THEME: Real World Connections, Social Responsibility and Leadership

Lesson: Aboriginal Awareness Week

Learning Outcomes

  • Students will become familiar with Canada’s Aboriginal Awareness Week and National Aboriginal Day.
  • Students will examine how they can become involved in the celebrations.

Essential Questions

  • What is Aboriginal Awareness week?
  • What can we do as a school to celebrate Aboriginal cultures?

Level

  • Grade 9

Time

  • 2 x 15 minutes

Materials

  • Handout:Aboriginal Awareness Week: Test Your Knowledge

Procedure

  1. Ask students to get into pairs.
  1. Distribute the handout and ask them to complete the quiz (13 questions). Then debrief with the answers and discuss the current level of knowledge among the group about Aboriginal cultures, peoples and history.
  1. Discuss Aboriginal Awareness Week. Ask if anyone has ever taken part in any of the celebrations for the week or national Aboriginal Day on June 21 of each year.
  1. As a group, brainstorm what we could be doing as a school to recognize and celebrate Aboriginal cultures.

What activities could we do as a school to recognize aboriginal culture? Brainstorm your ideas here?

Evaluation

  • Choose an appropriate Rubric from Assessment and Evaluation.

Follow-up

  • Choose from the ideas submitted by the class and follow through on the activities.

Aboriginal Awareness Week: Test Your Knowledge

Aboriginal Awareness Week was first introduced in 1992, is held on the four days that follow the Victoria Day long weekend. It was designed to increase awareness of Aboriginal peoples among federal public service employees. Circle or check the best response.

1. The word Métis come from the Latin word miscere which means:
smaller grandfather mixed land

2. Nunavut became an official territory on:
July 1, 2004 April 1, 1999 July 1, 2000 January 1, 2005

3. Material used by Inuit sculptors:
Weathered or fossilized whalebone Ivory and antlers Soapstone All of the above

4. This First Nation Actor received accolades and several supporting actor nominations for his role in the film “Flags of our Fathers”
Jesse Bradford Ron Power Adam Beach Ryan Philippe

5. Inuit legends say that the Aurora Borealis:
_____ was produced by spirits playing football with a walrus skull
_____ was the indicator of good weather to be brought by the spirits
_____ was the light of lanterns carried by spirits seeking the souls of dead hunters
_____ all of the above

6. This Ojibwa painter founded the Woodland Style which was also known as Legend or Medicine Painting and received the Order of Canada in 1978.
Norval Morrisseau Tom Thompson Charles M. Russell Emily Carr

7. The Iroquois recount this legend; “Sky Woman, pregnant with Life was searching for a place to bring forth her young. Ultimately, after many creatures tried, it was Otter who was finally able to bring up enough soil from the ocean floor to place upon Turtle's back thereby creating TurtleIsland and providing a place for Sky Woman to bear her young.” Today, TurtleIsland is also known as:
Africa North America Australia The Artic

8. Name this Aboriginal dress: A finger woven belt made of wool approximately three metres long, traditionally tied at the waist to hold a coat closed. Today, it is often draped over a table where these aboriginal people are gathered.(Circle one answer)

Inuit Umiak Metis Sash Wampum Belt Pueblo Kiva

9. The jingle dress worn at powwows is made of a cloth, velvet or leather base adorned with jingles made out of a shiny metal. A legend told by the Ojibwa says that the jingle dress was first worn to:
_____ Celebrate a successful harvest
_____ Commemorate the beginning of summer
_____ Announce that the wearer was ready to marry
_____ Cure smallpox

10. The ____ is a traditional tool still used by Inuit women. It has a circular blade made traditionally of polished slate with a bone handle and is used to cut food and to skin and clean fish and sea mammals.
_____ umiak (pronounced oo-mee-ack)
_____ mani (pronounced man- ee)
_____ aki (pronounced ak – key)
_____ ulu (pronounced oo-loo)

11. This Canadian province got its name from a river the Cree referred to as Kisiskatchewani Sipi which means “swift flowing river”.
Manitoba Saskatchewan Alberta Quebec

12. A traditional Métis stew made with pemmican and flour and any combination of the following ingredients; onions, asparagus, parsley, sage, bulrush root, cat tail heads, dandelion root, wild carrots, day lily roots and wild rice:
Hard tack Rubaboo Blanc mange Pouchine au Sac

13. Which of the following Aboriginal women have never been, or are not currently, Members of Parliament:
Tantoo Cardinal Nancy Karatek- Lindell Ethel Blondin-Andrew Tina Keeper

Aboriginal Awareness Week: Test Your Knowledge Answers

  1. The word Métis come from the Latin word miscere which means?

Answer: c – mixed.

  1. Nunavut became an official territory on:

Answer: b – April 1, 1999.

  1. Material used by Inuit sculptors:

Answer: d – All of the above

  1. This First Nation Actor received accolades and several supporting actor nominations for his role in the film “Flags of our Fathers”

Answer: c – Adam Beach.

  1. Inuit legends say that the Aurora Borealis:

Answer: e – All of the above.

  1. This Ojibwa painter founded the Woodland Style which was also known as Legend or Medicine Painting and received the Order of Canada in 1978.

Answer: a – Norval Morrisseau

  1. The Iroquois recount this legend; “Sky Woman, pregnant with Life was searching for a place to bring forth her young. Ultimately, after many creatures tried, it was Otter who was finally able to bring up enough soil from the ocean floor to place upon Turtle's back thereby creating TurtleIsland and providing a place for Sky Woman to bear her young.” Today, TurtleIsland is also known as

Answer: b – North America

  1. Name this Aboriginal dress: A finger woven belt made of wool approximately three metres long, traditionally tied at the waist to hold a coat closed. Today, it is often draped over a table where these aboriginal people are gathered.

Answer: b – Métis Sash

  1. The jingle dress worn at powwows is made of a cloth, velvet or leather base adorned with jingles made out of a shiny metal. A legend told by the Ojibwa says that the jingle dress was first worn to:

Answer: d – Cure smallpox

  1. The ____ is a traditional tool still used by Inuit women. It has a circular blade made traditionally of polished slate with a bone handle and is used to cut food and to skin and clean fish and sea mammals.

Answer: d – ulu (pronounced oo-loo)


  1. This Canadian province got its name from a river the Cree referred to as Kisiskatchewani Sipi which means “swift flowing river”.

Answer: a – Saskatchewan.

  1. Traditional Métis stew made with pemmican and flour and any combination of the following ingredients; onions, asparagus, parsley, sage, bulrush root, cat tail heads, dandelion root, wild carrots, day lily roots and wild rice:

Answer: b – Rubaboo

  1. Which of the following Aboriginal women have never been, or are not currently, Members of Parliament:

Answer: a – Tantoo Cardinal.

Helpful Websites

Please note: Some of the following links point to Web sites of organizations not subject to the Official Languages Act and, as such, information contained therein is available in the language in which it was written.

Aboriginal Canada Portal

Assembly of First Nations
(613) 241-6789

Congress of Aboriginal Peoples
(613) 747-6022

Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami
(613) 238-8181

Métis National Council
(613) 232-3216

National Aboriginal Day (June 21)
(819) 956-8857

National Association of Friendship Centres
(613) 563-4844

Native Women’s Association of Canada
(613) 722-3033

Pauktuutit - Inuit Women’s Association
(613) 238-3977

Tungasuvvingat Inuit
(613) 563-3546

Indigenous Peoples Partnership Program