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For grades k-3
"An evocative picture book intended to foster reconciliation among children and encourage them to show each other love and support." (Orca Books, 2017)

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For grades K - 3
Teacher Guide
"A story about a difficult time in history, and merges exceptionally well into a story of empowerment and strength" (Portage & Main, 2017).

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For grades 5-12
The collection includes a four-volume set of books First Nations, Inuit, Metis as well as the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action. It covers important social science themes such as languages, education, treaties, and lands. It also addresses more difficult topics such as residential schools, colonization, racism, and cultural appropriation. Currently, there is an online interactive atlas which is accessible for free.

https://indigenouspeoplesatlasofcanada.ca/

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Grades k-6
Teacher Guide
"Solomon has a special friendship with the big old maple outside his house. He knows the tree in all seasons and all weathers. When a terrible storm tears it up by its roots, Solomon is devastated. But through the healing process of making a mask from part of the tree with his uncle, he learns that the cycle of life continues and so does the friendship between himself and the tree." (Orca Books, 2002)

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The Elders Are Watching -  Bouchard and Vickers

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The Elders Are Watching -  Bouchard and Vickers

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Recommended for grades K-4
A book that teaches children about how the generational passing down of knowledge in relaation to the environment. (CBC, 2017).

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Recommended for grades K-4

"Big Thunder shares the traditional teaching of making thunder and passes on this responsibility to his son, Little Thunder, to continue to provide for their people" (CBC, 2017).

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For grades k-3
"This trio of stories about a 10-year-old girl named Agatha is based on the childhood experiences of beloved Inuit author Michael Kusugak." (1998)
Pronunciations available here

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For grades k-4
"Children in Repulse Bay decide that the funny things delivered to them one year for Christmas must actually be for making baseball bats" (Firefly,1999)

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" A story that instills a sense of pride in the Metis culture, and deals with issues of overcoming low selfesteem" (Orca Books, 2008).

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For grades k-3
" This unique counting book introduces Cree numbers, from one to ten" (Highwater Press, 2013)

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" Kusugak recounts his experiences living in the north along side the animals featured in the book. With Arctic animals and number fun" (Firefly, 1996).

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For teens or young adults.

A  novel dealing with themes of climate change in a dystopian future where North American Indigenous people are targeted for their abilities to dream.
(Cormorant, 2017)

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For grades k-6
A story about the natural wonder of Northern lights and friendship. (Inhabit, 2015)

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For teens, young adults and teachers.
"This is a human story of resilience, commitment, and survival told from the unique vantage point of an Inuk woman who, in spite of many obstacles, rose from humble beginnings in the Arctic to become one of the most influential and decorated environmental, cultural, and human rights advocates in the world" (Penguin House, 2015)

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"A Walk on the Tundra follows Inuujaq, a little girl who travels with her grandmother onto the tundra. There, Inuujaq learns that these tough little plants are much more important to Inuit than she originally believed" (Inhabit, 2011).

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Avati: Discovering Arctic Ecology  - Pelletier

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Avati: Discovering Arctic Ecology  - Pelletier

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For grades 2-5
"From the many animals that live and hunt at the floe edge, to the hundreds of insects that abound on the summer tundra, this book gives a detailed bird's-eye view of the fascinating ways that animals, plants, and insects co-exist in the Arctic ecosystem" (Inhabit, 2013).

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Teaching Difficult Subjects with "When We Were Alone"

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Teaching Difficult Subjects with "When We Were Alone"

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Teaching Difficult Subjects with "When We Were Alone"

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For Grades 2-10
"Shi-shi-etko is a young girl who has four days before she leaves home for residential school. Her family has many teachings to share with her, about her culture and the land" (CBC, 2005).

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For grades 3-6
"This award-winning book tells the story of six-year-old Shin-chi as he heads to residential school for the first time with his older sister. It is the sequel to Campbell's Shi-shi-etko" (CBC, 2008).

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For grades 3-6
"An elderly Kookum (grandmother) recounts her experiences at residential school - a time that changed her forever" (Pemmickan, 2015).

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Fatty Legs: A True Story - Jordan-Fenton  & Pokiak-Fenton

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Fatty Legs: A True Story - Jordan-Fenton  & Pokiak-Fenton

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For grades 4-7
"Margaret, an 8-year-old Inuvialuit girl, wants to learn how to read so badly that she's willing to leave home for residential school to make it happen" (Annick Press, 2011).

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A Stranger at Home: A True Story - Jordan-Fenton  & Pokiak-Fenton

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A Stranger at Home: A True Story - Jordan-Fenton  & Pokiak-Fenton

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For grades 4-8
"In this sequel to Fatty Legs, Margaret Pokiak is now 10 years old and can hardly wait to return home from residential school. But her homecoming is not what she hopes for. "Not my girl," is what her mother says when she arrives.

