Curated ELA resources for teaching Indigenous Perspectives.
It’s been a long winter in Qyah, and everyone is out of birch syrup. Luckily, Auntie Midge is teaching Molly and Tooey how to tap trees so they can make more...
Painting Spirit Animal Silhouettes with step by step instructions.
There is a free download with the instructions and materials required.
The Science First Peoples Teacher Resource Guides for Grades 5-9 (2016) and Science First Peoples Teacher Resource Guide Secondary (2019) were developed by the First Nations Education Steering Committee and First Nations Schools Association.
These guides support educators integrating the rich body of First Peoples knowledge and perspectives into Science courses and other curricular areas.
Bravery and sacrifice defines our new nation, as war erupts across Europe. Canada, as a British Dominion, joins in the fight - a young country seeking to find its place on the world stage. It’s not long before nearly half a million Canadians, including thousands of Indigenous soldiers, travel to Europe to serve beside their allies in the First World War.
Francis Pegahmagabow
Soldiers of the Soil
The Seven Sacred Laws is a colourful and imaginative animated web series that follows a young boy on an Indigenous rite of passage: a vision quest. On his spiritual journey, he meets seven sacred animals that teach him how we as people should live our lives on Mother Earth
In partnership with The Turtle Lodge International Centre for Indigenous Education and Wellness in Sagkeeng First Nation and IG Wealth Management, Manitoba 150 is honoured to present a series of short animated films on the Seven Sacred Laws. Written by Anishinaabe Elder, Dr. David Courchene, directed by Indigenous filmmaker, Erica Daniels of Peguis First Nation, and created by Manitoba’s Peg City Pictures Inc., the vignettes tell the stories of Indigenous Peoples in their own voices, in a format that is accessible not only for Indigenous people, but for all Manitobans.
The video series goes through the seven sacred teachings in kid-friendly language. There are seven videos, one for each teaching, as well as an overview video. The videos are short and can stand alone without the resource. The resource goes along with each of the videos. Could be paired with Leader in Me or character education.
Included in this resource:
- Space activities and fun experiments to do in the classroom, with youth groups and at home.
- Curriculum-based learning activities on the Moon for Canadian youth and educators.
- Toolkits for educators and youth.
- Indigenous Moon stories and lunar cycle, resources for and about First Nations, Inuit and Métis.
- Digital games, e-book, quizzes, puzzle, podcasts, cutout, 3D printing models.
- Posters, infographics, paper game, models, colouring sheets to download and print.
- Resources for teachers, youth leaders, science centres, museums, community groups and parents.
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Global and Canadian Defenders for human rights have changed societal conditions and provide inspiration for students. The overall goal of Speak Truth to Power Canada is to raise student awareness that advances in human rights come through the actions of individuals.
In this lesson plan on Truth and Reconciliation you will find:
- An interview with Chief Littlechild including his biography.
- Student activities that support the theme of this lesson, including reflection activities on Chief Littlechild’s life experiences, Residential Schools in Canada, the Truth and Reconciliation’s findings and recommendations on how to move forward.
- Three brief community defender profiles to expand the lesson and encourage students to identify with a variety of defenders for human rights.
To support the lesson on Truth and Reconciliation, you will also find:
1. Sections or articles of selected legal instruments that are tied to the theme of Truth and Reconciliation.
2. A student activity that links the Moments in Time timeline of advancements and setbacks in human rights from a Canadian perspective.
You can, of course, choose to use any or all of the suggested student activities.
Warning: All student activities are applicable to Grade 5 to 12 students, with viewer discretion warning. Teachers should review the suggested resources prior to undertaking with their students.
*This set of lessons is also available in Cree.
Welcome to the Teachers’ Resource Guide for Speaking Our Truth: A Journey of Reconciliation by Monique Gray Smith.
The guide follows the book, chapter by chapter, making it easy for teachers and students to dig deeper into the text and make personal connections to the material. Each chapter of the guide features a
summary, essential questions, metaphors for learning, key concepts and vocabulary
and detailed learning activities.
There is bonus material about making art, keeping a journal and doing research. Activities are laid out clearly, with instructions for teachers and for students as they embark together on the journey of reconciliation.
