Tying it All Together
Instructions: Optional extension project:
Tying it All Together Read More »
Classroom
Our Responsibilities
We recommend inviting an Indigenous community member into the learning environment to provide more in-depth teachings related to the Haudenosaunee Great Law of Peace and the Anishinaabe 7 Grandfather Teachings. Instructions: Optional Extension:
Our Responsibilities Read More »
The 13 Moons
An Indigenous community member should be invited into the learning environment to help teach about the 13 Moons. Instructions: Extension:
The Clan System
A local Anishinaabe and/or Kanyen’kehá:ka community member should be invited into the learning environment to help teach students about the Clan System. Instructions:
Ceremony Ensures Right Relations with the Land -Indigenous Knowledge
An Indigenous Knowledge Keeper or community member should be invited in to help to deliver this learning activity. Note that this activity is also included in Learning Activity 8: Ceremony Ensures Right Relationship with the Land in the QUILLS Food Learning Bundle. Instructions: Spotlight on Language: Anishinaabewmowin: Forest Habitat: Mitigwaaking Maple Tree: Ninaatig Maple Ceremony:
Ceremony Ensures Right Relations with the Land -Indigenous Knowledge Read More »
Culminating Activity: Becoming a Change Maker
Instructions: Students will contact community leadership about a climate change related issue that they feel is important. Leadership should include local Indigenous community leaders as well as their MP and/or mayor etc. Students will be expected to express their understanding of the issue using drawing on Indigenous land-based and Western Scientific examples. Students will also
Culminating Activity: Becoming a Change Maker Read More »
Living in Reciprocity
We recommend inviting an Indigenous community member into the learning environment to share teachings related to local Indigenous agriculture. Instructions: Depending on the time of the year this Learning Bundle is taught and if/when students grow beans in Learning Activity 10: Western STEM Connection- Engaging with Reciprocity and Interdependence students can engage in seed starting,
Living in Reciprocity Read More »
Engaging in Reciprocity to Mitigate the Impact of Climate Change
Instructions: Extension Activity: The Ohèn:ton Karihwatéhkwen Students prepare a “Snapshot of Resistance” focused on the work of a local community member who is fighting to protect Manoomin. Work should include information on the positive impact of wild rice on local habitat (ie: wild rice filters water and provides food and nesting materials for animals such as loons and
Engaging in Reciprocity to Mitigate the Impact of Climate Change Read More »
Utilizing Different Ways of Knowing to Understand & Counteract Climate Change
Instructions: Using Multiple Sources of Knowledge to Investigate Northern Environmental Change: Regional Ecological Impacts of a Storm Surge in the Outer Mackenzie Delta, N.W.T. (Smol, J) https://www.queensu.ca/pearl/media/Dead%20Zone%20project/ Study Summary: This study combined data gathered by environmental scientists with information gathered during workshops with local Indigenous hunters and community members. The Inuvialuit are experts on the delta
Utilizing Different Ways of Knowing to Understand & Counteract Climate Change Read More »
Lakes and Oceans as Sentinels of Climate Change
Instructions: Teacher discusses with students how Western scientists often look to lakes and oceans to understand the impacts of climate change. Oceans play a significant role in understanding and slowing climate change as they are massive heat sinks. Teacher reviews this vocabulary word with students along with atmosphere, lithosphere, cryosphere, biosphere, and hydrosphere using the
Lakes and Oceans as Sentinels of Climate Change Read More »
Getting to Know Animal Behavior
Instructions: In Bappaasenh Gaa-bi-Njibaad an old woman refuses to offer Weneboozhoo food and water. As a result, the woman turns into a woodpecker who has to work hard to find her own food. This story reminds us to be generous. Anishinaabemowin: Manpii dibaajmowining, maaba bezhig mindimoyenh gii-zaagtamwaan Weneboozhoon miijim miinwaa nibi. Mii dash maaba mindimoyenh
Getting to Know Animal Behavior Read More »
Western STEM Connection-Engaging with Reciprocity and Interdependence
Instructions: Western STEM Connection: The following study shows the manner in which reduction in precipitation caused by climate change impacts plant biodiversity locally. The study also points to things that can be done to live in reciprocity and interdependence with the natural world ie: watering and using fertilizer: Serafini, J., Grogan, P., and Aarssen, L.
