Heritage and History Month Resources
PPS celebrates races, ethnicities, cultures, disabilities, and demographics throughout the year in many different ways. We also highlight specific groups during recognized Heritage, History, and Awareness Months.
If you have suggestions of resources to add to this website, please contact otl@pps.net.
September/October:
National Hispanic/Latinx Heritage Month (September 15-October 15)
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NPS Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month, Educators Portal, and more
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Latinx Heritage Month Teaching Resources to Use All Year Long
November:
Native American Heritage Month
National Resources:
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Native American Heritage Month - This web portal is a collaborative project of the Library of Congress and the National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institute, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and U.S. National Archives and Records Administration
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Explore the Histories, arts, and cultures of Indigenous communities across the U.S.
Local Resources, Tribal History/Shared History and Indigenous Studies:
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Oregon is Indian Country - The Nine Federally Recognized Tribes of Oregon (Student Magazine)
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Historical Photos of the Burns Paiute Tribe - Photo Essay
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Native American Rehabilitation Association (NARA) of the Northwest
Reference Maps:
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Native-Land.ca - Search Engine
Museums:
Articles and News:
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Indigenous and Black Lives Matter activists join forces in Oregon - Article
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Natives in the Nation's Archives: The Southwest Oregon Research Project - Journal Article
Books:
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Everything You Wanted to Know about Indians But were Afraid to Ask - by Anton Treuer, Young Readers
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Fry Bread - by Kevin Noble Maillard
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We are water Protectors - by Carole Lindstrom
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We Are Still Here: Native American Truths Everyone Should Know - by Traci Sorrell
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Stolen Words - by Melanie Florence
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Saltypie: A Choctaw Journey from Darkness into Light - by Tim Tingle
Additional Resources:
- American Indian Perspectives on Thanksgiving Resource
- Elder explaining to grade schooler at the Onondaga Tribal language school
- Thanksgiving Address recited in the Seneca Language w/ translation slides
- Young Adult explanation the practice of the Haudenosaunee Thanksgiving Address
- High Schoolers reciting and explaining the Haudenosaunee Thanksgiving Address
- 2022 Deconstructing Thanksgiving Resources
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Let's Share a Story: Wolf Cub's Song (Grades PreK-5) - Bring Native American storytelling into your classroom with this segment from Let's Learn. The video features Native American author Joseph Bruchac reading his book Wolf Cub’s Song.
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Unladylike2020: Indigenous Women (Grades 6-12) - Revisit the indigenous women featured in Unladylike2020, the series that was created to honor the centennial of women's suffrage.
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Films BYkids: Against the Current (Grades 6-12) - 17-year-old Daunnette Moniz-Reyome, who lives on the Umoⁿhoⁿ reservation in Nebraska, interviews Native American youth and elders against the backdrop of a ceremonial powwow in this award-winning film.
February:
African American/Black History Month
Learning for Justice Resources:
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Learning for Justice offers a K-5 Curriculum that helps prepare teachers to teach hard history that includes videos and lesson plans
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“Black History Month: Teaching the Complete History” by Coshandra Dillard in Learning for Justice
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“Four Black History Month Must-Haves” by Zaretta Hammond in Learning for Justice
- “5 Things Not to Do During Black History Month” by Zaretta Hammond, Learning for Justice
Additional Classroom Resources:
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Zinn Education Project has numerous lessons
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PBS Lesson - Letter from Birmingham Jail and Modern Racism
- Book - Greatness Under Fire: Black Women in WWII
Video Resources:
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We Are Teachers has a list of 34 Black History Videos
National Resources:
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The National Museum of African American History & Culture has many resources and their theme this year is Through the Lens of Black Health & Wellness.
Local Resources:
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Travel Portland has a list of activities that are happening in Portland this month.
March:
Women’s History Month
- Women’s History Month website
- Women’s History Month 2022 (History Channel)
- Learning for Justice: Women’s History Month Resources
- University of Oregon: Women’s History Month
- Women as Aeronauts
- The Equal Rights Amendment in the 1970s and Today
- Dolores Huerta: A Civil Rights Icon
- Share My Lesson’s curated collection on women's suffrage and the 19th amendment.
- Read this blog for more ideas on how to make Women's History Month relevant for all students
- #MeToo resource collection on combating harassment and creating inclusive classrooms.
- Multimedia Library’s March 2023 Newsletter features book titles for middle and high schools that are available to borrow for your classroom!
Intellectual and Developmental Disability Awareness Month
- World Downs Syndrome Day
- National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities
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Lederick Horne-Speaker and Spoken Word Poet: Growing up with learning disabilities and the intersection of race and disability.
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Jason Arday: I couldn't read until 18 and now I am the youngest black professor at Cambridge
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Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution (Netflix Documentary): American disability rights movement in the 1970
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Free Postsecondary Transition Films and Guides:
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Person First vs Identity First - text and videos
April:
Arab American Heritage Month
World Autism Month
May:
Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month
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AAPI Books for Kids - Collection of Reading Rocket Books K-5
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Holidays for Kids - Links to Information on Holidays
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NYT Lesson of the Day - Asian Americans Grapple With Tide of Attacks
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Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month Website. The Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum join in paying tribute to the generations of Asian and Pacific Islanders who have enriched America's history and are instrumental in its future success.
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Care Package, the Asian Pacific American Center's online exhibition curated with love in difficult times. This exhibition includes short films, poems, music, and meditations.
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Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center. This digital program brings the stories and insights of the nation’s preeminent scholars and activists together with treasures from the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History.
Jewish American Heritage Month
June:
Pride Month
- Pride Month Overview (Forest Evergreen)
- Pioneers of the Modern Movement (It Gets Better)
- Glossary of terms (It Gets Better)
- Stonewall overview (PBS)
- Educator guide (GLSEN - will often publish posters/resources at the time of the day/month of observance)
- Intersection of Pride Month and Black History Month Slides (PPS Resource)