The story follows Margaret as she moves through feelings of rejection and tries to reconnect with her family, language and culture" (Annick Press, 2011).

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No Time to Say Goodbye: Children's Stories of Kuper Island Residential School - Olsen 

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No Time to Say Goodbye: Children's Stories of Kuper Island Residential School - Olsen 

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"This collection of fictional stories of five children sent to residential school is based on real life experiences recounted by members of the Tsartlip First Nation in B.C.

The children cope as best they can at Kuper Island Residential School but it's a far cry from the life they're used to ."(Sono Nis, 2001).

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"Cree author Larry Loyie writes about his last summer with his family before going to residential school, in Northern Alberta in 1944." (Groundwork, 2005).

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For grades 5-8
"Written in the form of a diary, My Name is Seepeetza recounts the story of a young girl taken from home to attend the Kamloops Indian Residential School in the 1950s". (Groundwork, 2011).

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For grades 4-6
"Two republished tales by a Greco-Cherokee author feature both folkloric and modern elements as well as new illustrations."(Groundwood, 2017)

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For Grades 3-6
"When eight-year-old Irene is removed from her First Nations family to live in a residential school she is confused, frightened and terribly homesick. She tries to remember who she is and where she came from, despite the efforts of the nuns who are in charge at the school and who tell her that she is not to use her own name but instead use the number they have assigned to her. When she goes home for summer holidays, Irene's parents decide never to send her and her brothers away again. But where will they hide? And what will happen when her parents disobey the law?Based on the life of co-author Jenny Kay Dupuis' grandmother" (Second story, 2016)

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"A First Nations family goes out to forage for edibles in the woods. Grandmother passes down her knowledge of plant life. This picture book is set in the Nicola Valley, British Columbia." (Tradewind, 2017).

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Healing the legacy of the residential schools Between 1831 and 1996, residential schools operated in Canada through arrangements between the Government of Canada and the church. One common objective defined this period -

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For grades k-4
"Amik tells Moshoom about his wonderful school. Then his grandfather tells him about the residential school he went to, much different from Amik's school. So Amik has an idea…". (Highwater, 2015).

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For grades 3-6

"Delightful illustrations show the children wearing masks representing their chosen animal, while the few lines of text on each page work as a series of simple poems throughout the book. In a brief author's note, Danielle Daniel explains the importance of totem animals in Anishinaabe culture and how they can also act as animal guides for young children seeking to understand themselves and others." (Groundwood Books, 2015)
Activities questions and more

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Katherena Vermette on The Seven Teachings Stories series

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For grades 1-3

"The story of a determined Ojibwe grandmother (Nokomis) Josephine Mandamin and her great love for Nibi (water). Nokomis walks to raise awareness of our need to protect Nibi for future generations, and for all life on the planet. She, along with other women, men and youth, have walked around all the Great Lakes from the four salt waters, or oceans, to Lake Superior. The walks are full of challenges, and by her example Josephine challenges us all to take up our responsibility to protect our water, the giver of life, and to protect our planet for all generations." (Second Story Press, 2017)

Teacher Guide

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"When Phyllis Webstad  turned six, she went to the residential school for the first time. On her first day at school, she wore a shiny orange shirt that her Granny had bought for her, but when she got to the school, it was taken away from her and never returned. This is the true story of Phyllis and her orange shirt". (CBC, 2018).

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Spirit Bear and Children Make History: Based on a True Story - Blackstock & Robinson  

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Spirit Bear and Children Make History: Based on a True Story - Blackstock & Robinson  

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For grades 3-6
"When Spirit Bear's mom tells him about an important human rights case happening in Ottawa, Ontario, he makes the LONG trip (by train, his favourite way to travel) to go and watch, and to stand up for First Nations kids.And he isn't the only one! Lots of children come too — to listen, and to show they care. Spirit Bear knows that children can change the world because he's there to see it happen." (Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 2017)
Learning Guide

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Turtle Island: The story of North America's first people - Yellowhorn 

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Turtle Island: The story of North America's first people - Yellowhorn 

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For Grades 7-12
"The title, Turtle Island, refers to a Native myth that explains how North and Central America were formed on the back of a turtle. Based on archaeological finds and scientific research, we now have a clearer picture of how the Indigenous people lived. Using that knowledge, the authors take the reader back as far as 14,000 years ago to imagine moments in time. The end of the book takes us to modern times when the story of the Native peoples is both tragic and hopeful" (Annick Press, 2017).

