Book 2 in the Life Skills for the Young Native American series is designed for second graders. This book starts the systematic approach of health and healing, taking our children around the medicine wheel aimed at nurturing the whole child through a culturally relevant lens.
It is designed to address the unique needs of young Indigenous children, incorporating traditional values and wisdom with modern educational practices. This curriculum aims to build resilience and self-esteem while also teaching practical life skills for our children to thrive.
– To develop the language of one’s emotional body; students will learn to identify and express their emotions such as grief, sadness, happiness, anger, excitement, ect…
– To develop the language of one’s spiritual body such as generosity, courage, respect, service, honesty, and so many more.
– To start developing the tools to break the cycle of addiction.
– To begin the process of providing prevention education as a basis for good health.
– To help develop the tools to make healthy choices in the four bodies or aspects of their lives, this will help create a life of balance.
– To strengthen their native cultural identity and gain an appreciation of the language.
Whole body, medicine wheel approach. Four bodies: physical, emotional, spiritual, and mental. Goal to empower each “wakanyeja” (child who is a sacred being)
Physical body: activities and exercise, healthy eating, drinking water; sleep, hygiene, five senses exploration, wound care, and self-care.
Emotional body: understanding feelings and how to respond in a healthy way; learning how to ask for help and problem-solving tools, self-calming techniques, dealing with new experiences, overcoming bullying, and dealing with worry to name a few.
Spiritual body: learning to understand the wisdom of the following virtues: unity, kindness, respect, generosity, honesty, hope, love, friendship, service, courage, and loyalty, learning the wisdom of gratitude and tools to develop self-esteem.
Mental body: boundaries, problem-solving, brain health, consultation and listening skills, self-perception, and how to become prejudice free and non-judgment.
The students will go around the medicine wheel 14 times (7 times for the first semester and seven times for the second semester.)
o Opens with Health & Wellness Practices (meditation, tapping, talking circles, journaling) this practice helps take children out of stress and engage the learning brain.
o Read aloud by teachers with interactive activities for each lesson. Incorporates Lakota language words and ancestral wisdom.
o All workbooks have a pre and post inventory survey (https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/HVYX8FT) to track the learnings of our children and to see how this curriculum is impacting their thoughts, behaviors and beliefs. Teachers are encouraged to take pre surveys the first week of school and post surveys the last week of school. If at home take the “inventory” at the start and at the end.
