The Metis people are the founding people of Manitoba, and their culture is a fascinating mix of European and Native traditions - like fiddling and jigging.
4th graders just finished a lesson about totem poles. Students learned about the significance of totem poles and that they were (and still are) made by native tribes who lived in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The big word for this project was stylize. We learned that some artists stylize their work by changing shapes, colors, etc. in order to give their work their own personal touch. Each student created one stylized animal in the style of a real totem pole. (There are some great resources on totem pole parts online here. Unfortunately, I didn't find this until we were almost done with the project!) In the past, I had kids paint the finished product, but I decided to try collage this year after seeing an example from another blog last year. I really like how clean the collage is. More importantly, the students were more successful using collage. My lesson plan can be found here. My keynote for this lesson is here. A PDF version of my keynote can be downloaded here. Feel free to use or modify for your own room!
Canadian History in the News: The past is always a part of the present. This blog series looks at current events and stories that have a Canadian history element to them. The sign above pretty much…
The First Nations of Canada have history that includes rich and vibrant traditions, culture, stories, and artwork. Be inspired for your own art project.
Land Acknowledgement
CBC readers have reached out with questions about Canada’s residential school system and its aftermath following the discovery of what is believed to be the remains of an estimated 215 children at the site of a former residential school in Kamloops, B.C.
Indigenous peoples in Canada do not represent one group or experience, but a multiplicity of perspectives, including those of Inuit, Métis, and First Nations. This education guide uses case studies as a means of exploring the diverse experiences of Indigenous peoples over a wide expanse of time, presenting multiple options for avenues of inquiry.
20 fun outdoor snow and ice activities for kids. Be prepared for those snow days when school is off and kids want to go outside and play.
In 1982, the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms was introduced. This BINGO game helps kids understand what's on the charter and what these rights mean.
One of the darkest parts of Canadian history is the use of residential schools for native children. Let's explore the effects of these schools on students.
If you are studying Canadian history, you might find this timeline handy. It covers the period of time from Confederation to today.
Learning about Indigenous artists in Canada is one of many ways to learn about the different cultures in Canada. Come read more!
This week was Truth and Reconciliation Week in Canada. Although officially recognized over one week, these are conversations and teachings that should happen throughout the school year, not just one week, or one day. Reconciliation is about building relationships and respect, and that just cannot be reduced to a week. I wanted to share some of the activities, readings, and discussions I had with my Grade 5/6 class this year, mainly inspired by this resource, Every Child Matters. After reading the book Trudy's Rock Story, and discussing how Trudy uses rocks to relieve her anger and release her feelings, we decided that making our own Resilience Rocks could help us process some of our feelings about Canada's history, mainly anger and confusion, and by placing them back on the Earth, we could release some of the feelings and remember to act. Tuesday we started painting our rocks orange while I read the story, I am Not a Number. (We used acrylic paint - I would suggest spray paint - we had to do many many coats of acrylic paint, and them still seal them). We also watch a video from residential school survivor, Lillian Elias, and then used orange sticky notes to send her a message. Wednesday we sealed the rocks with an outdoor mod podge. We did this BEFORE they wrote on them, otherwise the sharpie marker would pull the paint off when we wrote. We read the story, When I was Eight, and wrote some more reflections on sticky notes. Thursday was Truth and Reconciliation Day and Orange Shirt Day. For art in the morning, we looked at beautiful examples of Indigenous Art and Artists - current and past. We worked on Canada Goose Drawings, inspired by Benjamin Chee Chee. We chose the Canada Goose because we liked how they inspired flight - and they may have to move or leave for a bit, but they always come back, stronger. I let the students use their laptops to look at different images while they drew their own. These turned out stunningly. Even mine - and I usually struggle with a stick figure. We had been talking about what message we wanted to share on Orange Shirt Day on our Resilience Rocks, and had brainstormed a long list over the week. Some students wanted to apologize, others wanted to send a word of support or strength, and some just wanted to share their beliefs that every child really does matter. We knew we would placing the rocks around our school yard and school community and we wanted to choose something that would inspire continuing to spread this message - that every child matters and why we need to understand why. In the afternoon we took a 2.15 km walk (for the 215 children found in Kamloops) and placed our Resilience Rocks around the school community. As we walked in our orange shirts, we were careful to spread them out around our route so we could share our messages with our small community. I told my students that if they were able, it would be nice to bring their grown-ups to where they placed their rocks earlier, and tell them about our learning and their reflections from the week. Our last day was spent working on the writing reflection, "If I was given a $1000 budget to plan an Orange Shirt Day event at my school, this is what I would do." Again, this was our week of Truth and Reconciliation activities in the classroom, but our conversations won't end at the end of the week. This acknowledgement and promise to learn the truth will continue throughout our whole year of curriculum. If you are looking to add more indigenous-themed books and authors to your classroom, HERE is a good place to get started. How were some ways you observed Truth and Reconciliation week at your school?
