Indigenous Curriculum Related Resources by Meipsy Shackleford https://padlet.com/meipsyshack/2gauyzm3ihh6jjdp Here are some Alberta curriculum resources. Please scroll through and leave a comment on how you have used the resource in your practice or that you would like to use in your teaching practice. en-us 2021-08-04 00:56:52 UTC 2025-10-09 14:47:54 UTC hello@padlet.com Walking Together meipsyshack https://padlet.com/meipsyshack/2gauyzm3ihh6jjdp/wish/1668320365 The Walking Together resource focuses on First Nations, Metis, and Inuit Perspectives in the Alberta Curriculum. Some of the topics you can explore are Connection to the Land, Treaty Rights, Elders and Culture and Language to name a few. I explored the topic of Oral Traditions to see just what was available and how the voice of Oral Traditions is represented. The link allows the user to, “Develop an understanding of stories that preserve and reinforce the oral traditions of Inuit, Métis and First Nations people.” From this link there is a small collection of videos that showcase stories and there are further weblinks to storytelling. This seems to be a rich resource on many topics that help to understand curriculum perspectives on First Nations, Metis and Inuit. 


]]> 2021-08-04 01:01:08 UTC https://padlet.com/meipsyshack/2gauyzm3ihh6jjdp/wish/1668320365 Walk With Us meipsyshack https://padlet.com/meipsyshack/2gauyzm3ihh6jjdp/wish/1668322086 The Walk With Us Project was developed by a former teacher in Ontario “to help students in remote First Nation communities showcase their hometown and tell their childhood stories through the use of Google Maps Street View.” Essentially the Walk With Us project breaks itself down in two ways. The first is by connecting First Nations communities in a visible Google Map. The interactive map allows you to upload 360’ images of your school and community and once you have uploaded the images you are now part of the map. This allows anyone to visit the communities and learn more about them.The other part of the project is to work with students to help create these visual tours of their communities for storytelling.The, “Students are the historians by interviewing Elders and teaching others about where they live in an immersive and engaging way.” This is a great way to connect communities together and to allow stories to be shared from those communities as well as understanding more about those communities. 


]]> 2021-08-04 01:03:20 UTC https://padlet.com/meipsyshack/2gauyzm3ihh6jjdp/wish/1668322086 LRSD First Nations, Metis and Inuit Success Coordinator. meipsyshack https://padlet.com/meipsyshack/2gauyzm3ihh6jjdp/wish/1668326022 Livingstone Range School Division’s First Nations, Metis and Inuit Success Coordinator, Sandra Lamouche. She is a Cree Hoop Dancer, educator as well as a wife and mother. In our school division, Sandra works with staff and students on First Nations history, culture and ways of knowing. Sandra also works with schools to not only teach hoop dancing but also to share oral stories, plan lessons, connect with elders and support teachers in a deeper understanding of First Nations, Metis and Inuit cultures. Sandra, “Uses hoop dance teachings to inspire others to live in balance and harmony with themselves, their friends and family, and with the environment. She uses hoop dance teachings to inspire others to live in balance and harmony with themselves, their friends and family, and with the environment.”

]]> 2021-08-04 01:07:54 UTC https://padlet.com/meipsyshack/2gauyzm3ihh6jjdp/wish/1668326022 Alberta Teacher Quality Standards meipsyshack https://padlet.com/meipsyshack/2gauyzm3ihh6jjdp/wish/1668327949 Within the Alberta Teacher Quality Standards (TQS), are six competencies that teachers must meet to hold an Alberta teaching certificate. The six competencies are: Fostering Effective Relationships, Engaging in Career-Long Learning, Demonstrating a Professional Body of Knowledge, Establishing Inclusive Learning Environments, Applying Foundational Knowledge about First Nations, Métis and Inuit and Adhering to Legal Frameworks and Policies. 

Specifically when we look at Applying Foundational Knowledge about First Nations, Métis and Inuit, a teacher develops and applies foundational knowledge about First Nations, Métis and Inuit for the benefit of all students. The “Achievement of this competency is demonstrated by indicators such as: a. understanding the historical, social, economic and political implications of: • treaties and agreements with First Nations; • legislation and agreements negotiated with Métis; and • residential schools and their legacy; b. supporting student achievement by engaging in collaborative, whole school approaches to capacity building in First Nations, Métis and Inuit education; c. using the programs of study to provide opportunities for all students to develop a knowledge and understanding of, and respect for, the histories, cultures, languages, contributions, perspectives, experiences and contemporary contexts of First Nations, Métis and Inuit; and d. supporting the learning experiences of all students by using resources that accurately reflect and demonstrate the strength and diversity of First Nations, Métis and Inuit”


