fnmi list 4 - strong nations · 9780889954274. includes cd. text in english and mi’kmaq. the...

Literature to Support First Nations, Métis and Inuit (FNMI) Student Success in Elementary Schools, Grade 4

Developed by Southern Alberta Professional Development Consortium, June 2010. 1

Literature to Support First Nations, Métis and Inuit (FNMI) Student Success Grade 4

Selected Bibliography NB: Older titles that you may find in your library have been included, and newer titles are provided as a guide for purchasing of new resources. Book types include references, non-fiction, picture books, novels, poetry, alphabet books, folklore and biography. Emphasis has been placed on Canadian titles. (O/P = out of print)

Title Book Type

First Nation

Some Suggested Activities

Curriculum Links

Cherry, Lynne. A River Ran Wild. 1992, 0152163727. The story of a river, from the first people thousands of years ago, how people came to depend on it, used it, abused it, polluted it, and finally cleaned it. Beautifully illustrated, and powerfully presented, his book is a classic in environmental studies.

Non-fiction

Describe actions taken by your school or family that show concern and care for the environment. Activity: Respect for Na-ture

Science: Waste and Our World Social Studies: Environment

Graham, Georgia. A Team Like No Other. 2004, 0889952906. Set in the mountains of southern Alberta, here is excitement and adventure in a tale about a boy and his husky sled dog. The reader can’t tell whether this story is about an Aboriginal child or not – but does it matter?

Picture Book

(South-ern Al-berta)

Describe the land in south-west Alberta. Describe the management of husky sled dogs.

Social Studies: People and re-gions of Alberta

Bouchard, David. Elders are Watching. 1990, 0-9693485-3-3. This is a po-em about man's negative influence on nature. The words are on one page with the facing page a dramatic illustration by a famous native artist. They tell us how man has been overly self- indulgent for much too long and it is time to change to save the environment. It’s a simple and powerful look into the Aboriginals’ view of Nature.

Poetry Discuss the Aboriginals’ relationship with Nature. Invite an Aboriginal elder to the class to discuss some of the issued raised in the book. Activity: Respect for Na-ture

Science: Waste and Our World

Auger, Dale. (AA). Mwakwa Talks to the Loon: A Cree Story for Chil-dren. 2006, 978-1894974042. The story shares an experience of a young man who becomes very proud and boastful of his excellent hunting skills, as he gets caught up in the adoration, attention and pride his people show him. In soaking up all this attention he loses his great hunting skills and must humble himself to the Elders in order to get back his gift. Kayas (k-eye-ass) has to talk to makwa (mah-quh) the Loon to gain back his powers. Kayas through this experience learns what it means to be humble, kind and respect-ful. Includes some text in Cree.

Picture Book

Cree Discuss the Aboriginals’ relationship with Nature. Activity: Respect for Na-ture.


Bourdeau Waboose, Jan. (AA). Karen Reczuch, Illustrator (AI). Morning on Picture Ojib- Activity: Respect for Na- Science: Waste



the Lake. 1997, 1-55074-373-2. In this picture book, the author uses her Ojibway background to tell a series of three linked stories about a boy and his grandfather who spend a day with nature. The author shows the im-portance of learning the ways of living in harmony with nature and the wise, patient and loving ways of Mishomis (grandfather). Reinforces the Aborigi-nal view of the link between nature and people.

Book way ture. and Our World

McLellan, Joe, (CAA), Nanabosho Dances. 1991, 0921827148. This is the legend of how the hoop dance started. It tells about the significance of the circle, the symbols the hoop portrays in the dance, and the connections be-tween the Creator and the natural world.

Folktale (pourquoi)

Ashinabe Activity: Respect for Na-ture.


Baylor, Byrd. I’m in Charge of Celebrations. 1986, 0684185792. A dweller in the desert celebrates a triple rainbow, a chance encounter with a coyote, and other wonders of the wilderness.

Prose poetry

(Desert) Activity: Respect for Na-ture.


Taylor, C.J. (AA). Little Water and the Gift of the Animals: A Seneca Legend. 1992, 0887762859. The legend of Little Water illustrates the high regard held by Native Americans for the natural world around them. Not on-ly did they rely on certain animals for food, clothing, and shelter, but for their medicines as well.

Folktale Seneca Activity: Respect for Na-ture.


Taylor, C, J. (AA). Ghost and the Lone Warrior: An Arapaho Legend. 1991, 0887762646. Crippled in an accident and left behind by his hunting party, Lone Warrior must overcome hunger, cold, pain, and despair to sur-vive. But most terrifying of all his trials is the appearance of a skeleton-ghost arisen from the grave. That Lone Warrior can still remember to express his gratitude to the animal he must kill to survive, and that he does not allow fear to diminish his dignity, makes him an ideal hero.

Folktale (Quest or hero)

Arapaho Activity: Respect for Na-ture Activity: Quest or Hero Tales

Language Arts: Literature analy-sis Science: Waste and Our World

Taylor, C.J. (CAA). How We Saw The World: Nine Native Stories of the Way Things Began. 1993, 0887763022. Here are explanations for the ori-gins of tornadoes, forest fires, butterflies, horses, Niagara Falls and islands. Includes a Blackfoot story about how horses came into the world. Includes the Blackfoot story How Horses Came into the World.

Folktale (pourquoi - creation)

Many Activity: Pourquoi and Creation Tales

Language Arts: Literature analy-sis Social Studies: Alberta people

Himmelman, John. Pipaluk And The Whales. 2002, 978-0792282174. Based on an actual event, this moving story tells how a young Chukchi girl named Pipaluk saves the lives of thousands of beluga whales trapped in a channel with ice closing in around them in the Russian Arctic. When Pipa and her father discover the whales, their entire village comes together in a valiant effort to rescue the creatures. At the end of the book, an author’s note describes the real-life event that inspired this story. This book is included because of its unusual topic.

Picture Book

Chukchi (Russia)

Why is it important to save whales?


Pryor, Bonnie. House on Maple Street, 1992, 0688120318. When Chris and Jenny find a cup buried in their backyard, it begins a journey through time to

Non-fiction

Make a comparison graphic organizer, such as a time-

Social Studies: Time, Continui-



discover the several groups--Natives, pioneers, early townspeople--who have lived on the site.

line, based on the book and on the students’ lives.

ty and Change

Poirier, Thelma. (AA), Nona Foster (AI). Bead Pot. 1993, 0-921827-30-X. Illustrates nicely the handing down of traditions from one generation to the next. The story is unusual in that it shows the transition from a traditional Aboriginal society to a more contemporary setting, but within this, the tradi-tions are carried on and survive. The story's ending tugs at one's heart as the older woman, living in a senior’s lodge, waits for her great-granddaughter so that a tradition can be carried on. In the end, the woman is able to pass on her traditions to the child. Note: Beads are a post-contact tradition.

Picture Book

Plains Compare this book with House on Maple Street. Make a timeline and show the house, Toniya’s life, and your own life. Compare contemporary life with traditional life using a Venn Diagram.

Social Studies: Time, Continui-ty and Change

Berry, Susan. Aboriginal Cultures in Alberta: Five Hundred Generations. 2004, 0-7785-2852-9. This book can be used as a student or teacher resource. Lots of well-researched information with great photos. One copy has been distributed free to each school in Alberta. Schools are encouraged to contact the Provincial Museum of Alberta for additional copies. Also available in French.

Non fiction

Cree Use for research. Social Studies: Alberta people

Freed, Don. Sasquatch Exterminator. 1999, 0920915418. Book is based on a successful music education project intended to encourage Aboriginal chil-dren to write and perform community-based and culturally-enhanced songs.

Picture Book and Mu-sic CD

(Cree) Listen for enjoyment and experience Aboriginal-style culture and rhythms.

Social Studies: Alberta people Music

Dempsey, Hugh A. Indian Names for Alberta Communities. 1969, (Glen-bow Alberta Institute). Here is an in-depth look at the places of the First Peoples in Alberta. The book gives the different names for one place, accord-ing to different Aboriginal groups such as the Cree, Beaver, Stony, Peigan, Blackfoot, etc.

Non fiction

Many Use for research. Look up meanings and ori-gins of place names near where you live. Read Village that Stretched from Sea to Sea and Canadian Indian Place Names from Spirit of Canada.

Social Studies: Alberta people

Kelker, Henriette. The Land Underfoot: 100 Years Before Alberta. 2005, Land Underfoot Museums Network, http://www.landunderfoot.org. Includes contemporary and early photos, also drawings, and presents some good in-formation on the history of the area that became Alberta.

Non fiction

Use for research. Social Studies: Alberta people

Kalman, Bobbie. Celebrating the Powwow. 1997, 0865056404. Introduces the peoples, cultures, beliefs, and events that are part of many powwows.

