Theme 10: Adding Aboriginal Content to the Classroom

Goal #3: Barriers preventing First Nations, Métis and Inuit learner success are identified, and removed by the school community.

Stand up if each of the following statements is true for you:

• I am a grade 3 teacher.• I grew up in this town• I have met an Aboriginal Elder.• I teach Aboriginal students in my classroom.

When the name of your symbol is called, find your group and think of one activity you could use in the classroom based on your symbol. Think of ways to infuse the activity with Aboriginal content, while still relating to the curriculum. Share your activity ideas with the group.

Activity: Like Me

Activity: Learning Partners

Adding Aboriginal Content to the Classroom

The lack of Aboriginal components in the programs of study in Alberta’s curriculum is a barrier to FNMI learner success.

Considerations for Adding Aboriginal Content:

• What is being learned must be meaningful to the learner (list examples of real life experiences).

• Access to resources that support the infusion of Aboriginal content in the curriculum must be accessible to all schools in Alberta.

• You cannot teach what you do not know: the practicing teacher and pre-service teacher preparation must include theory and practice of the Aboriginal content

• In order for Aboriginal content to be accurate and relevant, there must be Aboriginal people working on curriculum and resource development.

Using Oral Storytelling in the Classroom

“Traditional tribal narratives possess a circular structure incorporating event within event, piling meaning on meaning, until the accretion finally results in a story. The structure of tribal narratives, at least in their native language forms, is quite unlike that of Western fiction; it is not tied to any particular time line, main character or event.”

(Gunn Allen 1986)

Benefits of using Oral Storytelling in the Classroom:• Can be used to teach pre-literate children or ESL students• Can be linked to drama• Helps improve memory and public speaking skills• Ties to a larger, more meaningful context• Can be used in various subjects (cross-curricular)• Helps reduce our dependence on written words, notes or scripts when

presenting• Others?

Divide into groups and select a sample objective from various Alberta curriculums and subjects (see summary sheet 3) from the bag.

In your groups, figure out ways you can teach the objective using Aboriginal content.

Groups then pass their objectives to the group to the right and repeat the activity.

Activity: Matching Aboriginal Content to the Curriculum

Listen to the story and then compare and contrast Aboriginal oral stories with Western literature using a Venn diagram.

Discuss the quote from summary sheet 1, emphasizing that translating and writing down a traditional story inevitably change it. Then discuss the relationship between oral tradition and drama – does drama offer more freedom (than the written word) to express yourself in a traditional way?

Discuss ways they can incorporate oral tradition in the ELA classroom.

Activity: Oral Tradition in the Classroom

Examples of Aboriginal Content Infusion

From “Influencing Aboriginal Education: Effective Practices for First Nations, Métis and Inuit Learners and Educators” Alberta Learning, 2003

Muskowehiwan Band School, Saskatchewan – examples of Aboriginal Content

Subject Aboriginal Content Activity

Art Creating Star blankets, Tipi design

Dance Instructing students in various types of pow-wow and round dance movements

Social Studies Teaching a comparative perspective of the government structures of the province and the reserve

Science Endangered animals, such as the eagle, and its significance to Aboriginal culture

Health Indigenous food groups and traditional ways of healing

Language Arts Elders tell stories and legends

Math Geometry of the circle

Examples of Aboriginal Content Infusion (continued)

Metawewinihk Archeology Project:• Students worked on several real archeological digs and participated in

activities such as fire starting, flint knapping, petroglyph making, and traditional cooking

• Helps move the concept of history from abstract to concrete• Involves Elders, who came to bless the site• Develops cultural pride and a sense of identity

Father Gamache School:• Use Native legends and concepts to teach Language Arts concepts• Use First Nations plays and books to teach students how to create

traditional artwork• Be careful to distinguish between different Aboriginal groups (Cree, Dene,

Métis, etc.)

Chief Mistawasis School:• Interviewed local Elders about the history and culture of the reserve and

legends • Material was translated and edited to form social studies units for grades 1

to 9

Twin Lakes School:• Offer a cultural camp to students from grades 1 – 12 every year • Learn how to prepare traditional foods, hunt, fish with nets, trap and tell

stories in the oral tradition• Field trips and culturally relevant extracurricular activities are often effective

means of supplementing course work and providing deeper insight into Aboriginal culture.

Examples of Aboriginal Content Infusion (continued)

Review the examples of infusing Aboriginal content from the various schools cited on summary sheet 4. Divide into groups and develop a plan for infusing Aboriginal content in their school. Groups then share their ideas.

Do a focused reading of the article “Culturally Appropriate Curriculum” in which you mark the article with the three symbols (checkmark, exclamation point and question mark). Discuss in groups the sections that you marked and why you marked them.

Activity: Infusing Aboriginal Content

Activity: Revising the Curriculum

“Just as plants must be nourished with food that meets their nutritional needs, the minds of Aboriginal students must also be nourished with knowledge and experiences that meet their spiritual and cultural needs.”

“Teaching Aboriginal students in a classroom without traditional content is like trying to fill a bottle with ice cubes – why not use the form that fits and fill the bottle with water!”

Work in groups to write your own metaphors and/or analogies and share them with the others.

Activity: Metaphor and Analogy

Write:

• 3 things or important ideas that you want to remember• 2 things you would like to know more about• 1 idea that you will write about tonight or will try tomorrow

• 3 interesting facts you learned• 2 big ideas you will think about• 1 question you need to think about

Activity: 3 – 2 – 1