Learning Task #3 Artefact: Indigenous Education Resource List

Blake Doucet - Lewis

Cassandra Boland

Derek Meeuwisse

Maxcia Selway

Sanaa Gangji

EDUC 530: Indigenous Education

University of Calgary

October 27th, 2020

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Table of Contents

Literature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Mathematics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Social Studies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Music . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Physical Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Science . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Contact Us . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Literature
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Resources collected by Indigenous Education supporter, lifelong learner, English Language Arts and ELL
Specialist, Maxcia Selway.

Literature is a great way for students to learn and identify with culture and traditional stories. The literature
in our classrooms should not only represent our students' cultural background, but it can also be a bridge to teaching
about different cultures and experiences. Some of the following are examples of important resources to have in our
classrooms. I have provided links to read aloud videos so you can see inside the books and listen to the stories.

Elementary Resources:
● Robertson, D. A. (2017). When we were alone. Portage & Main Press. (K-3)
○ This is a story about a young girl who helps her grandmother in her garden and begins to notice things
about her. As she begins to have conversations with her grandmother, her grandmother shares her
experiences about residential school. This is a beautiful, colourful picture book.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeaS6vlPUSk
● Florence, M. (2017). Stolen words. (K-3)
○ A story about a little girl and her grandfather and how his language was lost through the residential
school system. The little girl goes on a journey to find her grandfather's language and heal his loss.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4TA88cz7HU
● Kalluk, C. (2018). Sweetest Kulu. Inhabit Media. (pre K-K)
○ A beautifully illustrated book that speaks about the gifts given to a newborn baby by the animals.
● Bouchard, D., & Vickers, R. H. (1990). The elders are watching. Eagle Dancer Enterprises.(K-4)
○ A book that combines both poetry and imagery and a plea to respect the land, to protect our
environment. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pQftknij8k
● Syliboy, A. (2015). The Thundermaker. Nimbus Publishing (CN). (K-4)
○ A father teaches his son the importance of making thunder for the people and through this journey, the
boy learns the ways of his Mi'kmaw identity.

Middle Grade Resources:

● Jones, A. G. (2018). Fire song. Annick Press. (13+)
○ When Shane's sister commits suicide, it is left to him to take care of his family. His opportunity to
attend university is in jeopardy and he is faced with the decision to choose his own life and freedoms,
or being bound to the home and his responsibilities.
● Mills, A. (2019). The ghost collector. Annick Press.(10+)
○ Shelley catches ghosts with her grandmother. They help the ghosts that are stuck between worlds on to
the next life, but when Shelley's mother dies suddenly Shelley begins hoarding the ghosts.
● Pauls, C. (2019). Dakwäkãda warriors.(10+)
○ A graphic novel about two earth protectors saving the world from foreign, cyber enemies. A bilingual
novel written in part to preserve the ancestral language of Southern Tutchone.
● Spillett, T. (2019). Surviving the city. Portage & Main Press. (12+)
○ A graphic novel that deals with murdered and missing aboriginal girls and women. One
that focuses on friendship, resilience and trust.