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What the Eagle Sees: Indigenous Stories of Rebellion and Renewal - Yellowhorn 

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What the Eagle Sees: Indigenous Stories of Rebellion and Renewal - Yellowhorn 

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For grades 6-8
"What do people do when their civilization is invaded? Indigenous people have been faced with disease, war, broken promises, and forced assimilation. Despite crushing losses and insurmountable challenges, they formed new nations from the remnants of old ones, they adopted new ideas and built on them, they fought back, and they kept their cultures alive" (Annick Press, 2019).

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For grades 1-3
"This sensitive and warmly illustrated picture book explores the inter-generational impact of the residential school system that separated young Indigenous children from their families. The story recognises the pain of those whose culture and language were taken from them, how that pain is passed down, and how healing can also be shared" (Second Stories, 2017).

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International Year of Indigenous Languages 

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International Year of Indigenous Languages 

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2019 - International Year of Indigenous Language

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2019 - International Year of Indigenous Language

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The United Nations declared 2019 The Year of Indigenous Languages (IY2019) in order to raise awareness of the important contribution they make to our world's rich cultural diversity.

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For grades k-3
An alphabet book that incorporates the language of the Métis, Michif. (CBC, 2017).

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For grades k-2
"One beautiful spring morning, a group of friends go seal hunting so they can make a delicious stew. Hungry and tired, they begin to think they’ll have to give up . . . until they finally spot a seal! This charmingly illustrated book brings to life a popular song by the one-of-a-kind band The Jerry Can." (Inhabit,2017).

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The Sharing Circle: Stories about First Nations Culture - Meuse  

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The Sharing Circle: Stories about First Nations Culture - Meuse  

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For grades k-3

"Sharing Circle includes seven children's stories about First Nations culture and spirituality practices. All seven stories, The Eagle Feather, The Dream Catcher, The Sacred Herbs, The Talking Circle, The Medicine Wheel, The Drum, and The Medicine Pouch explore First Nations cultural practices and teach children about Mi'kmaq beliefs and heritage. Researched and written by Mi'kmaw children's author Theresa Meuse and beautifully illustrated by Mi'kmaw illustrator Arthur Stevens, this book will engage and inform children of all ages" (Nimbus, 2003).

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Northern Lights: The Soccer Trails - Kusugak

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Northern Lights: The Soccer Trails - Kusugak

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"This story explores the Inuit belief that the Northern Lights are the souls of the dead, playing soccer in the sky" (Annick Press, 1993).

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Recommended for all ages

"An introduction to Ojibway culture and the sacred Midewiwin teachings. Parents will appreciate the message that life should be centered on respect for all living things, vibrant community and a respectful relationship with nature" (University of Minnesota, 2010).

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Kairos offers packages for educators of various age groups to conduct this powerful exercise which brings to light the history of colonisation. .

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Preparations are underway for the KBE implementation!
We're thrilled to share that preparations are well underway for the upcoming implementation of the revised KAIROS Blanket Exercise (KBE). As we approach the release of the updated KBE model, scheduled for late this spring, we're eager to have you, our dedicated and passionate community, alongside us for this significant milestone.

Our team has been hard at work refining materials and continue to review our backend systems integration to ensure it can fully support the new model framework. Additionally, we're focusing on the implementation approach for our community partners, which will unfold in three phases. This phased rollout allows us to thoughtfully introduce the updated program to our partners, incorporating insights from the initial phase to guide the subsequent implementations, as well as ensuring that each partner is fully equipped to offer the KBE. Stay tuned for more details on this phased rollout in next month's communication.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to our community for your continued support and patience as we near the launch of the KBE later this spring. Your involvement has been invaluable, and we're excited to continue our collaboration, as we bring this new KBE model to life this year.

In the meantime, if you have any questions, we encourage you to explore our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document on this page or reach out to us at kbe@kairoscanada.org.

With Deep Gratitude,

The KBE Team

'The Virtual KAIROS Blanket Exercise is equally as engaging, and even more visually impactful with the inclusion of narratives through multimedia.'

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Preparations are underway for the KBE implementation! We're thrilled to share that preparations are well underway for the upcoming implementation of the revised KAIROS Blanket Exercise (KBE). As we approach the release of the updated KBE model, scheduled for late this spring, we're eager to have you, our dedicated and passionate community, alongside us for this significant milestone.

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"Orange shirt day is a movement that officially began in 2013 but in reality it began in 1973 when six year old Phyllis Webstad entered the St. Joseph Mission Residential School, outside of Williams Lake, BC. Young Phyllis was wearing a brand new orange shirt for her first day of school – new clothes being a rare and wonderful thing for a First Nation girl growing up in her grandmother’s care - but the Mission Oblates quickly stripped her of her new shirt and replaced it with the school’s institutional uniform." (2013)

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Creating awareness of the individual, family and community inter-generational impacts of Indian Residential Schools. Get Started Here Creating awareness of the individual, family and community inter-generational impacts of Indian Residential Schools. Get Started Here About Us Established in 2013, The Orange Shirt Society (Society) is a non-profit

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"Project of Heart” is an inquiry based, hands-on, collaborative, inter-generational, artistic journey of seeking truth about the history of Aboriginal people in Canada."

