Best of, Elementary Lessons

 I can't believe it's October and I haven't shared favorite lessons yet! This is something I do every year--in spring I ask readers to tell me about their favorite Montana history or IEFA lesson or teaching strategy, the one they would absolutely use again. Then I share the responses in the newsletter. Better late than never! Here are the responses from elementary school teachers with some notes from me in brackets.

Fourth-fifth grade teacher Jodi Delaney of Helena writes: "This question is too hard - it's like choosing my favorite child! I'm looking forward to the Chinese Footlocker being available. I also love the 'No Smoking' lesson because they really have to think and the students do some real historical thinking. 'Where the Girl Saved Her Brother' is also still one of my favorites." [You can find "No Smoking" and "Rosebud Battlefield or Where the Girl Saved Her Brother" on the Montana: A History of Our Home Companion Website. No Smoking is in Unit 3. Rosebud Battlefield or Where the Girl Saved Her Brother? is in Unit 5. 

April Wills, who last year taught fourth grade in Bainville wrote: "I used the Gold and Silver trunk this year. It was amazing- Students always love the trunks. This was a new one for me and I thought the lessons were great. I plan to definitely use it next year." [Find out how to order our Hands-on Footlockers.]

Title I teacher Barb Brown from Lolo provided great details about her favorite lesson: Personal Winter Counts: Connecting the Past to the Present.

• In this lesson, students explore the tradition of the Lakota winter count, a historical record-keeping practice used by many Plains tribes. Through discussion and visual examples, students learn how winter counts were used to record one significant event for each year.
• Following the introduction, students are guided to reflect on their own lives and identify one meaningful event for each year they have been alive. Using drawings or symbols, they create a personal winter count to visually represent their unique life stories.
• This activity encourages students to connect with the cultural significance of oral and visual history, while also fostering personal reflection and historical thinking.
• Standards Alignment/Essential Understanding: SS.K12.3, SS.K12.5, EU 2.

Barb also says that "inviting a tribal historian, elder or cultural educator from a local tribe to speak about winter counts from a community informed perspective would greatly enrich the Winter Count lesson. They could share stories of actual winter counts, explain the cultural importance of oral and visual histories, and demonstrate how symbols are chosen and what they represent. This brings authenticity to the lessons, honors indigenous knowledge, and supports IEFA principles by centering native voices into the curriculum." [You can find lessons and a PowerPoint on winter counts on MTHS's Art of Storytelling webpage.] 

Some teachers chose to answer anonymously: 

• The Question Formula Technique is something I will use more next year. I will use it in more projects!
• Montana History Day Poster Contest - Had each student in grades 1+ create a poster about a history day topic. [Learn more about the Elementary Poster Contest here.]
• Mapping Montana A to Z [An abbreviated version of this lesson is included in Unit 1 of the Montana: A History of Our Home Teachers Guide.]
• One of the most powerful lessons I taught this year was a biography project on Montana tribal leaders, which helped students connect deeply with the history and living cultures of our state’s Indigenous nations. Through research and presentations, students gained a richer understanding of Native contributions while building critical literacy and communication skills. This project will remain a priority every year because it fosters respect, relevance, and real engagement. [MTHS has some biographies of tribal leaders on the Montana Biographiespage and others on the Gallery of Outstanding Montanans page, along with biographies for many other Montanans. Montana: A History of Our Home Chapter 6 also features biographies.]
• Next year, I’ll be using the “windows and mirrors” strategy to help students connect personally with IEFA content by seeing themselves (mirrors) and others (windows) in the stories and histories we explore. This approach promotes empathy and understanding by integrating Native perspectives through literature, storytelling, and discussion. It supports meaningful, inclusive learning and aligns with Montana’s IEFA goals by honoring the diversity and sovereignty of tribal nations.

 

Stay tuned for your middle and high school colleagues' favorite lessons and strategies.