Educational Resources for Justice and Reconciliation
Spirit Bear and Children Make History film (26 minutes)
Spirit Bear and Children Make History read by Dr. Cindy Blackstock
Spirit Bear and Children Make History read in Carrier by Dorothy Patrick
Additional educational resources and links to our initiatives
This booklet is written by Spirit Bear as a youth-friendly guide to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC) 94 Calls to Action.
In 2008, a group called the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) was made. Their job was to listen to stories about residential schools and then write the stories down so we can learn from our mistakes. In 2015, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission announced their 94 Calls to Action. These are 94 activities all governments, courts, businesses, schools, and people living in Canada can do to help fix the mistakes of the past and present so that all children – including First Nations, Métis, and Inuit children – can grow up happy, healthy, safe, and proud of who they are.
This document is meant to serve as a guide as your school begins to write its own land acknowledgement. Writing a land acknowledgement as a collaborative process can be a rewarding and meaningful experience for staff, students, parents and all involved. It is a time to reflect on the history of the land we are on and our relationship to the land. Our current relationship to the land is inextricably intertwined with our relationship with Indigenous Peoples.
Tawow, Welcome to Pow-Wow Country is a collection of photographic artifacts and information dating back to the Indian Act of 1876 as digitalized by Saskatchewan Council for Archives and Archivists. Patricia Deiter describes the history and acceptance of the pow-wow from the early 1900s to the contemporary pow-wow. Also included is information about the various dances and regalia.
This series of lesson plans, built around the first-person narrative of a 12-year-old Inuk boy, will help you and your students appreciate life in the Inuit community of Salluit, in the northern part of Nunavik, Northern Quebec. Although designed for students from 9 to 12 years of age, some of the lesson plans and strategies in this unit can be adapted for other grade levels. Suggested activities and lists of research resources offer exciting and engaging opportunities to learn more about the history, customs and traditions of Inuit in Canada.
The aim of this booklet is to enhance the knowledge of students about the history, cultures and traditions of Inuit and, in particular, those who live in Canada's northern Inuit community of Salluit.
By completing the lessons in this booklet, students will be able to:
- express an appreciation for the strong traditions and unique culture of the Inuit people, in various ways
- describe the various developments that affected Canada's Arctic from its early history to the present
- locate the community of Salluit and its neighbouring Inuit municipalities on a map of Canada
- relate the similarities and differences between life in Salluit and life in their own community.
Through Mala's Eyes...Life in an Inuit Community offers educators opportunities to address provincial learning outcomes in the social studies, history and geography portions of their curriculum. Given the nature of the suggested activities, students will also address learning outcomes in language, the arts and mathematics.
*Audio recordings of student readings are available through the website, but are not hyperlinked in the pdf document.
*With some slight adaptations, this unit can be completed without technology.
In this video, Cree Elder Mary Lee shares tipi teachings that have been passed on to her from her mother and other teachers with whom she has learned during her lifetime.
Early Years Tipi Teachings
Resources by Tipi Pole Value
"Skills Ontario has produced a wide range of videos to showcase the skilled trades and technologies and the amazing opportunities within these fields! Explore below!"
Educational Animated Videos about Trades - playlist
"A Day in the Life" Tours - playlist
Success Stories
Indigenous Role Models
The Trans-Canadian Research and Environmental Education (TREE) project is a citizen science program where students from across Canada join with researchers from the Mistik Askîwin Dendrochronology Lab (MAD Lab) to learn about the stories trembling aspen trees tell and how a synchrotron can be a tool to tell that story. Join us as we explore this new area in research and learn about environments across Canada!
From a scientific perspective with TREE, trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides) are a species of tree that is abundant throughout most of Canada. They also tolerate, even thrive, with much higher levels of toxins in their soil than most other species of trees and can potentially be used to remediate contaminated sites.
From an educational perspective, learning about the life and nutrient cycles of trees, nutrients in soil, and tracking effects on trees over time provides a wealth of opportunity for student education. The TREE program connects with curriculum across several subject areas and grade levels. It provides an interdisciplinary learning experience for students, including local Indigenous knowledge related to the trees, history, and the environment.
Everyone benefits when there is a greater understanding and appreciation of Treaties and the Treaty relationship.
This issue of Canada’s History explores the history of Treaties and the Treaty relationship and is an important first step in sharing First Nations perspectives.
It has been developed with contributors who have helped to incorporate the spirit and intent of Treaty making. The contributors, drawn from across the country, bring expertise and insights that help us to understand the continuing relevance of Treaties and the Treaty relationship.