Indigenous Resources and Lessons
I acknowledge that I am a settler on the unceded, ancestral, and occupied, traditional lands of the Tsawwassen and Musqueam First Nations people. I am honoured and grateful to live, work and play on this beautiful land and I am determined to do my best to bring Indigenous learning and teaching into my practice and into these lessons for you!
Here you can find a list of my favourite Indigenous books written by Indigenous authors! Below that list are some lessons you can use injunction with some of these books.
My Indigenous Book List
Primary:
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You Hold Me Up by Monique Gray Smith
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My Heart Fills With Happiness by Monique Gray Smith
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I Am Not A Number by Jenny Kay Dupuis
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When We Were Alone by David Robertson
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Shi-shi-etko by Nicola I. Campbell
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Shin-shi's Canoe by Nicola I. Campbell
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We Sang You Home by Richard Van Camp
Intermediate
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Fatty Legs by Christy Jordan-Fenton & Margaret Pokiak-Fenton
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I Am Not A Number by Jenny Kay Dupuis
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Shi-shi-etko by Nicola I. Campbell
Secondary
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Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese
Lesson Ideas
You Hold Me Up
by Monique Gray Smith
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Activities
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Before: What does it mean to hold someone up? How can you hold someone's heart up? What might this book be about? Who is on the front cover?
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During: At each page ask how it feels when someone _________ (e.g. shares with you).
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After:
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What does it mean to hold someone up? Who do you hold up? Who holds you up? How?​
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Think of all the ways you and your family hold each other up and write/draw them.
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Re-write the story with the ways that you answered the question above.
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Why did Monique draw the legs of the family as hearts? Can you add in secrete hearts to your story?
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Shi-shi-etko
by Nicola I. Campbell
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Activities
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Before: What might this book be about? What's happening on the cover? Why did the illustrator choose those colours?
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During:
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How does does Shi-shi-etko feel about going to school?​ Do you feel the same? Why might she feel this way?
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Why won't she see her mother? How long does she have to wait to see her mother again?
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Pause the video and take a moment to think of everything you would want to remember if you weren't going to see it for a long time. What would you remember, how would you describe those memories so they last?
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Where is Shi-shi-etko going on the cart with the other children?
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After:
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Create a bag of memories. Take a bag from your house or make a bag of your own. Write or draw all the memories you would want to take with you. Share them with your family, write a story about them, create a comic of your most cherished memories...
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Write a letter to your family. Explain all your favourite memories you have with them. Write as if you have been away for a long time.
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Go for a walk and take notice of everything. What does the grass look like, smell like, feel like.
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