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This is a photo from an article by Dion, Johnston, and Rice (2010). These authors offer an approach that suggests teachers should integrate seven fundamental learning principles that were identified as critically important by the First Nations cultures in their teaching practice. These include respect, love, bravery, wisdom, humility, honesty, and truth. These same values are closely reflected in our Ontario character education. These values ensure all of our students feel represented, accepted, and foster a sense of belonging in our classroom community.

This attached photo is titled, “Appreciating the Learning Styles of Aboriginal Students”. The learning styles recognized here highlight key elements also emphasized in The Kindergarten Program – collaboration, opportunity for reflection, kinaesthetic activities, and scaffolding children’s learning are imperative concepts to in a successful implementation of the Ontario Kindergarten curriculum (Dion et. al., 2010; Ministry of Education, 2016).

Reference

Dion, S. D., Johnston, K., & Rice, C. (2010). Decolonizing our schools: Aboriginal education in the Toronto district school board.

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Check out the document below for some traditional games that were played by Indigenous children. Student's will be interested to see that they are likely familiar with some of these games, as we see the First Nature influence in our every day lives quite often without realizing it! This is a fun way to connect Indigenous studies and gross-motor activities.

This is also a wonderful resource because it provides insight onto what Indigenous community invented each game and some relevant facts about its endurance and adaption throughout history.

Link: https://www.nscrd.com/uploads/document/files/indigenous-games-for-children-en.pdf

Reference:
Parks and Recreation Canada . (n.d.). The Indigenous Games for Children Resource . Retrieved from https://www.nscrd.com/uploads/document/files/indigenous-games-for-children-en.pdf

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Use the link below to connect to some traditional First Nation recipes that you may be able to modify as a baking experiment in your classroom! Think of all the mathematical elements that can be embedded into this activity while also illuminating students on some of the foods our traditional ancestors made.

A fun provication may begin by asking students, "How is maple syrup made?". You could watch videos and read books on how this complex process was originally began by our First Nations people and end the inquiry in a pancake party!

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1 GEOGRAPHIC SETTING AND ENVIRONMENT

The phrases "Native Canadians" or "Aboriginals" describe the descendants of the people who were living in what is modern-day Canada before European colonists, explorers, and traders arrived in the 1600s. Giving labels to these groups is complicated by emotional and historical issues. Aboriginals inhabited all regions of Canada and the United States, and dozens of tribal groups, lived, hunted, fished, and foraged (gathered native plants) all across North America. The provinces of modern-day Canada obviously did not exist when the Europeans arrived on the east coast of Canada.

The Inuit inhabit the northernmost parts of Canada. On April 1, 1999, Nunavut (pronounced NOON-ah-voot) became Canada's newest territory, created from about half the land that made up the Northwest Territories.

2 HISTORY AND FOOD

In general, most Canadians agree that the approximately 800,000 Aboriginal Canadians counted by the 1996 Census of Population may be identified as belonging to one of three groups: First Nations (554,000), Métis (210,000), and Inuit (Innu, 40,000). The First Nations people are members of the approximately 50 recognized "First Nations" or tribal groups in Canada, and they inhabit all parts of Canada. The Métis are descendants of the intermarriages that occurred between the men employed by the early European fur trading companies (Hudson's Bay Company and Northwest Fur Company) and Native Canadian women.

The Inuit are the descendants of the Thule people who migrated from the Canadian arctic 700 to 800 years ago. They have been inhabiting the territory of modern Canada for thousands of years. They were historically hunters and fishers. Because of the

harsh climate of their northern homelands, the Inuit diet included very few fresh vegetables or fruits. In the short summers, they would gather berries, both for eating fresh and for drying to eat during the long, cold winter. They would also gather seeds and nuts to store to supplement the winter diet. Grains such as corn, wheat, and wild rice were harvested and dried. Grains would sometimes be ground to produce flour, or mixed with water and cooked.

Pemmican is a nutritious, high calorie food that can be prepared in quantities and stored. The French and English explorers, trappers, and traders, bought large quantities of pemmican from the Aboriginals, and even learned to make pemmican. Pemmican would be sealed inside an animal skin or stomach cavity to preserve it. Europeans carried these pemmican stores on long furtrading expeditions.

Pemmican Cakes

Ingredients

1 package beef jerky

1 cup dried berries, such as dried blueberries, cranberries, or cherries

1 cup chopped nuts or sunflower seeds

¼ cup beef suet or vegetable shortening

Honey to taste (1 to 3 teaspoons)

12-cup muffin tin

Procedure

1. Line muffin cups with paper liners (or grease cups well).

2. Grind or chop beef jerky into confettisize pieces to make about 1 cup. Melt suet or shortening in a saucepan.

3. Remove from heat, stir in beef jerky, dried berries, and seeds. Stir in honey.

4. Spoon about ¼ cup of the pemmican mixture into each muffin cup. Press down firmly to make a cake, smoothing the top.

5. Refrigerate until well set.

Serves 12.

3 FOODS OF NATIVE CANADIANS

The traditional diet of Aboriginal people was made up of the animals and plants found on the land and in the sea around them. Seal, whale, buffalo, caribou, walrus, polar bear, arctic hare (rabbit), all kinds of fish and many species of bird were hunted or fished. Raw blubber (fat) was enjoyed or mixed with meat or berries. Every part of the animal was consumed or used to make clothing or shelter. Because the foods were eaten raw or with minimal processing, the Aboriginal people were generally well nourished.

Modern-day First Nations, Métis, and Inuit people have added processed foods and convenience foods to their traditional diet, and are experiencing the health problems that come from consumption of foods rich in sugar and additives (such as tooth decay and obesity).

Their traditional diet was nutritious and high in calories, but the calories were needed to help keep their bodies warm through the long, frigid winters. During the short summers, Aboriginals (mainly the women) would plant small gardens and gather wild berries and seeds. Corn, beans, and squash were common vegetables grown in the small gardens of Manitoba and Alberta. These vegetables were often simmered to make soups or stews, such as Three Sister Soup (the "sisters" are corn, beans, and squash).

