Description
In this lesson students will listen to the story of Cecil growing up in Buzwah and will reflect on the teachings of the story. Students will learn about Cecil’s grandparents’ teachings from an Anishnaabe family.
The aim of this lesson plan is for students to listen to the story and for them to realize and articulate what they learn from it.
Acknowledgement Protocol
Please read this Acknowledgement before the start of this lesson to respect the knowledge that is being shared and the Land of the People where the knowledge originates.
This story is generated from an Anishinaabe individual who grew up on Manitoulin Island, but lived and worked most of his life out west in Saskatchewan, (within Treaty 6 Territory). Sourced from Chapter One of Cecil King’s memoir, The Boy from Buzwah.
Contributors
| Name | Role / Job Title | Place |
|---|---|---|
| Anna-Leah King | Curriculum Developer, NCCIE | University of Regina |
| Cecil King | Author, Kitayak | Wikwemikong, Manitoulin Island |
| Steffany Salloum | Research Assistant, NCCIE | First Nations University of Canada |
| Dustin Brass | Regional Lead, NCCIE | First Nations University of Canada |
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this lesson plan, students will be able to:
1. Comprehend and respond to a variety of visual, oral, print, and multimedia texts that address:
- identity (e.g., Diversity of Being);
- social responsibility (e.g., Degrees of Responsibility); and
- social action (agency) (e.g., Justice and Fairness).
[English Language Arts CR B10.1]
2. Identify how human experiences and values are reflected in texts. [English Language Arts CR B10.1e]
Teacher's Guide
Background / Foundational Information
Educators may want to be acquainted with the history of Manitoulin Island and it's location.
This lesson may also meet the following Saskatchewan Curriculum outcomes and indicators.
Activities
Instruction of Lesson & Class Discussion0:45
Purpose
The students will learn about Cecil’s grandparents’ teachings from an Anishnaabe family.
The teacher will read aloud Chapter One of the memoir on Cecil’s story about "Growing Up with Pa, Mama and Kokwehns." Since the chapter is 31-pages long it may involve reading every day for a week. Once the story is finished, the teacher can ask the students what they liked and what they learned. After recalling the story with teacher, the students are asked to think about their grandparents and reflect on their relationship with them. Students can write their experiences and in particular what they have learned from their grandparents. When they are finished writing, those who would like to share may share with each other. An extension activity would be to go home and ask about their family tree and who are additional people in their lineage and write it down.
The students will have time for class discussion about what knowledge was shared in the teachings and for asking questions.
Learning styles this activity connects with
- Spiritual (e.g., Relational) Learners
- Physical (e.g., Tactile, Experiential, Visual) Learners
- Intellectual (e.g., Rational, Logical) Learners
- Emotional (e.g., Feeling, Intuitive) Learners
- Physical: the students will listen to the story and learn about the teachings passed on from grandparents to child. Listening is the most important element for active learning.
- Emotional: sharing stories is a gift that teaches something important for life. Listen carefully to decipher the teachings in this instance.
- Spiritual: the spirit and emotion are tied here as both are moved through listening to story.
- Intellectual: proper attention and listening in order to decipher teachings being shared.
The following activities reflect the four principal learning styles:
- Physical: the students will listen to the story and learn about the teachings passed on from grandparents to child. Listening is the most important element for active learning.
- Emotional: sharing stories is a gift that teaches something important for life. Listen carefully to decipher the teachings in this instance.
- Spiritual: the spirit and emotion are tied here as both are moved through listening to story.
- Intellectual: proper attention and listening in order to decipher teachings being shared.
Materials, Videos & Other Resources
- Growing Up with Pa, Mama, and Kohkwehns (Chapter 1) by Cecil KingPDF · 270 KB
Info
This chapter is from the book The Boy from Buzwah by Cecil King.
Assessment
This section contains information for assessing progress in students' learning. While Indigenous approaches to assessment may be highlighted, conventional assessment methods may also be discussed.
Student’s discussion group and reflective journals will show their learning. Using an assessment for learning strategy, it is recommended that instructors make notes of student participation and work completed through Anecdotal Notes.
Where can I find additional information?
- Office of the Treaty CommissionerLink
Info
The Office of the Treaty Commissioner has resources for groups or individuals in school or in workplaces who want to be educated.
- Inspiring Success: First Nation's and Métis, Pre K – 12 Education Policy FrameworkLink
Info
The Saskatchewan Ministry of Education's Inspiring Success: First Nation's and Métis, Pre K – 12 Education Policy Framework is being followed. It contains guidelines and protocols for Indigenous content, as well as the content itself.
- Full Circle: First Nations, Métis and Inuit Ways of KnowingLink
Info
"Full Circle: First Nations, Métis and Inuit Ways of Knowing is the fifth in a series of Common Threads classroom resources produced by and for Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation (OSSTF/FEESO) members. Each project in the series tackles an important social issue that is cross-curricular in nature and compels students to examine their beliefs, choices and actions."
Holism and All Our Relations
This lesson plan has been developed with an Indigenous lens that is holistic in nature, and addresses the following:
Language and Culture
The focus here is to listen to the story and realize what you learn about it. Linguistic terms in Ojibwe related to worldview are discussed in the memoir.
Ethics in the classroom: care, truthfulness and trust, respect, integrity
Care, respect, and integrity are all a part of this teaching and learning process. It requires attentive listening, learning, and sharing experiences. The teacher creates the respectful way of sharing by reminding the students “everyone has the right to a respectful audience as you would want for yourself.” The students are respectful to the group in all aspects of their learning especially if they have a question or want to share something.
Relationship with family, ancestors
Students are encouraged to share what they learn and study in school with their parent(s)/guardian(s). They could ask their parent(s)/guardian(s) to share something about what they have learned from their grandparents to discuss at school the next day.
Connections with everyday life
Many students have grandparents who have shared stories or teachings with us. Give students time to think about this and share in a discussion circle. If students do not have grandparents, have them think about someone in their life that has taught them something significant.
Healthy relationship with self and identity
Learning about someone’s childhood experience can be enriching, especially if they were raised by their grandparent(s) or have meaningful connection with other generations of people in their communities, because the knowledge and wisdom goes farther back in history.
Personal reflection time (connecting with thoughts and feelings)
Students can reflect on their experiences and consider whether they have been given teachings. Students may share their reflections orally as a group or they may write about their reflection in their journals.