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A steadily growing initiative can be observed taking root in public spaces across Canada since the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) issued its report in 2015. It's a collection of local campaigns that seek to address the way Canadians think about their collective history in the light of what we now understand to be a century-long attempt by Canada to carry out cultural genocide on Indigenous peoples; this period is now known as the Indian Residential School (IRS) era. Continue reading The reconciliation plaques of Beechwood Cemetery

It is said that good things come in threes but sometimes twos are even better. This week a pair of powerful teacher reports reached us through the EdCan network, both from Stavely Elementary School in Southern Alberta, on the traditional lands of the Blackfoot Confederacy.

The first is from teacher Julaine Guitton, and her intro sets the stage for what was about to happen in her classroom:

On the morning of September 30, 2016 I wore an orange shirt to school. I had received an e-mail about Orange Shirt Day, including a short video, and I decided to wear orange and talk to my students about residential schools and reconciliation during our Social Studies time. I showed them the video, and the looks on their faces told me that they had questions. They asked me things like, "Is this for real?" and "Did this really happen in Canada?" ..

Click on her reflection below to see what happened next!

Our Journey Into Reconciliation

The second report is by Ira Provost, an Indigenous educator who is the Program Coordinator or Administrator of First Nations, Métis and Inuit (FNMI) Education Programs for the Southern Alberta school district.

If you are an educator looking to tell your administration or school board about the benefits of Project of Heart, Ira's reflections make a powerful case. First he sets out the problem:

Meaningful engagement with the Indigenous community means taking the time to develop a relationship and nurturing that relationship for mutually beneficial success.

According to many anecdotal comments from the local Indigenous parents I've heard from over the years in schools, and from being a parent myself, school personnel do not take enough time to get to know the Indigenous community.

And after Ira had witnessed the POH exercise:

"I was greatly impressed and, like the other invited FNMI guests, was blown away by what was presented and what we had heard!

Below is Ira Provost's compelling report in his own words.

Stavely Elementary School's Project of Heart

On February 13th, Ottawa teachers Kim Bruton and Amanda Anderson presented Project of Heart at Connaught Public School's Evening Towards Reconciliation. The event was put on by the school and parent council to continue a dialogue regarding Indigenous culture and history. The first part of the programme included a dinner, and keynote addresses by Peter Garrow and the Caring Society's Daxton Reid. Continue reading POH honoured to be part of Connaught Public School's Evening for Reconciliation

In February of this year, professors Warren McBride and Sylvia Smith presented Project of Heart and Justice for Indigenous Women to the University of Ottawa's teacher-education candidates in their first year FNMI course of study (First Nations, Inuit, and Metis Education: Historical Experiences and Contemporary Perspectives). Continue reading U Ottawa teacher candidates support Justice for Indigenous Women, make links to POH social justice actions

A big POH shout-out goes to Grade 7 and 8 students of teacher Guillermo Vodniza at Hugh John MacDonald School in Winnipeg, who did an outstanding job of educating themselves - and their community - about the experiences of young children who attended Indian Residential Schools in Manitoba. Continue reading Winnipeg: Hugh John MacDonald School partners with POH to learn Canada's real history

(Editor's note: this article is cross-posted from J4Iw.ca)
University of Regina graduate student Jenna Tickell has a history with working for justice;

Recently, with the support of her Masters Supervisor Dr. Brenda Anderson, Tickell organized a gathering of Regina community members ages 7 to 70 who volunteered to participate in a workshop held at Luther College at The University of Regina called "Justice for Indigenous Women."

Continue reading "This is where the true magic happens."

It was four years ago that Bernstorff-Gymnasium Satrup (bernstorffgym.de) (Bernstorff High School) in Flensburg, north Germany, did a complete unit on Canada in their Grade 12 English class.

The teacher, Miriam Bobzien, is an experienced and fluent English speaker who was tasked with preparing this class to write their "Abitur", an examination students must take if they wish to go to University. Continue reading Throwback Thursday: The German edition

It's hard to think of a more appropriate title for a publication. With the work of reconciliation picking up pace across the country, this hard-hitting, truth-telling teacher resource makes it clear that Saskatchewan's tragic IRS experience will not be left out of the narrative.

Published by University of Regina's Faculty of Education, Saskatchewan's Project of Heart has been working up to this moment for almost two years.

Publications Manager Shuana Niessen had this to say:

"Researching and writing this ebook has been the most meaningful work in my career.