Non-fiction

General Identify some of the cus-toms behind the powwow celebration. Invite an Aboriginal drum and dance troupe to per-form at the school and to teach powwow dances.

Social Studies: People of Alber-ta Physical Educa-tion: Dance



Make a Dance Wand, pg. 56 in World of North Ameri-can Indians. Play CDs from Drum Calls Softly and Sasquatch Ex-terminator.

Bouchard, David (Métis author). Long Powwow Nights. 2009, 9780889954274. Includes CD. Text in English and Mi’kmaq. The powwow is a time-honoured Native American custom. It is a celebration of life and spirituality, a remembrance of traditions uniting people through dance and ritual. A mother shows her child the importance of culture and identity through the dance and ritual of the powwow.

Poetry General Identify some of the cus-toms behind the powwow celebration as shown in the illustrations. Invite an Aboriginal drum and dance troupe to per-form at the school and to teach powwow dances. Make a Dance Wand, pg. 56 in World of North Ameri-can Indians. Play CDs from Drum Calls Softly and Sasquatch Ex-terminator.


Bouchard, David. The Song Within My Heart, 2002, 1-55192-559-1. Fea-tures poetry that celebrates Aboriginal traditions. The importance of drum-ming, sacredness of story and wisdom of elders are brought to the forefront. An excellent book for deepening understanding and respect for Aboriginal culture. Written reflections of the Cree illustrator are featured. A young boy asks his Nokum what the drums and stories at the powwow mean. She ex-plains that the singing and dancing are for him to find his own stories - he must find the song within his heart. The beautiful artwork by the renowned Cree painter, Allen Sapp, compliments the story. His note at the end de-scribes his feelings about the importance of the powwow and the importance of keeping the young involved with their own culture.

Non-fiction

Cree Use to help develop Aborig-inal perspective and aware-ness. Identify some of the cus-toms behind the powwow celebration. Invite an Aboriginal drum and dance troupe to per-form at the school and to teach powwow dances. Make a Dance Wand, pg. 56 in World of North Ameri-can Indians. Play CDs from Drum Calls Softly and Sasquatch Ex-terminator.


Bouchard, David. (Métis Author). Drum Calls Softly. 2008, 9780889954212. Accompanied by a CD featuring the music of the Northern Cree Singers. The drums sound in the night and the dancers join hands. En-joy the beauty of Aboriginal culture in words, paintings and song.

Poetry and Song

Cree Use to help develop Aborig-inal perspective and aware-ness. Make a Dance Wand, pg. 56

Social Studies: People of Alber-ta



in World of North Ameri-can Indians. Play CDs from Drum Calls Softly and Sasquatch Ex-terminator.

Smith, Cynthia, (AA), Cornelius Wright, Illustrator (AA). Jingle Dancer. 2000, 0-688-16241-X. Jenna dreams about her grandmother's jingle dancing - she would love to do the same. She does have a problem, though - how will her dress sing if it has no jingles? This is the story of a contemporary Native girl who turns to her family and community to help her dance. A very nice story about a modern Aboriginal child comfortable with both contemporary life and her traditions.

Picture Book

Mus-cogee (Creek)

Read for enjoyment. Identify characteristics of Aboriginal lifestyle today. In what ways is it a blend of traditional and modern? Invite an Aboriginal drum and dance troupe to per-form at the school and to teach powwow dances. Compare contemporary life with traditional life using a Venn Diagram.

Physical Educa-tion: Dance

Hehner, Barbara. Spirit of Canada: Canada’s Story in Legends, Fiction, Poems, and Songs, 2001, 0773762000. A marvelous must-have anthology of stories, poems and songs taken from the body of children’s literature and spanning Canadian history, and including many well-loved stories and po-ems. Lots of colour illustrations. Includes the following Aboriginal stories: Taylor, C.J. How Two-Feather was Saved from Loneliness Bruchac, Joseph. Manabozho and the Maple Trees Fraser, Frances. How the Thunder Made Horses Skogan, Joan. Scannah and the Beautiful Woman Clark, Joan. Thrand and Abidith Hehner, Barbara. Village that Stretched from Sea to Sea Georgekish, Geordie, et al. Chikabash and the Strangers De Brébeuf, Jean. Huron Carol Mon Canot Hearne, Samuel. Coppermine Feast Manson, Ainslie. Long Journey of “Our Dog” Johnson, Pauline. Train Dogs Ipellie, Alootook. I Shall Wait and Wait Whelan, Stella. Ballad of Mary March Shinguacouse. Letter from Shinguacouse Dunn, Willie. Ballad of Crowfoot Morrissey, Kim. Address to the Jury Riel, Louis. Song of Louis Riel

Antholo-gy - poems, stories, songs

Many Use stories to introduce some social studies topic and to compare with similar stories

Language Arts: Comparing sto-ries



Strange, Ken. Windigo Spirit Kiakshuk. Giant Bear Grey Owl. Big Small and Little Small Keeshig-Tobias, Lenore. Porcupine George, Chief Dan. And My Heart Soars Zola, Meguido. Canadian Indian Place Names Bruchac, Joseph. Native Stories From Keepers of Life. 1995. Stories and myths from diverse Native North American cultural groups to introduce a variety of topics relating interactions with the natural world.

Story collection

Many Activity: Respect for Na-ture

Science: Plant Growth and Changes Language Arts: Mythology and Legends

Bruchac, Joseph. (AA). Thirteen Moons on Turtle's Back. 1997, 978-0698115842. The 13 scales on Turtle's shell stand for the 13 cycles of the moon, each with its own name and a story that relates to the changing sea-sons.

Poetry Abenaki Activity: Respect for Na-ture

Language Arts: Mythology and Legends

Caduto, Michael J. and Bruchac, Joseph. Native Stories From Keepers of the Earth. 1991, 0920079768. A common thread through these stories is the view of the world as a family and humans are entrusted with the responsibil-ity of maintaining the natural balance.

Story collection

Many Activity: Respect for Na-ture


Caduto, Michael J. Keepers of Life: Discovering Plants through Native American Stories and Earth Activities for Children. 1998, 2007, 9781897252192. Keepers of Life uses stories and myths from diverse Na-tive North American cultural groups to introduce a variety of topics relating interactions with the natural world. It includes information on plant groups, explanations of biological processes, and discussions of environmental con-cerns. This information-packed resource is imbued with the spirit of "Re-sponsible Stewardship," a philosophy of empathy for all living things, and consideration of the effects of our actions on future generations.

Story collection and Teacher Resource

Activity: Respect for Na-ture

Science: Plant Growth and Changes Language Arts: Mythology and Legends

Caduto, Michael J. Keepers of the Night: Native American Stories and Nocturnal Activities for Children, 1994, 978-1555911775. Caduto and Bruchac use stories from various American Indian tribes as the basis for ac-tivities and lessons about the nighttime world. Written as a guide for teachers and outdoor education leaders working with children in a nature setting, the guide gives detailed instructions for preparing, conducting, and evaluating a variety of activities that focus on the nocturnal habits of animals, on astron-omy and nighttime weather, and on campfire activities, such as storytelling, dances, and games. Aspects of many American Indian tribal practices are woven throughout the text.

Story collection and Teacher Resource

Many Read Creation of the Moon from Keepers of the Night. Also read Coyote Sings to the Moon, Star Boy, and Skysisters. What was the original purpose of these stories? Activity: Respect for Na-ture

Science: Waste and Our World, Plant Growth and Changes

Caduto, Michael J. and Bruchac, Joseph. Keepers of the Earth: Native Story What is the reason for the Science: Waste



American Stories and Environmental Activities for Children. 1991, 978-1555913854. This flagship book in the Keepers of the Earth series is an envi-ronmental classic for teaching children to respect the Earth.

collection and Teacher Resource

strong respect that Aborigi-nal people show for nature?

and Our World

Eyvindson, Peter. Jen and the Great One. 1990, 0921827199. An environ-mental story that presents a realistic depiction of contemporary First Peoples. Jen and her friends help to save and tree and plant a new forest.

Picture Book

Draw a diagram of the life cycle of an evergreen tree. Label the stages. Activity: Respect for Na-ture

Science: Plant Growth and Changes Language Arts: Share personal responses

McLellan, Joe. Nanabosho and the Cranberries. 1998, 0921827636. Nanabosho discovers a cranberry bush, but as hard as he tries he cannot get those cranberries to eat.

Folktale Ojibwa Activity: Bannock in Sto-ries

Science: Light and Shadows, Plant Growth and Changes. Language Arts: Writing a Story

Teevee, Ningeokuluk. Alego. 2009, 9780888999436. Simple story about a young Inuit girl who goes to the shore with her grandmother to collect clams for supper. Along the way she discovers tide pools brimming with life. In English and Inuktitut.

