November is National American Indian Heritage Month, and the AFT wants to help you observe the occasion and the important contributions Native Americans have made on our continent for more than 10,000 years.

According to U.S. Census data, about 4.5 million American Indians and Alaska Natives live throughout the contiguous United States, Hawaii and Alaska. Today, more than 560 tribes are recognized by the U.S. government as sovereign nations, and over 200 indigenous languages are spoken. Native American languages have had a significant influence on American English. In fact, nearly half the states got their names from Indian words.

Natives Americans' contributions to dining traditions go way beyond their role as providers of the first Thanksgiving. One native food, corn, has become the heart of the American diet, and native ways of soil conservation—for example, growing corn, beans and squash together—are still used as models of responsible agriculture.

In honor of this occasion, the AFT has developed a new Web page to help teachers celebrate National American Indian Heritage Month in their classrooms. The site includes information on key historical events, influential figures and the continuing contributions Native Americans are making to the world. For instance, did you know that many medicines used today are based upon natural treatments devised by Indians?

The site also includes recommended readings for grades K-12, and links to primary documents and lesson plans. See www.aft.org/teachers/native.htm.