Pulling together school-specific information from primary source documents, news clippings, research, and the NCTR reports along with listening to survivor/thriver stories have all contributed to a greater understanding of the complex issues around the history of Indian residential schools in Saskatchewan. I am so grateful to have had this opportunity to learn and I hope that others will find Shattering the Silence: The Hidden History of Indian Residential Schools in Saskatchewan an informative and accessible ebook from which to learn and teach about Indian residential schools in Saskatchewan."

On behalf of Project of Heart (National) we want to throw out a huge meegwetch to Shuana and the University of Regina's Faculty of Education for the sustained commitment that was undertaken to create this excellent resource.

May we NEVER attempt to whitewash our collective history again.

On August 10th, 2017, Project of Heart and our sister organization Justice for Indigenous Women joined with a number of other NGOs across Canada (Amnesty International, the Broadbent Institute, the Canadian Friends Service Committee, Children First Canada, the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society, Justice for Indigenous Women, KAIROS, Oxfam Canada, Oxfam-Quebec, the Rideau Institute and the United Food and Commercial Workers Canada) to condemn Canada for its lack of action in addressing extreme inequities faced by Indigenous children.

Craig Benjamin from Amnesty International (Canada) addressed the the independent body that oversees compliance with the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

Today and tomorrow (August 14 & 15), Canadian officials appear before a UN committee and must explain why they are actively resisting four orders from the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal that require them to stop discriminating against 163,000 First Nations children. It was over one and a half years ago that the Tribunal concluded that Canada was guilty of racial discrimination by not funding First Nations children on and off reserves, and it has since made three more rulings ordering Canada to comply.

Canada is appealing the latest order.

This past spring Curriculum Services Canada invited Project of Heart's Charlene Bearhead to speak about her work in the field of reconciliation. Charlene is the former Education Lead for the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation and is the current Education Coordinator for the MMIW inquiry.

Here's Curriculum Service's CEO Amy Coupal talking about the powerful impact of Charlene's address:

I had the privilege of hearing Charlene Bearhead speak at an international education conference in Ottawa earlier this year. She blew me away, and frankly the whole audience, too. She challenged and enlightened me and I've harkened back to her message many times. As we've been thinking and learning about Canada 150, we asked Charlene to share her thoughts. Take a look at her guest blog post ...

After you click the link and read the post, we'd be eager to here *your* reflections on the meaning of #Canada150 in the comments section below.

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A steadily growing initiative can be observed taking root in public spaces across Canada since the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) issued its report in 2015.

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World Water Day: Indigenous Canadian teen addresses UN General Assembly 

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World Water Day: Indigenous Canadian teen addresses UN General Assembly 

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"Autumn Peltier, a 13-year old water advocate from the Wikwemikong First Nation in northern Ontario, is addressed world leaders on March 22 at the United Nations General Assembly in New York City on World Water Day. Autumn is part of the official launch of the United Nations International Decade for Action on Water for Sustainable Development project, travelling the world as a celebrated ambassador for 'Nibi' (water). Peltier was the only child from Canada to be nominated for the 2017 International Children's Peace Prize." (Global,2017)

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World Water Day: Indigenous Canadian teen addresses UN General Assembly

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Creating environments for Indigenous youth to live & succeed | Tunchai Redvers | TEDxKitchenerED

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Creating environments for Indigenous youth to live & succeed | Tunchai Redvers | TEDxKitchenerED

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" Tunchai Redvers, co-founder of We Matter, a national non-profit organization committed to Indigenous youth empowerment, hope and life promotion. Tunchai makes the case that changing this reality and creating environments for Indigenous youth to both live and succeed means centering Indigenous youth voices, honouring Indigenous strengths, and challenging toxic norms and beliefs. Tunchai Redvers is an Indigenous queer/two-spirit woman, social justice warrior, poet, and wanderer." (TED, 2017)

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Creating environments for Indigenous youth to live & succeed | Tunchai Redvers | TEDxKitchenerED

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"We Matter is an Indigenous youth-led and nationally registered non-profit organisation committed to Indigenous youth support, hope and life promotion." (We Matter, 2019)

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We Matter is a national multi-media campaign designed to gather positive messages from people across the country, to offer support for Indigenous youth going through a hard time.

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Canada Needs Thriving Indigenous Languages | Khelsilem | 

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Canada Needs Thriving Indigenous Languages | Khelsilem | 

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For teens and teachers

"Khelsilem shares the reasons we need thriving indigenous languages and how we can make it happen.' (TED, 2017)

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Canada Needs Thriving Indigenous Languages |  Khelsilem | TEDxWestVancouverED

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Written in English and Anishinaabemowin.
For grades k-6

"The Elder's stories offer a journey back in time and are complemented by images of fields of plump blueberries, tall green grass, bannock baking over an open fire, clear freshwater streams and the tents the people slept in." (Orca books,2019)

Written in English and Anishinaabemowin.