Snacks were often enjoyed right on the trail-a few berries or dried seeds plucked from the wild plants. Some were eaten right on the spot, and some may have been carried home to share or save for another day.

Saskatoon Berry Snack

Saskatoon berries, similar to blueberries, have been picked and eaten in the wild by Aboriginal Canadians for centuries. In the late twentieth century, commercial fruit growers began planting crops of these tasty berries to sell to grocery stores.

Ingredients

1 pint berries (may be blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, or other fresh berries or

1 package dried berries (blueberries, cranberries, or other berries)

Procedure

1. If using fresh berries, rinse them under running water.

2. Divide berries into several waxed paper bags or plastic baggies. Carry these along for snacks during the day or to share with a friend.

Serves 8 to 10.

Three Sisters Soup

Ingredients

3 cans chicken broth

2 cups frozen corn, thawed

1 cup green beans or yellow wax beans, washed and ends trimmed off

1½ cups of butternut squash (or pumpkin)

2 bay leaves

Salt and pepper to taste

Optional spices: ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes or 1 teaspoon each fresh (or ½ teaspoon each dried) parsley, basil, and oregano

Procedure

1. Pour the chicken broth into a large saucepan or kettle. Heat until the broth begins to boil.

2. Add the corn, beans, squash, and bay leaves.

3. Lower heat and simmer for 45 minutes.

4. Add optional spices if desired, and simmer 15 more minutes.

5. Remove the bay leaves, and transfer the soup in batches to the blender to puree if desired. Serve with bannock (bread).

Serves 8 to 10.

Aboriginal peoples who lived on the prairies of western Canada consumed buffalo (and used buffalo skins for clothing and shelter). In central Canada, Ojibwa people would gather wild rice from the waters of Ontario and Manitoba, allowing it to dry and then roasting it. The fur traders, who came into contact with Aboriginal peoples all across Canada, introduced a bread similar to the Scottish scone. It became known as bannock . Bannock may be baked (Aboriginal people would lay it on hot rocks near a campfire) or twisted onto a stick and cooked over hot coals.

Bannock

Bannock may be baked in the oven or over a charcoal or open fire (recipe for Bannock on a Stick follows).

Ingredients

4 cups all-purpose flour

1 Tablespoon sugar

2 Tablespoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

2 cups milk (or water)

Procedure

1. Combine flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl.

2. Measure the milk (or water) and add it to the flour mixture, stirring with a fork to combine. A dough should form. If the mixture seems too dry and crumbly, add more liquid, one Tablespoon at a time.

3. Turn the dough out onto a surface lightly coated with flour. Knead for about 3 minutes. (To knead, press down the dough, turn it clockwise, fold it in half and press it down. Repeat.)

4. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).

5. Pat the dough into a circle about ¾-inch thick. Transfer the dough to a well-greased cookie sheet. Prick the surface of the dough all over with a fork.

6. Bake about 20 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown.

Bannock on a Stick

Procedure

1. Prepare Bannock dough (see preceding recipe). Have ready several sticks, 3- to 4-feet in length.

2. Divide the dough into balls slightly larger than golf balls. Shape each ball into a rope about 8 inches long by rolling it between the hands.

3. Wrap each dough rope around a stick. Hole the dough over a a bed of red hot coals (charcoal, wood, or gas grill flame set at medium.) Turn the stick frequently to bake the dough evenly.

Serves 10 to 12.

Man-O-Min (Ojibwa Wild Rice)

Ingredients

Procedure

1. Wash the wild rice in a colander or bowl, changing the water two or three times.

2. Measure water into a large saucepan; add salt. Heat the water to boiling.

3. Slowly add the rinsed rice to the boiling water. Lower heat to medium and simmer the rice, undisturbed, for about 40 minutes. (Do not stir the rice.)

4. The rice grains will swell to four times their original size.

5. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Serves 12.

Aboriginal peoples living in the region of modern-day British Columbia enjoyed foods such as salmon cooked over an open fire, a popular modern-day delicacy.

4 FOOD FOR RELIGIOUS AND HOLIDAY CELEBRATIONS

The traditional feasts held by Aboriginal peoples usually revolved around a harvest, or seasonal excess of food. For example, if there was a large salmon catch, a feast would be held. When a youth killed his first seal or caribou, a celebration feast might be held.

In western Canada, Aboriginal peoples held ceremonial parties called potlatches to celebrate the birth of a child, a young woman reaching puberty, or the marriage of a son. Modern-day potlatches are held to celebrate and preserve Aboriginal culture.

In 1996 an annual National Aboriginal Day was proclaimed, to be celebrated on June 21 each year. There is no specific menu associated with the celebration of this holiday, but many traditional foods, such as salmon, wild rice, and even buffalo, are enjoyed during the festivities staged by many of the Aboriginal groups.

Wild Rice Cakes

Ingredients

1 cup wild rice

4 cups water

1 teaspoon salt

¼ cup cornmeal

1-2 Tablespoons bacon drippings (or butter)

Procedure

1. Rinse the wild rice in a sieve under cold running water and drain.

2. Measure the 4 cups of water into a saucepan and add rice and the salt. Heat until the water boils, reduce heat, and simmer for about 30 minutes. The rice should be tender but not soft.

3. Add the cornmeal slowly, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon and cook for 3 or 4 minutes. Remove from the heat.

4. Melt bacon drippings (or butter) in a skillet.

5. Shape the rice mixture into pattie-like cakes about 1½ inches in diameter.

6. Sauté the patties until they are brown on one side (about 5 minutes). Carefully turn the cakes over to brown the other side. Drain on paper towels.

Serves 12; may be served hot or at room temperature.

5 MEALTIME CUSTOMS

Aboriginal peoples are hospitable, and always have stews or teas simmering and available to serve to guests. Historically, cooking utensils were fashioned from natural materials and cooking was done over an open fire. Food preservation methods included smoking, drying, and encasing in melted animal fat or whale blubber.

