This resource provides reconciliation activities for children that educators can do with their class. This guide starts off with introducing reconciliation, the definition, how to learn from Indigenous people, some protocols for inviting Elders into the classroom, how to communicate with parents, a sample letter for educators to send home to parents, and the activity outline that has five activities.
The five activities that are provided in this resource are the medicine wheel, the blanket exercise, memories, keeping promises, and Shannon’s dream. I like how these activities are laid out with an introduction, objectives, information about the activity and why it is important, what the teacher needs to prepare for the activity, alternatives to the activity and how to do it, and even a handout to send to parents. These would be excellent activities to do with my Kindergarten class as they would be able to learn about reconciliation, residential schools, Indigenous spirituality and culture, the relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people, learning about treaties, and about the inequalities in education.
This is a wonderful resource, which I have downloaded. I was warmed to see that someone made an activity honouring Shannen’s hopes and dreams in the “Shannen’s Dream” activity section of the resource you found. In Module 3 Entry 4-“Failing Canada’s First Nations Children,” I had shared a story about “Shannen’s Dream” and it warms my heart to know her dream is becoming true, when I saw how the activity resource shares her story.
I’ve included a clip of Shannen and her story:
Crime Beat TV. (Mar 5, 2016). FULL STORY: Failing Canada’s First Nations Children Retrieved on June 22, 2021 from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhEh-D7IRQc
Thank you for sharing this great find Stephanie!
Hi Stephanie,
Thanks for sharing! Adding this one to my list of resources. I like that the lessons are clearly presented and easy to follow. I’m most interested in the seven sacred teachings medicine wheel learning activity. I’d like to introduce this one to my Grade 2/3 students when we return to school.
Great resource; I will be using this!