7 Teachings Exercise

This is an exercise that I did in my Aboriginal Education course at university. We had to go around the class and write words on posters for each of the seven sacred teachings. Once we were finished the posters each had a word splash of what it meant to each person.
Here is an example of what this looked like:

 

 Once we were finished the writing portion of this lesson the class was split in two parts: "givers" and "receivers". The "givers" would be the givers of words orally and the "receivers" would close their eyes and receive the words.

This exercise was a very powerful oral experience. I would definitely conciser doing with grade 2 students. I think this exercise is deeply connected to Aboriginal Education and Drama because it involves speaking and sharing orally. Students must exhibit ability to share and listen equally, which are dramatic outcomes that need to be met.

Links to Literacy

I have learned in my Education degree that there are always ways to connect children's literature to help enhance a subject. I have a few favourites that are connected to Aboriginal themes that I think grade 2 students would enjoy. These books could be used as read alouds, ideas for dramatic tableaus, they also could be adapted to me acted out as a pantomime.



Immi's Gift 
by Karin Littlewood 
(Scholastic, 2010)
This is a story about a little Inuit girl named Immi. Immi finds colourful objects as she is ice fishing. She adds them to her necklace and she decorates her home with these objects which attracts all sorts of animal friends. She and her new friends exchange stories all winter. At the end of the story she gives her polar bear to the sea and it ends up reaching someone very far away.

Ideas: This story contains some beautiful symbols and artwork. It also contains messages about sharing and global community (Social Studies). Behind the book there is a saying: "Sometimes the simplest gifts bring the greatest joy". I think this is an important lesson for the students to learn. One activity that I thought of that encompasses this feeling is and activity of giving. I think the best way we could reenact this notion is by creating symbols (from nature) that represent our selves. I think I would use Sculpey (a colourful oven-bake clay). At the end of the activity the students will put their "beads" in a bag and we will go in random order to pick them out. These will be our class friendship bracelets or necklaces.
Day 1
1. Read Story
2. Brainstorm symbols (Go outside for inspiration, look in books)

Day 2
3. Draw the symbol 
4. Create the symbol
5. Poke a hole in the object so that it can go on a string
6. Bake the objects

Day 3
7. Read the story again
8. Students will "go fishing" for an object
9. Have other beads to decorate the necklace/bracelet
10. Get students to do a journal entry about the object that they got


A Promise is A Promise
by Robert Munsch and Michael Kukugak
Illustrated by Vladyana Krykorka
(Annick Press, 1989) 
This story is about Allashua who promises her parents that she will not go out on the ice, but when she breaks her promise she gets into trouble with the Qallupilluit (people who live under the ice). She must outwit the Qallupilluit to be set free.

 This story has extreme dramatic potential. This story could be easily converted into a script, but it could also be used as a tableau. 

 
Northern Lights, The Soccer Trails
by: Michael Kusugak
Illustrated by Vladyana Krykorka
(Annick Press, 1993) 
This story helps students make personal connections to Inuit living. When I was growing up, I liked this story because I could see the similarities between living in the north and living in the south of Canada. I liked that the main character plays soccer, just like me. I also liked the other part of the story that involved the intimacy with her grandmother. 

The art in this book by Vladyana Krykorka is amazing and I think that it will inspire students to want to create their own northern lights.
Steps to this activity: (2 days)
1. Students will take pictures of each other outside playing games in the snow 
2. We will do watercolour painting for the background (can do crayon resist for the snow)
3. Print out the pictures and get students to cut them out
4. Glue the picture on the watercolour once it is dry
5. Students write a caption for the picture 

This art project can be a present for a family member for a Christmas present or another winter holiday. 

Note to Readers

If you have suggestions that you think would add to to my activities or comments about some of my ideas, please feel free to comment on my posts. I would greatly appreciate any/all feedback from experienced teachers, new teachers, parents and all members of the community.

Thanks,
Alice

Step 4: The Provocation and activity

This is the students first exposure to the subject matter. My goal is to get them excited and engaged about Aboriginal culture. My provocation will involve several representations of Aboriginal culture. I want to give students a chance to touch and experience the culture:

• Stories
• Art
• Photos
• Dance
• Tools
• Objects from nature (feathers, rocks, shells)
• Animals (figurines)
• Foods

Once the students have been given the chance to connect to at least one object we will go around in a circle and ask each person to pick one object and talk about how it connects to them. I will write down important vocabulary words on chart paper/white board.