6 POLITICS, ECONOMICS, AND NUTRITION

The substitution of packaged and fast foods for the nutrient-rich traditional Aboriginal diet has contributed to health problems among Aboriginal children.

The Canadian Government's Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development continues to work to address the concerns of the Aboriginal peoples. Addressing historic wrongs and developing modern-day programs is challenging, and representatives of the government and the First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples are striving to communicate and design goals to meet the needs of all Canadians.

7 FURTHER STUDY

Books

Alexander, Bryan and Cherry Alexander. What Do We Know About the Inuit. New York: Peter Bedrick Books, 1995.

Bruemmer, Fred. Arctic Memories: Living With the Inuit. Toronto: Key Porter Books, 1993.

Harper, Judith E. Inuit. Mankato, MN: Smart Apple Media, 1999.

Jackson, John C. Children of the Fur Trade: Forgotten Métis of the Pacific Northwest. Missoula, MT: Mountain Press, 1996.

Lutz, Norma Jean. Nunavut. Philadelphia: Chelsea House, 2000.

Mercredi, Morningstar. Fort Chipewyan Homecoming: A Journey to Native Canada. Minneapolis, MN: Lerner Publications, 1997

Morrison, David A. Arctic Hunters: The Inuit and Diamond Jenness. Hull, Quebec: Canadian Museum of Civilization, 1992.

Santella, Andrew. The Inuit. New York: Children's Press, 2001.

Web Sites

Aboriginal Awareness Week. [Online] Available http://www.aboriginalawarenessweek.gc.ca/ (accessed August 17, 2001).

Liboiron, Henri and Bob St-Cyr. "Making Pemmican." [Online] Available http://collections.ic.gc.ca/notukeu/pemmican_e.htm (accessed April 17, 2001).

Métis Nation. [Online] Available http://www.metisnation.ca (accessed August 17, 2001).

Métis Nation Ontario. [Online] Available http://www.metisnation.org (accessed August 17, 2001).

National Aboriginal Day. [Online] Available http://www.ainc-inac.gc.ca/nad (accessed August 17, 2001).

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The phrases "Native Canadians" or "Aboriginals" describe the descendants of the people who were living in what is modern-day Canada before European colonists, explorers, and traders arrived in the 1600s. Giving labels to these groups is complicated by emotional and historical issues.

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Find out more historical information about the architectural aspect of Indigenous culture at the following link:

https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/architectural-history-early-first-nations

There is a lot of content and photographs that might be useful to include in your learning opportunities around the different Indigenous Communities we are home to throughout Canada.

Reference:
Mills, E. & Kalman, D. (2016). Architectural History of Indigenous Peoples in Canada. Retrieved from https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/architectural-history-early-first-nations

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Show your students real pictures of the structures that traditionally housed our First Nation people.

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The Government of Canada provides a list of classroom activities that are directed for students ages 8+. It's tough to find specific Kindergarten resources, so it is up to the teachers to become creative with what is out there! However, as you look through the ideas provided you too will see they can be easily adapted to suit our Kindergarten Program!

Here are some ideas, inspired by the article, that I thought would be a good fit for our Kindergarten classroom:
-a canoe building provocation
-having students design a paddle at your creation spaces
-build a diorama with peers of a traditional dwelling!
-a project where students are asked to find out the "story of their name" by investigating their family at home. After, children are provided different dates where they will be encouraged to share their "name story" with the class
-open invitation to make a traditional beaded necklace

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Teacher Information

"If we do not own the freshness of the air and the sparkle of the water, how can you buy or sell the sky, the warmth of the land? Every part of this earth is sacred to my people." - Chief Seattle, 1854

When First Nations leaders were asked to surrender their traditional lands by marking their names to treaties, many of them asked treaty commissioners and others, "How can we sell what we do not own?"

However, the view that First Nations had no notion of land ownership is inaccurate. Most, if not all, First Nations had systems of land tenure. The rules affecting traditional land varied widely in format and complexity, from culture to culture. Some First Nations such as the Swampy Cree, Innu and Ojibway acknowledged the rights of individuals or families to specific territories, while others such as the Carrier, Gitxsan and Nisga'a vested land rights in clans or "houses." Students should understand that First Nations cultures practised forms of land ownership.

To understand what traditional leaders meant when they asked, "How can we sell what we do not own?" it is useful to attempt to see the land through the eyes of a First Nations hunter. To ensure that the land continues to support the human population, hunters must carefully balance their own needs with the rules of respect that they believe originate from a spiritual higher power.

By observing these rules and other teachings from Elders, hunters enter into a unique relationship with nature and the environment. They achieve or strive to achieve a balance between the needs of humans and other forms of life, be they animal, plant or spirit. The hunter performs the role of a steward or custodian of the land.

The activities in this unit are designed to introduce students to the relationship between First Nations and the environment. They will help students understand the respect for the natural world that is inherent in the First Nations traditional view of the land.

Activities

1. Circle of Life

First Nations people recognized a simple but frequently ignored, fact of life: that everything in nature is connected. This concept is often described as the "circle of life." In this modern technological age, it can be difficult for many of us to grasp the complexity and interrelatedness of all living things. This activity is designed to illustrate nature's connections to the students and how the circle of life can be broken by the actions of humans.

Plants, animals and the environment within which they live create an ecosystem. Each element and being maintains the ecosystem by transferring energy through a food-chain. Examples of a food-chain include:

herring to salmon to sea lion to orca whale

beetle to shrew to snake to fox

algae to tadpole to bass to otter

bacteria to fungus to tree to squirrel.

This activity is designed to illustrate how the absence of any component of a food-chain can affect the ecosystem as a whole.

Give students the opportunity to identify a familiar food-chain. If they are unable to do this, use the following example: trees are an important energy source in a food-chain. Aphids feed on the nutrients in the leaves of the trees; the aphids are eaten by sparrows and other birds, which are then eaten by hawks and eagles. Ultimately, the circle is completed when carnivores die, decompose and become part of the earth.

