Time | Presenter(s) | Section Title *Click on the course name to get the course description* | Room | Grade Level/Subject |
8:00 - 8:25 | Flag Song by Josiah Hugs & Young Thunder Ramblers Keynote and Welcome; Chris La Tray Sign in with Cindi Kanvick at the Theatre | Auditorium | K-12 | |
Time | Presenter(s) | Section Title *Click on the course name to get the course description* | Room | Grade Level/Subject |
Section 1 8:30 - 9:25 | Darla Stone | 201 | K-MS | |
Carla Ljunggren | 202 | M.S./H.S. | ||
Janae Welch | 203 | K-12 | ||
Catherine Wetmore | Library | ELA | ||
Time | Presenter(s) | Section Title | Room | Grade Level/Subject |
Section 2 9:30 - 10:25 | Darla Stone | What is Billings Student Tribal Council? | 201 | K-MS |
Cheyenne Aldrich | 202 | 6-12 | ||
Janae Welch | 203 | K-12 | ||
Chris La Tray & Anna East | Building Nations and Strong Relationships: Lessons on the Little Shell Part 1 | Library | K-12 | |
Time | Presenter(s) | Section Title | Room | Grade Level/Subject |
Section 3 10:30 - 11:25 | Matt Bell | 201 | k-12 | |
Brooke Taylor & BPS Math Team | 202 | K-12 | ||
Lisa Joki | Primary Document Analysis: Fort Laramie Treaty 1968 and Young Adult Literature | 203 | ELA | |
Cactus Runsabove | 215 | K-12 | ||
Chris La Tray & Anna East | Building Nations and Strong Relationships: Lessons on the Little Shell Part 2 | Library | K-12 | |
Lunch 11:25-12:10 | ||||
Section 4 12:15 - 1:00 | BPS Student Panel Honor song by Cactus Runsabove Sign in with Cindi Kanvick at the Theatre | Auditorium | ||
Time | Presenter(s) | Section Title | Room | Grade Level/Subject |
Section 5 1:05 - 2:00 | Jessica Louk | 201 | K-5 | |
Brooke Taylor & BPS Team | 202 | H.S. | ||
Lisa Joki | 203 | |||
Cactus Runsabove | 215 | K-12 | ||
Matt Bell | Library | K-12 | ||
Time | Presenter(s) | Section Title | Room | Grade Level/Subject |
Section 6 2:05 - 3:00 | Jessica Louk | 201 | K-5 | |
Carla Ljunggren | 202 | 6-12 | ||
Anna East | 203 | K-12 | ||
Chris La Tray | Library | K-12 | ||
*Please complete the survey at the end of each session. A copy of your responses will be sent to your email. 2024 IEFA Symposium Step Up form will be sent to participants after attendance has been completed on June 7th. | ||||
Course Descriptions
Time | Presenter | Section Title | Description |
Section 1 8:30-9:25 | Darla Stone | Leaders of the Past Encouraging Future Leaders | In this section, the lesson being presented discusses leadership. Students will learn about American Indian Leaders from the past and present. Students will define what being a leader is. After the lesson, the students will make a poster showcasing their leadership skills. This lesson is for grades K-12. The lesson is broken into three sections for different grade levels. It is K-2, 3-5 and 6-12. |
Carla Ljunggren | Native Nations and Treaties | This sectional will review a C3 style unit plan regarding the history of Native Tribes in the U.S. and the impact of various treaties. You will be shown several useful resources and examples of assessments. | |
Janae Welch | Quick and Practical IEFA Infusion | Look at some quick sites that are available for free to educators. Then be given some resources that have been used in the middle school setting dealing with Montana history, tribal constitutions, and a mapping Montana activity. Leave feeling excited and ready to infuse Indigenous education into your classroom . | |
Catherine Wetmore | An Introduction to Firekeeper's Daughter | Explore three new interactive lesson plans that can be seamlessly incorporated with any novel study. Catherine Wetmore, an ELA teacher at Skyview, will show you how she has used these lessons with our newest IEFA novel Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley. On top of exploring the lesson plans, Catherine will also share some of the challenges and benefits she faced while teaching this novel and provide an opportunity to engage in a chapter read while attempting to avoid spoilers! Please bring a device if possible to access the lesson plans. A cell phone will work, but might limit abilities through participle platforms. | |
Session | Presenter | Title | Description |
Section 2 9:30-10:25 | Darla Stone | What is Billings Student Tribal Council? | The Billings Student Tribal Council’s (BSTC) primary responsibility is to advocate and act as a leadership council representing the Indigenous youth in the Billings Public Schools. The primary purpose is to support, maintain, and encourage acceptance and respect for Indigenous American cultures. BSTC was established to have a leadership team to coordinate activities and act as role models for students in Billings Public Schools in a respectful yet culturally appropriate manner.In this section,the BTCS Advisor will unpack this role and the current application process and the rubric for selection, and how teachers can get involved. Former and current council members will be available to answer questions and provide more information. |
Cheyenne Aldrich | The Theft of the Black Hills | Participants will explore the sacred relationship between Indigenous peoples and land by focusing on the intersection of contemporary art, historical injustices, and the ongoing struggle for justice and reconciliation. Through this multidisciplinary approach, participants will examine the historical events that led to the theft of the Black Hills. | |
Janae Welch | Quick and Practical IEFA Infusion | Look at some quick sites that are available for free to educators. Then be given some resources that have been used in the middle school setting dealing with Montana history, tribal constitutions, and a mapping Montana activity. Leave feeling excited and ready to infuse Indigenous education into your classroom . | |
Chris La Tray & Anna East | Building Nations and Strong Relationships: Lessons on the Little Shell Part 1 | Participants will be using technological and traditional tools to examine primary and secondary source documents to support the teaching of critical literacy, writing, and Montana tribes. These approaches ask the teacher to assess their practices, strategies, actions and judgments in continued effort to provide all students with a high quality education. The course provides opportunities to meet Common Core writing and reading standards in all K-8 subject areas as well as experiencing a variety of formative assessment techniques. | |