Western STEM Connection-Engaging with Reciprocity and Interdependence Read More »
Ceremony Ensures Right Relations with the Land
An Indigenous Knowledge Keeper or community member should be invited in to help to deliver this learning activity. Instructions: Stories articulating Anishinaabe Maple teachings include: A story discussing Haudenosaunee teachings related to the corn harvest can be found in: Spotlight on Language: Anishinaabewmowin: Forest Habitat: Mitigwaaking Maple Tree: Ninaatig Maple Ceremony: Ziizbaakdoke Giizis Container to collect
Ceremony Ensures Right Relations with the Land Read More »
Forests as Carbon Sinks
Instructions: Part One: Forests as Carbon Sinks Carbon is an essential building block of life. It is linked to all biotic and abiotic substances on earth. Through multiple diverse carbon cycles within and among organisms and their environment, carbon is constantly being transformed into different molecules. Although carbon is incredibly important to the health and
Forests as Carbon Sinks Read More »
Western STEM Connection -Tree Migration
Instructions: Teacher introduces students to study that shows how climate change (caused by not living in reciprocity with the natural world) can change the makeup of a forest. Summary of study found in Subarctic Alpine Tree Line Dynamics.pdf. The following study shows how changing temperatures in arctic and subarctic regions affect the movement and population
Western STEM Connection -Tree Migration Read More »
Culminating Task: Spreading the Word about Invasives
Instructions: Students create:
Culminating Task: Spreading the Word about Invasives Read More »
Using Fire to Curb the Spread of Invasives
Spotlight on Language: Fire Anishinaabemowin: Shkode Kanyen’kéha: Ó:tsire Indigenous Fire Keeping Activity: Western STEM Connection-Benefits of Fire: Heating with Wood Barto, D., Cziraky, J., Geerts, S., Hack, J., Langford, S., Nesbitt, R., Park, S., Willie, N., Xu, J., and Grogan, P. 2009. An integrated analysis of the use of woodstoves to supplement fossil fuel-fired domestic
Using Fire to Curb the Spread of Invasives Read More »
Factors Enabling Invasive Species to Establish and to Thrive
Instructions: Western STEM Connection: Sinclair, J. S., Lockwood, J. L., Hasnain, S., Cassey, P. & Arnott, S. E. (2020) A framework for predicting which non-native individuals and species will enter, survive, and exit human-mediated transport. Biological Invasions, 22(2), 217-231. Sinclair, J. S., & Arnott, S.E. (2017). Relative importance of colonist quantity, quality, and arrival frequency
Factors Enabling Invasive Species to Establish and to Thrive Read More »
Dutch Elm Disease: A Threat to Longhouses and other Building Materials
Instructions: Communicable Disease Lab:
Dutch Elm Disease: A Threat to Longhouses and other Building Materials Read More »
Phragmites: A Threat to Cattails
Instructions: Discussion: Students discuss the differences they observed in the two conditions and how the introduction of phragmites could affect the native plants and animals in a wetland. Ask students to also consider the potential impact of phragmites on the Indigenous land-based practices that rely on native cattails.
Phragmites: A Threat to Cattails Read More »
Invasive Species
Instructions: Review of invasive species Discussion: Invasive plants: can be very harmful to an ecosystem by out-competing native species for resources such as light, moisture and soil nutrients needed by all species to survive and thrive. As a result, species composition can change, affecting wildlife that depend on native plant communities. For example, red-winged blackbirds
Transportation – Snowshoes
If building snowshoes with students, we recommend inviting an Indigenous community member into the learning environment. Instructions: Local Indigenous group have many sophisticated tools and technologies that assist with transportation. One example is snowshoes. Spotlight on Language Kanyen’kéha: Kahwen:kare Anishinaabemowin: Aagam Students can add these words to their Outdoor Learning Journals (introduced in the QUILLS
Transportation – Snowshoes Read More »
Rope Making
This activity is offered at the Elbow Lake Environmental Education Centre. Note that if harvesting materials from the land to make cordage an Indigenous community members should be invited into the learning environment to provide teachings related to the Honorable Harvest. Instructions: Extension: Western STEM Connection: Students review the following study by reading through handout
Haudenosaunee Basket Weaving
When doing Indigenous inspired basket weaving, invite an Indigenous Knowledge Keeper and/or community member into the learning space to deliver cultural teachings. Instructions: Kimmerer, R. W. (2013). Braiding sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants. Milkweed Editions. Activity:
Haudenosaunee Basket Weaving Read More »
Ohèn:ton Karihwatéhkwen (The Words That Come Before All Else)
We recommend inviting an Indigenous community member into the learning environment when discussing creation stories with students. Instructions: Creation Stories
Ohèn:ton Karihwatéhkwen (The Words That Come Before All Else) Read More »
Culminating Task: Town Hall Meeting
Instructions: Potential Topics for discussion:
Culminating Task: Town Hall Meeting Read More »
Building a Water Filter
Instructions: Students engage in a discussion regarding how Indigenous groups traditionally knew if water was clean to drink. For instance, community would look for sources of moving water. If possible, students can take a water sample from a still pond and from a running water source to examine the difference. Western STEM Connection: Teacher will
