help kids gain a stronger mastery of English.

If you want to teach something like the solar system to kids, you should teach it in their second language. They will most likely have the opportunity to learn everything in English at school, so by teaching them certain subjects in Spanish, they’ll learn new, specific topic vocabulary that they wouldn’t get the chance to learn in everyday conversation or even in Spanish class.

What are some common misconceptions about raising bilingual children?

1. Misconception: Learning two languages can be confusing for children.
   Reality: Because the brain activates all the languages a child knows at once, sometimes they speak in a jumbled-sounding way; but this doesn’t mean they are confused, they are simply still developing proficiency in each language.
2. Misconception: It’s easy to learn a second language simply by exposing it to your child.
   Reality: When children enter an English-dominant school, even if they grew up speaking another language, they need significant exposure to it (an estimated 30-40%) to keep proficiency in their native language. That means, even if they come home from school speaking English, don’t give up on speaking your native language in the household!
3. Misconception: Bilingual children struggle academically.
   Reality: This relates to the first point, which is that children are learning languages simultaneously. They may know a lot, but it is scattered across all their languages, so it might not be so clear if they are given an assessment in just one language. Keep in mind that though things like vocabulary and reading are slow to start, eventually they are much better off because they become proficient in two whole languages.