]]> 2021-08-04 01:10:11 UTC https://padlet.com/meipsyshack/2gauyzm3ihh6jjdp/wish/1668327949 Empowering the Spirit meipsyshack https://padlet.com/meipsyshack/2gauyzm3ihh6jjdp/wish/1668340451 The Empowering the Spirit website focuses on sharing resources to provide a better understanding “to increase awareness, understanding and application of First Nations, Métis and Inuit histories, perspectives and ways of knowing for the purpose of implementing treaty and residential schools education and Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action for education.” Within the website, there are resources such as lesson plans, land based learning, videos, tool kits, teacher professional development and lots of links to other websites to support schools in applying Indigenous knowledge into the classroom. ]]> 2021-08-04 01:23:19 UTC https://padlet.com/meipsyshack/2gauyzm3ihh6jjdp/wish/1668340451 Weaving Ways Video Series meipsyshack https://padlet.com/meipsyshack/2gauyzm3ihh6jjdp/wish/1668343433 The Weaving Ways Video Series is found within the Empowering the Spirit website that I shared in my third post. I wanted to build upon the previous post as this resource site has so much to offer. This resource is found under the Classroom Supports tab on the Empowering the Spirit website. The resource is built around four interconnected quadrants of: Cultures of Belonging, Sharing Through Story, Pedagogy and Instructional Design. I found this particular part to be useful as it provides videos on Alberta teachers providing examples of how they create lessons to weave in Indigenous ways of knowing with their current practice. There are currently three videos available each with a different focus on different grade levels (elementary, middle school and high school). The video series also accompanies the Weaving Ways Introductory Guide as well as the Weaving Ways of Knowing in Classrooms and Schools Conversation Guide which can help support teachers and schools in going deeper with the video series.

Empowering the Spirit website: https://empoweringthespirit.ca/classroom-supports/]]> 2021-08-04 01:26:26 UTC https://padlet.com/meipsyshack/2gauyzm3ihh6jjdp/wish/1668343433 Building Brains Together meipsyshack https://padlet.com/meipsyshack/2gauyzm3ihh6jjdp/wish/1668347587 Building Brains Together website main mission of the is, “to build adult capabilities to improve brain development and executive functions in children through research and education.” The part of the website that drew me to take a closer look was the area on Resources. Under the resource links, you can find Blackfoot Songs as well as Indigenous Games.  “The Indigenous Games takes all people into account with great consideration to recognize other’s beliefs and practices. There isn’t a right way or wrong way to play the games, just different ways that reflect different societies.”
Building Brains Together, (n.d.). Blackfoot children’s songs. Building Brains Together. https://www.buildingbrains.ca/blackfoot-songs

Building Brains Together, (n.d.). Indigenous games. Building Brains Together. https://www.buildingbrains.ca/indigenous-games
]]> 2021-08-04 01:30:55 UTC https://padlet.com/meipsyshack/2gauyzm3ihh6jjdp/wish/1668347587 Glenbow Museum meipsyshack https://padlet.com/meipsyshack/2gauyzm3ihh6jjdp/wish/1668350112 Within the Glenbow Museum website, there are links to the Indigenous Exhibitions as well as to a Learning Resource section. Within the Learning Resource section you can find protocols to support teachers in teaching First Nations students as well as access to instructional units and other resources to support lesson planning through the Teacher’s Toolkit. All the units provided have been designed to work with the Blackfoot Virtual Exhibit activities and provide cultural and historical resources, strategies for assessment as well as various activities. When you access the Blackfoot Virtual Exhibit there are three language options: English, French and even Blackfoot. There are also four main sections of focus: How we lived with the buffalo, How we lived with the land, How we lived with our families and How we lived with other people. These are great topics that can be used when teachers are planning their lessons and I can see an extension to fit into Place Based Learning. Beyond that there are also links to Treaties, The Whiskey Trade, Reserves, Residential Schools, Language etc. 


]]> 2021-08-04 01:33:26 UTC https://padlet.com/meipsyshack/2gauyzm3ihh6jjdp/wish/1668350112 Stepping Stones meipsyshack https://padlet.com/meipsyshack/2gauyzm3ihh6jjdp/wish/1668352278 Stepping Stones resource helps to support teachers to learn and understand First Nations, Métis and Inuit Foundational Knowledge competencies. One Stepping Stone publication that I wanted to focus in on is the one on Traditional Plants. This publication would be a great resource to help teachers weave in traditional plants into their place based lessons. The publication discusses different types of plants and their uses and even goes further to discuss smudging. One question that stood out from the publication was: How does understanding traditional plants and uses assist educators to build respectful relationships and create inclusive environments?