Building a Water Filter Read More »
Oil Spill Cleanup
Instructions: Following the Oil Spill Cleanup.pdf students use an egg carton to learn about how contaminants spread in a watershed and get into groundwater. Students question how the contaminants can be removed and talk about the implications of contaminants getting into groundwater. Activity adapted from: https://learning-center.homesciencetools.com/article/water-pollution-demonstration/ Optional Extension: Students learn the difference between crude oil
Biomagnification Tag Game
Instructions: This activity is a hands-on activity that visually demonstrates how microplastics, toxins, and mercury accumulate in fish and humans, and illustrates the interconnectedness of living things. The toxins in the lakes/oceans are consumed by small fish and stored in their flesh and fat. Bigger fish who rely on fish lower in the food chain
Biomagnification Tag Game Read More »
Understanding the Impact of Road Salt on Local Lakes
Instructions: Dr. Shelley Arnott’s research Queen’s University shows the impact that salt can have on the health of local ecosystems. Teachers are encouraged to watch Dr. Arnott’s 32-minute video if they want more background information https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zax8mJyuDI . Link to lab: https://rise.articulate.com/share/8_MISIMMwXXJT4_UCa2c4KOJkU-n-Lbh
Understanding the Impact of Road Salt on Local Lakes Read More »
Testing for the Presence of Road Salt in Local Lakes
Instructions: Each year, 5-million tonnes of road salt is added to Canadian roads. This salt dissolves and makes its way into our lakes and rivers. Road salt is commonly made up of Sodium (Na) and Chloride (Cl). Since the chloride in road salt does not attach to soils, it can move down through the soil
Testing for the Presence of Road Salt in Local Lakes Read More »
Broken Promises and Access to Clean Drinking Water in Indigenous Communities across Canada
Instructions: Ojibwe and Odawa Knowledge Keeper Liz Osawamick from Wiikwemkong Unceded First Nation on Manitoulin Island and Ojibwe and Odawa Elder Shirley Williams from Wiikwemkong Unceded First Nation on Manitoulin Island shared with QUILLS that there are many communities, Indigenous and non-Indigenous, from across Canada and the world that have threatened water sources. Indigenous communities
Watershed Activity
Instructions: To care for our water, we need to remember that water flows into and out of our area. Keeping water clean is a collective responsibility. Optional Extension: 7 Generations Teachings:
Watershed Activity Read More »
Treating Oil Sands Wastewater
Instructions: Western STEM Connection Optional Extension: Students research the use of technology to mitigate environmental impacts and report back to the class
Treating Oil Sands Wastewater Read More »
Law of Water
Instructions: Teacher leads a discussion with students about what the Indigenous law of water is. Métis Knowledge Keeper Candace Lloyd from Cross Lake Island, Saskatchewan and Sault St. Marie, Ontario shared with QUILLS her understanding of the Law of Water. These understandings are expressed in Law of Water.pdf. Teachers should review this source prior to
Water in Song
We recommend inviting an Indigenous community member into the learning environment to share water songs with students. Community members may also feel comfortable discussing the holistic nature of water songs and their spiritual connection. Instructions: Optional Extension: Through independent research students learn about the history and impact of protest music. Students choose an issue they
Water in Ceremony
An Indigenous community member should be invited into the learning environment to help students learn about the role of water in ceremony. Instructions:
Trade and Travel
Instructions: Activity adapted from: “The Secret Life of Water” https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_zS5O5ObIzlhufKmudx_kqMpQzkEx6vH/edit
Where is Water?
Instructions: This activity demonstrates that the water cycle is more complex than the 2-dimensional cycle of evaporation, condensation, and precipitation that students should be familiar with. By understanding that water is in the ground, the air, bodies of water, animals, etc., students will build an understanding of the importance of protecting our water. 4. Discussion.
Ohèn:ton Karihwatéhkwen (The Words That Come Before All Else)
We recommend inviting an Indigenous community member into the learning environment when discussing creation stories with students. Instructions: Creation Stories
Ohèn:ton Karihwatéhkwen (The Words That Come Before All Else) Read More »
Drawing on Two-Eyed Seeing to Seek Solutions to Real World Issues
Instructions: Indigenous: Forests unify life; forests have a spirit; forests are ceremonial grounds; forests can provide spiritual and healing power. Western: Forests are comprised of biotic and abiotic elements; forests are made up of physical material that assists living things in an ecosystem; forests are full of resources that can be bought and sold. Point
Drawing on Two-Eyed Seeing to Seek Solutions to Real World Issues Read More »
Two-Eyed Seeing
Instructions: Spotlight on Language: Words for Science Anishinaabemowin– Aki gikendaasowi Kanyen’kéha– Sha’oyé:ra Definition: Two-Eyed Seeing: “To see from one eye with the strengths of Indigenous people’s ways of knowing, and to see from the other eye with the strengths of Western ways of knowing and to use both of these eyes together.”
