Thalit Sqwel qwel : Stories of Truth    The Mission Public School District (MPSD) has partnered with local Elders and Survivors to develop this K-12 Residential School Curriculum and Resource Website.  Broad areas for each grade level include pre-contact, residential schools, reconciliation and worldviews.

Truth and Reconciliation. (2012). Justice Murray Sinclair. What is reconciliation? (High School, ProD)

Witness Blanket : “Inspired by a woven blanket, we [the artists]  have created a large scale art installation, made out of hundreds of items reclaimed from Residential Schools, churches, government buildings and traditional and cultural structures including Friendship Centres, band offices, treatment centres and universities, from across Canada. The Witness Blanket stands as a national monument to recognise the atrocities of the Indian Residential School era, honour the children, and symbolize ongoing reconciliation.”  See video trailer for this project here.  (Intermediate, Middle, Secondary)

Truth and Reconciliation Commission Website. (High School)

All Our Relations: Finding the Path Forward : The 2018 CBC Massey Lecture Series – “Prize-winning journalist Tanya Talaga explores the legacy of cultural genocide against Indigenous peoples.  For Talaga, that cultural genocide has led to a forced disconnection from land and language by Indigenous peoples. The need now, she says, is for Indigenous self-determination in social, cultural and political arenas.”– CBC  Books by Tanya Talaga: Seven Fallen Feathers and All Our Relations.  (ProD)

                 

They Came for the Children  Report on the Residential School System. 2012. Published by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Research Article. (High School)

First Nations Child and Family Caring Society of Canada.  Shannen’s Dream – School Resources. “The First Nations Child and Family Caring Society (Caring Society) is honoured to work with educators and schools across Canada to engage children and youth in peaceful and respectful processes of reconciliation designed to achieve culturally based equity for First Nations children. The below resource guides offer ideas for engaging students to understand and address inequalities experienced by First Nations children through three interrelated campaigns: Shannen’s Dream, Jordan’s Principle, and I am a witness.” (Intermediate, Middle School, High School)

Project of Heart Ebook, by BCTF. “This downloadable eBook is intended to be an interactive resource leading educators from the story to the ‘back story’ utilizing links on each page to offer related resources. Throughout this book you will find Project of Heart tiles with an ‘aura’ which indicates that this is a link. Click on each of these tiles to find additional resources including films, videos, documents, articles, activities and more.”  BCTF also provides recommended resources to compliment the Project of Heart.(High School)

Finding Heart : A video production by the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation.  Students demonstrate their understanding of IRS and reconciliation in the light of a commemoration ceremony for Dr. Peter Henderson Bryce.  Dr. Bryce was hired by the Canadian government to oversee the health and well-being of children in Indian Residential Schools.  He wrote a report to tell the poor conditions he found and advocating for improvements at these schools.  He was fired from the job because of this report.  This video tells his story and shows the commemoration ceremony.

Reconciliation Canada This website contains information to connect to reconciliation events and programs, and resources to support teaching and learning about reconciliation.  Of specific interest to teachers may be the Young Adult Voices – Call to Action Community Toolkit.  This kit  contains: “A ‘how to’ guide for senior high school students to create reconciliation actions and events within their schools, families and social networks.” (High School)

How to talk about indigenous people : CBC report clarifying the terms Indigenous, Métis, First Nations and Inuit.

‘Making Wolf’: How  Calgary and Tsuut’ind can move foreward, together : Chief Lee Crowchild on his vision for a more neighbourly future between communities that share a boundary. CBC News [Article] – Posted May 21, 2018. (Middle School, High School)

Legacy of Hope Foundation (LHF): ERAC reviewed and listed resource. “… A national Aboriginal charitable organization whose purposes are to educate, raise awareness and understanding of the legacy of residential schools, including the effects and intergenerational impacts on First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples, and to support the ongoing healing process of Residential School Survivors. Fulfilling this mandate contributes towards reconciliation among generations of Aboriginal peoples, and between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people in Canada.” (Middle School, High School)

Beyond 94 – Truth and Reconciliation in Canada : This is a CBC created website challenging Canadians to be actively involved in reconciliation efforts, and encouraging teachers to have conversations with their students.  This article by Lenard Monkman further explains the mandate of this website. The site provides up-to-date status reports on each call to action, as well as extensive summaries explaining those status reports. It includes in-depth features and short video documentaries that tell some of the community stories behind the calls to action. It also features residential school survivors sharing their experiences.  Beyond 94 Teacher’s Guide. (High School, Professional Development)

First Nations, Metis & Inuit Education Association of Ontario – Truth and Reconciliation Resources : This is an activity guide containing links to curriculum and provides numerous activities based on inquiry. The videos that are embedded on this website have activities and guiding questions for the classroom teacher. Key understanding within the activities are: Indigenous civilizations have always been here, are sophisticated and complex societies, and are diverse throughout this land.  Everything is grounded in relationships and connections with the land.

Personal Acts of Reconciliation : “10 simple actions you can take to learn more about reconciliation.” –from CBC.

What Can I Contribute to Meaningful Reconciliation? Teaching and learning about residential schools : A  Critical Thinking Consortium resource created by the Grand Erie District School Board.  Intended for Grade Six, but is applicable for Middle School as well.  (Intermediate, Middle School)

Orange Shirt Day

Mission students mark Orange Shirt Day with march to honour Native elders : CBC News, Sept 30, 2016.  Report about the first annual Orange Shirt Day March held at Heritage Park, the former site of St. Mary’s Indian Residential Schools.  Related stories about Indian Residential Schools can be found in the left hand margin.

Lesson Plans and Resources for Orange Shirt Day : From The Manitoba Teachers’ Society. Includes lesson outlines and suggested resources for Grades K-3,  4-8 and 9-12.  Also includes additional resources. Many of the resources mentioned can be found in this SWSW Digital Library and in our SWSW Library’s physical collection. (Primary, Intermediate, Middle School, High School)

What Is Orange Shirt Day? :  This article includes a video narrated by Phyllis Webstad, whose shiny orange shirt was taken from her on her first day of school when she was 6 years old.  A Huffington Post Canada news item from 09.29.2016.  (Primary, Internediate, Middle, High School)

Their Voices Will Guide Us — Student and Youth Engagement Guide : This resource was created by the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.  “Our goal in this guide is to help shine a light into the dark corners of our collective history, the impacts of colonialism and racism on the lives of Indigenous women and girls as well as on their families, communities, and Nations.” (High School, Pro-D)