A List of Resources to Aid Teaching Towards Reconciliation

High School English and Social Studies  
Lesson and Unit Plan Ideas
1.The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie published September 17, 2007. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/693208.The_Absolutely_True_Diary_of_a_Part_Time_Indian?ac=1&from_search=true
This is a young adult novel written by Indigenous author Sherman Alexie and is based on his own experiences. It is about a teenage boy named Junior who leaves the school on his reservation to attend the all-white town high school. Junior deals with racism as his new school and anger from his friends, family and community back home for leaving.

2. Smoke Signals (1998)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcXDGHLh5qA (trailer)

Smoke Signals is an independent film made by an entirely Indigenous cast and crew, starring Adam Beach. The film follows Thomas and Victor as they journey from their Idaho reservation to collect Victor’s father’s ashes in Phoenix. Along the way, Thomas and Victor argue about what it means to be First Nations and Victor confronts his troubled relationship with his father.

3. The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline published September 1, 2017.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34649348-the-marrow-thieves?ac=1&from_search=true#other_reviews

This is a young adult dystopian novel set in a near future where the only people who can still dream are Indigenous people, and so they are hunted for their bone marrow which is the only cure to dreamlessness. The novel is narrated by Frenchie, a teenage boy who is on the run with a group of First Nations people ranging from small children to Elders.

4. “American Indian Actors Quit Adam Sandler Movie, The Ridiculous Six, Over Offensive Stereotypes”, CBC, April 24, 2015.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/arts/american-indian-actors-quit-adam-sandler-movie-the-ridiculous-six-over-offensive-stereotypes-1.3047152


This article discusses Native American actors that walked off set in protest of offensive stereotypes and language in the script of The Ridiculous Six which was released in 2015. The walk-out was an impressive and unique event in Hollywood history, and this movie is evidence that there are still issues of racism and representation in the industry.

5. “Rooney Mara as ‘Peter Pan’s’ Tiger Lily: A look at the controversy”, Lindsey Bahr, Entertainment Weekly, December 11, 2016
https://ew.com/article/2014/03/13/rooney-mara-tiger-lily-controversy/


This article discusses the controversy that stemmed from Rooney Mara being cast as Tiger Lily in Pan, a Peter Pan re-telling directed by Joe Wright. Rooney Mara is a white woman, and this is one more instance of Hollywood whitewashing and misrepresenting Indigenous people. The article also discusses the complex relationship the character of Tiger Lily has with race.

6. “What Makes the Red Man Red” from Disney’s Peter Pan (1953).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGKnCUnAsus

“What Makes the Red Man Red” is a song from Disney’s animated adaptation of JM Barrie’s Peter Pan. The musical number includes problematic stereotypes of First Nations people and culture.

7. Pocahontas (1995), Disney.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdp1jRKECZ8 (trailer)
Pocahontas is a Disney animated movie that tells the story of Pocahontas and John Smith and deals with European settlers interactions with Indigenous peoples. The movie takes serious liberties with history and has been both criticized and praised for the racial overtones and historical inaccuracies.

8. Birth of a Family directed by Tasha Hubbard and co-written by Tasha Hubbard and Betty Ann Adams, 2017.
https://vimeo.com/206479691 (trailer)


This documentary follows four siblings as they reunite as adults after being separated as children and placed into foster care and adoptive homes during the 60’s Scoop. The documentary explores the siblings relationship to their indigenous culture and the challenges they faced as a result of their misplacement.

9. “Native Activism” by Anthony J Hall on canadianhistory.ca
https://canadianhistory.ca/natives/native-activism#welcome


This article outlines important First Nations activist groups and interests starting from the 1850’s and ending in the early 2000’s. This explains the importance of Indigenous peoples resisting colonial rule and Indigenous people’s work as activists.

10. The Rez Sisters by Tomson Highway, published April 1, 1999
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/45039.The_Rez_Sisters


This play is about seven women travelling to Toronto to attempt to win “THE BIGGEST BINGO IN THE WORLD.” Each woman offers a different perspective of living on a reservation and their individual dreams of escaping it.

11. “We Were So Far Away,” curated by Dr. Heather Igloliorte, 2008.
http://weweresofaraway.ca/survivors/


A digital exhibit that focuses on the Inuit residential school experience. The exhibition includes photos, a timeline of events, a print collection of survivors’ testimonies, and a resource list. (summary taken from Residential Schools: Teacher's Resource Guide: Teacher Kits, Lesson Plans, and Other Resources https://libguides.usask.ca/c.php?g=369189&p=4058775)

12. “Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan Features Cree Othello” by Brent Bosker, July 9, 2015.
https://www.ckom.com/2015/07/09/shakespeare-on-the-saskatchewan-features-cree-othello/


This article is about the Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan performance of Othello which featured a Cree actor as the titular role. The character delivered long monologues in Cree and the play included references to parts of Canadian history including residential schools and the mistreatment of Indigenous women. Bosker focuses on the relevance and importance of this performance for Indigenous actors.


