Mni Sóta Maḳoce Curriculum

INSTRUCTOR OVERVIEW OF CONTENT AND MATERIALS

Mni Sóta Maḳoce: The Dakota Homelands curriculum was created to preserve and transmit the rich historical and cultural heritage of Minnesota’s Dakota people to the next generation of leaders in our state—our youth. A goal of this project is that the Mni Sóta Maḳoce curriculum will be taught to sixth grade students across Minnesota to meet the required sixth grade social studies standards. Students will learn about and integrate Dakota values of caring for the land as a relative through learning about Dakota environmental teachings and philosophies. Examining Minnesota as a Dakota place will encourage students to consider their own individual, family, and community connections to place. Teachers will guide students with access to and training in the Mni Sóta Maḳoce curriculum, which includes first-person perspectives of Dakota youth, adults, and elders. The ten lesson course materials include video, audio, graphics, and written content along with downloadable PDFs of each lesson and included topics.

The curriculum was developed by a team of Dakota scholars and educators, led by Iyekiyapiwiƞ Darlene St. Clair, and meets multiple standards for sixth grade social studies. The curriculum goal is that Minnesota learners will understand the significant Dakota relationship to Mni Sóta Maḳoce and explore how certain Dakota worldviews and values can help create more balance and respect among the different communities who call Mni Sóta Maḳoce home.

Download Mni Sota Makoce Curriculum Overview
Download Mni Sota Makoce Curriculum Outline

The Mni Sóta Maḳoce curriculum was piloted in the 2016-17, 2017-18, and 2018-19 school years. Research on student outcomes will be forthcoming. A past teacher has said:
“I consider this curriculum an amazing opportunity and I would highly recommend it to anyone who teaches 6th grade MN history. Students were extremely engaged throughout the curriculum. We had rich discussions and the students asked amazing questions!”

Educators who are interested in access to the curriculum must attend a curriculum training. Please fill out our interest form to learn more about setting up a training or attending a training near you.

Want to find out more about how the curriculum aligns with state standards and the Minnesota Historical Society’s Northern Lights curriculum?
Download Mni Sota Makoce Curriculum Standards Table
Download Mni Sota Makoce Connections to the Northern Lights Curriculum

Learn more about the Mni Sota Makoce Curriculum and Training by watching the below recorded webinar hosted by Iyekiyapiwiƞ Darlene St. Clair and by the University of Minnesota’s CREATE Initiative. The webinar was held in August of 2019.

Check out additional information on training logistics. Ready to schedule a training for your district or interested in joining a regional training happening near you? Fill out our training logistics form to let us know more about how we can meet your needs.