Clear a large space in the classroom or, better, go outside to a grassy area. Give each student a number from one to four and put all the "ones" together in one group, etc. Assign each group a component of the food-chain. In the example here, "ones" are trees and "fours" are hawks, etc.

Now form the circle of life. One student from each of the four groups should stand in the cleared area. The four students should stand shoulder-to-shoulder, facing the centre of the circle. Keep adding to the circle in sets of four until all the students are in it.

Instruct students to turn to their right and take one step toward the centre. Everyone should place their hands on the shoulders of the person in front of them. Tell them that at the count of three, they must slowly sit down, on the knees of the person behind them, keeping their own knees together to support the person in front of them.

When they are all supporting each other, tell them that this represents the circle of life. Tell them that once they have mastered the routine, they will understand how the transfer of energy affects an ecosystem. It may take several attempts before the entire group is able to maintain its composure and posture. Repeat the routine until they have succeeded.

When the group has mastered the routine and a strong lap-sit circle is formed, identify a student who represents an aphid. Tell students that pesticide sprayed on the fields has spread to the surrounding trees. Then remove the "aphid" from the circle. If the circle does not collapse completely, the students will be struggling to maintain it. Students can be removed from the circle based on a variety of conditions: logging, toxic waste, urban expansion, soil erosion, acid rain, poachers, oil spills and over-fishing. At a certain point in this activity, the removal of too many students will destroy the effect. Teachers will need to plan this activity with some care and forethought to ensure that students gain as much from it as possible.

When the activity is complete, it should be clear to students that a human action that affects any of these crucial components of habitat will have an impact upon the rest of the circle. Ask students what this activity means to them and what they have learned.

2. Perch of Perception

In order to survive life on the land, First Nations needed to be aware of everything around them, from weather changes to animal activity. Share with students how this activity emphasizes the First Nations' values of seeing the world as fully as we can - as a way of appreciating, respecting and learning more about our world.

We may see our classrooms every day. But if we were questioned about the simple details, we would probably be entirely unaware of certain objects, colours, sounds and textures surrounding us. Each of us can train ourselves to see like an eagle. Most of us are familiar with the image of the eagle sitting perched in an old tree, watching the world unfold below. The eagle may be watching for prey, such as mice, rabbits or fish, or it may be preening its feathers. It may just be resting.

The "Perch of Perception" activity will help students learn to be careful observers, help them be aware of their surroundings, and recognize their environment as part of the larger whole. Ideally, the "Perch of Perception" activity will be outside, either in the schoolyard or near the school. However, it is possible to stay within the school, or even the classroom.

Start this activity with some practice. Place 20 or so different objects on a desk. Cover all of the objects and tell students that they are to observe and note the objects under the cover when it is removed. Remove the cover for approximately 30 seconds, then replace it. Ask them to list on paper the objects they saw. When their lists are complete, remove the cover again. Now, on the back of their first list, ask them to make a new list of what they see. What did they miss? What did they remember?

Take students to a place outdoors where they can choose their own "perch." This may be under a tree, beside a rock, or on the corner of the playground. Their "perches" may be anywhere the students please, as long as they are by themselves. Once they have selected their perches, ask them to stay there and take note of what is happening around them. This means seeing, listening and smelling. Perhaps a group of children walks by. Maybe ants are building a hill. They may hear a siren in the distance. Perhaps a cloud passes over the sun. Impress upon the students that they are to note anything and everything that happens while they are at their perches.

When they return from their perches, ask them to describe what they saw, heard or smelled in as much detail as possible. After three visits to their perches, have students take paper and colouring pencils to their spot to record the things they see, smell and hear. The teacher may also want each student to begin a "Perch of Perception" journal.

The first time students are at their perches, they may be unaccustomed to being alone or to not having any set tasks to perform. The teacher may want students to be at their perch for only three to five minutes. As they grow more familiar with the "Perch of Perception" activity, the length of time students stay at their perches can be extended. The "Perch of Perception" activity could be as short as the time spent on the environment theme or it could be continued throughout the year.

3. Sound and Rhythm

First Nations hunters watched animals carefully and were keenly aware of the rhythmic patterns and musicality of nature. It is often said that the beat of the drum, which is central to many First Nations cultures, is the heartbeat of Mother Earth. Indeed, many of the traditional dances of First Nations were learned from animals - the Eagle Dance, the Rabbit Dance, the Deer Dance and the Prairie Chicken Dance, for example.

In this activity, students will combine First Nations' awareness of nature's music with Western musical tradition by "recording" on a musical score a symphony composed by nature.

Hand out copies of a blank musical staff, divided by several bar lines. Ask students to go outside (perhaps to their spot at the "Perch of Perception") and listen very carefully to the bird calls, insects, and the voices of any other animals you may hear. They may hear the wind blowing through the leaves of the tree, or water bubbling down a stream. Each time they hear a sound, they are to record it on the staff.

Remember, nature is the composer, not the student. The students' tasks are to record the music that they hear in the most creative and simple way possible. They may wish to draw small pictures to represent the sounds they hear or write out the sounds phonetically.

This can be a very personal activity, and the student's completed score would be perfect as an entry in his or her "Perch of Perception" journal.

6. Rebuilding the Circle

Launch a class project to improve wildlife habitat in the community. Discuss with the class how the wildlife in their community can be better taken care of. Students should be able to make a list of the wildlife that they encounter daily. Divide the class into groups that are assigned to examine birds, squirrels, small creatures on the ground such as ants, beetles and crickets; or creatures in the ground such as worms. Ask each group to identify the different ways it can contribute to the health of their chosen wildlife.

8. Migration Management

Bison were the most important resource of the First Nations of the Plains, including the Blood, Sarcee and Blackfoot. Bison were used for food, shelter and clothing. They were also important spiritual symbols for the Plains people.