Mathematics
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Resources collected by Indigenous Education supporter, lifelong learner, and Elementary Specialist, Cassandra
Boland.
Indigenous Professor’s Love for Mathematics
Glanfield, F. (2014, July 09). 'The truth about stories': Yes, I am Aboriginal and I enjoy mathematics. Retrieved
October 20, 2020, from http://www.ideas-idees.ca/blog/truth-about-stories-yes-i-am-aboriginal-and-i-enjoy-
mathematics
● The Story: An Indigenous educator’s telling about their connection between Indigenous ways
of knowing, place, and their love for math.
● The Why: Although there are preconceived notions that mathematics is too linear and rigid to
be integrated into more cyclical ways of knowing, this Professor, from the University of
Alberta, illustrates how this could not be further from the truth and that there are natural
connections made in the world to that of math.
Grade 6 Ready-to-Use Interdisciplinary Indigenous Math Lessons
University of Toronto. (2019, October 8). First nations and Stereotypes in math (6 lessons in total). Retrieved
October 20, 2020, from https://cus.oise.utoronto.ca/First_Nations_and_Stereotypes_in_Math.html
● The Story: If you are specializing in Elementary Education, like some of our group members,
this lesson plan curated by the University of Toronto is a great grab-and-go resource to build
your own Grade Six mathematics lesson plan in connection to Indigenous Education.
● The Why: Combat stereotypes about Indigenous Ways of Knowing in connection to
mathematics with two subtopics - Stealing the Sun: Surface Area and Rectangular Prisms and
Stereotypes by Numbers: Investigating and Graphing the Representations of FNMI Peoples in
School Library Materials.
Indigenous Math Games
Arnason, K., Maeers, M., McDonald, J., & Treptau, C. (n.d.). Games from the Aboriginal People of North America.
Retrieved October 20, 2020, from http://mathcentral.uregina.ca/RR/database/RR.09.00/treptau1/index.html
● The Story: Throughout a wide array of Indigenous nations, games were played using
symbols for people who did not speak the same language. Many games were symbolic of the
season or place and developed many life skills. Taking a closer look, these games included
basic math skills, patterns, relationships, and numbers.
● The Why: Develop problem solving skills while building upon your students’ knowledge of
traditional Indigenous Ways of Knowing.
Indigenous Knowledge & Mathematics Community Practice
Teach Ontario. Trailer: Indigenous Knowledge & Mathematics Community of Practice. Retrieved October 20, 2020,
from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QOgsSgQIZM&list=PLC-h5KFwALU2nI4lL7gu4xRjSPfDBiX8W
● The Story: These videos created by Teach Ontario demonstrate the connections between
mathematics with Indigenous community practice, the construction of lodges, drumming, and
math found on the land.
● The Why: Students can join along on this visual journey of students and educators making
strong connections between mathematics and Indigenous education. A wonderful authentic
approach to learning that could be a great unit starter!

Social Studies
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Resources collected by Indigenous Education supporter, lifelong learner, and Social Studies Specialist, Sanaa Gangji.
Our Way of Life (Grade Six Unit Plans)
Glenbow Museum. (2020). Niitsitapiisini Teacher Toolkit. Retrieved October 23, 2020 from
https://www.glenbow.org/blackfoot/teacher_toolkit/index.html
● The Story: Includes four instructional units with a focus on Blackfoot culture (Relationship with
the Land, Buffalo, Family and Others) that connect to a virtual exhibit in the Glenbow Museum.
The learning resources also include a topic on Cultural Protocol for teachers and students to be
aware of before starting the units.
● The Why: The unit plans provide an opportunity for students to apply their learnings through
small group activities, which engage students in creative problem solving and collaboration,
reflective activities where students can link content back to their own lives and inquiry problems
that promote critical thinking skills.
We are all Treaty People
Claire Kreuger. (n.d).We are all Treaty People. Retrieved October 23, 2020 from
https://treatypeople.edublogs.org/digital-storytelling/
· The Story: A Grade Three teacher detailing her experiences and lesson ideas integrating
technology and treaty education into her classroom.
· The Why: The blog was founded on one inquiry question: “What does it mean to be a treaty
person?” Claire Kreuger dives into how she taught the concept of treaties using technology such as
videos, podcasts, stop motion and exploring the Idle No More movement, which focused on
housing on reserves in Canada.
The Blanket Exercise
The KAIROS Blanket Exercise. (n.d). Empowering the Spirit. Retrieved October 23, 2020 from
http://empoweringthespirit.ca/kairos-blanket-exercise/.
● The Story: This is an activity that can be used across grades 4-12, allowing participants to gain a
deeper understanding of how colonialism impacted First Nations and Indigenous Rights in
Canada.
● The Why: This exercise is a powerful way for students to understand why reconciliation is
essential as they engage in this activity that provides an overview of history starting from when
Europeans arrived through to the legacies of Residential Schools. The activity acknowledges that
participants may feel different emotions and emphasizes a safe learning space and time for a
discussion after.
Introducing Storytelling
McCue, H. (2013, May 1). The Learning Circle: Classroom Activities on First Nations in Canada - Ages 4 to 7.
Government of Canada; Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada. Retrieved October 23, 2020 from
https://www.rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca/eng/1316530132377/1535460393645
● The Story: A unit overview including specific stories that help to introduce the value of
storytelling to young elementary students.
● The Why: The introduction to Storytelling provides teacher information with ideas of how to use
stories in your classroom. The activities include Cree and Ojibway stories that focus on traditional
and daily life, along with an audio file and discussion questions.

