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This resource was shared by a teacher in BC. Although a BC resource, it is a great example of taking the learning outside and beyond the walls of the classroom. "Trying to incorporate Indigenous ways of knowing into the classroom doesn’t have to be fancy, or resource heavy.  It can really be around the APPROACH (as we see in the First People’s Principles of Learning).  Talking about the Syilx people’s connection to the land that we see through their stories (like the 4 Food Chiefs) and then taking students outside to look for math (and science) in the forest takes the Euro-centric silos of these subjects out into the blend of the real world.  This digital book was a resource sent out by my district’s Indigenous Advocates as a great set of questions to help teachers see the possibilities of non-siloed teachings possible outside (and of course there are way more).  By having specific examples of what you can do outside, the questions you can ask the students and the extension questions as well makes it an approachable task for any teacher!" (Hidalgo, 2021)

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Read this free ebook by Janice Novakowski. Find thousands of free educational ebooks for classroom use at read.bookcreator.com

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The Flight of the Hummingbird: A Parable for the Environment by Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas. This is a story book that I do use in my classroom when teaching about Trees and Forests. This is the story of a hummingbird named Dukdukdiya, that despite her size, helps to put out a wildfire that threatens her home by dropping just one drop of water at a time. The illustrations are both a mix of Indigenous and Japanese art. The art is lovely and there is a strong message of being able to make a change in the world to protect our ecosystem. Although not tied directly to Alberta, the message of being able to make change in the world fits in well with place based learning. I had not been aware that there was a video and even an opera put on by the Pacific Opera Victoria and Vancouver Opera until recently, which is great to be able to use as an extra visual for using with students

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Flight of the Hummingbird - Haida Manga by Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas

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Hear the land speak, learn Indigenous ways, be embraced by Mother Earth

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Hear the land speak, learn Indigenous ways, be embraced by Mother Earth

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Hear the land speak, learn Indigenous ways, be embraced by Mother Earth, news article and YouTube video from the University of Calgary is a few years old but still relevant to the topic of Place Based Learning. The article and video both explain how a group of University of Calgary’s Werkland School of Education undergraduate students were invited to explore the sacred land of Writing-On-Stone Provincial Park. The land is, “A very personal place, a space where, for thousands of years, the Blackfoot people have lived and worked, celebrated and mourned - a place for worshipping and a place that is worshipped.”  I found this article very fitting with the past week's Discussion 9 conversation that brought up Indigenous courses for university students. These students had a great opportunity to learn about the Blackfoot culture and history from Blackfoot Elder Randy Bottle. This experience allowed the students to learn the stories of Elder Bottles’ people, as well as their history and connection to the land. Elder Bottles says, “The land does speak to you, you just have to listen and to be very observant.” The students experienced floating down the river, hiking to the hoodoos, seeing the petroglyphs and learned about the significance of the land to the Blackfoot people. Within the article is a video of some of the students sharing their hands-on learning experience through a sharing circle. One quote really stood out for me, “It’s one thing to read about Indigenous culture in books, but it’s a whole other thing to be in the space and to learn from someone who is as knowledgeable as Elder Bottle.”

University of Calgary. (2017, Nov. 23). Hear the land speak, learn Indigenous ways, be embraced by Mother Earth. UCalgary News. https://ucalgary.ca/news/hear-land-speak-learn-indigenous-ways-be-embraced-mother-earth

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The Siwal Si’wes Digital Library wordpress website has links to what I was seeking in terms of place based learning. Although I know that place based learning is an important aspect of indigenous culture, I was looking to see how it can be woven into current curriculum topics in schools. As I delved deeper into the website, there are also links to Culture and History with a focus on topics such as history, First Nations worldviews, residential schools and reconciliation. There are also links to lesson plans for struggling readers called, The Elders are Watching, and curriculum connections to oral traditions. You can find a collection of powerful student created videos and even podcasts focusing on indigenous books.

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The Siwal Si'wes Library is honoured to share this digital collection of resources with the Mission Public School District learning community.

Our goal is to support teaching and learning by making connections to authentic Aboriginal resources and the new curriculum.

The site is organized around the four elements of the Aboriginal Enhancement Agreement. Please browse through the content or use the Search* tool. (*The Search tool will take you to the page where that resource is stored. Click on the page title, then scroll down the page to find the specific topic/resource.)

Wherever possible, we are indicating recommended grade levels for the resources. This is a collaborative work-in-progress, so please visit often for updates and more information. Don't forget to follow us on Twitter @SWSW Library!
2014/2019 SD 75 Aboriginal Enhancement Agreement

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The Siwal Si'wes Library is honoured to share this digital collection of resources with the Mission Public School District learning community. Our goal is to support teaching and learning by making connections to authentic Aboriginal resources and the new curriculum. The site is organized around the four elements of the Aboriginal Enhancement Agreement.

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College of Alberta School Superintendents website

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College of Alberta School Superintendents website

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Within the College of Alberta School Superintendents website (CASS) is a link to Learning from the Land. This website link helps to provide information about the, “importance of learning with the land, led by Indigenous Peoples.” In this section there is a short video discussing the diversity between First Nations, Metis and Inuit peoples and their connection to the land and helping students to understand land based learning, history and culture. Beyond the video, you can also find information on topics such as: Connection to the Land, Traditional/Ancestral Territory, Forced Disconnection, First Nations Culturally Significant Sites as well as the Inuit, Metis and Survive and Thrive. At the end of the page there are some powerful questions to reflect on which I found relevant to consider with my project focus or for anyone seeking out further information on land based learning: “What opportunities are available to staff and students within your jurisdiction to engage in learning from the land led by local Indigenous Peoples? How can learning on the land be woven into current practices within your jurisdiction? What are you doing in your district to support land-based learning for staff and students? What funds, policies, and procedures are in place to support learning from the land through an Indigenous context?” If you look further into the CASS website, there are also links to Reconciliation, Treaties and Agreements, Indigenous Education as well Indigenous Language.

