A variety of school programs (both onsite and for the classroom) are available to supplement classroom lessons. These include staff-led programs and traveling trunks available for checkout. These programs can also be arranged virtually upon request. Please contact Lauren Hunley at 406-256-6809 x 134 or historian@ywhc.org.
The Western Heritage Center’s American Indian Tribal Histories Project offers educational DVDs with Teacher Resource Guides for the Crow and Northern Cheyenne Indian tribes. Each set of DVDs covers unique aspects of each tribe’s culture and history from the perspective of many tribal members and include excerpts from oral interviews and narration. Sample lesson plans written by teachers make the DVDs accessible for students of all ages. Our staff is available to provide Teacher Training/Professional Development sessions which include an introduction, overview, and demonstration of the American Indian Tribal Histories Project educational DVDs and Teacher Resource Guides. To view the videos, please click here.
Education Trunks
Trunks are available for rental: $15/week
Crow Nation Trunk
Focusing on the Crow/Apsaalooke nation, the trunk includes touchable objects, sturdy photos, DVDs, and books to teach students about family life, community and tribal organization, origin stories, tipi design, ecology, wildlife, food, plants, clothing, and beadwork. The trunk comes with a full-size bison robe. Recommended for 3rd grade and up.
Northern Cheyenne Nation Trunk
The trunk centers on the Northern Cheyenne/Tsistsistsas nation and includes touchable objects, sturdy photos, a full size bison robe, books, and DVDs to share the tribe’s history, every day life, structure, governance, cultural stories, and other key elements of Tsistsistsas life. Recommended for 3rd grade and up.
Montana’s American Indian Tribal Flags Trunk
Explore the tribes, reservations, and symbols of Montana’s Tribal Nations. This trunk contains standard and miniature flags of Montana’s indigenous tribes, the Montana flag, the U.S. flag, and a mounted poster of the flags of the American Indian tribes of the U.S. Design Your Own Flag worksheets are included, as well as a copy of Native American Flags by Donald T. Healy and Peter J. Orenski, which describes the pictures, symbols, and colors used in each flag. Recommended for 4th – 8th grade.
The Spirit Lives: Montana’s Early Peoples Trunk
With an emphasis on the every day life of traditional Plains and Rocky Mountain Indian cultures, this trunk offers a supplementary binder, a larger collection of touchable objects (including hides and beadwork), and additional documents and photos for students to have a hands-on learning experience. Recommended for 1st – 6th grade.
Lewis & Clark Trunk
This kit focuses on Lewis and Clark’s journey, specifically through Montana. It includes a supplementary binder, large set of touchable objects, maps, games, CDs, DVDs, and a large selection of books and magazines which cover both Native life and the life of Expedition members. Recommended for 3rd – 8th grade.
Montana Homestead Trunk, 1909-1925
This trunk includes a supplementary binder, sturdy photos, books, and a large set of touchable objects, including clothes and household items. Topics covered include agriculture, family life, school, communities, cultural issues, recreation, and work. Recommended for 3rd – 8th grade.
Interested in reserving a traveling education trunk? Please fill out the form below!
