Tag Archives: Indigenous

Module 1 Post 5: The Salmon Bears Learning Guide

Description:

A detailed learning resource guide for the book, The Salmon Bears by Ian McAllister and Nicholas Read.

There are pre and post discussion questions, which facilitate and reinforce learned themes and concepts. Each lesson is structured to help teachers prepare for respective classes. A short description, listed materials, extension activities, and related websites are provided in each chapter.

The learning guide is divided into seven chapters:

Chapter 1: A Magical Place

Chapter 2: Winter

Chapter 3: Spring

Chapter 4: Summer

Chapter 5: Fall

Chapter 6: Winter Again

Chapter 7: What the Future Might Hold

 

Link: http://orcabook.com/greatbearbooks/pdfs/thesalmonbears-teachersguide.pdf

 

Module 1 Post 4: First Voices

Description:

An interactive online Indigenous teaching resource. Online dictionary of the majority of BC First Nations languages.  The site includes Indigenous language resources; writing systems, videos, recordings, photos. Recently, FirstVoices have been developed into an app that works for iOS and Android devices. The app contains First Nations language in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, plus many languages in the USA.

Link: https://www.firstvoices.com/

Module 1 Post 3: Lessons of Our Land

Description:

A highly useful website with structured lesson plans that work for Pre-K to Grade 12. Each lesson has an achievement goal, teacher background, teacher resources, student activity, evaluation, and lesson resources. PDF links are active and embedded in each lesson plan. My favorite lesson is “Wild Rice” where students learn the value of wild rice to the Ojibwe people. I was able to adapt the lesson to both Science and Social Studies.

Link: https://www.lessonsofourland.org/

 

Module 1 Post 2: Science First Peoples

Description:

Highly recommended as a useful start to help new Science teachers embed Indigenous perspectives in the classroom. The resource guide is designed for grade five to nine, but applicable to higher grades.

Resources and lessons reflect the First Peoples Principles of Learning.

  • Learning ultimately supports the well-being of the self, the family, the community, the land, the spirits, and the ancestors.
  • Learning is holistic, reflexive, reflective, experiential, and relational (focused on connectedness, on reciprocal relationships, and a sense of place).
  • Learning involves recognizing the consequences of one’s actions.
  • Learning involves generational roles and responsibilities.
  • Learning recognizes the role of indigenous knowledge.
  • Learning is embedded in memory, history, and story.
  • Learning involves patience and time.
  • Learning requires the exploration of one’s identity.
  • Learning involves recognizing that some knowledge is sacred and only shared with permission and/or in certain situations.

Link: http://www.fnesc.ca/science-first-peoples/

Module 1 Post 1: A Journey Into Time Immemorial

Description:

A virtual interactive tour situated in f Xá:ytem Longhouse in Mission BC. Created by Simon Fraser Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology. Students are able to view and interact with the displayed natural world. Key facts and terms such as family relationships, dynamics, potlatch, spiritual beliefs, trade relations, tools, technology, hunting, and housing are described in detailed statements. There are a series of short videos that help students better understand the learning context.

Link: http://www.sfu.museum/time/

FNESC – First Peoples Principles of Learning #3

http://www.fnesc.ca/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/PUB-LFP-POSTER-Principles-of-Learning-First-Peoples-poster-11×17.pdf

The First Peoples Principles of Learning has been developed by the First Nations Education Steering Committee (FNESC).  The purpose of this document it to have teachers reflect on how to approach the inclusion of Indigenous perspectives in a respectful and holistic way.

All these principles speak to me, but one that I constantly connect with is: “learning involves generational roles and responsibilities”.  I honour my elders and knowledge keepers who help guide me in the important work I am doing as the Indigenous Education Consultant for the Vancouver School Board.

I have shared this document with teachers, and they have embraced it, using it to help guide them in planning and facilitating Indigenous perspectives and content within BC’s new revised curriculum.

First Voices #1

https://www.firstvoices.com/

With the push to save endangered Indigenous languages, this site has been designed to archive and record as well as engage in cultural revitalization by providing teaching resources for Indigenous language learners.

This site is still in beta preview and is an improvement over the old version of the site.  It has been developed with the input of over 50 community partners.

You can choose to listen to the recorded words, play a game, there even is a “Kids Portal” which includes, words, phrases, games, songs & stories for student learning.  The Kids Portal can be accessed here:  https://www.firstvoices.com/kids/FV/sections/Data/

POST 1 – Unraveling the Genetic History of a First Nations People – David Loti

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/mapping-history-first-nations-people-through-their-genes-180968899/

Visited 5 September 5 2018

Ryan P. Smith reports on Emory University genetic anthropologist John Lindo’s examination of the genetic history of Tsimshian DNA of Prince Rupert Harbour, Canada:

“the population of the ancient Tsimshian people was in decline long before the arrival of Europeans. Slowly and steadily, since their first settlement in modern Canada, the Tsimshian had been decreasing in number, not expanding as one might presume . . . all Native American peoples have their own stories to tell, and academics do a disservice when they proffer sweeping assertions.”

In short, this is an example of an Indigenous people who were in decline before the arrival of Europeans, which indicates the complexity of teaching historic narratives.