Nations Are Nations - Introducing Tribal Sovereignty

Show 3 leader photos: (a) US President, (b) State Governor, (c) Local-Nation Chief or Chairperson. Each child labels who is who. Then: 'They are ALL leaders. Of different nations.'

• Affirm 'all 3 are leaders'
• Surface: 'the Chief leads a NATION, not just a club'
• Use the word 'sovereign' for the first time

Some big new words today: SOVEREIGN means 'has the power to make its own laws and govern itself.' The United States is a sovereign nation. So are France, Mexico, Japan. AND - Tribal Nations are also sovereign. They have their own GOVERNMENT, their own LAWS, their own LAND, their own CITIZENS (the enrolled members), their own COURTS. They are NATIONS WITHIN A NATION. This is not pretend - it's the actual law of the United States. The local nation has a Chief or Chairperson elected by the people of the nation, just like we elect a President.

• This is what 'sovereign' means in real life.

  model Make its own laws, run its own courts, sign treaties with the US government, decide its own membership.

  prompt What can a Tribal Nation do that a city or county cannot do?

• Sovereign means... (makes its own laws)
• Name our local nation's current leader (Chief or Chairperson). Look at MG-10.

M-2-F-CIV-10-A Diagram Physical / non-image

Diagram 36x24, three concentric or overlapping panels. Outer-left: blue rectangle 'UNITED STATES OF AMERICA' with the federal seal and 'President' (1 photo of current President). Outer-right: red rectangles for STATES (the local state shown - e.g. CALIFORNIA / ARIZONA / OKLAHOMA / etc.) with Governor photo. Center: gold rectangle 'TRIBAL NATIONS' with the local-nation seals and Chief/Chairperson photos (4 nations shown for the local region). Lines/arrows showing that Tribal Nations have direct nation-to-nation relationship with the federal government (sovereignty does not flow through the state). Source line: 'Diagram per Indian Self-Determination Act 1975 and federal trust responsibility.' Style: clean civics-textbook infographic with real photos.

MG-10 Chart

Mounted on classroom wall at child-eye-height. Recited at the start of every Morning Meeting after lesson 6 establishes it. NOT a once-and-done ritualistic chant; the daily noticing affirms the protocol of being-a-guest. Caregivers receive a copy in the week-6 parent letter. CRITICAL: the acknowledgment must be DRAFTED WITH input from the actual local tribal nation's education office or NMAI guidance - never invented by non-Native staff in isolation.

• Each pair receives a 'Nation-Card' for one of 4 local-region Tribal Nations. Read together: name, current government type, current leader, capital/main offices, treaty year(s).

  scaffold Highlight 4 colors for 4 facts
• Class assembles MG-10 wall chart together - 4 nation-cards in a row, each with its leader photo, plus a separate panel showing the relationship to US government.

M-2-F-CIV-10-B Photograph

Four 8x10 portraits arranged 2x2, each with: official portrait of current Chief or Chairperson, name and title, year elected, nation seal, brief biography (3 sentences). All photos sourced from each nation's official communications office. The selection of 4 nations matches the school's region (varies by location). Source-line beneath each: '(c) [Nation] Communications Office, 2024.' Dignified, contemporary, NO historical or sepia-toned aesthetic.

• What does 'sovereign' mean?
• Name our local nation's current Chief or Chairperson.

• Add 'sovereign', 'sovereignty', 'treaty', 'tribal council' to Word Wall
• Preview tomorrow: civic action - writing to the nation

• Tell a grown-up at home: 'The Tribal Nations are sovereign - they are nations within our nation, with their own governments.' See what they say.