Educational Resources

Source: Canadian Geographic

Summary: First Nations culture is rooted in storytelling. Since time immemorial, we have passed on knowledge from generation to generation through our Oral Traditions to teach our beliefs, history, values, practices, customs, rituals, relationships, and ways of life. Our culture and the teachings of our ancestors are preserved and carried on through the words of Elders, leaders, community members and young ones. These teachings form an integral part of our identity as nations, communities, clans, families and individuals.

Welcome to the stories of our people, beautifully showcased in this incredible Indigenous Peoples Atlas of Canada. We are honoured to gift you with a remarkable and breathtaking array of our experiences and worldviews.

Focus: Elementary and Secondary students

Summary: A Curriculum Development Tool for Inclusion of First Nation, Métis and Inuit Perspectives Throughout Curriculum

Video: WÂHKÔHTOWIN: WE ARE ALL RELATED

Source: Invert Media Inc.

Focus: K-12

Summary: This Teacher Resource Kit is an educator’s guide to optimizing learning applications based on the Four Directions website. The curricula attached to the website include lesson plans designed to maximize opportunities for classroom activities that are immediately connected to the teachings found on the site. These lesson plans have been developed for junior grades (1-6), intermediate grades (7-9), and senior grades (10-12). Educators of Kindergarten children and adults will also find suitable exercises that can be used with relatively minimal modification. The kit was developed with the classroom teacher in mind, and without assuming any prior knowledge of Aboriginal cultures or traditions on their part. It is assumed that the teacher will be resourceful and flexible in coordinating learning activities.

Source: Climate Atlas of Canada

Summary: The Climate Atlas of Canada combines climate science, mapping, and storytelling together with Indigenous Knowledges and community-based research and video to inspire awareness and action.

Source: Indigenous Education: The National Centre for Indigenous Collaboration

Focus: Secondary students

Summary: Through the sharing of stories and ceremony, this lesson plan teaches texture as an element of art through hands-on learning in the outdoor environment.

The lesson explores the connection between art and life. It links Indigenous values, such as our connection to the water and our protection of Mother Earth, to artistic representation and to ceremony.

Source: Indigenous Education: The National Centre for Collaboration

Focus: Secondary students

Summary: For this video, a group of youth took photographs to illustrate their connection with the land, their community, and culture.  Their photographs were then combined to create this photo essay.  The lesson plan and photo essay CityScapeswere used as inspiration for this project in a rural setting. 

Urban/Rural Indigenous perspectives of the landscape, while co-opted by their surroundings, reflect Indigenous meaning.   Within CityScapes, buildings, hardened by the lights, are laced with images of past family members and Indigenous memory.  In Kainai LandScapes,rural scapes shift with rivers, waterfalls, sunrises, and sunsets punctuated by wildlife. These two backgrounds are equally and indelibly intertwined to form parts of the newly emerging Indigenous expression of Canada.    

To see the other youth photo essay connected to this project, watch CityScapes Photo Essay.

Source: Indigenous Education, the National Centre for Collaboration

Focus: Secondary students and community

Summary: At the Saskatoon Elders Gathering in January 2020, Joseph Naytowhow shared stories and songs with the accompaniment of the drum. Naytowhow is a singer, songwriter, storyteller, voice and stage film actor, from Sturgeon Lake First Nation. He was invited to share Cree stories and songs at the Saskatoon Elder’s Gathering, hosted by First Nations University of Canada. Naytowhow beautifully weaves stories from his experiences with songs that he has written or has come to know and, in doing so, leads participants in singing and chanting along in Cree. He reminds us that, “we are from the Earth, and the land is our mother.”

Source: CBC Gem

Focus: Secondary students

Summary: Documentaries about resilience, art, and reclaiming history.

-Carving canoes to serve communities

-Educating and advocating through documentary film

-Fighting sexism in the Indian Act

-Carrying on history by caring for Elders

-Using comedy to ask tough questions

Source: Historica Canada

Focus: Secondary students

Summary: The Voices from Here video series features stories of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis participants. Stories shed light on histories of resilience and resurgence.

Summary: This powerful educational resource was designed to acknowledge, highlight, and share Métis residential school survivor experiences in collaboration with respected Métis Elder Angie Crerar, Author Jude D. Daniels, Canadian artist Lewis Lavoie, Métis community, Rupertsland Institute, and Werklund School of Education.  Mural image inspired by Métis Artist Samantha Pratt.