Picture book

Inuit Activity: Bannock in Sto-ries

Language Arts: Writing a Story

Stotter, Michael. World of North American Indians (Passport to the Past). 2009, 978-1435851719. General information, and includes sections on buffa-lo, food and farming, horses, dances, sweat lodges, etc. Includes many side-bars on things to make. Excellent illustrations and format.

Non fiction

Many Use for research. Activity: Bannock in Sto-ries Activity: Traditional Homes

Social Studies: People of Cana-da

Kalman, Bobbie and, Walker, Niki. Native North American Wisdom and Gifts. (Native Nations of North America) 2006, 0-7787-0384-3. Fairly easy reading makes this series a good choice. There are lots of photos and draw-ings, and many sidebars to break up information. Index, glossary, table of contents, frequent subheads and terms in bold all contribute to ease of read-ing. In addition to information on the Iroquois Confederacy, this resource puts it into the context of Aboriginal culture, values, and wisdom.

Non fiction

Many Activity: Respect for Na-ture Activity: Inventions and Innovations

Science: Waste and Our World, Building Devic-es and Vehicles that Move

Smithyman, Kathryn and Bobbie Kalman. Native North American Foods and Recipes. 2006, 0-7787-0383-5. Describes the growing, collecting and preparation of many different foods from different regions and Aboriginal groups from across North America. Text is broken into easily-accessible segments, and illustrations are many and excellent. An unusual topic with lots of interesting cultural and lifestyle details in both text and illustrations.

Non fiction

Use for research. Identify characteristics of life for Aboriginal people in the past. Compare food gathering and preparation to ours of to-day. Activity: Bannock in Sto-

Science: Plant Growth and Changes Language Arts: Writing a story



ries Silvey, Diane. Kids Book of Aboriginal Peoples in Canada. 2005, 1550749986. Another in the Kids Book series on Canada and Canadian his-tory. With index, timeline and table of contents this title has excellent colour drawings, accessible format, and lots of sidebars with quick facts and added interest items. An important book to have, very well researched. Full sections on people of the Plains, the Arctic and the Sub-arctic. This is one of the few resources that provides a map of Canada showing the land areas of the vari-ous seven major groups and lists the various peoples of each of the areas.

Non fiction

All Cana-dian

Use for research and refer-ence. Activity: Traditional Homes Activity: Inventions and Innovations

Social Studies: People of Alber-ta Science: Build-ing Devices and Vehicles that Move

Hudak, Heather. Aboriginal Peoples (Early Canada). 2006, 9781553882343. Goes from Aboriginal people thousands of years ago, to the arrival of Euro-peans, and important people and events that have shaped Canada. Excellent illustrations.

Non fiction

Many Use for research and refer-ence.

Social Studies: History of Can-ada, People of Canada/Alberta

Murdoch, David. North American Indian (Eyewitness books). 1995, 9780756610814. Text and photographs show Native American artifacts from New York's American Museum of Natural History, ranging from Seminole blowguns, Hopi rainmaker masks, to Northwest totem poles.

Non fiction

Many Use for research and refer-ence.

Social Studies: History of Can-ada, People of Canada/Alberta

Fullman, Joe. Native North Americans: Dress, eat, write and play just like the Native North Americans. 2010, 9781595662453. Make a dream catch-er, design a Navajo sand painting, create a story on buffalo hide, challenge your friends to a game of Chance, and make a teepee. Informative text and activities help bring Aboriginal civilizations to life.

Non-fiction

Many Activity: Traditional Homes Make a Teepee, pg. 17, Make an Igloo, pg. 25.


Salariya, David. How Would You Survive as an American Indian? 1995, 0531153096. Describes the everyday life and customs of various Plains Indi-an tribes during the 18th and 19th Centuries in North America.

Non-fiction

Plains Activity: Traditional Homes


Kalman, Bobbie. Visual Dictionary of Native Communities. 2008, 9780778735052. Includes Nations of the Plains. Small text sections and many illustrations.

Non-fiction



Littlechild, George. This Land Is My Land. 1993, 0892391197. Through bold, colourful paintings, George Littlechild tells us the stories of his life as a Native in today's world with the bottom line being the importance of his an-cestry to his life today. With each colourful, bright collage-type painting is a written text about what the picture shows and how his ancestors were in-strumental in that image. He is acknowledging his ancestors to heighten the awareness of their history and experiences.

Memoir and non-fiction

Plains Cree

Identify characteristics of life for Aboriginal people in today’s society. Compare perspectives of different people.

Social Studies: Alberta Plains Cree

Nelson, S.D. Black Elk’s Vision: A Lakota Story. 2010, 9780810983991. This unique perspective on American history is included here because it is just that – quite unique. With beautiful paintings and drawing and historical photographs, this picture book tells the true story of Black Elk using histori-cal documents and Black Elk’s own words. This is the story of the battles of

Non-fiction, Biography

Oglala (Lakota)

What was Black Elk’s Vi-sion?

Social Studies: North American history and mul-tiple perspec-tives



the Little Bighorn, Wounded Knee, Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show, the Eu-ropean invasion, and the demise of the buffalo all from Black Elk’s Aborigi-nal perspective and experience. Black Elk lived from 1863 to 1950. Denny, Elizabeth, Jenneli's Dance. 2008, 9781894778619. Jenneli is a shy young Canadian Métis girl who feels that she is nothing special, until she learns about the Métis Red River Jig from her Grandma. Jenneli's story in-stills a sense of pride in the Métis culture, and deals with issues of overcom-ing low self-esteem.

Picture Book

Métis Identify Aboriginal and European elements in Jen-neli’s life.


Lassieur, Allison. Blackfeet Nation. 2002, 0736809465. An overview of the past and present of the Blackfoot Nation, including a description of their homes, food, clothing, religion, family life and government. Large print, easy reading.

Non-fiction

Black-foot

Identify characteristics of traditional Blackfoot life. Activity: Traditional Homes Activity: Bannock in Sto-ries

Social Studies: People of Alber-ta Language Arts: Writing a story

Story of the Blackfoot People. 2001, 1552633632. For the first time in histo-ry, the Blackfoot people share their culture, beliefs and traditions with the rest of the world. Includes way of life, Blackfoot World, how they lived to-gether, the land, other people, buffalo days. Lots of photos, maps, historic information. Done in collaboration with the Glenbow Museum.

Non-fiction

Black-foot

Use for research. List and describe all the uses the Blackfoot people had for buffalo. Activity: Respect for Na-ture Activity: Inventions and Innovations


Shemie, Bonnie. Houses of Hide and Earth. (Native Dwellings). 1993, 978-0887763076. Here’s an authoritative and intriguing exploration of the lives of people through the homes they have built.

Non-fiction



McLellan, Joseph, (CAA), Birth of Nanabosho, 1989, 9780921827009. Ex-plains when and why stories of creation need to be told at a certain time of year. This story tells of the origin of Nanabosho and how he was a spirit who could change his shape to suit his purposes. From this comes the lesson to "treat everyone and everything with respect. You never know when Nanabo-sho has changed himself into something around you, and you certainly don't want to be disrespectful to him or to anything in Creation.”

Folktale (pourquoi - creation)

Ojibwa What is the reason for the strong respect that Aborigi-nal people show for nature? What lesson does this story teach? Activity: Respect for Na-ture

Science: Envi-ronment

McLeod, Elaine. (AI). Lessons from Mother Earth. 2010, 9780888998323. Tess has visited her grandmother many times without really being aware of the garden. But today they step outside the door and Tess learns that all of nature is a garden. If you take care of the plants that are growing, if you learn about them — understanding when they flower, when they give fruit, and when to leave them alone — you will always find something to nourish you.

Picture Book

(proba-bly in the Yu-kon)

Activity: Respect for Na-ture Activity: Bannock in Sto-ries

Science: Plant Growth and Changes Language Arts: Writing a story

Patent, Dorothy, The Buffalo and the Indians: A Shared Destiny. 2006, 9780618485703. Countless buffalo once roamed the plains of North America

Non-fiction

Many Why did the Europeans slaughter most of the buffa-

Science: Envi-ronment, Waste



and for at least 10,000 years, First Nations people depended upon them for survival. To them, the buffalo was sacred, and it was treated with great re-spect. Then Europeans slaughtered the buffalo almost to extinction and broke the First Nations culture. Today, both First Nations cultures and the buffalo herds are being revived.

lo? Activity: Bannock in Sto-ries Activity: Respect for Na-ture

and Our World, Conservation Social Studies: History of Al-berta

San Souci, Robert. Legend of Scarface: A Blackfeet Indian Tale. 1978, 0385132476. This is a Blackfeet legend in which a young brave travels to the land of the Sun to ask for the hand of his beloved. Dated illustrations and less-than-ideal page design, but there are very few Blackfoot folktales avail-able.

Folktale (Quest)

Black-foot (Siksika)

Identify characteristics of traditional Blackfoot life. Activity: Quest or Hero Tales

Social Studies: People of Alber-ta Language Arts: Literature analy-sis

Goble, Paul. Star Boy. 1983, 1991, 0689714998. Relates the Blackfoot leg-end in which Star Boy gains the Sun's forgiveness for his mother's disobedi-ence and is allowed to return to the Sky World. He brings back the sacred knowledge of the Sun Dance to his people.

Folktale (Quest)

Black-foot (Siksika)

Identify characteristics of traditional Blackfoot life. Activity: Quest or Hero Tales

Social Studies: People of Alber-ta Language Arts: Literature analy-sis

Zeman-Spaleny, Linda. Lord of the Sky. 2009, 9780887768965. Extraordi-narily beautiful illustrations accompany this creation folktale about the Great Raven, who brought the sun back to the people of the North Pacific Coast.

Folktale (Hero)

(North Pacific Coast)

Activity: Quest or Hero Tales

Language Arts: Literature analy-sis

Goble, Paul. Buffalo Woman. 1984, 0689711093. A young hunter marries a female buffalo in the form of a beautiful maiden, but when his people reject her he must pass several tests before being allowed to join the buffalo nation.

Folktale (Quest)

General (Plains)



McDermott, Gerald. Arrow to the Sun. 1977, 978-0140502114. This intri-cately illustrated quest story is a story type common to the mythic legends of many peoples. Typically in hero stories, the hero ventures forth from the eve-ryday world into a supernatural world where victory over obstacles must be won, and then returns with gifts for his people. In this circular journey, the Boy must go on a quest to find himself and in so doing, brings back to his people both new spiritual vitality and physical security. “…the book is su-perb for its power and abstract beauty.”1

Folktale (Quest)

Pueblo Activity: Quest or Hero Tales

Language Arts: Literature analy-sis Art: Story illus-tration

Campbell, Maria. Little Badger and the Fire Spirit. Excellent legend of the Alberta Cree people about how they got fire. If this is in your library, protect it, as it is old and long out of print. Full text available at: http://www.sasked.gov.sk.ca/docs/artsed/g2arts_ed/drama/appendix.html

Folktale (Quest)

Cree (Lac La Biche)

Read for enjoyment. Activity: Quest or Hero Tales

Social Studies: Cree People of Alberta Language Arts: Literature analy-sis

Van Laan, Nancy. Rainbow Crow, 1989, 0679819428. This is a pourquoi Folktale Lenape Activity: Quest or Hero Language Arts:

1 Peterson, Andrea. Second Look: Native Americans in Children's Books. 2007, pp. 223



story of how the crow came to have black feathers. When winter comes and the animals become cold, crow goes on a quest to seek the assistance of the Great Spirit--who provides the gift of fire, but not without consequences to the bird’s plumage.

(Quest, pourquoi)

Tales Literature analy-sis

Lewis, Paul Owen. Frog Girl. 1997, 2001, 1582460485. When the frogs sud-denly vanish from the lake behind her village, a young Native American girl is led to the frog village underneath the lake and learns what she must do to save both the frogs and her own people. Lewis has created his own story, drawing on the legends and motifs of the Northwest Coast peoples. Exten-sive notes at the back of this book explain the importance of a quest story and analyze the contents of this book. The story itself is spare and simple with a great deal of information conveyed in the pictures.

Folktale (Hero)

Haida Tlingit


Compare this folktale with Scannah and the Beauti-ful Woman from Spirit of Canada and with Goose Girl

Language Arts: Literature analy-sis, story com-parison

Harper, Jo. Legend of Mexicatl. 2000, 978-1890515218. In this picture book, the boy Mexicatl can hardly imagine being chosen to lead his people – but one day the Morning Star tells him to search for “a place of harmony” and shows him the sacred image of the eagle and snake. Mexicatl leads his people on a long journey and finally finds the place for his people. After Mexicatl learns the hard lessons of leadership his people finally prosper. Richly illustrated, this story is drawn from ancient Aztec history

Folktale (Quest)

(Aztec) Activity: Quest or Hero Tales

Language Arts: Literature analy-sis, story com-parison

Lewis, Paul Owen. (AA). Storm Boy. 1997, 1-55285-268-7. After a violent sea storm, a young Haida boy washes ashore in an unfamiliar village inhabit-ed by strange colossal beings. He is made welcome with a potlatch, told sto-ries and taught songs and dances before he returns home to teach these to his own people. Although he thought he was away for only one night, he was actually gone a full year in this magical land. Extensive notes at the back of explain the importance of a quest story and analyze the contents of this book.

Folktale (Hero)

Haida Activity: Quest or Hero Tales


Oliviero, Jamie (AA) & Brent Morrisseau (CAA). Fish Skin. 1993. 1562824015. A small Cree boy saves his people from dying of thirst when the Great Spirit gives him a magical fish skin.

Folktale (Hero)

Cree Activity: Quest or Hero Tales


Lopez, Barry. Crow and Weasel. 1998, 978-0374416133. Long ago, when people and animals spoke the same language, two young men left their tribe to make an adventurous trek through the wilderness, into the unknown north-land. Set in the mythic past and inspired by the traditions of the North Amer-ican Plains people, this fable of self-discovery follows Crow and Weasel as they face unfamiliar perils on a quest for knowledge and wisdom. Conquer-ing their innermost fears, the two heroes come of age and learn more than they ever could have imagined--about humanity's relationship to the land, the importance of respecting other peoples and giving thanks, and even the very nature of friendship itself.

Picture Book, very long

Activity: Quest or Hero Tales Activity: Respect for Na-ture

Language Arts: Literature analy-sis, story com-parison Social Studies: Aboriginal peo-ple

Banting, Erinn. Cree. 2007, 9781553883395. (Canadian Aboriginal Art and Non- Cree Use for research. Social Studies:



Culture). Recounts how the Inuit adapted to their surroundings. Outlines tra-ditional ways of life, religious beliefs, celebrations and artwork. Excellent illustrations and format.

fiction Characterize Cree customs and lifestyle

Cree People of Alberta

Stout, Mary. Cree. (Native American Peoples). 2004, 0836837037. Describes the origin, history, language, daily life, and future prospects of the Cree of Canada.

Non-fiction

Cree Use for research. Social Studies: Cree People of Alberta

Robinson, Deborah. Cree of North America. (First Peoples). 2002, 0822541785. Describes the history, modern and traditional cultural practices and economies, geographic background, and ongoing oppression and strug-gles of the Cree. Excellent illustrations, appealing format, glossary, well re-searched, focus is on Canadian Cree.

Non fiction

Cree Use for research and refer-ence.

Social Studies: Cree People of Alberta

Rebus, Anna. Blackfoot. 2005, 9781553883319. (Canadian Aboriginal Art and Culture). Recounts how the Inuit adapted to their surroundings. Outlines traditional ways of life, religious beliefs, celebrations and artwork. Excellent illustrations and format.

Non-fiction

Black-foot

Use for research. Characterize Blackfoot cus-toms and lifestyle

Social Studies: Blackfoot Peo-ple of Alberta

Stout, Mary. Blackfoot. (Native American Peoples). 2005, 0836842162. De-scribes the origin, history, language, daily life, and future prospects of the Blackfoot of Canada.

Non-fiction

Black-foot

Use for research. Characterize Blackfoot cus-toms and lifestyle

Social Studies: Blackfoot Peo-ple of Alberta

Terry, Michael Bad Hand. Daily Life in a Plains Indian Village, 1868. 1999, 0395945429. A fascinating and detailed inside look at the daily life of a Plains Indian family more than 130 years ago. High quality photos with lots of informative details, lots of textual information, index, table of con-tents, glossary. An excellent resource.

Non fiction

Plains Use for research. Analyze photos. Identify characteristics of life in a plains Indian vil-lage.


Steedman, Scott. How Would You Survive As An American Indian? 1995, 0-531-14383-X. Lots of illustrations with small blocks of text help make the content of this book easily accessible. There are new headings on every two-page spread, and lots of small pictures with their own subheadings. Provides a huge amount of information on the Plains Indians. Illustrations good quali-ty, but are drawings, not photographs. Includes table of contents, index, glos-sary, and timeline. Represents the Plains Indians as very organized, resource-ful, and inventive.

Non fiction

Plains Use for research. Identify characteristics of life in a plains Indian vil-lage.


Kalman, Bobbie. Life in a Plains Camp. (Native Nations of North America). 2001, 0-7787-0461-0. Portrays the various aspects of life of the Plains people with their own customs and traditions. Looks at hunting, clothing, food, fam-ily, sports and the roles and responsibilities of various individuals. The illus-trations in the book are well done. Give general information but also specific details about selected groups.

Non-fiction

Plains Identify characteristics of life in a plains Indian vil-lage. Activity: Traditional Homes Activity: Bannock in Sto-ries Activity: Inventions and Innovations




Kalman, Bobbie. Native Homes (Native Nations of North America). 2001, 978-0778704638. This book looks at many of the dwellings built by the na-tive nations across the continent. Detailed illustrations show the exteriors, interiors, and way of life in each lodge. Discover thatch homes and pueblos of the Southwest, plank houses of the Northwest Coast, wigwams, longhous-es, tipis, earth lodges, pit homes, and igloos.

Non-fiction

Many Use for research. Activity: Traditional Homes Activity: Inventions and Innovations


Kalman, Bobbie. Nations of the Northwest Coast. With index, glossary, table of contents, appealing format, and large, bright illustrations, here is an historical look at the people and their culture. Topics covered include the distinct customs, cultures, and beliefs of the various nations; dwellings used in different seasons and locales; fishing and the use of coastal plants and an-imals; traditional handicrafts, including carving and weaving; the organiza-tion of families, clans, and moieties.

Non-fiction

(Northwest Coast)

Use for research. Activity: Traditional Homes Activity: Inventions and Innovations

Social Studies: Aboriginal peo-ple Science: Build-ing Devices and Vehicles that Move

Kalman, Bobbie. Nations of the Plains. 2001, 0778703681. Introduces stu-dents to the customs, languages, and traditional ways of the lives of several native nations that lived on the Great Plains of North America, including the Blackfoot.

Non fiction

Many, includ-ing Black-foot

Activity: Aboriginal Cul-tural Groups Activity: Inventions and Innovations


Zoe, Therese. Living Stories. (Land is our Storybook) 2009, 9781897252444. Rich in details about the life today of Dogrib people. Excel-lent photos.

Non-fiction

Dogrib (Dene)

Activity: Aboriginal Cul-tural Groups

Social Studies: Aboriginal peo-ple

McLeod. Tom. Delta is My Home. (Land is our Storybook). 2008, 9781897252321. Tom McLeod is an11-year-old boy. He tells about such things as how the Mackenzie Delta floods, how to make bannock and about “ratting” (trapping muskrats) and hunting black ducks.

Non-fiction

Gwich’in (Dene) and Inuvialuit

What are the differences and similarities between some of the regions of Canada? Activity: Aboriginal Cul-tural Groups Activity: Bannock in Sto-ries


Willett, Mindy. Proud to be Inuvialuugama. (Land is our Storybook). 2010, 978-1897252598. James lives in the hamlet of Tuktoyuktuk in the Northwest Territories, above the Arctic Circle. The community is often just called Tuk to save time. Even though he lives in the town now, James grew up on the land, learning the traditional values and survival skills of his people. In this book, James and his daughter Rebecca go on a trip to harvest beluga whale. Harvesting and preparing beluga meat as a family is an essential part of what it means to be Inuvialuit.

Non-fiction

Inuit Activity: Aboriginal Cul-tural Groups Activity: Bannock in Sto-ries


André, Julie-Ann. We Feel Good Out Here. (Land is our Storybook). 2008, 9781897252338. Rich in details about the life of a contemporary Gwich’in family, excellent photos.

Non-fiction

Gwich’in (Dene)

Activity: Aboriginal Cul-tural Groups Compare contemporary life




with traditional life using a Venn Diagram.

Jumbo, Sheyenne and Willett, Mindy. Come and Learn With Me (Land is our Storybook). 2010, 9781897252574. Nine-year-old Sheyenne lives in Trout Lake, NWT, and shares her life – home, school, and the land. Learn how to make birch bark baskets, identify medicinal plants, pick cranberries, make drymeat and scrape moose hides.

Dene Yatie (south Slavey)

Activity: Aboriginal Cul-tural Groups Activity: Bannock in Sto-ries


Bishop, Amanda. Life in a Pueblo. (Native Nations of North America). 2003, 978-0778704676. Photographs and clear text explore the daily lives of the people who lived in these communal adobe dwellings. Students will learn how pueblos were built and the roles played by men, women, and children.

Non-fiction

Pueblo Use for research. Activity: Traditional Homes


Landon, Rocky. A Native American Thought of It: Amazing Inventions and Innovations. Includes a map of the traditional territories of the various Native American groups. This book shows a great deal of respect for Native Americans and offers a well-researched, well-planned and very interesting resource. Organized under such headings as food, shelter, transportation, medicine, communication, fun, hunting and fishing.

Non-fiction

Many Activity: Traditional Homes Activity: Inventions and Innovations

Science: Build-ing Devices and Vehicles that Move Social Studies: People of Alber-ta

Ipellie, Alootook. The Inuit Thought of It: Amazing Arctic Innovations. Offers a well-researched, well-planned and very interesting resource. Orga-nized under such headings as food, shelter, clothing, medicine, dog sleds, fun, hunting and the kayak.

Non-fiction

Inuit Activity: Traditional Homes Activity: Inventions and Innovations

Science: Build-ing Devices and Vehicles that Move

Love, Ann and Jane Drake, The Kids Book of the Far North, 2000, 1550745638. The Far North is home to many plants, animals and people who have developed remarkable ways of adapting to one of the harshest climates on Earth. The book examines the region’s fascinating history, modern life, and fragile ecosystem with facts, stories, legends, illustrations, timelines and maps.

Non-fiction

Inuit Research and report writing. Activity: Aboriginal Cul-tural Groups Activity: Inventions and Innovations

Science: Build-ing Devices and Vehicles that Move

Munro, Ron. Canada’s First Peoples, 2005, 1550414437. An excellent re-source – includes eastern, plains, west coast and arctic people. Canada, A People’s History series. Very well illustrated, excellent format.

Non fiction

Many Use for research and refer-ence. Activity: Aboriginal Cul-tural Groups Activity: Inventions and Innovations


Shemie, Bonnie. Houses of Snow, Skin and Bones (Native Dwellings). 1993, 978-0887763052. The author focuses on the critical need for shelter in the harsh Far North as the primary shaper of Inuit life. The architecture, en-gineering, and construction methods for igloos, sod houses, and tents are ex-plained, and the author also discusses patterns of living within the structures.

Non-fiction

Inuit Activity: Traditional Homes


Bouchard, David. (Métis Author). Secret of Your Name. 2009, Prose Métis Describe some of the char- Social Studies:



9780889954397. Story of a person discovering his Métis heritage and look-ing back over the culture and history of the Métis. Includes CD. Text in Eng-lish and Michif (Métis language.)

poetry acteristics of Métis culture. Activity: Aboriginal Cul-tural Groups

People of Alber-ta

Mercredi, Morningstar and Darren McNally (Illustrator, Photographer) Fort Chipewyan Homecoming: A Journey to Native Canada (We Are Still Here). 12-year-old Matthew takes a trip to Fort Chipewyan in Alberta to learn about his Chipewyan, Métis, and Cree heritage. His visit coincides with the community's celebration of Treaty Days, commemorating the 1899 agreement that gave the Chipewyans hunting and fishing rights and reserva-tion land. Each year the people gather for games, dances, sports, and feast-ing. Matthew also learns about traditional ways of fishing and drying fish and making bannock and native beadwork and crafts. There are full-color photos with clear text.

Photo graphic Essay

Métis, Cree

Compare and contrast life today with the traditional life of the Chipewyan, Mé-tis, and Cree people. Activity: Bannock in Sto-ries

Social Studies: Past and Present

Wastasecoot, Brenda Isabel. (AA). Granny’s Giant Bannock. 2008, 9781894717496. A little miscommunication between English-speaking Larf and his Cree-speaking grandmother leads to hilarious results when a giant bannock threatens to take over the town. Includes a bannock recipe.

Picture Book

Cree Activity: Bannock in Sto-ries.

Language Arts: Writing a Story

Bouchard, David. (Métis Author). Michael Lonechild, illus. (Cree artist). Qu'Appelle. 2002, 1-55192-475-7. Here is a Cree tale, and a famous love story. It is a tragic legend about a young brave who must leave his betrothed to lead a war party against the Blackfoot. Heartbroken by his absence, she falls sick and dies. Upon his return, the brave cannot believe she is dead, and wanders the prairies to this day calling for her. The elders say that if you go out to the prairies and listen you will hear the brave looking for his lost love, calling out "Qui Appelle" - who is calling?

Folktale Cree Read for enjoyment. Describe how the Cree lived.

Social Studies: Plains Cree

Loyie, Larry. As Long as the Rivers Flow: A last summer before residen-tial school. 2002, 0-8899-473-7. A short, true novel about Larry, who was 10 years old and living with his family near Slave Lake in Alberta, when he learned that children must go away to school. He was frightened at the pro-spect of leaving his home and family. He and his family spend the summer among the animals, with the grandparents, and on the trail to fish and hunt. The carefree summer ends when the children are collected by strangers in a truck and driven away, crying, to a faraway school to learn new ways of liv-ing. An epilogue, complete with pictures, describes the residential school situation as Larry lived it from age 10 to 14. Good illustrations.

Novel (short, autobio-graphical)

Cree Characterize residential schools. Find out why the govern-ment sent Aboriginal chil-dren to residential schools. Have a debate with govern-ment officials on one side and the Aboriginal parents on the other.

Social Studies: Alberta history

Spalding, Andrea. Finders Keepers. 1995, 2008, 978-1550028287. While walking through a neighbourhood field in Alberta, Danny finds an 8,000-year-old arrowhead. His friend Joshua, who lives on the Piegan reserve at Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump, joins him on buffalo hunts, powwows, ar-chaeological digs, and a break-in at the local museum. In the process Danny

Novel Piegan (Black-foot)

Use as a novel study for grade 4 Social Studies.

Social Studies: People of Alber-ta Language Arts: Novel Study



learns about history and begins to overcome his dyslexia. Here’s a very sen-sitive portrayal of the Piegan people of southern Alberta in a novel that is fairly easy reading with strong boy appeal. Loyie, Larry. Goodbye Buffalo Bay. Includes anecdotes about Larry’s life at residential school, his life after he leaves the school, and a history of residen-tial schools in Canada.

Non fiction

Cree What basic democratic rights were withheld by the government?

Social Studies: Alberta history

Kusugak, Michael. Northern Lights: The Soccer Trails, 1999, 1-55037-338-2. This beautifully-illustrated story tells the Inuit beliefs about the Northern Lights through the eyes of a young girl.

Picture Book

Inuit Tell about the Inuit beliefs about the Northern Lights.


Kusugak, Michael. Hide and Sneak. 1996, 1-55037-229-7. This is the story of a little Inuit girl who learns about the nasty little Ijiraq who will hide you during a game of hide and seek. The trouble is that he will hide you so well that you will never be found. The only thing that will help you find your way home is an Inukshuk.

Picture Book

Inuit What does an Inukshuk do? Why do you think Inuit par-ents tell this story to their children?


Kusugak, Michael. Littlest Sled Dog. 2008, 9781551437521. This story about a little cairn terrier who dreams of being a big, strong sled dog, incor-porates many aspects of Inuit culture and the northern environment.

Picture Book

Inuit Compare with A Sled Dog for Moshi and Nutik, the Wolf Pup.

Language Arts: Comparing sto-ries

Kusugak, Michael. Baseball Bats for Christmas. 1999, 155037-144-4. This is a humourous story of a boy named Arvaarluk who lived in Repulse Bay during Christmas, 1955. The people had never seen trees and when they re-ceived six at Christmas time, they carved them into baseball bats.

Picture Book

Inuit Why had the people never seen trees? Describe the arctic region.


Kusugak, Michael. Arctic Stories. 1999, 1-55037-453-2. Here are three sto-ries about an Inuit girl named Agatha. The prologue and analogue provide the factual background for the stories. The analogue also contains a diction-ary of Inuit words used in the story. There are full-page illustrations for each page of print. The pictures are vivid and both the illustrations and the story portray life in the Northwest Territories.

Picture Book

Inuit Characterize life in the far north. Describe the arctic region.


dePaola, Tomie. Popcorn Book. 1984, 978-0823405336. Details the history of popcorn and shows how corn is an Aboriginal food originating in North America. Presents a variety of facts about popcorn and includes two recipes.

Non-fiction

Many Read with How Two-Feather was Saved from Loneliness from Spirit of Canada Create a flow chart or circle chart showing the life cycle of corn. Activity: Bannock in Sto-ries.

Science: Plant Growth and Changes Language Arts:

Writing a Story

Hehner, Barbara. Spirit of Canada: Canada’s Story in Legends, Fiction, Poems, and Songs, 2001, 0773762000. A marvelous must-have anthology of stories, poems and songs taken form the body of children’s literature and spanning Canadian history, and including many well-loved stories and po-

Anthology - poems, stories, songs

Many Read with Popcorn Book. Activity: Bannock in Sto-ries Activity: Quest or Hero

Science: Plant Growth and Changes Language Arts:



ems. Lots of colour illustrations. Includes many Aboriginal stories such as: How Two-Feather was Saved from Loneliness, Manabozho and the Ma-ple Trees, Coppermine Feast, and the quest story Scannah and the Beau-tiful Woman.

Tales

Literature analy-sis

Kusugak, Michael. My Arctic 1, 2, 3. 1996, 1-55037-504-0. This beautiful picture book uses a northern community as the background for basic count-ing from 1 to 10. After 10 there are pages to illustrate the numbers 20, 100, and 1 000 000. Focuses on the Inuit community, language and wildlife. In-cludes glossary and information about the arctic, its wildlife and climate.

Picture Book

Inuit Characterize Inuit customs and lifestyle.

Mathematics Social Studies: People of Cana-da

Tingley, Ken. A is Alberta: A Centennial Alphabet. 2005, 0-9733500-2-4. A look at the place names of our province gives a glimpse of the many forces that have shaped Alberta. Names reflect the heritage left by First Nations people, the fur trading entrepreneurs, the explorers, the railways, world events, and the settlers and immigrants from all over the world that make Alberta the place it is today.

Alphabet Book

Use for research. Use as a model for student research and writing. Read Village that Stretched from Sea to Sea and Canadian Indian Place Names from Spirit of Canada. Activity: Make an Alpha-bet Book

Social Studies: Alberta

Flett, Julie. Owls See Clearly at Night: A Michif Alphabet. 2010, 9781897476284. In Michif and English. An introduction to the Michif lan-guage of the Métis people, mostly a combination of Cree and French.

Alphabet Book

Métis Activity: Make an Alpha-bet Book

Language Arts: Research

Shoulders, Debbie and Michael. D is for Drum. 2006, 1585362743. Readers get an A-Z introduction to the customs and cultures of the first people inhab-iting the Americas. Topics include Bison, tipis, Kachinas and dugout canoes.

Alphabet Book

Use as a model for a class research and writing pro-ject. Activity: Make an Alpha-bet Book

Social Studies: Research

McLellan, Joe. Goose Girl. 9781894717441. Years ago in northern Canada, Marie, who spoke French and Cree, had a special wordless understanding with a goose. The relationship changed her life.

Picture Book

Cree Read for enjoyment. Characterize Métis life.

Wiebe, Rudy. Michael Lonechild, illus. (AI). Hidden Buffalo, 2003, 0-88995-285-X. This book tells the story of the dependency of the Cree people on the herds of buffalo. The beautiful illustrations provide rich detail of Cree life in the 19th century in Alberta. One of the few really good books about Alberta Aboriginal people.

Folktale (survival)

Cree Compare with other folktales about survival. Research the ways the Cree people depended upon the buffalo. Describe how noth-ing was wasted. Compare with Return of the Buffaloes: a Plains Indian story about famine and renewal of the Earth.

Language Arts: Make a retrieval matrix. Social Studies: Cree in Alberta. Science: Waste and Our World



Goble, Paul. Return of the Buffaloes: a Plains Indian story about famine and renewal of the Earth. 1996, 079222714X. This folktale is based on a Lakota myth in which a mysterious woman returns the buffalo and the other animals to the Indian people.

Folktale (survival)

Plains (Lakota)

Compare with Hidden Buf-falo.

Language Arts: Compare with other folktales about survival. Make a retrieval matrix.

Goble, Paul. Gift of the Sacred Dog. 1980, 0020432801. In response to a boy’s prayer for help for his hungry people, the Great Spirit sends the gift of the Sacred Dogs, horses, which help the tribe to hunt for buffalo.

Folktale (survival)

Plains Compare this folktale with the Blackfoot version How the Thunder Made Horses from Spirit of Canada. What differences did horses bring to Aboriginal people?

Language Arts: Compare with other folktales about survival. Make a retrieval matrix.

Ballantyne, Adam. Wisakyjak and the New World. 1991, 9780921254348. Directly taken from a Woodland Cree storyteller, this is one of the stories of Wisakyjak, a trickster who was responsible for changing many of he animals so that they appear as they do today.

Folktale (trickster)

Wood-land Cree

Activity: Trickster Tales Language Arts: Literature analy-sis

McDermott, Gerald. Jabuti The Tortoise: A Trickster Tale from the Ama-zon. 2001, 0-15-200496-3. All the birds enjoy the songlike flute music of Jabuti, the tortoise, except Vulture, who, jealous because he cannot sing, tricks Jabuti into riding on his back toward a festival planned by the King of Heaven.


Amazon area


Friesen, John W. And Now You Know: 50 Native American Legends. 2010, 9781550593846. Provides short origin, why (pourquoi), how, and trickster stories from mostly Canadian Nations, including Peigan, Blackfoot, Cree, Iroquois, Dene, and Swampy Cree. (One black-and-white print illustra-tion for each story, not great quality. Some editing errors.) Includes Napi, Skunk, and the Prairie Dogs: A Blackfoot Legend.

Folklore (Pourquoi, trickster, creation)

Many, Cana-dian


McDermott, Gerald. Papagayo: The Mischief Maker. 1992, 0152594647. Papagayo, the noisy parrot, helps the night animals save the moon from be-ing eaten up by the moon-dog.


Amazon area


King, Thomas. Coyote’s New Suit. 2004, 1552634973. Coyote loves his soft, toasty-brown suit – at least until Raven hints that it might not be the finest in the forest. Suddenly, Coyote is noticing suits wherever he looks – and taking them, too. Soon Coyote has everyone mad at him, and Raven is immensely enjoying the resulting chaos. Contains folklore elements from many cultures.

Picture book (trickster)

Contains folklore elements from many cultures

Compare to one of the orig-inal versions: Why Moose Has Loose Skin: A Swampy Cree Legend from John W. Friesen’s And Now You Know: 50 Native American Leg-ends. Activity: Trickster Tales

Language Arts: comparing sto-ries, literature analysis

McDermott, Gerald. Zomo the Rabbit: A Trickster Tale from West Afri- Folktale West Activity: Trickster Tales Language Arts:



ca. 1996, 978-0152010102. This retelling features bold, vibrant shapes and colours. When Zomo ("He is not big. He is not strong. But he is very clever") beseeches the Sky God for wisdom, he is set three impossible tasks: he must bring back "the scales of Big Fish in the sea…, the milk of Wild Cow and the tooth of Leopard." The clever rabbit dupes the three creatures into giving up these prizes, but then discovers that the joke is on him.

(trickster) Africa Literature analy-sis

McDermott, Gerald. Coyote: A Trickster Tale from the American South-west. 1999, 978-0152019587. Coyote decides he wants to fly with the crows. They humor him, give him feathers, and tolerate his off key singing and out-of-step dancing, until he begins to boast and order them about. Then, as Coyote struggles in midair, they take back their feathers one by one and he plummets to earth. His tail catches fire, and he tumbles into the dirt. To this day he is the color of dust and his tail has a burnt, black tip.

Folktale (Trickster)

American South-west


McDermott, Gerald. Raven: A Trickster Tale from the Pacific Northwest. 2001, 978-0152024499. Raven feels sorry for the people living in the gloomy cold, so he flies to the house of the Sky Chief in search of light and warmth. To get inside, Raven pulls a shape-shifting trick that allows him to be born to the god's daughter.

Folktale (Trickster, quest)

Pacific North-west

Compare with How Raven Freed the Moon. Activity: Quest or Hero Tales Activity: Trickster Tales


Munsch, Robert and Michael Kusugak. (Inuit Author). A Promise is a Prom-ise. 1988, 155037009X. Allashua, a little Inuit girl, disobeys her mother’s warning that the Quallupelluq (an imaginary fruit creature like a troll) will take her away if she fishes in the crack in the ocean. In exchange for her life, Allashua promises to bring her brothers and sisters to the crack in the ocean ice. Her family’s courageous trick allows Allashua to keep both her family--and her promise. The book blends a “warm, loving family into an adven-turous story that will enchant children…an absolutely wonderful book.”2


Inuit Tell some details about how the Inuit live. Compare this story with Very Last First Time and with Nanabosho, Soaring Eagle and the Great Stur-geon. Activity: Trickster Tales

Social Studies: Inuit Language Arts: Comparing sto-ries

Bruchac, Joseph & Bruchac, James. (AA), Jose Aruego & Ariane Dewey, Illustrator (AA). Raccoon’s Last Race: a traditional Abenaki story. 2004, 0-8037-2977-4. Tells the story of how Raccoon, the fastest animal on earth, loses his speed because he is boastful and breaks his promises.


Abenaki Activity: Trickster Tales Language Arts: Literature analy-sis

Friesen, John W. Still More Legends of the Elders. 2005, 1550592793. In-cludes trickster legends. Learning legends and moral legends. Trickster sto-ries include Coyote and Crow: A Yakima Legend and Swift-Runner and the Trickster: A Zuni Legend. (Hard-to-read titles and one black-and-white illustration of varying quality per story.)


Many Compare with other trickster stories. Activity: Trickster Tales

Language Arts: Comparing sto-ries, literature analysis

Cameron, Anne. How Raven Freed the Moon. 1985, 0920080677. This is both a trickster story and a pourquoi story. Raven wants the Moon, and alt-hough she gets it from the old fisherwoman’s cedar chest, she can’t carry it,


North-west Coast


2 Peterson, Andrea. Second Look: Native Americans in Children's Books. 2007, pp. 243.



and so throws it up into the sky. Black and white illustrations. Cameron, Anne. CA). Raven Goes Berrypicking. 1991, 1550170368. Raven is clever and tricky – and greedy. She persuades her friends to pick berries with her, and tricks them into doing more than their share of the work, for less than their chare of the food. In the end, her friends cleverly teach Raven a lesson. Black and white illustrations.


North-west Coast

Compare with Little Red Hen. What berries grow in your area? What growing condi-tions do these berries like best? When are they ready to pick? Activity: Trickster Tales

Language Arts: Literature analy-sis Science: Plant Growth and Changes

Cameron, Anne. (CA) Raven & Snipe. 1991, 1550170376. The ever-wily, ever-hungry Raven visits the generous Snipe family, in the hopes of getting lots of free food. When she gets a bit too greedy, however, she finds out the Snipes have a few tricks of their own!


Pacific Coast


Football, Virginia. How the Fox Got His Crossed Legs. 2009, 9781894778749. Includes CD. When he gets into an argument with Bear, Fox loses a leg and becomes very sad. The people ask Raven for help. Raven tricks Bear and gets Fox’s leg back for him, but he puts it on crooked. Text also in Dogrib.


Dogrib Compare with other trickster stories. Activity: Pourquoi Tales Activity: Trickster Tales

Language Arts: Comparing sto-ries, literature analysis

Carriere, Ken. Bulrush Helps the Pond. Gabriel Dumont Institute, 2007, 0-920915-65-5. Shows prairie wetland ecology as seen by the Swampy Cree people, looking at the seasonal cycle of nature on a pond. Well illustrated, each photo shows an animal, water bird, or plant that depends upon a marsh-land ecosystem. The focus is the changing seasons: fall, ducks; winter many animals and birds have left or are hibernating; spring, Canada geese, bul-rushes, mosquitoes, water birds and frogs; summer, ducks, bugs, falcons, foxes, bulrush is tall and helps the pond by preventing all the water from evaporating; fall again, birds, bulrush drops its seeds. The cycle of nature is complete and the reader gains understanding of the fragile prairie wetland ecosystem. Written in Swampy Cree and English.

Non-fiction

Swampy Cree

List and describe the ways in which bulrushes help ponds and pond life.

Science: Plant Growth and Changes

Knutson, Barbara. Love and Roast Chicken: A Trickster Tale from the Andes Mountains. 2004, 1575056577. A clever guinea pig repeatedly out-smarts the fox that wants to eat him for dinner.


Peru region (Andes)


Ahenakew, Freda. Wisahkecahk Flies to the Moon. 1999, 9780921827573. Written in Cree and English, this engaging tale follows Wisahkecahk as he hitches a ride to the moon by grabbing the legs of a crane. When the moon disappears underneath his feet, Wisahkecahk falls to earth and lands in soft mud. Rather than rejoice that his life was saved, Wisahkecahk curses the mud as a wasteland. Sherry Farrell Racette is the Métis artist.

Folktale (Trickster, pourquoi)

Cree Activity: Trickster Tales Activity: Pourquoi Tales


Krensky, Stephen. How Coyote Stole Summer: A Native American Tale. (On My Own Folklore) 2000, 9780822575481. Coyote the trickster is always


(Wyo-ming)

Activity: Trickster Tales Language Arts: Literature analy-



up to something. This time he steals summer! Easy reading. Shoshone sis Goble, Paul. Iktomi and the Buffalo Skull: A Plains Indian Story. 1990, 0531059111. Again the trickster, the man in the middle, makes a fool of himself. Iktomi, the Plains trickster, interrupts a powwow of the Mouse Peo-ple and gets his head stuck in a buffalo skull. Excellent source notes. The asides printed in italics mimic the comments of both the storyteller and the listeners in traditional storytelling. Have two or more readers reading the various parts as the story progresses.