CASS.(n.d). Learning from the Land. CASS: College of Alberta School Superintendents.  https://cass.ab.ca/indigenous-education/learning-from-the-land/

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College of Alberta School Superintendents

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In this TEDx Talk, Rebecca Thomas speaks about Etuaptmumk or Two-Eyed Seeing (8:34min) and how it came to be and later puts it together in a spoken word poem (11:10min). Etuaptmumk is about having one eye focused on Indigenous knowledge and ways of knowing and the other eye focused on Western knowledge and understanding and then bringing those eyes together so that all can benefit from this combined knowledge.

Rebecca Thomas identifies as being a Mi’kmaw First Nation person. She is a spoken word poet and is also the Coordinator of Aboriginal Student Services at the Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC). Rebecca shares how residential schools affected her own history and language and how she can share her voice of her culture with the public through education. In the information section below the TED TALK is a statement that she, “Believes that the arts and poetry can help people heal in ways beyond traditional therapies, “ and has stated, “Poetry can give a voice to the voiceless. Poetry can make a powerless person feel powerful. This is why I speak.”

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Etuaptmumk: Two-Eyed Seeing | Rebecca Thomas | TEDxNSCCWaterfront

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National Indigenous History Month is when we recognize the “history, heritage and diversity” of the First Nations, Metis and Inuit people in Canada. One website that is very easy to locate is under the Government of Canada. Although not specifically connected to resources for the classroom, there are quite a number of resources and links for information on First Nations, Metis and Inuit peoples. The website resource does break down the resources into four categories. One is on Read, where you can find ebooks and resources pertaining to culture, language, the land and history. I did notice right away the Indigenous Peoples Atlas of Canada, that we have in our own school library. The next section is on Listen, where you can find lots of podcasts on a variety of topics such as storytelling, languages and on reconciliation. The third section is Watch, and here you can view videos and films on Indigenous people and arts. Finally, the fourth section is on Try, and in this section you can try out some interactive resources as well as some other creative activities.

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COVID-19: Update on commemorations

Due to the seriousness of the COVID-19 crisis, the Government of Canada invites Canadians to commemorate this year's National Indigenous History Month and National Indigenous Peoples Day from home. Keep yourself, your family and your community safe by following instructions from health officials and other trusted, reliable sources.

In June, we commemorate National Indigenous History Month 2021 to recognize the history, heritage and diversity of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples in Canada.

Indigenous History-Makers

Learn about inspiring Indigenous peoples who have helped shape Canadian history.

National Indigenous Peoples Day

On June 21, commemorate the heritage, diverse cultures and outstanding achievements of First Nations, Inuit and Métis!

Topics

Learn more about the rich and diverse cultures, voices, experiences and histories of First Nations, Inuit and Métis people through these interactive resources.

Free promotional and educational materials for children and adults.

Learn about National Indigenous History Month.

Learn about the history of Indigenous peoples in Canada, Indigenous contributions to the War of 1812, reconciliation and more.

Find out about Canada's commitment to implement this declaration.

Learn how the Government of Canada is responding to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's 94 Calls to Action.

Help identify First Nation, Inuit and Métis and Inuit individuals, enrich Canada's historical records and connect community members with their past.

Featured video

Join in the conversation

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Due to the seriousness of the COVID-19 crisis, the Government of Canada invites Canadians to commemorate this year's National Indigenous History Month and National Indigenous Peoples Day from home. Keep yourself, your family and your community safe by following instructions from health officials and other trusted, reliable sources.

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Indspire is a charity organization that focuses on supporting and furthering the education of First nations, Inuit and Metis high school students. They provide free online education programs that provide the students with access to culture and customized resources and mentorship. Their vision is to, “Enrich Canada through Indigenous education and by inspiring achievement. In partnership with Indigenous, private and public sector stakeholders, Indspire educates, connects and invests in First Nations, Inuit and Métis people so they will achieve their highest potential.” This resource looks promising as a balance between online learning and cultural connections with high school students. I found while investigating their resources that they also work with communities to provide educational outcomes that “feature some of the best practices in Indigenous education,” that are engaging, inspiring as well as educational.

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Rivers to Success

The Rivers to Success (R2S) program, with its unique three streams and customized cultural resources, will provide a strong support system to ensure the sustained success of Indigenous students as they graduate and go on to become the leaders of tomorrow.

In R2S, students will have access to Elders, Indigenous mentors, Indigenous Laureates, and Indigenous Building Brighter Futures alumni. Connecting with these resources will enable students to prioritize their own development, seek out exciting opportunities, and ultimately achieve success in their chosen fields - all while maintaining essential connections to their cultures and communities.
Learn more about Rivers to Success

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Indspire | A richer life for Indigenous youth starts here

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Indspire is a nationally registered charitable organization dedicated to raising funds to deliver programs that provide the tools necessary for Indigenous peoples in Canada to achieve their potential.