]]> 2021-08-04 01:35:41 UTC https://padlet.com/meipsyshack/2gauyzm3ihh6jjdp/wish/1668352278 Our Words, Our Ways: meipsyshack https://padlet.com/meipsyshack/2gauyzm3ihh6jjdp/wish/1668354301 Our Words, Our Ways: Teaching First Nations, Metis and Inuit learners is a resource guide put out by Alberta Education. It is a bit dated (2005) but one of the main things that drew me to this resource was that it was created to support how Aboriginal students learn as well as a variety of strategies to help with lesson planning. As I am looking for ways to support bringing in western and traditional ways together through place based learning, I thought this resource would be helpful. Within the resource you can find information about Aboriginal cultures, history, perspectives, strategies such as rubrics and ideas to help support teachers in meeting the needs of Aboriginal students when they are planning for their lessons. Aboriginal Elders, teachers and psychologists as well as other members of Alberta’s Aboriginal communities helped to contribute to the making of this resource guide and it is aimed to support administrators, teachers, school staff, counselors and even liaison workers.]]> 2021-08-04 01:37:54 UTC https://padlet.com/meipsyshack/2gauyzm3ihh6jjdp/wish/1668354301 Alberta Grasslands meipsyshack https://padlet.com/meipsyshack/2gauyzm3ihh6jjdp/wish/1668356132 Alberta Grasslands: A World at Your Feet is a teacher resource put together by Alberta Environment. This guide is aimed for grades 7-9 and the focus of the guide is to provide resource material focused at, “Increasing students awareness, understanding, and appreciation for the native grassland ecosystem of Alberta.” Within the resource students are introduced to the history, biology and geography of the grasslands of Alberta. This resource also discusses, The Ways of the Aboriginal People as well as Aboriginal Uses of Plants, both of which would work well within a place based lesson plan. Teachers will have access to posters to help introduce students to the landscape with embedded information about the grasslands, as well as a Teacher’s Guide with Activity Masters. The resource guide focuses on six learning objectives: learn about Alberta’s geological formation, study aboriginal connections to the grasslands, discover the inter-relationships of grassland organisms, learn about basic grassland ecological processes,  explore current environmental issues and  apply new knowledge to conserve and protect the environment.]]> 2021-08-04 01:39:46 UTC https://padlet.com/meipsyshack/2gauyzm3ihh6jjdp/wish/1668356132 Infusing Indigenous Knowledge into Curriculum meipsyshack https://padlet.com/meipsyshack/2gauyzm3ihh6jjdp/wish/1668358079 Infusing Indigenous Knowledge into Curriculum website focuses on the Alberta Curriculum for grades 1-6. The resources on the website were developed by the Alberta Regional Professional Development Consortia (ARPDC) and appear to have been recently developed in June 2020. The website's resources are broken down into grade levels as well into four different seasons to help identify Essential Learning Outcomes for each core subject level throughout the school year. Looking through the site, you can find examples of the Essential Learning Outcome and ways to infuse Cree ways of knowing to support land based learning in Alberta through information charts. The charts are broken down with the Subject, the Big Idea, Learning Outcomes and ways to infuse the ways of knowing. This looks like a great place to start breaking down the Learning Outcomes and weave in Indigenous content that could transfer to palace based learning. ]]> 2021-08-04 01:41:30 UTC https://padlet.com/meipsyshack/2gauyzm3ihh6jjdp/wish/1668358079 First Nations, Metis and Inuit Professional Learning meipsyshack https://padlet.com/meipsyshack/2gauyzm3ihh6jjdp/wish/1668359753 First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Professional Learning website offers opportunities for professional learning as well as curricular resources to support professional learning. There are numerous resources found on the website from videos, to digital resources for creating lesson plans. The resources and support tools focus on the four pillars (Learning to Be, Learning to Know, Learning to Do, Learning to Relate) of professional learning that were inspired by the UNESCO Pillars of Education. There is a How and When to Use the First Nations, Metis and Inuit Professional Learning Website Guide that, “highlights the features of this website and stimulates learning, conversation, critical reflection, and the development of implementation approaches and strategies.” The website has much to offer in ways of professional learning as well as education resources in lesson planning. ]]> 2021-08-04 01:43:11 UTC https://padlet.com/meipsyshack/2gauyzm3ihh6jjdp/wish/1668359753 Nitsitapiisinni Stories and Spaces meipsyshack https://padlet.com/meipsyshack/2gauyzm3ihh6jjdp/wish/1671313902 This website resource explores Kainai plants and culture as well as the sharing of oral stories about plants, the land and connection with the Kainai.]]> 2021-08-06 19:29:00 UTC https://padlet.com/meipsyshack/2gauyzm3ihh6jjdp/wish/1671313902