Social Studies
Introduction
Welcome to the social studies page. There is no shortage of resources online relating to social studies. The difficulty is finding authentic resources that directly relate to the big ideas. Here are some ideas...
- An Important Read - The Family Totem Pole. I suggest this article by Sara Davidson because it gets to the significance of what teachers need to understand about embedding Indigenous content into the curriculum.
Local First Nation Communities
When exploring First Nations histories, the curriculum always suggests connecting with local First Nation communities first. In Surrey, we acknowledge that we are on the unceded traditional territory of the Katzie, Semiahmoo and Kwantlen First Nations. Aboriginal Learning is in the process of co-creating some resources relating to our local First Nation communities and we will post them here when they are ready.
Semiahmoo First Nation - Links
- The Story of Whiterock as told by late Grand Chief Bernard Charles
- Visit the Cenalien Website created for Semiahmooo First Nation.
Katzie First Nation
- Katzie First Nation no longer has a website. Teach school was gifted a Tree of Life kit several years ago and in it are several resources that link directly to Katzie First Nation. There are DVDs in the kit that contain the origin story of the Katzie people. There are also several songs sung by Willie Pierre.
Books Available from ARC
- Summer Fun on Katzie
- Learning Katzie Traditions
- Katzie Traditional Territory, Camping and Canoes
- Katzie Fishing
- Katzie Elders Share with Us
- Katzie preserves and Shares Food
- Sharing Katzie Language and Culture
Kwantlen First Nation
- Here is a link to the Kwantlen First Nation website: https://www.kwantlenfn.ca
- Link to their language page: https://www.sd35.bc.ca/programs-initiatives/aboriginal-program/learn-henqeminem/
Other Communities
- This is a brilliant online resource related to the Musqueam First Nation. Download the teachers guide. English PDF The online resource includes beautiful videos and so much more!
- SQ'éwlets: This local resource has so much information! Be sure to scroll down to the bottom and click on the link related to Indigenous Knowledge cards. There are numerous stories on this page too.
- NEW - Squamish Atlas - place names
- Visit the Local Community page for more First Nation Communities in the lower mainland and Fraser Valley.
- This is a brand new resource developed by the Burnaby Museum. Click here to download this free resource. "Before Burnaby existed, its lands were home to the ancestors of several local Central Coast Salish Nations. Today, their descendants continue to live in Burnaby and the adjacent municipalities that developed within their traditional territories. These are hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓–speaking people, with the exception of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh who speak Sḵwx̱wú7mesh sníchim."
Indian Residential School Resources
The Indian Residential Schools and Reconciliation Teacher Resource Guides for grades 5, 10 and 11/12 were developed by the First Nations Education Steering Committee and the First Nations Schools Association. They are our response to the call by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada for education bodies to develop age-appropriate educational materials about Indian Residential Schools.
The teachers guide is available on the FNESC website. It is a FREE download. Click here to download curriculum guides. Resources to support the curriculum are listed below:
Additional Literature Resources Related to Residential Schools
Other Resources Related to Residential Schools
Primary Grades:
Book List created by Juanita Coltman related to IRS - may duplicate some resources already listed.
The teachers guide is available on the FNESC website. It is a FREE download. Click here to download curriculum guides. Resources to support the curriculum are listed below:
- Neekna and Chemia, Jeannette C. Armstrong
- No Time to Say Goodbye: Children's Stories of Kuper Island Residential School, Syliva Olsen and Rita Morris and Ann Sam
- The Secret of the Dance, Andrea Spalding and Alfred Snow
- Shi-Shi-etko, Nicola I. Campbell - click here for movie
- Shin-chi's Canoe, Nicola I. Campbell
- A Stranger at Home, Christy Joran-Fenton and Margaret Pokiak-Fenton
Additional Literature Resources Related to Residential Schools
- Fatty Legs, Christy Joran-Fenton and Margaret Pokiak-Fenton
- My Name Is SEEPEETZA, Shirley Sterling
- When I was Eight, Christy Joran-Fenton and Margaret Pokiak-Fenton
Other Resources Related to Residential Schools
Primary Grades:
- What is Indigenous? Video
- Some books to support IRS for pre-k to grade 3
- How teachers can talk about IRS - primary grades - teacher and David A Robertson. He talks about When We Were Alone. Click here to download the teachers guide that goes with this book.
- Talking about IRS with Pre-Schools video - is it okay?
- Shin-chi's Canoe - video - please read description
- What is Orange Shirt day - video by Phyllis Webstad
- Phylis's Orange Shirt - primary version - book (K-1)
- The Orange Shirt Story - book - grades 2-5
- This is an amazing resource developed by the Mission School District. Learn about St Mary's Residential School in Mission. There are videos, lesson ideas and so much more
- Truth and Reconciliation Website - This includes lesson ideas for teachers
- Beyond 94 - How are we doing report (in relation to how Canada is doing with called to action)
- What is Reconciliation? Video from Justice Minister Murray Sinclair
- Apology from Prime Minister Harper. Youtube video
- Statement of apology - text version
- Project of the Heart website has lots of lesson ideas
- Gladys We Never Knew - BCTF Resource
- The Gladys We Never Knew Ebook - the life of a child in Indian Residential school - 10 lesson plans relating to Gladys. What her life was before residential school? What was her community life like? This resource was developed by the BCTF
Book List created by Juanita Coltman related to IRS - may duplicate some resources already listed.
Governance and Treaty Resources
- First Nations Land, Title and Governance Resource Guide developed by FNESC. This is a free resource and is appropriate for grades 3 - 12
- Although this is not a BC resource it provides excellent insight into the roles and responsibilities of Chief and Counsil.
- Band Government from Wikipedia
- What is Aboriginal Self-Government (By INAC)
- Self-Government (by BC Treaty Commission)
- Our Country, Our Government (Parliament of Canada)
- Aboriginal Governance - Timeline or Downloadable PDF (from First Nations Governance.org)
- Assembly of First Nations (Federal)
- Metis National Counsil
- Metis Nation BC
- Sto:lo Nation (example of amalgamation of 11 First Nation communities)
- Squamish Nation (click on the About Us tab)
- Indian Act
- 21 Things You Didn't Know About the Indian Act
- First Nations, Metis and Inuit - Treaties
- Significance Invoking Big House Laws - Jody Wilson-Raybould
- Understanding the Treaty Process - BTCF
- Detailed lesson plans for grades 7-12 relating to treaties.
- 88 page document related to treaties that include lesson plans and information for students/teachers.
- From Time Immemorial by Diane Silvey: Sections of this textbook outlines the treaty process in BC in language that is suitable for grades 4/5 students
- BC Treaty Commission website - lots of great information
- Treaties in Canada - this is more appropriate for high school students but if teachers want background knowledge, this is a good read.
- Treaty Relations Commission (Manitoba) - look for the link on the left hand side to go to the k-12 Treaty Continuum and other links
- First Nations Land, Title and Governance Resource Guide developed by FNESC. This is a free resource and is appropriate for grades 3 - 12
Textbooks and Other resources
- Thank you to Corrie Penner, our Social Studies Helping teacher for putting together this book resource list. All these books and resources are in your schools. This document includes book titles, how they link to a curricular competency, and general teaching ideas. Click here to download
- Down handout created by Social Studies Helping Teacher Corrine Penner that outlines texts to curricular competencies. intermediate_resource_package.docx
Metis Resources
- Métis Nation BC has a number of free resources for teachers. Primary teachers, you want to look at the Métis Teaching maps. They include beautiful photo cards with information on the back.
- Grade 4 Métis Cross-Curricular Teacher Guide (a copy was sent to each elementary school in May of 2016). The Aboriginal Resource Centre has the supporting texts that are mentioned in this guide (The Bannock Book, The Giving Tree, A Traditional Métis Story, The Flower Beadwork People, The Métis of British Columbia - DVD). The guide does not specifically match the social studies curriculum but it's content will support the exploration of Métis culture in Canada.
- Grade 7 Métis Cross-Curricular Teacher Guide (a copy was sent to each elementary school in May of 2016). Although this is an older resource, there are parts that are still very useful for teachers to build their background around Métis people, history and culture. Sample pages from guide: Métis Facts ... Did You Know; Métis Traditional Plant Use Glossary; Métis Art Glossary; Social Studies Glossary; biographies for Christina MacDonald, James Jean-Baptiste Boucher, William McKay, Pierre Bostonals, and James Sinclair.
- Back to Batoche - Virtual Museum
- Information about Métis (By Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada)
- Métis National anthem
Other Links Relating to Socials Studies
Information from Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada
Seasons:
Information from Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada
- Introduction to Inuit (By Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada)
- Maps relating to Aboriginal People In Canada (by Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada)
- Bridge Between Nations: A history of First Nations in the Fraser River Basin. This is a free download and gives a basic introduction to the First Peoples of the Fraser River area.
- Echoes of Our Elders - Echoing of the Elders: Teachings for Coast Salish Youth introduces the voices of traditionally trained Elders, Chiefs and youth in and around Victoria, BC, Canada. In many Salish communities, the relationship between the young people and the Elders has eroded and it is time to echo the teachings of the old people, our ancestors. Echoing of the Elders offers a way of transforming those changes in directions that foster and encourage a flow of teachings to the youth, while honouring the teachers - the Elders. (2000, 42 minutes)
- History of Bannock - this is an interesting read.
- History of Trade Beads - lesson developed by Abortsford School District
- The Great Quake and the Great Drowning - from Hakai - great article with stories.
- Information relating to November 8 - Aboriginal Canadian Veterans Day
- Fur Trading Game
- The Basketmaker: practice and poetry of basketmaking, lives, cultures, and generations intertwine (Hakai Magazine) - click here
- Inuit Culture - lesson plans and downloads - click here
- An Interesting Way to Show Gratitude and the Potlatch Ban - It's almost an unthinkable practice in our modern era and one that may teach us a lot about generosity: giving to your community until you have little else to give.
- It is a matrilineal system with members of a Wilp, or House, tracing their lineage through their mothers. Governance
- Although this is not a BC resource, it provides some perspective on what it means to run for Chief and Counsel: click here
- Indian Act and elected Chief and Counsil system
- Leadership selection in First Nation
Seasons:
- Exploring Seasons? Check out this website. It contains an integrated science and social studies unit.
- Four Seasons - The Four Seasons the Four Drums artwork that was commissioned to honour the land where the village of qəqə́yt was located along the Fraser River, near the neighbourhood now known as Bridgeview in Surrey. learn about
- Seasonal Rounds - Saanich Moons
- Secwepemc pre-contact village (winter and summer - resources and more) - this website includes stories, information on the language and so much more.