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My Heart Fills With Happiness / Ni Sâkaskineh Mîyawâten Niteh Ohcih- Gray, Smitj

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My Heart Fills With Happiness / Ni Sâkaskineh Mîyawâten Niteh Ohcih- Gray, Smitj

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For grades k-4
"This dual-language book that celebrates happiness and invites children to reflect on the little things in life that bring them joy. In English and Plains Cree."
(Orca books, 2018 )

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The Bear's Medicine / Sus You - Gauthier

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The Bear's Medicine / Sus You - Gauthier

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For grades k-4Written in English and Dakelh.

"A mother bear shares with her cubs how to be grateful for all they have in the natural world. The Bear's Medicine shows the interconnectedness of all things in the world they live in and how each season brings changes and blessings for the bears. It is a story of a mother's love for her children as she teaches them how to survive." (Orca Books,2019)

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For grades 4-6
"Guided by acclaimed Indigenous author Monique Gray Smith, readers will learn about the lives of Survivors and listen to allies who are putting the findings of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission into action." (Orca Books,2017)

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"Beginning with a traditional Native oral story, King weaves his way through literature and history, religion and politics, popular culture and social protest, gracefully elucidating North America's relationship with its Native peoples." (UMN press, 2008)

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A project introduced to us by guest speaker- Lisa Lunney Borden.
"Show Me Your Math is a program that invites Aboriginal Students in Atlantic Canada to explore the mathematics that is evident in their own community and cultural practices. Through exploring aspects of counting, measuring, locating, designing, playing, and explaining, students discover that mathematics is all around them and is connected to many of the cultural practices in their own communities. Each year students gather for the annual math fair and celebrate the work they have done." (Show Me Your Math, 2019)

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The late Mi'kmaw elder and quillbox maker, Dianne Toney, explained that to make a ring for a circular box top, she measured three times across the circle with her wood strips and added a thumb width. She declared it makes a perfect circle every time. This conversation with Dr. Lisa Lunney Borden and Dr. David Wagner, prompted the two to consider how Mi'kmaw children might enter into such conversations with elders in their own communities. Working with teachers and elders in Mi'kmaw Kina'matnewey community schools, they developed the Show Me Your Math program.

Show Me Your Math is a program that invites Aboriginal Students in Atlantic Canada to explore the mathematics that is evident in their own community and cultural practices. Through exploring aspects of counting, measuring, locating, designing, playing, and explaining, students discover that mathematics is all around them and is connected to many of the cultural practices in their own communities. Each year students gather for the annual math fair and celebrate the work they have done.

While this website contains samples of student SMYM projects, it also includes resources for doing culturally-based inquiry projects, research relating to decolonizing mathematics education for Indigenous students and information about a related Math Outreach program. All of this work is dedicated to transforming the experiences of Indigenous children and youth in learning mathematics and to increase both student achievement and student affinity for mathematics.
Video Prompt:

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The late Mi'kmaw elder and quillbox maker, Dianne Toney, explained that to make a ring for a circular box top, she measured three times across the circle with her wood strips and added a thumb width. She declared it makes a perfect circle every time.

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"Undergraduate students in SFU’s Department of Mathematics collaborated with the Tla’amin Nation, just north of Powell River, B.C. on the Sunshine Coast last year to design and complete an interactive, online application where they can recreate these beautiful geometric patterns the cedar basketry designs.  through the application." (SFU,2018)

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Tech and math preserve Indigenous culture and the art of basket weaving

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Aboriginal math education: Collaborative learning | Stavros Stavrou | TEDxSaskatoon

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Educators streamed into the Vancouver conference room to learn how curriculum specialists in Prince Rupert, B.C., are developing Ts'msyen teaching materials for math classes.

"A lot of teachers are wondering how they can use the culture in teaching math, so that's one of the biggest things we wanted to do is come and share that with everyone," said curriculum specialist Tina Demings, one of the workshop co-presenters.

As of this year, the worldview and perspectives of Indigenous Peoples are being incorporated into all core subjects taught in the B.C. curriculum for grades K-10.

Math is no exception.

With teachers openly talking about their struggles to find culturally relevant teaching materials for math, Demings and her colleague Tannis Calder worked together with Sm'algyax language speakers, elders, cultural advisors and teachers to build up their curriculum materials.

"We started looking at this through a lens of weaving, cedar weaving," said Calder, who is also a curriculum specialist in the Prince Rupert school district.

She said cedar weaving is a great way to teach younger children how to identify patterns. It can also be used to teach older teens more complex math concepts like algebra and algorithms.