First Nations recognized that their own livelihood depended on the well-being of the bison and they took care to protect the bison habitat. In many areas, First Nations burned the brushy clearings and fields to enhance the bison's food and habitat.

The original population of Plains bison numbered between 50 and 60 million. They moved across the Prairies in herds during their annual migration.

The destruction of the bison was, in part, a deliberate action by governments to control the First Nations who depended so heavily upon the roaming herds. Also, the migratory routes of the bison stood in the way of settlement and agriculture. By 1900, the bison in Canada and the U.S. were close to extinction.

The purpose of this activity is to help students recognize how human decisions can have a major impact upon wildlife. This activity also aims to encourage a practical understanding of the concepts of wildlife management and sustainable development.

Divide students into small working groups and provide them with drawing materials and a very large piece of graph paper. Ask each group to draw a mural of a habitat for waterfowl. (This activity is easily adapted to a habitat for other migrating species important to First Nations, such as deer affected by construction of a highway, caribou affected by a pipeline or salmon affected by the construction of a new dam.) In the mural, students should include: appropriate food, water sources such as rivers and lakes, marshlands, farms and forests.

Once the mural is done, ask students to trace with coloured pencils the migratory route of a flock of Canada geese as they move from one feeding area to another. Finally, they should draw a small village on the shore of a large lake. If the graph paper they are using contains 200 squares, the village should represent five squares.

Next, tell students that the village is going to expand considerably in the next five years. The development will affect the migration route of the geese. The student groups are now designated as Land Use Planning Committees. Their goal is to design an urban plan that will cause the least harm to the geese. Students will have to seek consensus on their decisions because each member of the group (Planning Committee) holds a veto on any proposed changes.

The development will cover 75 percent or so of the mural after the new additions are included. The additions include the following (the changes to the graph paper with 200 squares are included in brackets):

the village becomes a city with tall buildings and other structures (50 squares)

near the city, an airport (10 squares and 10 more for the flight paths of the planes)

rivers polluted by sewage and/or waste from pulp mills (10 squares)

power lines (15 squares)

a major highway that runs east-west through the city (20 squares)

clear-cut forestry (10 squares)

at each feeding station, an increase in hunters (2 squares at each station)

egg collectors at each station who poach goose eggs (1 square at each station).

The Committees' main task is to plan the development in such a way that the migratory route of the geese is maintained. They will need to discuss how the development might be reduced so that there is no major impact on peoples' needs, and only a minimal impact on the geese. Can proper city services be provided with no impact on the geese? Can new laws be introduced that will reduce or eliminate hunting and egg collection and restrict the use of pesticides? Can large marshlands be protected as goose habitats?

If the Committees achieve consensus, they can "construct" the development on the mural. When everybody is done, ask each Committee to report about the decisions it has made and why.

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The Learning Circle: Classroom Activities on First Nations in Canada - Ages 8 to 11

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"If we do not own the freshness of the air and the sparkle of the water, how can you buy or sell the sky, the warmth of the land? Every part of this earth is sacred to my people."

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Expose your students to our First Nations traditional dances and music. Students will likely become transfixed watching how these people move so gracefully and confidently to tell such complex stories.

Afterwards, consider having students create their own dance to an Indigenous musician or build a traditional indigenous instrument. Both of these approaches are such to be fun, engaging, and informative for your young learners.

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Squamish Nation Pow Wow 2011 FULL REGALIA First Nations Native Dance in Vancouver

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This video demonstrates to students how and why Indigenous people used totem poles to represent themselves and their family linage, while also including traditional music.

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Use the link below to explore the Canadian history of the totem pole before you do any activities with this idea in your class. It is important that we do our research and approach Indigenous education from a state of respect and knowledge so that we do not misrepresent this culture.

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The totem pole (also known as a monumental pole) is a tall structure carved out of cedar wood, created by Northwest Coast Indigenous peoples to serve variously as a signboard, genealogical record and memorial. Some well-known carvers include Mungo Martin, Charles Edenshaw, Henry Hunt, Richard Hunt and Stanley Hunt.

What's a Totem Pole?

A totem pole or monumental pole is a tall structure created by Northwest Coast Indigenous peoples that showcases a nation's, family's or individual's history and displays their rights to certain territories, songs, dances and other aspects of their culture. Totem poles can also be used as memorials and to tell stories. Carved of large, straight red cedar and painted vibrant colours, the totem pole is representative of both coastal Indigenous culture and Northwest Coast Indigenous Art.

History of Totem Poles in Canada

Archeological evidence suggests that the northern peoples of the West Coast were among the first to create totem poles before the arrival of Europeans. The practice then spread south along the coast into the rest of British Columbia and Washington state. First Nations credited with making some of the earliest totem poles include the Haida, Nuxalk (Bella Coola), Kwakwaka'wakw, Tsimshian and Łingít. The Coast Salish people also make carvings out of cedar, but they are not really totem poles. The Coast Salish carve planks of wood that attach to the interior or exterior of their ceremonial houses.

The arrival of Europeans altered the construction of contemporary poles, as they introduced new materials and carving tools to Indigenous peoples through trade in the 19th century. Colonization also threatened the very existence of totem poles. Beginning in the 19th century, the federal government sought to assimilate First Nations by banning various cultural practices in the , including the potlatch, which is the ceremony during which totem poles are often erected. Until the potlatch ban was lifted in 1951, totem poles were displaced and appropriated by Europeans, taken away from their homes and brought to museums and parks around the world. Christian missionaries also encouraged the cutting down of totem poles, which they saw as obstacles to converting Indigenous peoples. Poles commissioned by non-Indigenous peoples during this time were, and still are, considered culturally insensitive. It was only in 2017 that the Haisla First Nation was able to remove and replace an old monumental pole that was not carved or erected according to their customs with a new, Haisla-designed one.