Music
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Resources collected by Indigenous Education supporter, lifelong learner, and Fine Arts Specialist, Blake Doucet-Lewis.

Music Alive Program

National Arts Centre. (n.d.). Music Alive Program. Retrieved October 23, 2020 from https://nac-
cna.ca/en/musicalive/resources
· The Story: Various Indigenous artists and songwriters collaborated to make a place where
teaching guides, language pronunciations, and cultural contexts for the arts could be made public.
· The Why: The teacher’s guides are designed to be used by both Indigenous and non-Indigenous
people to benefit all students. The context around cultural practices can add greater meaning to the
materials.

Nitohta: Listen to Earthsounds

Sewepagaham, S. and Schutz, N (n.d.) Nitohta: Listen to Earthsounds. National arts Centre. Retrieved October 23,
2020 from http://naccna-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/nitohta_guide_eng_final.pdf
· The Story: A teacher resource guide on listening and creating that includes activities for all
grades in music. Features notated Indigenous music and ways to incorporate Indigenous teaching
and ways of knowing into the classroom.
· The Why: Both authors are Indigenous musicians with strong formal classical training, and they
provide both Indigenous and European perspectives. Their guide offers great value and the
examples can be analyzed for students to examine Indigenous music on a deeper level.

Native Drums
Native Drums. (n.d.). Resources, Teachers. Retrieved October 23, 2020 from http://native-
drums.ca/en/resources/teachers/
· The Story: An Indigenous drum resource, directed towards Canadian teachers of grades 4-12. A
collection of free, downloadable, printable teachers’ resources kit, which connects to provincial
curricula.
· The Why: Covers topics from the significance of the drum to oral music. The materials include
lesson plans, exercises, quizzes, and rubrics. There are also interdisciplinary connections with
other topics, such as physics.

Indigenous music and art

Greater Victoria School District (n.d.) Indigenous Education Department, Music & Art. Retrieved October 23, 2020
from https://aned.sd61.bc.ca/teacher-resources/secondary-resources/art/
· The Story: A collection of resources directed towards teachers, with a special emphasis on
context and relevant connections to the curriculum. The resources go beyond music and arts,
making connections with all core subjects as well, plus information around cultural practices and
orange shirt day.
· The Why: The resources cover protocols; art, music, and dance examples; activities; and lesson
plans. Although it is mainly directed towards Victoria treaty lands, the examples, activities, and
protocols may be relevant in Alberta too.
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Physical Education
Resources collected by Indigenous Education supporter, lifelong learner, and Physical Education Specialist, Derek
Meeuwisse.
Indigenous Physical Education Games
Mamele’awt Indigenous Education Centre. (2019). Indigenous P.E. Games. Retrieved 2020, from
https://indigenous.abbyschools.ca/sites/default/filex/Indigenous%20PE%20Games%20Lesson%20Plan%202019.pdf
● The Story: This resource is great for a physical education teacher. It provides clear concise direction
for the games, as well as their purpose and skills the games seek to develop.
● The Why: This will help students have different experiences in class and experience games that
develop skills that Indigenous children need to learn (i.e., how to move through the woods).

How to Include Indigenous Education into Physical Education

Be fit for life. Embedding Indigenous Teaching Into Physical Education Lessons Plans. (2019) Retrieved 2020,
from. http://befitforlife.ca/resources/embeddingindigenousteachings
● The Story: This resource is a creative way to introduce and teach Indigenous Ways of Knowing in the
gym. There are lesson plans that are ready to copy and use right away.
● The Why: It is important to create new experiences as a physical education teacher, and there are
tremendous opportunities to incorporate Indigenous Ways of Knowing through experiential learning.

