Below is a list of resources for all grade levels. Additional resources covering a range of topics can also be accessed. Please note, this is an evolving list that is constantly growing and changing as we progress on our journey towards reconciliation. If you have or know of a resource that you would like to share please submit to legacyschools@downiewenjack.ca
Please be sure to read the provided materials thoroughly before introducing content to your students. The “Secret Path” song contains an explicit lyric. It is up to the individual teacher to ensure that they have a good understanding of the material before teaching any lessons, and to determine what is appropriate for their classroom and/or school community.
Resources
Walk For Wenjack Posters
All Grades Activity Guides & Lesson Plans
Chanie’s Life Journey (Map) ArcGIS Online for Manitoba Schools
This Story Map chronicles the life of Chanie Wenjack and engages us in the ongoing conversation about truth and reconciliation.
This support document is aimed at promoting school divisions, schools, teachers, parents, and students to undertake critical and courageous conversations on racism to create inclusive and equitable classrooms and schools for First Nation Métis Inuit students and all students. The document helps to inform and encourage educators, describes the levels and effects of racism, acknowledges history, stimulates dialogue through critical and courageous conversations and contributes to the TRC’s Call to Action.
Gord Downie’s Secret Path in Concert CBC Radio Canada
This intimate concert film captures Canadian musician Gord Downie’s remarkable and emotional Secret Path performance in October 2016, interwoven with footage from the original animated film. This live tribute to Chanie Wenjack, an Anishinaabe boy who died trying to escape residential school, brought together more than 30 members of the Wenjack family, who joined the musicians on stage.
Indigenous Languages and Secret Path Educator Resources Learning Bird
This free resource kit was created by Learning Bird to share with teachers across Canada. This kit is designed to facilitate independent research, communication, empathy and literacy skills while learning about Indigenous languages and revitalization projects both in their area and worldwide.
Infusing Indigenous Perspectives in K-12 Teaching University of Toronto OISE
This guide is designed to help Initial Teacher Education students find Indigenous education resources. Inspired by OISE’s Deepening the Knowledge project, the guide aims to help teachers infuse more Indigenous content into their practice. This guide includes information on how to find books, movies, music, activities and lesson plans as well as links to further online resources.
Kairos Blanket Exercise Karios Canada
The KAIROS Blanket Exercise program is a unique, participatory history lesson – developed in collaboration with Indigenous Elders, knowledge keepers and educators – that fosters truth, understanding, respect and reconciliation among Indigenous and non-Indigenous people.
Secret Path (Graphic Novel) by Gord Downie and Jeff Lemire, Simon and Schuster Canada
Graphic novel that tells the story of Chanie “Charlie” Wenjack, a twelve-year-old boy who died running away from the Cecilia Jeffrey Indian Residential School. Secret Path acknowledges a dark part of Canada’s history and the long-suppressed mistreatment of Indigenous children and families by the residential school system with the hope of starting our country on a road to reconciliation.
Secret Path Lesson Plans Manitoba Teachers’ Society
Includes lesson plans for early years, middle years and senior years.
A Project of Heart Saskatchewan eBook Resource for educators.
Learning Bird partners with schools and Nations to help them share their stories and integrate language and culture into their classrooms to improve educational outcomes for all students. This resource kit (geared towards Grade 7) positions Gord Downie’s Secret Path multimedia project as an opportunity to explore how different forms of storytelling can be used to express ourselves and honour stories like those of Chanie Wenjack.
The Secret Path (Documentary) CBC
The Secret Path is an animated film from Gord Downie that tells the true story of Chanie Wenjack, a 12-year-old boy who died while trying to escape from a residential school and travel back home.
“The Lonely Death of Chanie Wenjack” Author Ian Adams, MacLean’s Magazine, 1967
In 1967, a Maclean’s cover story told the tragic tale of Chanie Wenjack, an Indigenous boy who died after running away from his residential school in northern Ontario. Gord Downie has explained that this story inspired him to write Secret Path and so begun the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund.
University of Regina Faculty of Education Resources University of Regina
List of non-fiction, memoir, autobiography, biography, true stories, fiction, youth and children books, poetry, plays, video, ROVER, Resource Links.
Books Recommended for Teachers
Canada C3 Connecting Canadians Coast to Coast to Coast
Brimming with 288 pages of insightful essays, journal entries, poetry and songs, as well as stunning photography and artwork. DWF is featured as the first Legacy Space was onboard.
Ensouling Our Schools: A Universally Designed Framework for Mental Health, Well-Being and Reconciliation is one of the titles in the Portage and Main Series, Teaching to Diversity. This professional teacher resource is aimed at Teaching Staff & Professional Development Teams.
In this atlas, you will find outstanding reference maps of Indigenous Canada, as well as a section devoted to Truth and Reconciliation, including detailed pages on many aspects of the topic with contemporary and historical photography, maps and more. There’s also a glossary of common Indigenous terms. This atlas was created by The Royal Canadian Geographical Society in conjunction with the Assembly of First Nations, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, the Métis Nation, the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation and Indspire.
Indigenous Perspectives Education Guide by Historica Canada
Popular narratives of Canadian history have most frequently been told from the perspective of European settlers. As a result, Indigenous experiences have often been neglected or excluded from the telling of our country’s history.
Indigenous Writes: A Guide to First Nations, Métis & Inuit Issues in Canada by Chelsea Vowel
In Indigenous Writes, Chelsea Vowel, legal scholar, teacher, and intellectual, opens an important dialogue about these (and more) concepts and the wider social beliefs associated with the relationship between Indigenous peoples and Canada.
