When creating a lesson plan for students, educators should rely on the perspectives of Native, First Nations, and Indigenous people. For example, if a lesson plan focuses on a specific historic event, educators should evaluate the terminology and ensure that it does not contain biased words. According to Outschool Inc., Eurocentric words that refer to Native people as “hostile” or “primitive” are based on the perspectives of colonizers. Thus, it’s important to seek out terminology that’s used by Native people and their ancestors who experienced these historic events. (You can find more specifics in Catherine Anton Baty’s piece, “Words Matter,” on our website.)

It’s important to note that one person’s perspective is not representative of all Native, First Nations, and Indigenous people. Native communities vary from one another when it comes to their history, language, beliefs, and cultural practices. That’s why, when an educator refers to a specific Native community, educators should only use that community’s accepted terminology. For example, if the lesson plan revolves around a book that depicts a specific Native Nation, it is best to research the terminology used by the author and that Nation. Additional online resources may be found through the author’s website or the tribe’s website.