After each child has spoken, we will do a KWL together to find our what questions people have about these objects and Aboriginal culture. Once I have found out what the students want to know, then I will be able to adapt my teaching to their interests. For example, if someone wants to know about dream catchers, I will be able to research the traditions behind dream catchers, find books and materials to help us build dream catchers.

Step 3: Final Goal

My final goal in this project is to teach each child that they have a connection to Aboriginal culture. The final product will be some sort of artistic expression of Aboriginal culture done by each child. Students may choose to perform a dramatic play or produce a piece of art to represent their learning.

During the creative process, all students will participate in several artistic and dramatic expressions individually and communally. The final result will vary with the interests of each child.

At the end of the project I hope to be able to invite parents and members of the community to our class to enable my students to be able to share their projects. 

Step 2: Make Connections

Once I have come up with some ideas to drive the unit, I will turn to the Manitoba curricula to find where I can find connections to these themes.

For the purpose of this assignment I have chosen to use Grade 2 outcomes because I am places in a Grade 1/2 classroom in my final student teaching practicum.

Here are some Outcomes from the Aboriginal Education that connect to Art and Drama:

Drama:
1.1.2: A-2 derive meaning from and respond to visuals and other forms of non-verbal communication in guided situations
1.1.2: C-2 view and respond to simple, familiar representations and media in the classroom context
1.1.4: A-2 listen and respond using very simple social interaction patterns (e.g., greeting–response, question–answer)
1.1.4: B-2 use non-verbal communication (e.g., gestures, facial expressions) in familiar contexts
1.2.1: B-2 use verbal and non-verbal communication to express meaning in guided situations
1.2.2: A-2 demonstrate awareness of the need to speak at a volume appropriate for classroom situations
1.2.2: B-2 demonstrate awareness of differences in tone of voice for various situations
1.2.4: A-2 associate words with the corresponding object, action, or concept (e.g., pictures of weather,
emotions)
1.2.4: B-2 identify and repeat isolated words and specific phrases in concrete situations
2.1.1: B-2 imitate sounds and intonation patterns
2.1.1: C-2 memorize new words by repeating them silently or aloud
2.1.1: D-2 do actions to match the words of a song, story, or rhyme
2.1.1: E-2 learn short rhymes or songs, incorporating new vocabulary or sentence patterns
2.1.1: F-2 use gestures, intonation, and visual supports to aid comprehension
2.3.1: D-2 watch others’ actions and copy them
2.3.1: E-2 work with others in performing language and cultural learning tasks
2.4.1: A-2 follow own natural curiosity and intrinsic motivation to learn

Art:
2.1.1: G-2 classify objects and ideas according to their attributes (e.g., size, shape, animate and
inanimate)
4.1.3: A-2 identify types of Aboriginal art and crafts
4.1.3: B-2 discuss the significance of music and musical instruments (e.g., drums) in Aboriginal cultures
4.1.3: C-2 describe traditional Aboriginal dances
4.2.3: A-2 give examples of ways in which people depend on the Earth for survival
4.2.3: B-2 locate on a map and identify major natural resources in Manitoba
4.2.3: F-2 demonstrate understanding of how various plants are used by Aboriginal peoples in Canada
4.2.3: G-2 identify ways to promote the importance of conserving or restoring natural resources (e.g.,
participating in Earth Day celebrations)

*NOTE: There are also several connections being made to Science and Social Studies Outcomes in these Aboriginal Education Outcomes

Links to curricula:
http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/abedu/framework/k-12_ab_lang.pdf (Kindergarten to Grade 12 Aboriginal Languages and Cultures Manitoba Curriculum Framework of Outcomes)
http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/cur/arts/drama/framework.html (Kindergarten to Grade 8 Drama Manitoba Curriculum Framework of Outcomes)
http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/cur/arts/visual/framework.html (Kindergarten to Grade 8 Visual Arts
Manitoba Curriculum Framework of Outcomes)

Step 1: Brainstorming

The first thing I do when I start a new unit is brainstorm. Here are some of the ideas that I came up with when thinking about Aboriginal Education, Art and Drama:

• 7 Teachings
• Outdoor Education
• Pantomime of an Aboriginal story
• Aboriginal Dance (Physical Activity)
• Study of the Tipi
• Word-splash activity
• Literature study

Provocation: A provocation is designed to captivate the interests of the students. It is there to provoke questioning and curiosity. Here are some symbols that I think should be incorporated in a provocation for a  study of Aboriginal Education:

• Feather: To symbolize the stages of life/protection of nature
• Rock: To symbolize the tradition of the sharing circle
• Books: Stories
• Leather
• Figurines/Pictures of animals: Eagle, Bear, Whale, Bison