General History
| Books, Fiction | Books, Non-Fiction | Film & Video | Lesson Plans |
Books, Fiction
The Mishomis Book: The Voice of the Ojibway
By Edward Benton-Banai, 2010.
From Amazon.ca: "The Ojibway is one of the largest groups of Native Americans, belonging to the Anishinabe people of what is today the northern United States and Canada. The Mishomis Book documents the history, traditions, and culture of the Ojibway people through stories and myths passed down through generations. Written by Ojibway educator and spiritual leader Edward Benton-Banai, and first published in 1988, The Mishomis Book draws from the traditional teachings of tribal elders to instruct young readers about Ojibway creation stories and legends, the origin and importance of the Ojibway family structure and clan system, the Midewiwin religion, the construction and use of the water drum and sweat lodge, and modern Ojibway history."
Books, Non-Fiction
Their Stories, Our History
This textbook series takes great pains to properly represent First Nations, Métis, and Inuit people, and their roles and perspectives regarding the history of Canada. The first chapter in the grade 7 text also teaches about Aboriginal worldviews and culture. Highly recommended.
Canada’s First Peoples
A text book series.
Aboriginal Peoples – Building for the Future
By Kevin Reed, 1999.
An excellent overview of Aboriginal history in Canada up until 1999. Appropriate for use as a text.
Film & Video
Four part series by APTN entitled, Did you Know? Aboriginal History. YouTube
Segments run approximately 5 minutes long. Includes a straightforward introduction, with a good mix of important and engaging material.
Canadian Aboriginal History: Voices YouTube (4:45 mins).
Includes interviews with Aboriginal people, and displays contemporary culture in a respectful manner.
First Nations and the War of 1812
by the Historica Dominion Institute (3:01 mins).
Ojibwe writer, Drew Hayden Taylor, of Curve Lake First Nations briefly discusses the role of First Nations people in the War of 1812, the impact of the war for the parties involved and archaelogical artifacts associated with the war.
Lesson Plans
Wabanaki: People of the Dawn
This video and learning guide package focuses on the Mi'kmaw people of Nova Scotia.
The Fur Trade: "Jimmy Goes Home"
From the website: "The following lesson plans are designed to help students gain a better understanding of Aboriginal and European contributions to the development of Canada. Comprehension questions draw out some of the pertinent points of the story; a mapping exercise helps students with a spatial representation of the story, and a journal writing exercise gives students a chance to creatively empathize with the characters of the story. Additional activities contrast two different types of aboriginal housing as well as compare bartering to a monetary system of exchange. The story and lesson plans are aimed at grades 4 through 6 and can be used as an integrated unit that incorporates Language Arts, Math, and Social Studies."