The CFL Wishes You a Politically Correct Thanksgiving!
One needs only to view this sample curriculum from the CFL to dispel any doubt that revisionist history is taking place. This sample curriculum fulfills the Profile of Learning mandates (thus fulfilling the federal mandates of Goals 2000) and is all about attitudes, values, and beliefs.
The rationale of this curriculum, which fulfills Profile of Learning requirements is stated as follows: For generations, misinformation and stereotyping have been promoted in curricula
such as textbooks, periodicals and media; therefore, it is important that
students have access to up-to-date and accurate information about American
Indians. Examples include topics such as the Bering Strait Theory, the Columbus
Encounter and the First Thanksgiving. Learning accurate information will
assist students in becoming purposeful thinkers and self-directed learners.
View this entire 36-page report as a .pdf from the CFL's website
Part 1: Profile and Curriculum Connection Part 2: Course Overview Part 3: Correcting Misinformation - Primary Lesson
Primary students reveal through discussions and activities that they
understand that many cultures have thanksgiving celebrations. Students
also realize the reality of European contact with American Indians. They
are aware that contact was not always a positive experience as is sometimes
presented in stories of the first Thanksgiving in which American
Indians and Pilgrims are shown happily sharing a meal together.
Part 4: Correcting Misinformation - Intermediate Lessons (Adopted from Laura Pezan, Robbinsdale Area Schools)
Discuss the fact that millions of indigenous people were living
in the Americas when Columbus arrived; therefore he did not discover the Americas. A better word to describe the event might be the arrival of Columbus.
Part 5: Correcting Misinformation - Middle School Lesson (Adapted from plans by Darrell Erickson, Robbinsdale Area Schools) Students brainstorm what they already know about Columbus...Students read "War-crimes report on Saddam held up" from New York Times Insight section. Compare Saddam to Columbus. In what ways are they similar?...Students read "19 Nazis Guilty at Nuremburg" news article. Discuss why a society would want to have a public trial for individuals like Hussein or Nazi leaders...Tell class they are going to conduct a mock trial in which Columbuswill face charges of crimes against humanity.
Part 6: Correcting Misinformation - Senior High Lesson (Adapted from plans by John Neuman, Robbinsdale Area Schools)
Various American Indian tribes have explanations for how they came to
inhabit the Americas. These explanations differ from the explanation often
presented in social studies textbooks that the earliest Americans
were hunters who crossed a land bridge between Asia and North America
during the ice age.
There are generally three types of creation stories told by American Indians.