Session | Presenter | Title | Description |
Section 3 10:30-11:25 | Matt Bell | American Indian Language and Culture Learner Considerations | We will spend time examining the historic and contemporary factors for identification in special education and speech-language pathology areas with regard to American Indian students and best practices |
Brooke Taylor & BPS Math Team | IEFA Math Tasks | In this second session, high school math and special education teachers will lead participants in an interactive session of playing the basket game and other activities that can be modified for any level of math including elementary and middle school. | |
Lisa Joki | Primary Document Analysis: Fort Laramie Treaty 1968 and Young Adult Literature | Participants will be using technological and traditional tools to examine primary and secondary source documents to support the teaching of critical literacy, writing, and Montana tribes. These approaches ask the teacher to assess their practices, strategies, actions and judgments in continued effort to provide all students with a high quality education. The course provides opportunities to meet Common Core writing and reading standards in all K-8 subject areas as well as experiencing a variety of formative assessment techniques. | |
Cactus Runsabove | Indigenous Songs | This session will focus on the heartbeat of Indigenous Songs. Learn the beat to share with your students. Participants will learn the different types of songs and when they are sung. | |
Chris La Tray & Anna East | Building Nations and Strong Relationships: Lessons on the Little Shell Part 2 | This double session will tackle two topics: First, we will showcase the unit which consists of 8 segments, 18 individual lessons covering Little Shell Tribe history through 2023. Aimed at middle school, it could be simplified or extended for other grades. Second, we will describe a successful collaboration between tribal and non-tribal individuals to build a set of teaching units on the Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians. How did we manage our roles? How did we handle touchy subjects? Sessions will be balanced at an hour apiece so you can attend one, the other, or both. | |
BPS Student Panel - Middle School | |||
Session | Presenter | Title | Description |
Section 5 1:05 - 2:00 | Jessica Louk | Part 1:Indigenous Infusion: Hair & Horses. | Part 1 of this 2 part section focuses on the hair and horses portion of the lesson. Spice up your knowledge of our Indigenous culture has impacted Montana history and inspire your students to be compassionate with understanding key components of Montana Indigenous culture. Leave with grab-n-go lessons for primary and intermediate teachers You will have a set of lessons, complete and ready to present! |
Brooke Taylor & BPS Team | M-Cubed Cadre Tasks | In this session, high school math and special education teachers will share their experiences incorporating IEFA activities in their classrooms. They will share their reflections and ideas for modified lessons as well. | |
Cactus Runsabove | Indigenous Songs | This session will focus on the heartbeat of Indigenous Songs. Learn the beat to share with your students. Participants will learn the different types of songs and when they are sung. | |
Matt Bell | Developing Lessons with Tommy Orange's There There | We will spend time examining the novel There There to discuss themes and ideas that can translate in to dynamic IEFA lessons | |
Session | Presenter | Title | Description |
Section 6 2:05 - 3:00 | Jessica Louk | Part 2: Indigenous Infusion: How Food Impacted History! | Part 2 of this 2 part section focuses on the three sisters part of the lesson. Spice up your knowledge of our Indigenous culture has impacted Montana history and inspire your students to be compassionate with understanding key components of Montana Indigenous culture. Leave with grab-n-go lessons for primary and intermediate teachers geared at the "Three Sisters" (corn, beans and squash). You will have a set of lessons, complete and ready to present! |
Carla Ljunggren | Native Nations and Treaties | This sectional will review a C3 style unit plan regarding the history of Native Tribes in the U.S. and the impact of various treaties. You will be shown several useful resources and examples of assessments. | |
Anna East | Online Indigenous Language Courses in Montana | In 2021, the legislature tasked the MTDA with offering Indigenous language courses. Since that time, we have launched semester courses in Cree and Crow languages with invaluable partnership of tribal language experts. In addition, we’ve worked on standalone modules for Fort Peck’s Dakota and Nakoda, and a Blackfoot language assessment for Browning Public Schools. We will share our process of consulting with tribes, including collaborating appropriately; developing culturally accurate materials; decolonizing online learning spaces; and addressing intellectual property concerns. | |
Chris La Tray | Poetry in the Classroom | As part of his role as Montana poet laureate, Little Shell member Chris La Tray is eager to visit as many communities and schools across Montana as possible until his term ends in August of 2025. What do these programs entail and how does one go about booking a visit? This discussion will answer those questions and any attendees may have. Additionally, here is the description of his program from the Humanities Montana website: Métis storyteller and Little Shell Chippewa member Chris La Tray approaches the practice of poetry the same as he does the spiritual life of an Anishinaabe person: which is to say, if one lives an Anishinaabe life, with particular attention to the seven guiding principles of the Seven Grandfather teachings – Humility, Courage, Honesty, Wisdom, Truth, Respect, and Love – then every footstep becomes a prayer. Similarly, if one approaches poetry in a similar fashion, recognizing that everything that happens may be viewed as a poem, and that every moment in life is an experience best paid constant and careful attention to, then every footstep becomes a poem. Whether as words on a page or shared orally, poetry becomes another means for telling and sharing stories; La Tray’s programs exist to remind people that their stories matter, that they are the only ones who can properly tell them, and that poetry, however it is defined, is a beautiful means for doing so. | |