Week 1
Lesson 1
Early Pre-Columbian Art
Students will be introduced to early peoples of Central and South America, discussing how people likely migrated onto the American continents, including theories of the Bering strait or oceanic crossings, and Indigenous creation stories and perspectives of the arrival of the first peoples. We will be focusing on some of the earliest groups in this region. Students will discuss glyphs and communication of these groups, focusing specifically on the Nazca and the infamous Nazca lines of Peru.
 Week 2
Lesson 2
Maya Art and Architecture
Our second week of class focuses on the Maya people of southern Mexico and Central America. We will discuss the hierarchical structure of their society and how we see this reflected in stoneworks of the period that employ hierarchical scaling. In relation to stoneworks, we will also discuss how the Maya created pigments, which were used to paint the many stone sculptures and stucco works of the society. We will discuss monumental architecture, specifically, pyramid structures 
 Week 3
Lesson 3
 Aztec Art and Architecture
When discussing the Aztecs, we will discuss the production of Codices and how they are similar and different to books we read today. We will also talk about the use of metals to create art and how difficult it was to work with metal at this time, discussing a brief evolution of metalworking from the Maya to the Aztecs! An emphasis will be placed on special materials, specifically jade and feathers, and how they were utilized. 
 Week 4
Lesson 4
 Inca Art and Architecture
We move into South America to discuss the Inca communities of Western South America. We will discuss the close connection the Inca people have to their surroundings, discussing the concept of Huacas and mummification in the Incan world, as well as stone-stacking, or huacas. We will discuss textiles and their significance in the varied environments of this group, and how the Inca communicated without written language with Quipus. There will be an emphasis on gold works and body modification.
 Week 5
Lesson 5
 Indigenous Brazil
Students will focus on the arts of pre-colonization Brazil, highlighting the large number of groups still living within the country today. First, we will evaluate the differences between ceramics here and the cultures we have discussed already, looking primarily at Marajoara pottery, which is known for its complex figural imagery. We will discuss the creation of masks across the region and the varied uses, from performance to religious practices, such as Ticuna masks. of the Rainforest region.
 Week 6
Lesson 6
Early Indigenous Art of North America and the Plains
After a discussion of early arts of the North American continent, this class focuses on the plains communities of North America. We will start class by discussing appropriate terminology for Plains Tribes and their artworks, focusing specifically on the Lakota, Arapahoe, and Comanche for our class. Students will get a brief overview of the nomadic lifestyle of the Plains Tribes and the importance of Buffalo to these communities, as it was the primary source of materials
 Week 7
Lesson 7
Indigenous Tribes of the Southwestern United States
We travel to the Southwestern United States and explore communities such as the Navajo, Hopi, and Zuni. We will discuss basketry in this class, watching a video of weaving methods and discussing different patterns and themes in baskets of these communities. We will similarly discuss varying types of pottery and different glazes and patterns used. We will discuss Kachina dolls, including their significance for infant girls and children, as well as silverworking and turquoise.
 Week 8
Lesson 8
 Indigenous Tribes of the Pacific Northwest and Hawai'i
We will start in the Northwest Pacific, looking at Indigenous Tribes who operate in that area to this day, specifically the Haida, Kwakiutl, and Tlingit Tribes! We will look at objects like totem poles and discuss specific visual characteristics unique to these communities, such as symmetry and curvilinear lines. We will also jump to the islands of Hawaii, where we talk about Indigenous arts to that region. We will look at how tattoos are important forms of art in that region, as well as hula.
 Week 9
Lesson 9
Art and Colonization
We will start with an overview of European colonization in the Americas, discussing how they impacted Indigenous communities. We will discuss the forced removal of Native Americans in North America and Native American boarding schools and their horrific legacy. We will also discuss the violent takeover of the Aztecs and Inca. We will discuss how this colonization process changed Indigenous artworks and how art was used for resistance.
 Week 10
Lesson 10
Contemporary Indigenous Artists
 We will wrap up our class with a discussion of contemporary Indigenous artists operating today, highlighting how these communities are thriving and incorporating art practices we have discussed with a contemporary spin. We will discuss performance artists James Luna, Kent Monkman, and Gregg Deal, and how they expose injustices  committed upon Native American communities and stereotyping. We will also discuss well-known artists like Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera .