Edmonton schools push to preserve Indigenous languages

Weaving 

First Nations, Métis and Inuit culture and curriculum together

http://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/census-2016-edmonton-schools-battle-to-reverse-decline-in-indigenous-language-knowledge

​"​

Melissa Purcell

​-

 supervisor of First Nation, Métis and Inuit education with the Edmonton Public School Board (EPSB)

​-

 said all of the district's schools are working to include more Indigenous language content in lessons. Two schools

​-

 Westmount and Prince Charles

​-

 offer Cree language and culture classes during regular school hours. Amiskwaciy Academy also offers conversational Cree, and the district caters to students with other Indigenous backgrounds, such as Dene and Blackfoot.

​"

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Some online video resources to peruse

Here is some video content to watch over the holidays

​

Take some time to browse the many Aboriginal streaming video resources listed below. (Some will require a district ID and PW to access). ​

 

Learn 360  (Sign in with

​district

 password)

Click on the link below, login, and come back and click again to find the show

 

Creative Native

http://learn360.infobase.com/p_Collection.aspx?seriesID=82610

Native Peoples Series

http://learn360.infobase.com/PortalPlaylists.aspx?seriesID=78868&wID=150021

AANDC

http://learn360.infobase.com/p_Collection.aspx?channel=Aboriginal+Affairs+and+Northern+Development+Canada&chnID=92

Words of the Elders

http://learn360.infobase.com/PortalPlaylists.aspx?wID=150021&customID=28598

Residential Schools: Truth and Healing

http://learn360.infobase.com/PortalPlaylists.aspx?wID=150021&customID=27983

 

National Film Board (Free Content only - any films marked "CAMPUS" require a paid account)

Aboriginal Themes

https://www.nfb.ca/channels/aboriginal_peoples_channel/

https://www.nfb.ca/search/#?queryString=aboriginal&index=0&language=en

 

Discovery Education (Sign in with your email and password)

Aboriginal Content

https://surreyschools.discoveryeducation.ca/player/view/assetGuid/2db4e043-8b31-416f-8073-89eef1e13711

 

APTN

​ - ​

Cultural programming

Reel Insights

http://aptn.ca/reelinsights/video/

Wild Archeology

http://aptn.ca/wildarchaeology/

Dene Journey

http://aptn.ca/deneajourney/

All Our Relations

http://aptn.ca/allourrelations/

Back in the day

http://aptn.ca/backintheday/

Catch the Dream

http://aptn.ca/catchthedream/

Moosemeat and Marmelade

http://aptn.ca/moosemeatandmarmalade/

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The Blanket and the Bighouse

​The ​b

lankets called swuwqwa'l.

​ ​

http://salishseasentinel.ca/2016/10/the-blanket-and-the-bighouse/

"Ray Harris of Stz'uminus and Wendy  Grant-John of Musqueam, speak about  currency before contact, the meaning of wealth, the relationships between men and women in the old Coast Salish society, equality and survival, and the important role of blankets to the community. (Note: In modern-day Coast Salish longhouse ceremonies, the speaker calls witnesses and they are handed two quarters – 50 cents – in recognition of their role to remember and share the work about to take place. Those two quarters were once the price of a Hudson's Bay blanket in the early days after European contact.)"

=========

Canada's Residential Schools on Google Earth

​Stories and Places​

https://goo.gl/QeRbTn

​ ​

A Google map that allows users to see the number of schools and their distribution across the country, along with quotes from survivors. 

"The residential school system is older than Confederation itself, having lasted from 1831 to 1996, and represents a dark aspect of Canadian history. These government-sponsored, church-run schools aimed to assimilate Indigenous children by taking them away from their families and forcibly eradicating their cultural identity. Residential schools have left a horrible legacy that survivors, communities and families are still struggling to overcome and heal from to this day."

===========

Musqueam Teaching Resource

​Learn more about this local First Nation​

http://www2.moa.ubc.ca/musqueamteachingkit/teachers.php

​From the kit:

• "Learn about Musqueam culture and history from Musqueam people. 
• "Understand the important role of language and stories in communicating knowledge through exposure to hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ stories and place names. 
• "Familiarize yourself with Musqueam's ancestral territory, our ancient roots, and the efforts we continue to exert to safeguard our home and our future.​
  

​==============​

Finding Focus: Framing Canadian Métis and First Nations on Film

A Resource Guide for High School Educators

https://www.winnipegfilmgroup.com/finding-focus-framing-canadian-metis-and-first-nations-on-film/

​This is an excellent resource for capturing student interest - the book includes a DVD.​

This book features 15 chapters, each focusing on a short film 30 minutes or less, dealing with Métis and First Nations issues. Topics for discussion are included in Before Viewing, DuringViewing and After Viewing sections with a focus on established Curriculum Connections.

​============​

Explore traditional Aboriginal sports

Showcasing​

 cultural traditions, athleticism, and personal well-being in today's Aboriginal youth

http://www.warriorgames.ca/episodes/

​"​

Warrior Games is a youth-oriented television series that explores traditional Aboriginal sports through the eyes of gregarious host and apprentice, Steve Sxwithul'txw. Each week, Steve travels to a new territory and meets with Aboriginal youth who mentor him in their traditional as well as contemporary sports. As Steve trains

​...

, he also discovers a deeper understanding of the culture, history and identity of the youth he eventually competes against. Warrior Games will showcase the extraordinary cultural traditions, athleticism, and personal well-being in today's Aboriginal youth.

=

​=====================​

"Culture is not a costume."

​Halloween is a teaching opportunity ​

http://go.vsb.bc.ca/schools/killarney/Documents/Culture%20Not%20A%20Costume[2].pdf

The VSB offers some tips for addressing cultural appropriation and costuming ideas:

​"​

The autumn season is upon us, and soon it will be Halloween. This time of year brings with it decisions on costume

​ ​

choice. While dressing up is meant to be fun and exciting, it also runs the risk of offending others with costumes

​ ​

that are offensive to other cultures. Halloween offers the

​ ​

opportunity to discuss costume choices with both

​ ​

colleagues and students We need to encourage others not to mimic cultural,

​ ​

racial or

​ ​

ethnic groups.

​"​

=

​===========​

Coiled, Twined and Woven: Weavings of the Coast Salish People

​T​

he relationship between environment, natural resources and tradition

https://www.glenbow.org/media/coast_lp_grade_4-12.pdf

​From the Glenbow Museum ​lesson plan archive:

​"​

At the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

​a)

 Look critically at artifacts to compare and contrast various ways of weaving.

​b)

 Understand that the relationship between environment, natural resources and tradition in the Coast Salish culture.

​c)

 Experiment with various materials to create a woven artwork

​."

​

=

​==========​

Significant and richly informative archaeological studies

Archaeology of the Lower Fraser River Region

(PDF - SFU Library Digital Publishing)

http://monographs.lib.sfu.ca/index.php/sfulibrary/catalog/book/72

Synopsis:  a number of significant and richly informative archaeological studies have been conducted within the Lower Fraser River Region of southwestern British Columbia. As a result, a great deal has been revealed and learned about pre-contact period and early post-contact period human occupation, settlement, and use of natural resources.  These have been consolidated in an ebook (PDF) from SFU digital publishing. Read the book online, or download the PDF.

===============================