After amendments to the Indian Act, the 1950s saw the beginnings of increased Indigenous efforts at reclaiming totem poles. New poles were commissioned for museums, parks and international exhibits; and in the late 1960s, totem poles were once again being raised at potlatches. As such, the totem pole can be seen as a symbol of ongoing survival and resistance to cultural and territorial encroachment. Many Northwest Coast communities have struggled to repatriate totem poles taken from them by colonial forces for sale or display elsewhere. In 2006, the Haisla successfully repatriated from a Swedish museum a pole taken in 1929 ( see Repatriation of Artifacts.)

Totem Pole Designs and Meanings

Different First Nations have their own methods of designing and carving totem poles. The Haida, for example, are known to carve creatures with bold eyes, whereas the Kwakwaka'wakw poles typically have narrow eyes. The Coast Salish tend to carve representations of people on their house posts, whereas the Tsimshian and Nuxalk tend to carve supernatural beings on their poles.

In general, however, poles are skilfully carved of red cedar and are usually painted black, red, blue, blue-green and sometimes white and yellow. While paint was not used much in the past as part of the design, it is commonly used today. Poles vary in size, but house front poles can be over one metre in width at the base, reaching heights of over 20 m and generally facing the shores of rivers or the ocean.

Animal images on totem poles depict creatures from family crests. These crests are considered the property of specific family lineages and reflect the history of that lineage. Animals commonly represented on the crests include the beaver, bear, wolf, shark, killer whale, raven, eagle, frog and mosquito. The crest animals represent kinship, group membership and identity, while the rest of the pole may represent a family's history.

Some poles also feature supernatural beings or humans, each with their own particular importance and significance to the nation or individual who commissioned it and to the person who carved it.

The cultural appropriation of totem poles by Europeans over the years has created and popularized the false idea that poles display social hierarchy, with the chief at the top and the commoners at the bottom. In fact, depictions of people are not usually found at the top of a totem pole and in some cases, the most important figure or crest is at the bottom. Totem poles do not depict a nation's social organization in a top-down method; rather, they tell a story about a particular nation or person's beliefs, family history and cultural identity.

Types of Totem Poles

There are various types of poles, each with their own purpose and function. Some, for example, are specific to death and burial practices. Memorial poles are erected in memory of a deceased chief or high-ranking member. The poles depict the member's accomplishments or family history. Mortuary poles also honour the deceased. Haida mortuary poles include a box at the top where the ashes of the chief or high-ranking member are placed.

Some poles are used to depict families and lineages. House posts, placed along the rear or front walls of a house, are poles that, on the one hand, help to support the roof beams and, on the other hand, tell about family lineages. Similarly, house front or portal poles are monuments at the entrance of a home that describe family history.

Welcoming poles do what their name suggests - welcome visitors. First Nations sometimes erect poles as a means of greeting important arriving guests during a feast or potlatch. The Hupacasath First Nation has well-known welcome figures on its territory. With arms outstretched, the figures carved into the poles welcome and guide the guests during their travels. Another type of greeting pole is the speaker's post - a carved figure of an ancestor. An appointed speaker announces the names of visitors from behind the post. In a sense, this allows the ancestors, speaking through the appointed speaker, to also welcome the guests.

Legacy poles commemorate important and historic events. In 2013, the Haida erected a legacy pole as a way of commemorating the signing of the Gwaii Haanas Agreement (1993), a groundbreaking document between the Haida and the Government of Canada that sets out the government-to-government and management relationship for Gwaii Haanas. Carver Jaalen Edenshaw supervised and worked on the legacy pole, which became the first monumental pole raised in the protected Gwaii Haanas territory in over 130 years.

Poles can also be used as a means of healing and education. Artist Charles Joseph's totem pole, erected on 3 May 2017 in Montréal, serves as a reminder of the residential school system. A residential school survivor, Joseph wanted to express his emotions about those painful years, while also working towards reconciliation. Similarly, artist and residential school survivor Isadore Charters has shared his personal story with young people through a totem pole project. Charters carved a healing pole that tells about his eight-year experience at a Kamloops residential school. The pole is also intended to foster healing.

Shame poles or ridicule poles are less common elements of the tradition, but traditionally were used to mock and criticize neighbours for being insulting, offensive or for not paying back debts. These poles were also used by chiefs to belittle their political rivals. Contemporary communities may use similar tactics now in protesting external - government or corporate - entities.

Totem Pole Carvers

Not just anyone can carve a totem pole. Specialists known as carvers are commissioned by First Nations or individuals to make them. The wood the carvers use to make a pole is preferably taken from the traditional territory where it will be placed. Using tools like adzes (curved knives) and chisels, the carvers work from the bottom of the wooden pole, after it has been stripped and cleaned, and work upwards, carving over lightly drawn designs.

Older generation carvers such as Charles Edenshaw (c. 1839-1920), Charlie James (1867-1938) and Mungo Martin (1881-1962) inspired artists like Ellen Neel (1916-66), Henry Hunt (1923-85), Bill Reid (1920-98), Douglas Cranmer (1927-2006), Tony Hunt (1942-), Norman Tait (1941-2016) and Robert Davidson (1946-) to continue the tradition and themselves inspire a new generation. Today, their work, and the work of next generation carvers, such as Jaalen Edenshaw, can be seen in museums, galleries, on traditional territories, in parks like Stanley Park and Thunderbird Park in British Columbia, and elsewhere.

Significance

Totem poles are important expressions of specific Indigenous cultures along the Northwest Coast. Despite the threats posed by cultural, political and territorial encroachment, the art of totem pole carving has survived. While the totem pole has been used wrongly as a generic symbol of Canadian identity over the years, it is important to understand that these sacred monuments are specific to certain First Nations, and therefore carry deep meaning for those peoples and their ancestors.

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The totem pole (also known as a monumental pole) is a tall structure carved out of cedar wood, created by Northwest Coast Indigenous peoples to serve variously as a signboard, genealogical record and memorial. Some well-known carvers include Mungo Martin, Charles Edenshaw, Henry Hunt, Richard Hunt and Stanley Hunt.