Professional Development Resources

13. Project of Heart
http://projectofheart.ca


Project of Heart contains lesson plans and classroom activities submitted by educators across Canada to support teaching on residential schools. It contains teacher guides, visual aids, and a variety of other materials to assist teachers in building their curriculum. (summary taken from Residential Schools: Teacher's Resource Guide: Teacher Kits, Lesson Plans, and Other Resources https://libguides.usask.ca/c.php?g=369189&p=4058775)

14. “Deepening Our Knowledge: Residential Schools - Ideas for Class Activities and Lesson Plans," University of Toronto. December 7, 2018 (site was last updated).
https://www.oise.utoronto.ca/deepeningknowledge/Teacher_Resources/Curriculum_Resources_%28by_subjects%29/Social_Sciences_and_Humanities/Residential_Schools.html
This website was created by the University of Toronto for resources about Aboriginal education. The site contains lesson plans and activities mostly focused on teaching about residential schools.

15. “What matters in Indigenous Education: Implementing a Vision Committed to Holism, Diversity and Engagement” by Dr. Pamela Toulouse.
https://peopleforeducation.ca/report/what-matters-in-indigenous-education/


Dr. Pamela Toulouse explores an Indigenous approach to quality learning environments and the Measuring What Matters competencies and skills. The paper draws out the research, concepts and themes from Measuring What Matters that align with Indigenous determinants of educational success. It expands on this work by offering perspectives and insights that are Indigenous and authentic in nature. (from the website)

16. “Teaching the Legacy of the Sixties Scoop and Addressing Ongoing Child Welfare Inequality in the Classroom” by Krista McCracken, February 27, 2017.
http://activehistory.ca/2017/02/teaching-the-legacy-of-the-sixties-scoop/


This article outlines the history of the 60’s Scoop and ongoing problems and overrepresentation of Indigenous children in the foster care system. It also calls on educators to teach about the 60’s Scoop along with residential schools and provides some suggestions for how educators can more effectively raise awareness about these issues.
1
7. 100 Years of Loss: The Residential School System in Canada
http://100yearsofloss.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/100YOL_curriculum_web_E.pdf


This is a resource and teaching kit created by the Legacy of Hope charity organization and is designed to aid teachers in educating students on the history and legacy of residential schools. The kit includes resources as well as six lesson plans that are accompanied by sections about how to prepare to teach the lesson.

18. National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation, Teaching Resources.
https://education.nctr.ca/link-to-page-2/


This website by the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation includes lists of resources for multiple grade levels. It also includes a section for teacher resources that has lesson plans/activities as well as resources that discuss education and reconciliation.


Teaching activities

19. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian Teaching Guide from Scholastic
https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/lesson-plans/teaching-content/absolutely-true-diary-part-time-indian-storia-teaching-guide/

This is a lesson/unit plan about how to teach The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian to students in grades 9-12. It includes step by step instructions for how to introduce students to the book and its main themes, how to help them while reading and questions and activities to complete after reading.


20. orangeshirtday.org, Orange Shirt Day was created in 2013, http://www.orangeshirtday.org/resources--ideas.html


Orange Shirt Day was created as a way to promote awareness of the residential school system and the long term effects still felt today. This website has resources and activities that teachers can use within their schools and classrooms to get students involved in Orange Shirt Day and connecting with the meaning of the day, as well as the history of residential school systems.

21. “Women’s Memorial March in Honour of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women,” Mareike Michele.
https://mareikebmichele.wordpress.com/lesson-plans/lesson-plans/missing-murdered-indigenous-women/

This is a lesson plan created by Mareike Michele about teaching students about the portrayal of missing and murdered Indigenous women by the media. She uses the Women’s Memorial March as an entry point to prompt students to think deeply about the stereotypes applied to these women. This lesson plan is directed towards upper year high school students.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Locating Myself in Reconciliation

My name is Cassidy Serhienko and I am a second year education student at the University of Saskatchewan. I chose to pursue my degree at the University of Saskatchewan because it is close to home and they recently restructured the program to be direct entry and include more diverse class options and in-school placements. I have wanted to be a teacher for my entire life, I always enjoyed school and I love the school environment. Education has always been very important to me and pursuing a career in education has been a lifelong goal of mine. I always had very good teachers who supported me and my classmates throughout our school careers and they have inspired me to do the same for my students. After starting University and taking Indigenous Studies classes and Teaching for Reconciliation classes I can see more clearly all the ways that the school system was set up for me to succeed. I flourished in school, not only because of the type of learner I am but because my history and per...
Read more

My Future Reconciliation Goals

One of my goals following the completion of this course is to remain committed to incorporating Indigenous knowledge and perspectives into my future classroom. Though it is included in the curriculum, it is also very easy to overlook or ignore. The long lasting effects of residential schools and the 60’s Scoop is an issue that I do not think is focused on satisfactorily in the curriculum. As an issue that affects both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people it should certainly receive more attention at all grade levels. As a teacher it is my job to make sure that Indigenous perspectives are always included and treated with equal respect to European worldviews. This course focused on why it was important to include Indigenous knowledge and teaching strategies in the classroom and in the future I would like to learn more about how to actually implement them in the classroom. We have discussed many of the modern problems that Indigenous students face as a result of colonization and t...
Read more