Running head: RESOURCE EVALUATION 1

First Nations, Metis and Inuit Resource Evaluation

S01- EDUC 530: Indigenous Education
Werklund School of Education
University of Calgary
RESOURCE EVALUATION 2

Executive Summary

The resource we selected was a children’s picture book titled “Lessons from Mother
Earth,” written by Elaine McLeod and illustrated by Colleen Wood. We analyzed this book using
the guided framework "Evaluating Resources About Aboriginal People” from Our Words, Our
Ways: Teaching First Nations, Metis, Inuit Learners which investigates classroom suitability of a
resource with Indigenous content using the following criteria: the reliability of the book’s source,
the cultural and historical authenticity and accuracy of the resource, and the objectivity and
accuracy in language and graphic use (Alberta Education, 2005, pp. 164-166).

Source Reliability
Although this book was not officially recognized by any Indigenous community, the
author, Elaine McLeod, is a teacher born in Mayo, Yukon, and a member of the Na-Cho Nyak
Dun First Nation. We trust she made a sincere effort to communicate Indigenous content in an
authentic, reliable and culturally appropriate manner, respectful of her Indigenous ancestry and
profession as a teacher and author. This resource is further authenticated by the author biography
asserting that “the stories [Elaine Wood] writes were originally told to her children so that they
would know their history and understand their roots.” This book can be applied to a multitude of
educational settings and grade levels, specifically to early elementary curriculum. We feel that
McLeod judiciously selected an illustrator who efforted to represent Indigenous peoples and
culture respectfully and reliably. Colleen Wood’s international reputability and extensive
experience as graphic designer, illustrator and photographer (Strong Nations, 2019, para. 1)
provides some support for this assumption. However, because the illustrator is not Indigenous,
further investigation would be required to ascertain whether her artistic interpretation of
Indigenous content is accurate and culturally appropriate.

Cultural and Historical Authenticity and Accuracy

We believe the resource efforted to accurately reflect Indigenous worldview and ways
of knowing. The story is of an Indigenous grandmother showing her granddaughter her garden.
The reader comes to recognize, through the book’s illustrations, that the grandmother’s garden is
in fact the natural environment around them. The grandmother’s teachings gently guide her
granddaughter to reflect upon our responsibility to care for and respect the land, a concept upheld
by the Indigenous ideology of ‘wholeness’ described by Little Bear (2000) as a flower with four
petals representing strength, sharing, honesty and kindness. These four values are intimately
interconnected and inspire balance which is seen as essential to fulfilling individual
responsibilities to the whole (Little Bear, 2000). This book reflects the value of kindness by
appreciating natures gifts with “love, easy-goingness, praise, and gratefulness” (Little Bear,
2000, p. 79). The value of wholeness is reflected in the grandmother’s narrative of the
generational responsibility to share knowledge and aligns with Little Bear’s assertions that “the
locus of social organization is the extended family” (2000, p. 79) and that Aboriginal education
is responsible for upholding a worldview that sustains wholeness” (Ermine, 1995, p. 110). This
book reflects upon the concepts of sustainability and renewal via the grandmother’s guidance to
“pick just enough [plants],” (McLeod, 2002, p. 11) to respect the rules of the garden, and to
appreciate the uniqueness of each plant and its right to ripen at its own time. This metaphor
represents the ethic of noninterference described by Little Bear (2000) as respecting another’s
pursuit of wholeness, totality and knowledge and recognizing that no one has the right to impose
or interfere with another’s pursuit of this understanding. The term “Mother Earth” is used in the
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book to describe nature authentically reflecting Indigenous ways of knowing, specifically that
“the Earth cannot be separated from the actual being” (Little Bear, 2000, p. 78).

Objectivity and Accuracy in the use of Language and Graphics

We considered this book to be written with an objective lens reflective of Indigenous
worldviews and ways of knowing with no indication of bias against any individual group or
peoples. This is evidenced through the book’s use of the inclusive term “Great Spirit” (McLeod,
2002, p. 21) as opposed to using specific names from individual Indigenous communities that
refer to the same spiritual entity. The graphics in this book supported an honest historical
depiction of Indigenous ways of life without tokenizing Indigenous culture. The use of color is
delightful, and the attire of each character is appropriate for their garden activities.

In short, we conclude that the “Lessons from Mother Earth” picture book is a reliable
resource reflecting Indigenous peoples and culture authentically and respectfully. We are
comfortable with advocating its suitability in classroom settings as an introduction to Indigenous
peoples, cultures and ways of life.

Classroom Applications
“Lessons from Mother Earth” can be used at the secondary level in several ways. Most
directly, the book could be an introduction into Indigenous cultures, traditions and peoples. In
addition to the obvious connections; the concepts of non-interference, honesty, respect and
sharing all are prevalent throughout the book.
This resource may also be utilized as an entry point into a multitude of subjects or units.
Biology and ecology could be tied into the natural cycles of nature and growth regarding the
diversity of plant life. A cooking or nutrition class may use the book to critically examine where
food originates and if we can use something local, natural and available. Additionally, it could
introduce a foraging lesson within this same class.
Moreover, “Lessons from Mother Earth” would also be a great kick off point for
interdisciplinary inquiries on sustainability, waste management, diversity of life or social
responsibility. Secondary students could incorporate core subjects and electives into these
interdisciplinary projects. This resource would be a good hook to start the conversation within
the class using open-ended strategic questions.
On the other hand, “Lessons from Mother Earth” can be utilized in the primary level as
well. As previously mentioned, it is an excellent tool to use as an introduction to Indigenous
culture, traditions and peoples for elementary students. The book can be used as part of the
building of global citizenship that is done throughout K-6 curriculum, building empathy towards
others, and developing students’ knowledge and acceptance of other cultures. “Lessons from
Mother Earth” offers positive examples of sharing and caring supporting the development of
important socialization strategies and skills that can be taught at the primary level.
Furthermore, this book can be used as a resource for opening discussions in many
domains within the social studies and science program of studies, including but not limited to the
development of community, plant growth and lifecycles, and as an entry point into reduce and
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reuse concepts. “Lessons from Mother Earth” can be used as a hook to introduce ecosystems as
well as a pedagogical strategy to introduce students to multiple perspectives, cultural practices
and worldviews allowing them opportunities to explore and challenge the notion that Dominant
Western Ideology is the only valid way of knowing.
RESOURCE EVALUATION 5

References
Alberta Education. (2005). Our Words, Our Ways: Teaching First Nations, Metis, Inuit Learners.
Retreived from https://education.alberta.ca/media/307166/o10.pdf pp.
Ermine, Willie. (1995). “Aboriginal epistemology” in J. Barman, J.& M. Battiste, (Eds.), First
Nations Education in Canada: The circle unfolds. Vancouver: UBC Press. [eBook: Full
text online] http://ebookcentral.proquest.com.ezproxy.lib.ucalgary.ca/lib/ucalgary-
ebooks/reader.action?ppg=122&docID=3412224&tm=1503510739016
Little Bear, L. (2000a). Jagged worldviews colliding. In Battiste, M. (Ed.), Reclaiming
Indigenous voice and vision (pp. 77-85). Vancouver, BC: UBC Press.
McLeod, E. (2002). Lessons from Mother Earth. Canada: Groundwood Books.
Strong Nations. (2019). Colleen Wood. Retrieved from
https://www.strongnations.com/gs/show.php?gs=6&gsd=5914