New Resource for Educators: Free Downloadable Teacher's Guides
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Free Teacher's Guides Are Here!
We are so excited to announce that Salina Bookshelf now offers free, downloadable Teacher's Guides for four of our beloved titles — with more on the way!
For years, educators have been asking for ready-to-use classroom resources to bring our books to life for students. We heard you. Each guide was carefully developed to honor the cultural knowledge at the heart of every Salina Bookshelf story — and to give teachers everything they need to build meaningful, standards-aligned units.
What's Included in Each Guide
Every Teacher's Guide is packed with tools educators can use right away:
- Daily lesson plans — structured unit plans ranging from 5 to 12 days
- Discussion questions — open-ended prompts that spark deep thinking and personal connection
- Classroom activities — hands-on projects, art responses, role-play, and community connections
- Cultural background — context to help teachers teach with accuracy and respect
- Standards alignment — mapped to Arizona ELA, ELD, and Social Studies standards
All guides are completely free to download. No account required.
Available Now
The Hogan That Great-Grandfather Built (Shicheisaní Hooghan Áyiilah)
Written by Nancy Bo Flood · Illustrated by Peterson Yazzie
This guide brings the hogan to life for Grade 2 classrooms. Students explore Navajo family traditions, the concept of hózhó (beauty and balance), and the east-facing doorway that connects a home to the rising sun. The 5-day ELA unit includes daily read-aloud activities, discussion prompts, and a bibliography of companion texts.
Download the Teacher's Guide →
The Navajo Year: Walk Through Many Seasons (Dinéjí yihah Bii' Oodááł)
Written by Nancy Bo Flood · Illustrated by Billy Whitethorne
Journey through the Navajo calendar with your students — from winter ceremonies to summer corn planting and the corn harvest of autumn. This guide for Grades 1–3 features a 5-day ELD unit plan, illustration-based discussion questions, and seasonal activities including a Navajo months chart and family storytelling connections.
Download the Teacher's Guide →
When You See The World
Written by Crystal Austin · Illustrated by Demetria Dale
This remarkable book invites students to see how Indigenous communities around the world — Diné, Skwxwú7mesh, Māori, and Arrernte — share a deep relationship with their land, their families, and each other. The Grade 3 guide includes a 5-day Social Studies unit, scenario and role-play cards for each of the four communities, and alignment to Arizona Geography, Civics, History, and Economics standards.
Download the Teacher's Guide →
Running with Changing Woman
Written by Lorinda Martinez
Samantha Begay is a sixth grade Navajo girl caught between modern school life and traditional expectations. Follow her coming of age story as she prepares for her kinaaldá ceremony. Designed for Grade 6 (adaptable for Grades 7–8), it includes a 12-day ELD unit and a 10-day Social Studies and Social-Emotional Learning unit, with cultural background on the Kinaaldá ceremony and alignment to Arizona ELP and Social Studies standards.
Download the Teacher's Guide →
Visit our Lesson Plans page to download any of the current guides and check back as new ones are added throughout the year.
A Note of Gratitude
These guides would not exist without the educators, librarians, and community members who have championed our books in classrooms for more than two decades. Thank you for bringing Indigenous stories to your students — and for asking us to give you better tools to do it. We hope these guides make your work a little easier and your students' experiences a little richer.
Happy teaching!
— The Salina Bookshelf Team