TCES Navajo Language and culture | Tuba City Unified School District #15

Navajo Language & Culture Program

The Navajo Language and Culture Program is unique in that it focuses on developing students holistically using a foundation of learning called the Din4 Educational Philosophy (DEP) and the Empowering Values of the Din4. This empowers students to establish a stable foundation which enables them to function effectively in any society.

Navajo Language Teachers

Mrs. Ella Bedonie

E: ebedonie@tcusd.org
P: 928-283-

Mr. Royd Lee

E: role@tcusd.org
P: 928-283-

Mrs. Susie Store

E: sstore@tcusd.org
P: 928-283-

Ms. Violet Tso

E: vtso@tcusd.org
P: 928-283-

Enjoy Some Videos of Mr. Lee’s Navajo Class

Curriculum 4-Quarter Plan

Teaching Standards Level: Kindergarten
(Some Standards are different from 2nd-5th Grade)

Identify people and objects based on oral and written description.
Identify family members and community members through oral descriptions. (father, mother, school principal, teacher, custodian)
Greet people, make small talk and close conversation.
Demonstrate formal greetings and small talk when meeting school personnel. (hello, good morning, handshake, my name is __, what about you, good bye with a hand wave)
Give and follow simple instruction, ask and answer questions.
Give a simple command such as “please hand me a __” and ask a simple question. (Give me the pencil, Give me the glue)
Participate in a school or community celebration.
Participate in a school celebration.

Express likes and dislikes.
Respond to Navajo question in Navajo: favorite food, clothes, season etc. (I like apples, I don’t like corn)
Identify and describe a variety of objects from the cultures, e.g., toys, dress, buildings, foods.
Identify and describe a Hogan, foods or traditional girl’s dress and traditional boys clothing.
Explore topics related to other subjects in the Navajo Language including weather terms, math facts, measurements, animals or geographical concepts.
List Navajo names for types of weather.

Present description or familiar people, places and things to a group.
Orally present a short story or song (i.e., pets, the four sacred mountains, etc.) to the class.
Read and recite short poems or stories with appropriate expressions.
Act out their favorite Navajo story. (Can be done in a small group.
Read or listen to and talk about age-appropriate folk tales, short stories, poems and song that are written for native speakers.
Discuss Navajo folk tales. (Coyote Tosses the Stars)

Comprehend the main ideas and identify the principal characters of short stories or children’s literature.
Identify main characters, ideas and retell the story in sequence.
Make basic comparisons between the celebration of the target and their own culture (e.g., Halloween and Dia de los Muertos; Bastille Day and Independence Day)
Compare Navajo celebration with other cultures (compare Baby’s first laugh and Anglo Baby’s 1st Birthday
Recognize that cultures have artifacts such as symbols, advertisement and songs that serve similar purposes.
Describe by identifying an artifact (something from history such as viewed in the Culture Center – pottery, traditional basket, moccasin, etc.)

8:15am – Reteach/Enrichment
9:00am – First Grade
9:40am – Kindergarten
10:45am – Third Grade
12:50pm – Second Grade
1:30pm – Fifth Grade