As part of the social justice unit on indigenous rights, the 6th graders learned about the purpose, conditions, and lasting impact that American Indian boarding schools had on Native Americans. They created historical markers that tell a more inclusive story of the past by writing new text to more accurately reflect the systematic nature of what these schools represented. For their final products, they designed historical markers using Canva.

In order to accomplish this, the students were challenged to research the history of these schools, consider the perspectives of indigenous groups, and create new markers that convey a more comprehensive story of the past. This project was eye-opening for many students, as they found it difficult to believe that mass graves of children’s bodies had been discovered both in the United States and Canada.

Indian boarding schools were a system of government-funded schools established in the 19th and 20th centuries in the United States with the goal of assimilating Native American children into white American culture. Children were compelled to cut their hair, speak English, and abandon their traditional religions and customs. Additionally, they were subjected to various forms of abuse including physical, mental, and sexual abuse.

Helping young learners understand that the American Indian boarding school system amounted to cultural genocide underscores the importance of confronting our own history here in the United States. The students learned that these schools were specifically designed to eradicate Native American culture and identity, and the enduring impact of these schools continues to affect Native American communities today.