How to Teach Point No Point Treaty for Washington State History
Hello, I’m Naomi.
A personal reflection on building a lesson about the Point No Point Treaty
Hi, I’m Naomi. I’ve been creating Washington State History lessons for 7th grade classrooms for a number of years now, and every time I sit down to write a new one, I think back to where my interest in this subject really began: middle school.
I grew up in Elma, Washington, and I had Washington State History in 7th grade with Mr. Ohashi. He was one of those teachers you never forget—kind, thoughtful, and deeply committed to helping his students understand the place they live. I also remember that he would lock the door, after the bell rang there would be a group of late students standing around his front door. Hilarious. He certainty taught me the lesson of promptness. That class was the first time I really thought about the history of this land, the people who have always been here, and how our communities came to be. That was the late 1980s, and while a lot has changed since then, some things haven’t.
One thing that hasn’t changed is how hard it is to find good, up-to-date resources for teaching Washington State History in middle school. This course has a huge scope—Native American history, civics, geography, treaties, economics—and students deserve materials that are both accurate and engaging. But most of what’s out there feels dated or disconnected from what kids care about and what they need to understand as young citizens.
Why I Wrote This Lesson
That’s part of why I created a new resource focused on the Point No Point Treaty of 1855. I wanted students to learn not only what happened, but to explore deeper questions:
What promises were made in this treaty? Were they kept? And how do those promises still affect salmon and communities today?
The lesson begins with two pages of informational text. Students are introduced to the Olympic Peninsula, the tribes whose homelands span that region, and the vital relationship between salmon, environment, and culture. It’s a lot to cover, and honestly—writing this wasn’t easy.
It was challenging to tell the truth about the Point no point treaty process in a way that’s accessible to 12-year-olds. When the treaty was signed, many tribal leaders were under enormous pressure. There were language barriers, different ideas about land, and an unequal power dynamic with U.S. officials and military forces. Some leaders signed in hopes of protecting their people during a time of rapid change. Others feared the terms would not be honored—and in many ways, they weren’t.
What Students Do: Thinking Like Historians and Citizens
At the heart of this resource is a mini-DBQ (document-based question). It’s short—just 20 to 30 minutes—but it’s powerful. Students work in pairs or small groups to read three short, student-friendly sources:
A quote from the treaty itself about fishing rights
A summary of the 1974 Boldt Decision, which affirmed those rights
A contemporary tribal statement about restoring salmon habitat
As they read, students highlight main ideas, underline key terms like treaty, sovereignty, co-management, and restoration, and use a simple 3-column chart to gather evidence:
Source → Quote/Paraphrase → What this shows
They then use that evidence to write a short claim in response to the question:
Do treaties protect salmon today?
And this is where the lesson comes alive. Students are not just repeating facts—they’re forming arguments, thinking critically, and connecting the past to the present. They also add counter-evidence (for example, the challenges of climate change or habitat loss), and suggest a civic action communities can take—like fixing fish-blocking culverts, planting trees, or supporting tribal-led science.
This lesson is a lot simpler than the other Washington State History resources I made, such as Chief Seattle and Puget Sound War, both have more informational text and primary resources. So if you’ve used those - point no point treaty should be a quicker and easier resource for you. The resource will have a Google Slides Presentation to come along with it, and embedded audio narrations.
i think I will use this simple structure for my upcoming Washington state history resources, each with three pages of informational text, and a DBQ worksheet. I am including one homework sheet which could also double as a quiz (answers provided). The question I always have is, what to create next?
Why This Matters
Some students ask, “Isn’t this just history?” But this lesson is history and civics. It’s about how we honor treaty rights today. It’s about how tribal nations lead in environmental stewardship. It’s about what it means to share responsibility for the places we all live. And that is really what i love about making Washington state history resources, that my resources can combine history and civics, civics and economy, history and economy - they all inform each other.
When I think back to Mr. Ohashi’s class, I remember feeling proud to be from Washington—but also curious, even a little unsettled, by the stories we didn’t always hear. That curiosity stayed with me. I write these lessons so students can ask hard questions, engage with real issues, and come away not only more informed—but more empowered.
If you haven’t seen my suit of Washington State History Resources, Just click on the link! I hope to see you soon.