"[Weaving] is a really great metaphor for the whole unit because we're trying to show how the concepts are woven together, throughout all the different grades and levels."

Calder said it was exciting to see how many educators at the First Nations education conference had registered for their math workshop.

"It really goes to show how people are looking at how we can move beyond seeing Aboriginal education as a thing on its own, or a separate thing and really see how it fits in with the core subjects," she said.

Tammy Saigeon, an Indigenous education teacher on the Sunshine Coast, attended the workshop and said teachers are increasingly looking for ways to incorporate Indigenous knowledge into their curriculum.

"Especially in math," she said.

"I have teachers asking me all the time, 'OK, what does that look like?' So we can take this back and we can show them, 'This is what that looks like.'"

More than math

Since starting their work linking math and weaving through the Prince Rupert district's Aboriginal Education Department, the math teaching material has grown to incorporate Ts'msyen adaawx (oral history), language and culture in a way that crosses over into several subject areas.

One of the lessons Calder and Demings previewed in the workshop started with a song that teaches children how to count to 10 in both English and Sm'algyax.

The catchy numbers song serves as the launching point for a math game called Gabada Ḵ'a̱lmoos (eating crab) that teaches about multiplication and expression rules.

Another lesson shared at the workshop involves trade beads as a way to teach different math concepts like pattern recognition and divisibility rules.

Demings asked the people in the room if they'd heard of trade beads and then explained how they were used in Ts'msyen territory.

For Demings, it's important for Indigenous content to be used across the curriculum so all students learn about the local history and culture of the place where they live.

You see a lot of pride coming out in the students who are Indigenous. It's cool to be Indigenous and to know about it. - Tannis Calder

But she said it's especially important for First Nations students as "it brings a sense of pride."

"As soon as we talk about weaving, so many of our students will say, 'Oh, my auntie weaves,'" said Calder.

About 64 per cent of the students in the Prince Rupert school district are Indigenous and Calder said she's already seen the impact of the curriculum changes among the youth.

"You see a lot of pride coming out in the students who are Indigenous. It's cool to be Indigenous and to know about it, so you see lots of other kids who aren't Indigenous wanting to join in and participate."

Authenticity is key

Pulling together the curriculum content Demings and Calder shared in their workshop was no small task. They said collaboration with the community has been key to their success.

Working with Calder to develop the teaching resources, Demings said her own perspective on math changed.

"I could see and notice how math is fun, and how easy it is to just use stories or use songs," she said.

While the math lessons shared in the workshop may be easily replicated across districts and territories in B.C., Demings and Calder said it's important to use materials that incorporate local knowledge and stories as much as possible.

'It was blowing my mind'

For basket weaver and Ucwalmícwts language teacher Heather Joseph the workshop was a way to see how other educators, in different districts, are incorporating Indigenous ways of knowing in the classroom.

Joseph teaches at a Pemberton elementary school and was particularly interested to see how Calder and Demings were using weaving to teach math.

"I already knew about patterning and some of the counting a little bit, but I really wanted to see the things they were doing with it," she said.

Joseph said it took a couple of tries with the paper weaving activity to figure out the math component of the lesson shared at the workshop.

"I had to take half of it apart and start again and then I was like, 'Oh, now I see the pattern.'"

"It was blowing my mind," she said.

Like others who attended the workshop Joseph said she's looking forward to taking what she learned back to her school with a new perspective on how much further she can incorporate her weaving and language lessons into the math curriculum.

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Teaching math through cedar weaving, trade beads and oral history | CBC News

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Educators streamed into the Vancouver conference room to learn how curriculum specialists in Prince Rupert, B.C., are developing Ts'msyen teaching materials for math classes. "A lot of teachers are wondering how they can use the culture in teaching math, so that's one of the biggest things we wanted to do is come and share that with everyone," said curriculum specialist Tina Demings, one of the workshop co-presenters.

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Games from the Aboriginal People of North America: Math Content

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(2015)

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With respect and love for the victims of the Highway of Tears, and guided by their communities, we are committed to fulfilling the 33 recommendations from the Highway of Tears Symposium Recommendations Report. We work diligently towards preventing further victimization, supporting the families of the victims, planning for emergencies and supporting the communities' efforts towards health and vibrancy.

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Discover our collection of films by Indigenous filmmakers, from Alanis Obomsawin to Gil Cardinal.

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Cross Lake: “This Is Where I Live” - The Fifth Estate

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Cross Lake: “This Is Where I Live” - The Fifth Estate

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An hour long video interviewing the residents of Cross Lake which  declared a state of emergency, due to extremely high suicide rates among teens. "The Fifth Estate went to Cross Lake to find out why and spent nine months there, talking to people, filming -- and giving young people their own cameras to tell their stories." (CBC, 2017)

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Cross Lake: “This Is Where I Live” - The Fifth Estate

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A List Of Resources By The Alberta Teachers Association

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A List Of Resources By The Alberta Teachers Association

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For grades 6-12

An interesting video that could be a great learning tool for older students to examine the power and persuasion of media and the messages it was designed to send.

