Celebrating Native American Heritage
Resources for Native American Heritage Month & Beyond
For Native American Heritage Month and throughout the year, explore this selection of resources focused on Native American and Alaska Native knowledge curated by SPS Native American Education staff. Our aim is to make it easy for teachers to integrate teaching about contemporary culture and people as well as Washington State tribal history with their lessons.
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Seattle Super Readers Book of the Month with Superintendent Juneau: Fry Bread!
Watch and read along with Superintendent Juneau (Mandan, Hidatsa, Blackfeet) as she shares Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story, a picture book by Kevin Noble Maillard (Seminole), for Seattle Super Readers Book of the Month (8:46-minute video).
Governor Inslee's Proclamation of Native American Heritage Month & Day 2020
Read Governor Inslee's proclamation of November 2020 as Native American Heritage Month and Nov. 27th as Native American Heritage Day.
Changer: The Radio Play by Sound Theatre
Gather round and listen to Sound Theatre's new radio play, Changer and the Star People:
Changer: The Radio Play
Myths, Legends, and Sovereign Futures
Adapted by Fern Naomi Renville and Roger Fernandes; Directed by Fern Naomi Renville
"Storytellers Roger Fernandes (Lower Elwha Klallam) and Fern Naomi Renville (Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate) bring the Coastal Salish stories of The Changer to the radio-stage. Through old stories, we can envision tribal sovereignty in our world today. With the help of familiar friends, Changer reminds us to share dreams together for us and for our children’s future. This production is an adaptation of the first half of the original play."—Sound Theatre
To enrich the experience, read a related book suggested by librarians at the Seattle Public Library.
I Am Native: A Video Highlighting Native American SPS Students and Leaders
I Am Native: A Discussion Between Seattle Public Schools Native American Students and Leaders (9:29-minute video) features Superintendent Denise Juneau, Board President Zachary DeWolf, Vice-President Chandra Hampson and students from Nathan Hale High School’s šəqačib program.
Virtual Event
This event was recorded as a Seattle Public Library podcast for future listening. Renowned for his storytelling and musical ability, Nulhegan Abenaki elder Joseph Bruchac will be sharing stories from the Nulhegan Abenaki tradition and talking about his Global Reading Challenge book, The Unicorn Rescue Society: Sasquatch and the Muckleshoot.
Superintendent Juneau Signs Indigenous Peoples' Day Proclamation
Celebrated across Seattle Public Schools, October 12, 2020 is Indigenous Peoples' Day. All schools are encouraged to support the well-being and growth of American Indian and Indigenous students and recognize the contributions of Native Peoples. Read the Indigenous Peoples' Day Proclamation.
New Books by Native Authors
Recently, we've added contemporary Native American books such as Indian No More by Charlene Willing McManis with Traci Sorell, The Break by Katherena Vermette, Give Me Some Truth by Eric Gansworth, An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States for Young People by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz, In the Footsteps of Crazy Horse by Joseph Marshall, III, The Water Walker by Joanne Robertson, and many more titles. Email our librarian about borrowing books, including classroom sets.
Explore New Books
Joy Harjo, U.S. Poet Laureate
Author Joy Harjo (Muscogee Creek), the first Native American U.S. Poet Laureate, has been appointed for a third term. She will focus on her project, Living Nations, Living Words: A Map of First Peoples' Poetry—an interactive map of contemporary Native poets.
“When you think of all the Indigenous people in the nation, that poetry goes back hundreds of years, and it’s part of this culture,” Hayden [Librarian of Congress] said, adding that the musicality of Harjo’s poetry makes it accessible, especially to young people. “I would just encourage people to read one of her poems, and you’ll hear the music in your head when you’re reading them.”—The New York Times, 4/30/20
Learn more about Joy Harjo and other Native American poets.
Author Visit: Joseph Bruchac
Joseph Bruchac, a Nulhegan Abenaki author of more than 150 books for children and adults, visited Seattle Public Schools earlier this year. His book, Skeleton Man, was a Global Reading Challenge title. Thank you to The Seattle Public Library for bringing him to visit our students! Read about Joseph Bruchac's Licton Springs K-8 visit.
Photo, left to right: Chandra Hampson, School Board Director; Superintendent Denise Juneau; Joseph Bruchac, Nulhegan Abenaki author; and Gail Morris, Native American Education Program Manager visit Licton Springs K-8.
Seattle Public Library "Library Link" for Students, Teachers & Staff
Library Link is a collaboration between The Seattle Public Library (SPL) and SPS to provide access to the library's vast collection of information resources.
SPS students, teachers and staff can log in without signing up for a library card. Visit SPL's Library Link webpage for details. Access eBooks through Libby, animated picture books and nonfiction through Bookflix, movies and graphic novels through Hoopla, research databases, and much more!
View this short video to learn the basics of Library Link—good for getting started. Need help? Call SPL at 206-386-4636 or www.spl.org/ask for email/chat.