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Lesson Plans

My Own Blanket
(Grades K-4) Subject Strands: Language Arts, Social Studies, Visual Arts, Math

The Tipi, The Circle Model, The Powwow: Blackfoot Nation Lesson Plan
(Grades 1-6; Level Primary/Junior) Subject Strands: Language, Social Studies

Four Directions Learning Activity:  Cree Nation Lesson Plan
(Grades 1-6; Level Primary/Junior) Subject Strands: Language, Social Studies

Mi'kmaq Creation Story: Mi'kmaq Nation Lesson Plan 
(Grades 1-6; Level Primary/Junior) Subject Strands: Language Arts, Drama, Social Studies, Science, Health

First Nations Oral Traditions
(Grades 4+) Subject Strands: Language Arts, Social Studies, Drama

Examining Folklore
(Grades 4+) Subject Strands: Language Arts, Social Studies, Dance

Story Telling
(Grades 4+) Subject Strands: Language Arts, Social Studies, Drama

Culminating Projects
(Grades 4+) Subject Strands: Language Arts, Social Studies

Who Am I?
(Grades 4-6) Subject Strands: Language Arts, Social Studies, Visual Arts

First Nations In The Media
(Grade 6) Subject Strands: Social Studies - Heritage and Citizenship, Language Arts - Media Literacy

Collecting Oral History
(Any Grade) Subject Strands: Language Arts, Social Studies

A Critical Challenge Approach to Aboriginal Art
(Any Grade) Subject Strands: Social Studies, Visual Arts, Language Arts

Circle Traditions - Talking Circles
Grade 1; Primary
The Ontario Ministry of Education - The Teacher's Toolkit
Description/Keywords: Students learn the significance of talking circles for Aboriginal people. They participate in classroom talking circles focused on curriculum-related issues or other issues relevant to them.
Talking Circles, Interconnectedness, Equality, Inclusiveness

Respect
Grade 1; Primary
The Ontario Ministry of Education - The Teacher's Toolkit
Description/Keywords: Students develop an understanding of the Aboriginal belief in the importance of respecting oneself, others, and all things.
Creation, Knowledge, Wisdom, Sacred objects

Treaties
Grade 1; Primary
The Ontario Ministry of Education - The Teacher's Toolkit
Description/Keywords: Students learn that promises come in different forms and that it is important to keep promises.
Treaties, Agreements, Federal Government, Promises

Responsibility
Grade 1; Primary
The Ontario Ministry of Education - The Teacher's Toolkit
Description/Keywords:  Students learn about how Aboriginal peoples demonstrate responsibility for themselves, others, and the environment around them. Students make connections to similar ways in which they demonstrate responsibility.
Rights, Property, Shared Environment, Heritage and Citizenship

Naming Ceremony
Grade 2; Primary
The Ontario Ministry of Education - The Teacher's Toolkit
Description/Keywords: Students learn about names and naming traditions, and examine how these and other aspects of culture and community are passed on through the generations.
Heritage, Traditions, Celebrations, Families, Cultures

Seventh-Generation Stewardship
Grade 3; Primary
The Ontario Ministry of Education - The Teacher's Toolkit
Description/Keywords:  Students use the Aboriginal concept of seventh-generation stewardship as a framework for exploring their responsibilities for the land, animals, air, and water for future generations.
Urban, Rural, Natural Environment, Water

What Settlers Learned From Aboriginal People - Food Preservation
Grade 3; Primary
The Ontario Ministry of Education - The Teacher's Toolkit
Description/Keywords:  Students research how food was preserved and stored by early settlers and Aboriginal people, and share the information in a feature article for a children’s magazine.
Early Settlement, Medicinal Plants, Transportation, Hunters, Gatherers, Food Preservation

What Settlers Learned From Aboriginal People - Technology
Grade 3; Primary
The Ontario Ministry of Education - The Teacher's Toolkit
Description/Keywords:  Students research how food was preserved and stored by early settlers and Aboriginal people, and share the information in a feature article for a children’s magazine.
Tools, Technologies, Inventions, Survival

Comparing Media Text - Who Says?
Grade 4; Junior
Ontario Ministry of Education - The Teacher's Toolkit
Description/Keywords:  Students analyse and compare two media texts, one with an Aboriginal perspective and one with a non-Aboriginal perspective.
Perceptions, Texts, Perspectives, Point of View, Audience, Influence, Message

Aboriginal Heros
Grade 5; Junior
Ontario Ministry of Education - The Teacher's Toolkit
Description/Keywords:  Students research an Aboriginal hero and write that person’s biography.
Achievement, Contribution, Recognition, Non-Fiction

Creation Stories - Where We All Come From
Grade 5; Junior
Ontario Ministry of Education - The Teacher's Toolkit
Description/Keywords:  Students read and compare creation stories from various cultures. In groups, they prepare a story for a reader’s theatre presentation.
Origin, Creator, Legends, Myths, Oral Tradition, Beliefs

Stereotypes - Learning To Unlearn
Grade 5; Junior
Ontario Ministry of Education - The Teacher's Toolkit
Description/Keywords:  Students learn to dispel stereotypes of Aboriginal people and use appropriate vocabulary with regard to Aboriginal people and their culture.
Worldview, Perception, Fact, Stereotype, Vocabulary

