Before European settlers made their way to the Americas, there were countless groups of men, women, and children who cared deeply for the land, animals, and water of our continent. These Native Americans respected the beauty of nature and found balance in their use and preservation of its resources. However, in the 1600s when the English settlers arrived in the Northeast, the settlers attitudes toward nature began to wreck havoc on the environment - particularly the Nashua River. The industrial revolution brought pollution and contamination to the river which eventually led to the declaration that the river was ecologically dead. Marion Stoddart, a Native American from the Nashua River Valley, decided to dedicate her life to reversing the damage done to the river.
This story provides a unique perspective on the settling of our continent through the lens of the Native Americans. The story also directly connects the industrial revolution to the effects it had on our environment. The students can connect this to the current conversations around immigration and who is considered an immigrant. They can also connect this to global climate change and how our current actions are impacting and damaging our environment at an alarming rate.
I would recommend this book to upper elementary and middle school students. This story will bring up topics and create discussions that will push students to view their own experiences through a different lens. Instead of viewing immigration as someone infringing on our land and freedoms, this story depicts us (the Europeans) as infringing on the land and freedom of the natives. Instead of viewing global climate change as an impossible challenge, this story directly connects the industrial age to environmental damage then proceeds to show the reader how to resolve and undo the damage.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRkrwJSVi1o
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