American Indian Education Program

Monthly Newsletter - January 2022

Boozhoo District 196 Teachers!

This month's Indian Education Newsletter will focus on the MDE Arts & Music State Standards.


Background Photo of Christi Belcourt's The Wisdom of the Universe - featured in MIA's Hearts of Our People: Native Women Artist Exhibit

Anchor Standards and Strands, 2018 Minnesota Arts Standards

There are a handful of MN Art Standards that include Dakota and Anishinaabe perspectives and contributions. All of those standards are embedded in the Anchor Standard:CONNECT.


The CONNECT anchor standards focuses on the demonstration of understanding that artistic works influence and are influenced by personal, societal, cultural, and historical contexts, including the contributions of Minnesota American Indian tribes and communities.

Music Standards

1st Grade:

Sing, play instruments or listen to music from various cultures, including music from Minnesota American Indian tribes and communities.


6th Grade:

Explain ways that music is used to represent cultural identity, including Minnesota American Indian tribes and communities.

Theatre Standards

3rd Grade:

Analyze connections between community, social issues (including contributions of Minnesota American Indian tribes and communities) and other content areas to a work.


5th Grade:

Investigate historical, global and social issues expressed in a work, including contributions of Minnesota American Indian tribes and communities.


6th Grade:

Select themes or social issues (including contributions of Minnesota American Indian tribes and communities) and express them through a work.


7th Grade:

Incorporate other art forms to strengthen the meaning and conflict in a work with a particular personal, societal, cultural, global, or historical context, including contributions of Minnesota American Indian tribes and communities.


8th Grade:

Research the context(s) of different theater works and connect them with personal, societal, cultural, historical or global issues, including contributions of Minnesota American Indian tribes and communities.


High School:

Determine how personal, societal, cultural, global, and historical contexts (including those of Minnesota American Indian tribes and communities) affect creative choices for a work.

Visual Arts Standards

6th Grade:

Identify how art reflects changing times, traditions, resources, and cultural uses, including those of Minnesota American Indian tribes and communities.