This is a project that I just can't quit. I've been doing it for several years now and the work just keeps getting better every year. Someti...
The connection between social studies and art includes different cultures while using art to explore history in new ways. Read more!
Making its premiere on National Aboriginal Day, Historica Canada’s newest Heritage Minute explores the dark history of Indian residential schools and their lasting effects on Indigenous people.
Canadian Printables More Printables Challenge Cards Expand Minecraft Challenges LEGO Challenges Planners & Reports Expand Simple Lesson Planner Unit Study Planner Student Daily Checklists Week in Review / Field Trip Report High School Planner The Plan for Today Curriculum Purchase Planner Book Resale Form Language Arts Resources Expand Book Report & Reading Log English Language […]
Healing the impacts of Residential Schools Between 1831 and 1996, residential schools operated in Canada through arrangements between the Government of Canada and the church. One common objective defined this period — the
2019 Disclaimer: As I'm becoming more informed about cultural appropriation, I've become aware that I probably did not have all the background necessary to do this project justice. With that being said, as art educators we all need to do what is best for our students to meet their needs. Feel free to read on.. but I'm not sure that I would teach this lesson again. To learn more about cultural appropriation in art education, please check out this wonderfully informative article by Artful Artsy Amy. To begin this project I began by showing my 4th graders a powerpoint that I put together that explored the totem poles created by the Pacific Northwest Native Americans. We talked about how the totem poles were typically stylized images of animals that often represented people, events, or even whole communities! We also talked about how animals often have associated human characteristics - for example a dog is loyal, an owl is wise, a fox is sly, etc. After viewing the powerpoint, I had students figure out which animal they thought best represented themselves and practice sketching stylized versions of it on a worksheet I created. I emphasized repeatedly that students should avoid just drawing the outline of their animal, and instead just use the shape of the posterboard itself as the body (this took A LOT of reinforcement for some students). Once students were pleased with their sketch, they were given a piece of 14"x12" white posterboard and redrew their animal onto the board in pencil. This was then traced over in black sharpie. Once the drawing was completed, students used tempera paint to add color to their animals. Once the painting was finished, I used strips of posterboard stapled to the back of their boards to make their pieces 3-dimensional. Students that finished early had the opportunity to use construction paper to add more detail. Once the entire class was finished I assembled the totem poles by stacking the individual components together and taping them.
It's fun to make a souvenir Popsicle Stick Canoe Craft to remember your time at summer camp or on vacation. Add clippings from tour books and maps.
The provinces and territories of Canada have changed since 1867. Here's a fun way to learn when each province or territory became part of this country.
Read Kayak46 they shoot they score by Canada's History on Issuu and browse thousands of other publications on our platform. Start here!
'It’s time that people really listened to what Indigenous people have been saying for years.'
*Updated September 26, 2023* Perfect for Orange Shirt Day!! This meaningful, engaging activity uses primary and secondary Canadian resources to get your students involved in inquiry. Through this activity, the topic of Residential Schools is explored by your students in small groups. Using technology, students search for information and make connections between issues Indigenous groups experienced in the 1800-1900's, and the lasting impact on Indigenous communities today. Included: -11 slides for Inquiry Stations -3 historical photographs to analyze -1 worksheet (3 pages) for students to complete as they rotate stations -1 answer sheet -Detailed instructions for students at each station Please note: This activity requires the wonderfully written and illustrated picture book, "When I Was Eight" by Christy Jordan-Fenton and Margaret Pokiak-Fenton. This book can be found in most school libraries, but it is also available for purchase online. Alternatively, you can also find a read aloud online to accompany these activities.
The Manitoba government and the Treaty Relations Commission of Manitoba said Tuesday it's time for both non-aboriginal and First Nations students to learn about each other, starting with the treaties that form the basis of Manitoba's history.
