Wisconsin Act 266 Educator Resources
Grade Levels: 3-12
Multiple Class Periods
Use this collection of resources from the Wisconsin Historical Society to help meet or exceed education standards associated with the teaching of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, and Hmong American history and culture.
Please note that some primary resources used in these activities contain offensive language in quotations from historical figures (offensive words appear in full). Please review all materials before assigning them to students to ensure they are appropriate and to provide historic context.
What is Wisconsin Act 266?
Essentially, Act 266 expands on original language within Wisconsin Act 31, to include Hmong American and Asian American studies at all grade levels
Wisconsin Statute 118.01(2)(c)(7.and 8.)
Educational goals and expectations:
- An appreciation and understanding of different value systems and cultures.
- At all grade levels, an understanding of human relations, particularly with regard to American Indians, Black Americans, Hispanics, Hmong Americans, and Asian Americans.
Hmong Story Cloth
Classroom Resources by Grade Level
The lessons below are designed to enhance the studies of Asian Americans and Hmong Americans in K-12 classrooms
Creating a Story Cloth
Lessons from Hmong Cultural Traditions
In this lesson, students learn the history of Hmong embroidery, the meaning of story cloths in Hmong culture, and create their own version of a story cloth.
Hmong Leaders in Wisconsin
Exploring the Hmong approach to Immigration
In these lessons, students will study the immigration history of the Hmong people and their traditional ways of life to new situations and how they adapted.
Coming to America
The History of Hmong Immigration
In these lessons students will analyze written and oral histories to compare and contrast the immigration experiences of the Hmong, Vietnamese, and Cambodian people.
Act 266 Scope & Sequence
An In-Depth Unit on Hmong History, Culture, and Tradition
Students engage in research & project based learning to better understand the history, culture, traditions of the Hmong people.
Primary Sources for Teaching Act 266
AAPI Immigration on Turning Points
Explore Act 266 relevant primary sources from the Turning Points collection.
Act 266 Book List
AAPI Immigration on Turning Points
Book list and reading activities for teaching Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) history.
Partner Resources
Department of Public Instruction (DPI) Act 266 Resource Page
The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction is working with a team of educators to curate materials from trusted partners (including the Wisconsin Historical Society) from across the state.
DPI Act 266 Resource Page
PBS Wisconsin AAPI Resources
PBS Wisconsin creates and curates a wide variety of vetted resources.
PBS WI AAPI Resources
Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Coalition of Wisconsin
The Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Coalition of Wisconsin unites AAPI leaders throughout the state, serving as a conduit for AAPI communities and local/municipal/state resources to come together to stand against racism, raise the visibility of AAPIs, advocate for AAPI resources, and civically engage AAPIs throughout Wisconsin.
AAPI Coalition Education Resources
About the Authors
Miriam Santos-Amador
Miriam Santos-Amador worked for 34 years for Milwaukee Public Schools as a bilingual teacher, before retiring in 2024. She currently works as a Title 1 teacher for Catapult Learning. She is a proud Filipino hoping to share her culture with the greater community!
Mang Thao
Mang Thao has been teaching in the Wausau School District for almost thirty years, mainly Social Studies with a focus on Ancient Civilizations and World Geography. She grew up in Colorado and moved to Wisconsin when she was a senior in high school. Mang furthered her education at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point where she earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Throughout her teaching career, she has focused on the topic of immigration of her own people and other ethnic groups.
Kate Van Haren
Kate Van Haren is an award-winning educator and curriculum developer from Wisconsin who specializes in elementary social studies education while pursuing her PhD at Pennsylvania State University. Her career spans international educational experiences, numerous prestigious fellowships, and significant contributions to academic publications in social studies education. A recognized leader in her field, Kate serves in multiple professional leadership roles while advancing culturally relevant pedagogy and Indigenous studies through her research, teaching, and service.
Diane Xiong
Diane Xiong is currently a Hmong History and Culture teacher and an Instructional High School Coach at one of the first Hmong charter schools, Hmong American Peace Academy, in the state of Wisconsin. She hopes Act 266 will become a source of empowerment for the larger Hmong community of Milwaukee and Wisconsin through the resources she is able to share.
Kathy Xiong
I graduated from Amherst College with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and from NYU with a master’s degree in regular and special education. After teaching for two years in Brooklyn, I returned to Wisconsin and have been teaching in Milwaukee since 2007. I have over 20 years of experience in both regular and special education, teaching grades 1-8, and currently, I am a resource teacher for grades 7 and 8. I received my National Board Teaching Certification in 2010.
Jackson Yang
Nyob zoo. I am a high school social studies and Hmong language teacher in the Eau Claire area. I enjoy learning about culture, history, and people's experiences. My other passions include running, playing volleyball, and hanging out with loved ones. I hope educators find the created resources about Asian American and Hmong Americans in K-12 classrooms useful and applicable to their learning and teaching.
Lorna Young
Lorna Young has been passionate about Asian American social history since she was a History major in college. Upon earning an MBA from Cornell University in Ithaca NY, she moved to Milwaukee to work for GE Healthcare, a leader in the diagnostic imaging industry (such as CT scanners and MRI), where she was the first Asian American woman to be hired into marketing. After 15 years with GE, Lorna was a market research consultant to the same global industry for over 25 years and is now happily retired. Lorna has had a sustained commitment volunteering in Milwaukee, including leadership roles in the Organization of Chinese Americans-Wisconsin Chapter (OCA-WI), and since 2020, as Chair of the AAPI Coalition of Wisconsin’s Education Committee. She is proud to have worked alongside Wisconsin’s AAPI communities to advocate for the Hmong American and Asian American Education Bill. After Act 266 was signed into law in April 2024, she has been involved with projects to support the development of educational resources for our K-12 educators to use to teach Wisconsin’s kids about the history and culture of our diverse AAPI communities.
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