Plains Activity: Trickster Tales Language Arts: Literature analy-sis

Goble, Paul. Iktomi and the Buzzard. 1994, 0531086623. Iktomi, the trick-ster, tries to fool a buzzard into carrying him across the river on the buz-zard’s back. The asides printed in italics mimic the comments of both the storyteller and the listeners in traditional storytelling. Excellent source notes. Have two or more readers reading the various parts as the story progresses.


Plains (Teton, Dakota)


Goble, Paul. Iktomi and the Ducks: A Plains Indian Story. 1990, 0531070441. After outwitting some ducks, Iktomi, the trickster, is outwitted by Coyote. The asides printed in italics mimic the comments of both the sto-ryteller and the listeners in traditional storytelling. Have two or more readers reading the various parts as the story progresses.


Plains Compare with other trickster stories involving coyote. Activity: Trickster Tales


McLellan, Joseph. Nanabosho Steals Fire. 1990, 0921827059. An old man who had fire kept it for himself and was always watching to make sure no one stole it. Nanabosho changed into a rabbit, fooled the old man’s daughters and got them to take him into their wigwam. There, he let the fire catch onto his fur and ran out and back to his people and thereby bought them fire. That’s why how the people got fire and that’s why the rabbit is brown in summer – to remind the people how they got fire.

Folktale (trickster, pourquoi, hero)

Ojibwa Compare this story with Rainbow Crow. Activity: Quest or Hero Tales Activity: Trickster Tales Activity: Pourquoi Tales


Bruchac, Joseph & Bruchac, James. (AA), Girl Who Helped Thunder and other Native American Folktales. 2008, 9781402732638. Presents 24 sto-ries from various Native American groups, including Blackfoot and Inuit. The Blackfoot story, Old Man and the Rolling Rock, is about Old Man, a favourite trickster character in the tales of the Blackfoot. Old Man sometimes changes the world around him, but other times he gets into trouble. In stories like this one, he is a perfect example of how not to behave. The Inuit story is Blind Boy and the Loon, which is a trickster story. Another trickster story is Turtle’s Race with Wolf. Excellent illustrations. For a variation on the Roll-ing Rock story, go to Legend of Napi and the Rock at http://canadian-first-nations.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_legend_of_napi_and_the_rock In this funny version, the rock is the Okotoks Erratic and it’s after Old Man!

Story Col-lection (Trickster, pourquoi, quest)

Many, includ-ing Black-foot and Inuit

How is Old Man in this story a perfect example of how not to behave? Activity: Quest or Hero Tales Activity: Trickster Tales


Swanson, Bruce, Gray Wolf's Search. 2007, 978-0977918317. His uncle, the clan shaman, tells Gray Wolf that his future success depends on complet-ing an important task--he must find a very important person and get to know

Picture Book (Quest)

(North-west Coast)





him well. When he returns to his clan, an older and wiser Gray Wolf takes the talking stick from his uncle and shares his new wisdom. Beautifully illus-trated. Robinson, Gail. Coyote the Trickster. 1975, 0844809233. Trickster charac-ters are often coyotes, and have many-sided personalities. They can be fool-ish, magical, tricky, heroic – all leading to a wise and witty reflection of hu-man nature.

Story Col-lection (Trickster)

Many Activity: Trickster Tales Language Arts: comparing sto-ries, literature analysis

Dembicki, Matt. Trickster: Native American Tales: A Graphic Collec-tion. 2010, 978-1555917241. In Trickster, 21 Native American tales are adapted into graphic novel form. Each story is written by a different Native American storyteller who worked closely with a selected illustrator, a com-bination that gives each tale a unique and powerful voice and look. Stories range from serious and dramatic to funny and sometimes downright fiendish.

Folktale (trickster), graphic novel format

Many Activity: Trickster Tales Language Arts: Literature analy-sis

George, Thomas. Raven and the First People: Legends of the Northwest Coast. 2009, 9781926696089. Over 25 stories from the Canadian pacific Northwest. No illustrations.

Folktale Collec-tion


Select several Raven stories from different sources to analyze and compare. Are they hero, trickster, or pourquoi stories?


Ayre, Robert. Sketco the Raven. 2009, 9781443100441. Through his cun-ning, trickery, and transformations, Sketco brings the world the moon, the sun, and the stars. He gives birds their colours, gives man fire, creates the tides, brings food, and much more. No illustrations. Like a chapter book, each chapter telling another episode. Episodes stand alone, but the whole works as a longer story.

Folktale Collection (pourquoi, trickster, hero)


Select several Raven stories from different sources to analyze and compare. Are they hero, trickster, or pourquoi stories? Activity: Trickster Tales Activity: Pourquoi and Creation Tales Activity: Quest or Hero Tales


Bellingham, Brenda. Storm Child, 1985 0888627939. Isabel Macpherson, born in Fort Edmonton of a Scottish father and a Native mother, is deter-mined to assume her Native name, Storm Child, deny her father who has abandoned the family, and live with her grandparents among the Piegans – but cultural roots are not so easily set aside.

Novel Black-foot

(Piegan)

Novel study and culture comparison.

Language Arts: Novel study

Campbell, Nicola. (Métis Author). Shi-shi-etko. 2005, 0888996594. In four short days, Shi-shi-etko will be forced to leave her family and all that is fa-miliar to her to attend residential school. This is a moving and poetic account of one child’s final moments spent with her family and the beauty of the world around her. In the presence of her family, Shi-shi-etko carefully gath-ers valuable teachings and memories for safekeeping.

Picture Book

Talk about residential schools and what the im-pact was on Aboriginal people.


Taylor, Cora. Angelique - Buffalo Hunt. 2002, 0-14-100271-9. Angelique, a Novel Métis Research to find out a little Social Studies:



Métis girl, prepares for the annual buffalo hunt on the prairie. She encounters several adventures, including a buffalo stampede. Angelique's strong, smart and courageous personality is portrayed in this Canadian historical fiction book. Sequels: Long Way Home and Autumn Alone.

about Métis people. Métis people

McLellan, Joe. Nanabosho, Soaring Eagle and the Great Sturgeon. 1993, 0921827237. Soaring Eagle gets greedy and nearly loses his son.

Folktale Ojibwa Compare this story with Promise is a Promise and Very Last First Time. Make a grid and compare several aspects. What lesson does this story teach? Activity: Bannock in Sto-ries

Language Arts: comparing sto-ries, writing a story

Campbell, Nicola. (Métis Author). Shin-chi’s Canoe. 2008, 9780888998576. When they arrive at school, Shi-shi-etko reminds Shinchi, her six-year-old brother, that they can only use their English names and that they can't speak to each other. For Shinchi, life becomes an endless cycle of church mass, school, work, and hunger. He finds solace at the river, with his cedar canoe, a gift from his father, and dreaming of the day when the salmon return to the river - a sign that it’s almost time to return home. This is a story about a dev-astating chapter in First Nations history.

Picture Book

Talk about residential schools and what the im-pact was on Aboriginal people.


Wikipedia: Blackfoot - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackfoot. This Web site gives a good overview of Blackfoot history and culture. It clarifies the vari-ous groups that comprise the Blackfoot Confederacy.

Web site Black-foot

Use for research. Social Studies: Blackfoot Peo-ple of Alberta

Glenbow Museum: Niitsitapiisini Our Way of Life: The Story of the Blackfoot People - http://www.glenbow.org/blackfoot/. Information, photos, graphics and activities abound in this interesting Web site.

Web site Black-foot

Use for research. Social Studies: Blackfoot Peo-ple of Alberta



Using Children’s Literature in Teaching Elementary Social Studies Advantages:

• Widespread availability • Easily integrated into thematic curricula • Generally more up to date • More focused and provide an in-depth look at social studies concepts • More interesting and less confusing for students than textbooks • Story lines help students remember concepts better • Contain colourful pictures and graphics • Present a more human side of social studies than do textbooks • Evoke both efferent (factual) and aesthetic response (emotional) • Support Inquiry and Research Processes

What Do We Look For In Non-Fiction? Criteria:

• Large, clear, high quality colour illustrations, including both photos and drawings • Drawings include graphs, diagrams, tables and other structures that plot information and show relationships • Illustrations that match and support the text • Captions that support the material • Index • Table of Contents • Glossary • Authority and currency evident in sources used in content development (e.g., sources and authorities listed) • Text appropriate as to size, font type, placement, amount per page • Headings and sub-headings used frequently throughout the text • Content suitable for age of student • Content appropriate for the intended unit of study • Content organized in “chunks” of related material • Print broken up by illustrations, boxes, sidebars, etc., so as to avoid long, intimidating sections of text. • Appealing format • Canadian or Albertan content where appropriate and available

fnmi list 4 - strong nations · 9780889954274. includes cd. text in english and mi’kmaq. the...

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