Talking Circles
Grade 5; Junior
Ontario Ministry of Education - The Teacher's Toolkit
Description/Keywords:  Students discuss a work of literature, using an Aboriginal talking circle.
Equality, Talking Piece, Speaker, Listener

Aboriginal Poetry
Grade 7; Intermediate
Ontario Ministry of Education - The Teacher's Toolkit
Description/Keywords: Students examine a poem written by an Aboriginal poet and prepare and deliver an oral presentation of the poem.
Sensitivity, Cultural differences, Communicate

Gestures and Movement in Aboriginal Dance
Grade 7; Intermediate
Ontario Ministry of Education - The Teacher's Toolkit
Description/Keywords: Students interpret gestures and movements used in Aboriginal dances, verify their interpretations through research, and create a presentation to show what they have learned.
Sensitivity, Cultural differences, Oral communication

Viewpoints in Aboriginal and Mainstream Media
Grade 7; Intermediate
Ontario Ministry of Education - The Teacher's Toolkit
Description/Keywords: Students analyse and compare Aboriginal and mainstream newspapers to determine the differences in their viewpoints.
Different points of view, Interests, Perspectives

The Red River Rebellion
Grade 8; Intermediate
Ontario Ministry of Education - The Teacher's Toolkit
Description/Keywords: Students explore the roles of key individuals and groups in the Red River Rebellion and the impact of the conflict on the development of western Canada.
Causes, Results, Treaty #6

Perspectives in Aboriginal Media
Grade 8; Intermediate
Ontario Ministry of Education - The Teacher's Toolkit
Description/Keywords: Students analyse and compare the perspectives in Aboriginal media texts.
Messages, Evidence, Interpretations

Media Portrayal of Aboriginal Peoples
Grade 11; Senior
Ontario Ministry of Education - The Teacher's Toolkit
Description/Keywords: Students research the ways Aboriginal peoples have been portrayed in the mainstream media such as film and television in the past, and compare these with portrayals in the Aboriginal and mainstream media today.
Perspectives, Biases, Beliefs, Values, Identity

Storytelling: The Art Of Knowledge

This series of lessons introduces students to traditional oral storytelling, focusing on the passing of knowledge and history.  (Level Intermediate/Senior)

Resources

Oyate Criteria for Evaluating Books

The Oyate website offers a comprehensive list of criteria for evaluating literature resources for use in classrooms, both within and without an Aboriginal Education context.  This list is a companion piece to the book "How To Tell The Difference: A Guide to Evalutating Children's Books for Anti-Indian Bias", which includes a list of criteria for evaluating anti-Indian bias on the book website.

Aboriginal Literatures in Canada: A Teacher's Resource Guide

By Renate Eigenbrod, Georgina Kakegamic and Josias Fiddler, 2003.

From the resource guide's Introduction (p.2):  "Aboriginal Literatures in Canada: A Teacher’s Resource Guide serves a double purpose: to encourage the teaching of Aboriginal literature in English high school curricula across the country because Aboriginal students deserve to be taught texts they can relate to and, because non-Aboriginal students should be educated about Aboriginal culture, history and contemporary life through the richness of Aboriginal writing with its innovative uses of the English language."  (Grade 9 and up)

American Indians in Children's Literature (AICL)

by Debbie Reese

From the website: "American Indians in Children's Literature (AICL) provides critical perspectives and analysis of indigenous peoples in children's and young adult books, the school curriculum, popular culture, and society. Scroll down for links to book reviews, Native media, and more..."

Using First Nations Literature in the Classroom

From the website: "This unit consists of four sections. Each section begins with a chart that summarizes the objectives that will be covered in that particular section as well as what types of activities will be used to achieve the listed objectives. Following the summary chart, you will find a description of the activity, samples of how charts (templates) are to be completed and links to any templates."  The website suggests that these lesson plans can be adapted to literature from any culture, so long as the literary resources are available.  From Saskatchewan.

Red on Red: Native American Literary Separatism

by Craig S. Womack, 1999.

Our Fire Survives the Storm: A Cherokee Literary History

by Daniel Justice, 2006.

All My Relations: An Anthology of Contemporary Canadian Native Fiction

by Thomas King, 1990.

The Exile Book of Native Canadian Fiction and Drama

by Daniel David Moses, 2011.

An Anthology of Native Canadian Literature in English

by Daniel David Moses and Terrie Goldie, 2005.

Staging Coyote's Dream: An Anthology of First Nations Drama in English

by Monique Mojica and Ric Knowles, 2003.

Staging Coyote's Dream: An Anthology of First Nations Drama in English, Vol. 2

by Monique Mojica and Richard Paul Knowles, 2009.

Living Our Language: Ojibwe Tales and Oral Histories

by Anton Truer, 2001.

Using First Nations Literature in the Classroom

From Saskatchewan Public Schools

From the website: "This unit consists of four sections. Each section begins with a chart that summarizes the objectives that will be covered in that particular section as well as what types of activities will be used to achieve the listed objectives. Following the summary chart, you will find a description of the activity, samples of how charts (templates) are to be completed and links to any templates."  The website suggests that these lesson plans can be adapted to literature from any culture, so long as the literary resources are available.  (For teachers)

Storytelling: The Art Of Knowledge

This series of lessons introduces students to traditional oral storytelling, focusing on the passing of knowledge and history.

Pursued by a Bear:  Talks, Moologues, and Tales