Educational Resources

Source: The National Film Board (NFB) in cooperation with experienced Aboriginal filmmakers.
Focus: Secondary Students – Native Studies, Media Studies

Summary: The Aboriginal Perspectives module contains 33 documentaries, a short fiction film, and 5 film clips on Canada’s native peoples. The user will find films on many important aspects of Aboriginal culture and heritage, its diverse communities, and some of the major issues and significant moments in its history.

All the films are available in English and French, and 18 of them include described video to allow blind and visually impaired people to fully enjoy their content. In addition, 27 films are available with closed captioning for hearing impaired people.

Source: Wonderville.ca – presented by the Science Alberta Foundation
Focus: Elementary aged students

Summary: This is an interactive animated site where children attend a pow-wow and learn how to build a tipi by following the instructions of the narrator. Join Hayley, Tommy and Marie as they observe a tipi raising. Experiment with the number of poles, construction materials, alignment and other parameters to learn how a tipi is built in this science construction game.

Wonderville is a site dedicated to getting kids excited about science through games, interactive and printable activities for students ages 6-12. The Science Alberta Foundation strongly believes that continuing professional development for teachers is key to continued excellence in the classroom. Their programs are designed by teachers who understand the dynamics of being in a class.

Source: Comics in the Classroom:Chad Solomon and Christopher Meyer – developers
Focus: Grade 1 – You and Your World

Summary: A series of Grade 1 lessons featuring the featuring the wild wacky exploits of two brothers, Rabbit and Bear Paws. The characters are mischievous and the audience learns enjoyable life lessons from their numerous pranks and mistakes while also appreciating the unity of the Native communities and how they related to one another peacefully.

Rabbit and Bear Paws are heroes that the developers created to share humorous adventures based on Traditional Teachings, to carry on the teachings to the youth who wish to explore their roots, while helping to share the wisdom of the Aboriginal community with the universal audience (non-Aboriginal).

Source: Horizon Zero Website, a multimedia Web magazine about digital art and culture in Canada; a bilingual virtual space devoted to creativity and critical ideas in a new media canon.
Focus: Secondary English and Native Studies

Summary: Issue 17 of Horizon Zero is an interactive digital collection devoted to Aboriginal storytelling.