English class / Indigenous American
Who Can Identify as Native American? – PBS Viewing Questions & Reflection Activity
Viewing questions for PBS Origins Video about who can identify as Native Americans. Help students process and discuss, develop cultural humility.
Cara, HS English & Film teacher
B.A. English Lit + B.S. Film & TV (Boston University), M.Ed. Teaching 9th grade in Los Angeles.
brb, teaching English 9 and Film Studies Seminar
This lesson invites students to slow down and thoughtfully engage with complex questions about identity, belonging, and representation through the PBS Origins video “Who Can Identify as Native American?”, featuring writer and director, Tai LeClaire.
Through guided viewing questions and a post-viewing reflection, students unpack key ideas such as tribal citizenship, blood quantum, descendancy, and kinship—concepts that are often misunderstood or oversimplified in mainstream media. Designed for high-school ELA and Social Studies classrooms, this activity helps students explore what it truly means to be Indigenous in modern America.
About the Lesson
Students will:
- Engage in active viewing of a short PBS video and pause to process major ideas.
- Explore how identity, community, and belonging are shaped by both tribal and cultural definitions.
- Reflect in writing on how these ideas influence their own understanding of representation.
- Connect this discussion to literature like The Marrow Thieves or visual media like Reservation Dogs.
What’s Included
- Printable PDF and editable Google Docs versions
- Guided viewing questions + reflection prompts
Perfect For
- Grades 8–12 ELA or Social Studies
- Indigenous Voices & Cultural Identity units
- Pre-reading for The Marrow Thieves
- Media literacy and representation lessons
Why You’ll Love It
- ✅ Brings authentic Indigenous voices into the classroom
- 🧠 Builds media and cultural literacy
- 💬 Encourages reflection and respectful discussion
- 🌎 Connects modern media to literary analysis skills
- 📦 Ready-to-use in both print and digital formats
Pairs well with
Wandering Stars — Prologue Mini Lesson Pack
Reading questions, answer key, and secondary source comparison chart as well as curated sources to research historical context.
Wandering Stars — Prologue Reading Questions & Historical Context Activity
Reading questions and activity for learning more about the Sand Creek Massacre.
Indigenous / Native American Experience KWL Chart – Printable & Editable
KWL Chart for units, lessons, and activities centering the Indigenous/Native American experience. Designed for the opening of Marrow Thieves or Reservation Dogs, but adaptable for any Indigenous Works