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Canadian Residential School Propaganda Video 1955

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For Grades 9-12
"Filmmaker Neil Diamond takes an insightful look at the Hollywood Indian, exploring the portrayal of North American Natives through a century of cinema." (NFB ,2009)

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CBC'S The 8th Fire Series  with Wab Kinew

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CBC'S The 8th Fire Series  with Wab Kinew

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https://www.cbc.ca/firsthand/blog/8th-fire-wabs-walk-through-history

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8th Fire Wab Kinew 500 Years in 2 Minutes

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"Promising Practices in Indigenous Education Website (PPW), a virtual library, is an online resource that educators, researchers, and others use to enhance learning opportunities to improve educational success for Indigenous students."

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We do our best to make sure the links to various resources listed below are updated on a regular basis. But it is possible that you will encounter broken links i.e. Error 404 - Page not found. In such cases, try copying and pasting the resource title into your browser to find alternative links.

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"This educational documentary short, Heartspeak about Shannen's Dream, tells the story of "Shannen's Dream" and captures the process as we join together to carry on her vision.  Shannen Koostachin had a dream--that all First Nation children should be able to get an education in clean, "comfy" schools just as non-Native children. Tragically, the 15-year-old Cree youth from Attawapiskat died in a car crash on June 1, 2010.  Shannen was one of the student leaders in the Attawapiskat School Campaign--a fight to get a grade school built for 400 children attending classes in portables on a contaminated brownfield. In her short life, 'Shannen's Dream' has inspired national interest to carry on the fight." (Heartspeak,2011)

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"Documenting a 2007 court case which argued that First Nations children living on reserves or in the Yukon received a lack of funding from Indian Affairs and Northern Development Canada." (NFB, 2016)

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Instructional Materials in Aboriginal Studies

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Instructional Materials in Aboriginal Studies

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Instructional Materials in Aboriginal Studies

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The primary focus of the Community Learning Network (CLN) is to help K-12 teachers integrate Information Technology into their classrooms. This CLN subject page provides access to curricular and instructional materials in the broad subject area of Business Education as well as in many of its specific themes/topics.

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For Teen and Adults
"This River is a 2016 Canadian short documentary film directed by Katherena Vermette and Erika MacPherson. The film centres on Drag the Red, a volunteer group in Manitoba who search the Red River for the bodies of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. (NFB, 2016)

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100 Years of Loss

For over a century, beginning in the mid-1800s and continuing into the mid-1990s, Aboriginal children in Canada were taken from their homes and communities and placed in institutions called residential schools. These schools were run by religious orders in collaboration with the federal government and were attended by children as young as four or five years of age. Separated from their families and prohibited from speaking their native languages and practicing their culture, the vast majority of the over 150,000 children that attended these schools experienced neglect and suffering. The impacts of sexual, mental, and physical abuse, shame, and deprivation endured at Indian Residential Schools (IRS) continue to affect generations of Survivors, their families, and communities today. Remarkably, in the face of this tremendous adversity, many Survivors and their descendants have retained their language and their culture and continue to work toward healing and reconciliation.

Disclaimer: This web site contains subject matter that may be disturbing to some visitors. 24 Hour National Survivors Crisis Line: 1-866-925-4419.

A History Of The Residential School System In Canada

Reclaiming History: The Residential School System in Canada

The Recollets - a religious order from France - establish the first residential school, near Quebec City.

Resources & Further Reading

Established in 2000, the Legacy of sigmaessays Hope Foundation (LHF) has become an authority on the subject of the Residential School System in Canada. The LHF mandate, to educate, raise awareness and understanding of the legacy of residential schools has driven the development of a variety of quality resources including a curriculum guide for teachers and educators. In addition, LHF has compiled a comprehensive list of homework portal resources produced by other organizations on the subject of the Residential School System.

About This Site

For more than a decade, the sigmaessays Legacy of Hope Foundation has worked with Survivors, Aboriginal communities, researchers, curators, and educators to develop resources to increase public awareness and knowledge of the history and legacy of the homework portal Indian Residential School System. 100 Years of Loss - The Residential School System in Canada is LHF's newest education program.

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100 Years of Loss For over a century, beginning in the mid-1800s and continuing into the mid-1990s, Aboriginal children in Canada were taken from their homes and communities and placed in institutions called residential schools. These schools were run by religious orders in collaboration with the federal government and were attended by children as young as four or five years of age.