Culturally Responsive Physical Education

Robinson, D., Barrett, J., & Robinson, I. (n.d.). Culturally Relevant Physical Education: Educative Conversations
with Mi'kmaw Elders and Community Leaders. Retrieved October 22, 2020, from
https://ineducation.ca/ineducation/article/view/260/841
● The Story: This article dives into the needs to understand culturally relevant physical education for
Mi’kmaw students and how it may unfold authentically in education. The year-long study brought in
Elders and community physical education leaders to share in educational conversations.
● The Why: Having good resources alone is not enough for impactful teaching. The teachers need to
understand the material and their students. This article dives past all the lesson plans and provides a
deeper understanding of how one may bring Indigenous Ways of Knowing into the classroom.

Interdisciplinary Indigenous Physical Education Games

Physical Education / Social Studies: K-3. Traditional Indigenous Games. Retrieved October 22, 2020, from
http://elderinthemaking.com/indigenous-games/
● The Story: This is a good grab-and-go resource for physical education teachers, and it includes a vast
array of games that can be used in a class for a small body break.
● The Why: It is important to have a full collection of resources to pull from as a teacher, and this
website provides a lot of authentic Indigenous games that can be used from K - 3.
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Science
Resources collected by Indigenous Education supporter, lifelong learner, and Elementary Specialist, Cassandra
Boland.
Aboriginal Access to Engineering
Queen’s University. (2020). Aboriginal Access to Engineering: Kids. Retrieved October 20, 2020, from
https://www.aboriginalaccess.ca/kids
● The Story: An education website that combines Indigenous education and STEM by
promoting access to role models, interactive videos, events, learning modules and more. This
website can be applied to youth or adult learning.
● The Why: A commitment to increasing the number of Indigenous engineers in Canada.
Coyote Places the Stars
Oliszewski, B. (2012, July 04). "Coyote Places the Stars". Retrieved October 20, 2020, from
https://www.slideserve.com/brygid/coyote-places-the-stars
● The Story: Connecting Eurocentric and Indigenous perspectives on why/how there are stars
in the night sky. Opens conversations about how there are different perspectives and asks
students to engage in the conversation in an authentic way.
● The Why: A ready to use PowerPoint presentation with an interdisciplinary approach to
learning. One may also download additional lessons on this website to apply learnings to an
elementary or junior high classroom setting.
Understanding the Inuit Sky
Virtual Museum Canada. (2020). The Inuit Sky: Universe. Retrieved October 20, 2020, from http://astro-
canada.ca/le_ciel_des_inuits-the_inuit_sky-eng
● The Story: A deep dive into the Inuit mythology and Ways of Knowing when studying the
night sky up North. A beautiful connection and story between how the light first touched
Mother Earth in connection to scientific understandings of how light shines at the North Pole.
● The Why: The Virtual Museum of Canada, managed by the Canadian Museum of History
(CMH), is a heritage organization that aims to connect Canadians to history, diverse stories,
and experiences. This website could be incorporated into an array of studies at a variety of
curriculum levels.
● Students may additionally want to use this Government Canada star finder tool: http://astro-
canada.ca/le_cherche_etoile-star_finder-eng
Aboriginal Contributions & Inventions (Memory Card Game):
The Ministry of Indian Affair. Ottawa (1998). First Nations and Inuit Contributions and Inventions Colouring Book.
Retrieved October 20, 2020, from https://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/cur/socstud/foundation_gr2/blms/2-2-1c.pdf
● The Story: A downloadable matching game of Indigenous inventions that can be printed off
and played in an elementary class.
● The Why: Showcases the many wondrous inventions brought to life by Indigenous peoples
that may have been assumed to be designed by settlers. An opportunity to connect and
appreciate what valuable products or items existed before colonization and are still used
today.
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Have any further questions about connecting Indigenous Education and Ways of
Knowing into your lesson planning? Feel free to contact our Bear Circle group at one of the
below email addresses:

bjclewis@ucalgary.ca
cassandra.boland@ucalgary.ca
derek.meeuwisse@ucalgary.ca
maxcia.selway@ucalgary.ca
sanaa.gangji@ucalgary.ca

Happy learning & planning!