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Consider using this video as a provication for your students. It's a visually stimulating text that retells the Ojibway creation story. The narrator is very well spoken and speaks in a child-friendly manner. It's a short video that will be sure to hold your student's attention.

After watching this, consider designing an art invitation where children can draw, paint, or build "Turtle Island'. The colours in the video are stunning and sure to capture your little's attention and creativity!

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An Ojibway Story of Creation - Pic River First Nation

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Use this video in your classroom to introduce your students to what the word Indigenous means in a way they will understand!

Afterwards, consider connecting this to mapping our the First Nations people in Ontario or an artefact investigation!

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The word Indigenous — explained l CBC Kids News

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Representing Your Indigenous Student's Culture 

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Representing Your Indigenous Student's Culture 

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Think about the importance of the quote below, do you represent the Aboriginal cultures in your Kindergarten classroom?

"Schools need to meaningfully represent and include Aboriginal people’s
contributions, innovations and inventions. Aboriginal students require a learning
environment that honours who they are and where they have come from. These
strategies nurture the self-esteem – the positive interconnection between the
physical, emotional-mental, intellectual and spiritual realms of Aboriginal
students" (Dion et. al., 2010, p.1).

Reference

Dion, S. D., Johnston, K., & Rice, C. (2010). Decolonizing our schools: Aboriginal education in the Toronto district school board.

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Consider this man's perspective on how he brought the indigenous perspective to his Kindergarten classroom. He advocates that we, as educators, should continue to share all of our resources that we so tediously assemble with one another, so we all have access to the most engaging learning opportunities possible.

He created activities around various Indigenous children's books, illuminating student's on interesting myths in the Cree culture and treasured recipes that were mentioned in tales. He hoped that be exposing his students to elements of their culture, they would be equipped to make critical decisions surround racism or bias they may encounter in the future.

Consider, how do you share resources with your fellow teaching staff?

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Kindergarten teachers often use books as a way to illuminate students on challenging subjects, when teaching our youngest learners about the history of our Indigenous people in a developmentally appropriate manner. One book that I adore reading to my students is called, When We Were Alone by David Alexander Robertson. It is available at a very reasonable price on Scholastic.ca (For ten dollars it could be yours!) and there are also bundle options where you can receive a few age-appropriate picture books by our Indigenous Canadian authors. I find the art in these books is absolutely captivating for our youngesters, the content is powerful, meaningful, and important. Although some of the concepts are difficult to have dialogue around in a Kindergarten appropriate manner, Kindergarten teachers can include the Indigenous perspectives brought to life in the stories in a variety of ways throughout the classroom. I have attached a link (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPbmCke-x8w) below to a video that discusses the book I previously mentioned above, When We Were Alone, the author has a conversation with a first grade teacher surrounding how she integrates this story into her classroom. I really liked this video because you begin to understand how big and hard ideas can be brought forward in a way that hits home for Kindergarten students. I have always struggled with broaching this topic, as it makes me a bit anxious to talk about this culture in a way that encompasses all the respect I feel, but the more I read on developmentally appropriate ways to bring Indigenous ways of knowing and culture forward, the more you too can understand it is very attainable and important.

Some other GREAT titles of FANTASTIC picture books are:
-Sweetest Kulu by Celina Kalluk
-A Promise Is A Promise by Michael Kusugak and Robert Munsch,
-Blackflies by Robert Munsch
-Shi-shi-etko by Nicola I. Campbell
-Sometimes I Feel Like a Fox by Danielle Daniel
-Little You by Richard Van Camp
-Stolen Words by Melanie Florence
-Shin-chi's Canoe by Nicola Campbell

These books are an incredible starting point to invite your students to think, wonder, and resonate on our Indigenous cultures. From here, consider the art, literacy, fine-motor, mathematic and more provications that you could create in your classroom!

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Teaching Difficult Subjects with "When We Were Alone"

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Check out this quote:

“Over the past three years, relationships with school boards; schools; parents; teachers; and
First Nation, Métis and Inuit communities and organizations have become stronger. Activities
have enhanced targeted supports for students and educators. Knowledge and awareness of
First Nation, Métis and Inuit histories, cultures and perspectives have increased throughout the
provincial education system. Through additional supports, including classroom resources and
professional development opportunities, teachers are also better equipped to embed
Aboriginal perspectives into the classroom.”

Reference:
Ontario Ministry of Education, A Solid Foundation: Second Progress Report
on the Implementation of the Ontario First Nation, Métis, and Inuit Education Policy Framework, 2013, pp. 6–7.

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More from me: The Ministry of Education in Ontario has recognized the growing achievement and attainment gap in our First Nations, Metis, and Inuit students. To address these growing needs, the ministry has designed a number of policies and initiatives to cultivate support for the acceptance and respect of the diversity within our school systems (The Ontario Curriculum, 2014). The core policies that have been strategically designed to close the gap are: The Equity and Inclusive Education Strategy, The English Language Learners Policy, and The Indigenous Education Strategy. The Ministry has partnered with “Aboriginal leaders and organizations to improve education outcomes among Aboriginal students” (Ministry of Education, 2016, p. 5). As with all of the diverse students in our classroom, First Nation, Metis and Inuit students need to arrive to a room that reflects their culture and supports there approach to learning. It is the Kindergarten team’s responsibility to embed First Nation, Metis, and Inuit ways of knowing and perspectives into developmentally appropriate learning opportunities. As you examine the features of the program it become apparent that these ideologies connect to the Belonging and Contributing frame, for they support the development of student’s wellbeing, ownership over their behaviour, connection to their family and community, and advocate for experiential and reflective learning (Ministry of Education, 2016). The Kindergarten Program itself recognizes that teachers should help students in, “developing a sense of place and an awareness of [their] role and responsibility in caring for the planet and understanding [their] impact on the places where [they] live, work, and play” in manner that reflects the core principles of Indigenous education (Ministry of Education, 2016, p. 49). Furthermore, the program mentions Indigenous cultures throughout, as their influence should be respectfully embedded to the delivery of the program in the form of music, books, community speakers, and more (Ministry of Education, 2016). It is up to you as a creative educator to bring in the Indigenous perspectives to your classroom, get creative and take the time to incorporate this culture respectfully.

