This study guide will guide students in discussing and reflecting on the injustices and discrimination that the Indian Act has created for First Nations women. Students will also begin to consider how the injustices have a long-term impact on the lives of Indigenous women and girls. What it means to be an Indigenous person will also be reflected on. After watching this film, students should be able to identify and define Mary Two-Axe Earley as a leader of the Canadian women’s rights movement who challenged Canadian laws that discriminated against First Nations women. A follow-up action includes an activity that describes, illustrates, appreciates and honours Mary Two-Axe Earley’s contribution and legacy.

"The purpose of this support material is to assist educators in using collaborative inquiry to engage in conversations and develop actions to deepen their own, their students’ and communities’ understanding of residential school experiences and related issues that affect the process of reconciliation in Saskatchewan.
These materials may be used in a variety of contexts such as staff meetings, professional learning groups, workshops, school councils and community gatherings. The sample conversation questions and actions may also be useful for individual teacher reflection and planning."

Conversation 1 - What is Reconciliation

Conversation 2 - What do we know about SK residential schools?

Conversation 3 - How can we incorporate culturally-responsive practices in our classrooms to honour the Truth and Reconciliation recommendations and calls to action?

Conversation 4 - How can we move forward...?

Additional Supports

Other Projects in SK

Molly finds an old photo of Grandpa as a child and is shocked to see him singing and drumming—Grandpa never sings. Molly learns about Grandpa’s time in a residential school (or a boarding school, as it’s referred to in the episode).

Lesson plans available for K-2, 4-8 and 9-12.

Ce site offre aussi quelques leçons en français.

NFB Education is proud to partner with the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation to help teachers educate students about Indigenous realities during National Truth and Reconciliation Week, as well as throughout the year.

This year, the theme of National Truth and Reconciliation Week is “Remembering the Children,” where we memorialize the children lost to the residential school system and honour Survivors and their families. The expanded program features age-appropriate material for students in Grades 1–12.

All sessions will be held virtually on Hubilo. Registration is required to stream live or pre-recorded sessions and to participate in the Q&A segment. The link for registration is provided on this page.

Reconciliation is about exploring the past and choosing to build a better future. Sharing stories of understanding helps one another to build trust. We want to hear about your moments of reconciliation.

Head to the "Education" Tab to access resources.

Phyllis Webstad explains the story of her experience at Residential School and the origination of Orange Shirt Day in Canada. She discusses the present situa...

Includes:
-origin of orange shirt day
-suggested videos
-activities
-whole school activities
-suggested stories
+ more!

Level 1 - Grade 5+

Learning Outcomes: • I can articulate the purpose of Orange Shirt Day, and how symbols and testimony work to encourage social change. • I can articulate the history of residential schools in Canada and the ongoing intergenerational impact on Indigenous communities.

Essential Questions: • What does Orange Shirt Day symbolize? • What is the Truth and Reconciliation Commission? • What is the work of reconciliation, and what does it mean to you?

This Orange Shirt Day Activity Pack is ready to use in any intermediate (Gr.4-6) classroom to support important conversations around Orange Shirt Day. It includes:PowerPoint Fact files about Orange Shirt Day and Truth and ReconciliationResearch project templateArt activities and more!

Orange Shirt Day activities for K-Grade 3This activity pack is ready to use in any primary classroom and ideal to use with children from Grade 1 up to Grade 3 to support important conversations around Orange Shirt Day. It includes a PowerPoint, fact files, art activities and more! 

The goal of this publication is to honour the 150,000 Aboriginal children across Canada who endured the Indian Residential School system and their families, while educating Canadians about the atrocious history and ongoing legacy of residential schools.

Residential Schools is a three-part podcast series that aims to honour the stories of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Survivors, their families, and communities.

This resource examines:
*Setting the stage for inquiry
*150 Years' relationship
*Research
*Resources

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.

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.

 On August 30, 2022, a Flag Ceremony was held at the Sun West Learning Centre in Rosetown to welcome the Treaty 6, Treaty 4 and Métis Nation flags to Sun West School Division. Welcoming the flags to the Sun West Learning Centre, which is directly adjacent to the Sun West Division Office, recognizes that Sun West is on Treaty territory as well as the School Division’s commitment to the Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, in particular those that relate to education.  The Flag Ceremony was held in conjunction with the first Sun West Administrators Meeting (Principals and Vice-Principals) of the 2022-23 school year and so the Administrators of all of Sun West’s schools participated. Most Sun West schools are within Treaty 6 Territory except for Davidson and Loreburn Central Schools that are in Treaty 4 Territory. The entire school division falls within the Métis Nation Homeland.   

"Making the Shift" is a monthly newsletter by Natural Curiosity. The September 2022 edition features lots of information and activities related to Truth and Reconciliation.

A few of the Educator Resources include:
- Orange Shirt Day Resources
- National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation Residential School Resources
- Truth & Reconciliation Discussion Guide from Scholastics Canada
- Take Me Outside Indigenous Resources
- Residential School Survivor Stories
- And much more!

How to get started, and who can help.
This is a great read!
This article also provides a list of other resources to teach Truth & Reconciliation.