Here are some specific expectations that can be referenced during your read alouds:

"11.4 respond to a variety of materials that have been read aloud to them (e.g., paint, draw, or construct models of characters or settings)
Saying: “My grandpa and I collected rocks, and we made an Inuksuk like the one in the
painting.”
21.2 dramatize rhymes, stories, legends and folk tales from various cultures and communities"

Reference:
Ministry of Education. (2016). The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 1-8 and Kindergarten Program. First Nations, Metis, and Inuit connections: scope and sequence of expectations. Toronto. pp. 8.

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Straight from Ontario's The Kindergarten Program (2016):

"Developing a sense of place and an awareness of our role and responsibility in caring for the planet and understanding our impact on the places where we live, work, and play are consistent with the following fundamental principles of Indigenous education:
1. Learning ultimately supports the well-being of the self, the family,
the community, the land, the spirits, and the ancestors.
2. Learning is holistic, reflexive, reflective, experiential, and relational
(focused on connectedness, on reciprocal relationships, and a sense
of place).
3. Learning involves recognizing the consequences of one’s actions.
(First Nations Education Steering Committee, n.d.)

Educators who bring Indigenous peoples’ environmental traditions into the classroom as contemporary ways of connecting with place, rather than as something from the past, enable children to develop relationships with the natural world that can enhance their sense of belonging and contributing" (Ministry of Education, 2016, p. 49-50).

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More from me:

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How Can You Make The Curriculum Kindie-Friendly

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How Can You Make The Curriculum Kindie-Friendly

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The Ministry of Education (2016) examines The Kindergarten Program (2016) through a lens that seeks to provide educators with the knowledge and resources they need to unite Indigenous ways of knowing into their classroom. If you examine this document (which you should!) you will find specific and overall expectations from The Kindergarten Program that offer educators different entry points to expose children to learning opportunities that illuminate the Canadian Indigenous culture. For instance, if you examine expectation 5.1,

“demonstrate respect and consideration for individual differences and alternative points of view (e.g., help a friend who speaks another language)” (Ministry of Education, 2016, p. 7).

You could create a learning conversation centered on how families do not all look the same, as this is a developmentally appropriate way to begin talking about diversity in the classroom. Another expectation that was highlighted was,

“6.2 investigate the benefits of nutritious foods (e.g., nutritious snacks, healthy meals, foods from various cultures) and explore ways of ensuring healthy eating (e.g., choosing nutritious food for meals and snacks, avoiding foods to which they are allergic)” (Ministry of Education, 2016, p. 8).

The educator could bring in a healthy snack that the class could prepare together as a starting point to discuss a traditional food Indigenous peoples eat, extending this conversation to talk about how we should be inclusive and respective of all the lunches each student brings into the classroom each day. Different isn’t bad, it’s just something we have yet to know!

Another suggestion provided in the document is,

“Responding: An educator invites children’s family members into the classroom to share stories of important family events, and then invites the children to talk about those events. Challenging: The family explains that this represents the story of an eagle that the Elders tell. The educators invite an Elder to the classroom to share the story with the children” (Ministry of Education, 2016, p. 8).

Here it becomes evident that stories are far more powerful when our communities are provided the opportunity to speak about the topics closest to their hearts, consider bringing in a guest to talk about their Indigenous culture and practices. This will help in ensuring students are being exposed to real and authentic learning opportunities.  All school boards now have an Indigenous Officer that can provide has connections and knowledge about the traditional lands your school was built on, consider reaching out to them about contacting a speaker to enhance your classroom. Better yet – consider a class trip!

The Woodland Cultural Centre in Brantford offers class trips at very reasonable prices (Think: 12 dollars a student!) but their school tours books up fast – so think about planning this out far in advance. This site is on the  traditional Six Nation lands and has a museum that features artefacts and stories of real Indigenous People and a former residential school available to tour. Although I personally would probably plan this trip for an older grade to attend, as they will then have more knowledge and exposure to the topics they will be seeing and discussing on the outing, it has the potential to be modified to suit even our youngest learners.

Below is a picture of the Woodland Residential School in Brantford that was open 1885-1970.

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Consider the art and writing provications this could invite!

Perhaps after reading pose the question,

What totem animal do you think you are and why?

Draw the totem animal you think you would be and finish the sentence, "Sometimes I feel like a ________ because I am _________" .

What footprint of the animals mentioned in the story can you find in these non-fiction texts? Draw the animal prints in the boxes provided!

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Looking to read more about the sources cited on this Padlet? Check out these academic sources below:

Aboriginal perspectives into the classroom. Ontario Ministry of Education, A Solid Foundation: Second Progress Report on the Implementation of the Ontario First Nation, Métis, and Inuit Education Policy Framework, 2013, pp. 6–7.

Dion, S. D., Johnston, K., & Rice, C. (2010). Decolonizing our schools: Aboriginal education in the Toronto district school board.

Mills, E. & Kalman, D. (2016). Architectural History of Indigenous Peoples in Canada. Retrieved from https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/architectural-history-early-first-nations

Ministry of Education. (2007). Ontario First Nation, Métis, and Inuit Education Policy Framework. Retrieved from

http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/aboriginal/fnmiFramework.pdf

Ministry of Education. (2014). The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 1-8 and Kindergarten Program. First Nations, Metis, and Inuit connections: scope and sequence of expectations. Toronto.

Ministry of Education. (2016). The Kindergarten Program 2016. Retrieved from

https://www.ontario.ca/document/kindergarten-program-2016

Parks and Recreation Canada . (n.d.). The Indigenous Games for Children Resource . Retrieved from https://www.nscrd.com/uploads/document/files/indigenous-games-for-children-en.pdf