A Guide for Communities on Healing and Reconciliation from the Legacy of Indian Residential Schools
Truth and Reconciliation in Canadian Schools by Pamela Rose Toulouse
Truth and Reconciliation in Canadian Schools by educator and author Pamela Toulouse, Anishinaabe educator speaker and motivator, provides current information, personal insights, authentic resources, interactive strategies and lessons plans that support Indigenous and Non-Indigenous learners in the classroom. This book is for all teachers that are looking for ways to respectfully infuse residential school history, treaty education, Indigenous contributions, First Nations, Inuit and Metis perspectives, Seven Grandfather Teachings, and sacred circle teachings.
Grades K-3 Activity Guides & Lesson Plans
The Primary Years’ Lesson Study Team focused on the Seven Grandfather Teachings. Grade 1 Teacher Zoe Donoahue taught the public lesson, introducing the seven teachings to the Grade 1 students in connection with their study of communities. The lesson concluded with a reading from the beginning of The Lost Teachings by Michael James Isaac.
In light of the Truth and Reconciliation Report, and the Government of Alberta’s determination that the history of Residential Schools be addressed every year from K to 12, the Early Years Group was inspired to consider how the topic might be addressed in their own classes. Shifting the question from “when” to “how” highlighted the importance of taking both a developmental approach and responding sensitively to the individuals in their class. Picture books were used to introduce the topic of residential schools in developmentally appropriate ways.
The First Nations Child & Family Caring Society (Caring Society) is honoured to work with educators and schools across Canada to engage children and youth in peaceful and respectful processes of reconciliation designed to achieve culturally-based equity for First Nations children and young people. This resource guide offers ideas for engaging students in critical learning to better understand the situation of First Nations children and young people and to address the inequalities they experience in education, child welfare, and access to government service through three interrelated campaigns nested in principles of reconciliation and in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC): Shannen’s Dream, Jordan’s Principle and I am a witness.
In Our Own Words; Bringing Authentic First Peoples Content to the K-Gr 3 Classroom
First Nations Education Steering Committee (FNESC) Educator Resource Guide, BC Curriculum Developed to offer teachers information and guidance about how to incorporate authentic First Peoples materials into their instruction and assessment practices. Includes lesson plans, curriculum connections, assessment resources and suggested texts.
Indian Residential Schools & Reconciliation, Teacher Resource Guide – Gr 5 (Adaptable Gr 3-7)
First Nations Education Steering Committee (FNESC) Learning resources designed to help Grade Five students attain an understanding of the history of the relationship between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people over Canada’s history. The primary learning resources are published literature, enabling a cross-curricular approach employing both Language Arts and Social Studies learning standards. While the instructional activities are presented in a structured format that is an example of how they may be incorporated, they are intended to be flexible in their use. They allow for the application of both a First Peoples Pedagogy and the BC Social Studies Curriculum.
Complete guide to exploring Native American issues with children. The authors—one Native, one white, both educators—show ways to incorporate authentic learning experiences about Native Americans into your curriculum. This book is organized around five cross-cultural themes—Children, Home, Families, Community, and the Environment. The authors present activities, from children’s books they recommend, to develop skills in reading and writing, science, math, make-believe, art, and more. The book provides helpful guidelines and resource lists for selecting appropriate toys, children’s books, music, and art, and also includes a family heritage project.
Orange Shirt Day: Every Child Matters, Orange Shirt Day Lesson Plans
Orange Shirt Day is a legacy of the St. Joseph Mission (SJM) residential school commemoration event held in Williams Lake, BC, Canada, in the spring of 2013. It grew out of Phyllis’ story of having her shiny new orange shirt taken away on her first day of school at the Mission, and it has become an opportunity to keep the discussion on all aspects of residential schools happening annually. Lesson plans and resources are also available for Grades K-3, Grades 4-8, Grades 9-12 along with additional resources.
Grades K-3 Books
This reading list contains reading material suggestions for students learning about residential schools. It is a compiled list sourced primarily from the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation, Legacy of Hope Foundation, Project of Heart, Goodminds.com and the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund.
Artic Stories by Michael Kusugak, Illustrator Vladyana Krykorka, Published by Annick Press
Cheyenne Again by Eve Bunting, Illustrator Irving Toddy, Published by HMH Books for Young Readers
The Orange Shirt Story Medicine Wheel Education (French and Indigenous Language Books)
When Phyllis Webstad (nee Jack) turned six, she went to the residential school for the first time. On her first day at school, she wore a shiny orange shirt that her Granny had bought for her, but when she got to the school, it was taken away from her and never returned.
Shin-Chi’s Canoe by Nicola I. Campbell, Illustrator Kim Lafave, Published by Groundwood Books
Shi-shi-etko by Nicola I. Campbell, Illustrator Kim Lafave, Published by Groundwood Books, 2005
Streamlined video is also available on ROVER (Recommended Online Video Education Resources)
Stolen Words by Melanie Florence, Illustrator Gabrielle Grimard, Publisher Second Story Press
Grades 4-6 Activity Guides & Lesson Plans
Authentic First Peoples Resources
This guide has been created to help BC educators make appropriate decisions about which of these resources might be appropriate for use with their students. The annotated listings provided in this guide identify currently available authentic First Peoples texts that students can work with to meet provincial standards.
The First Nations Child & Family Caring Society (Caring Society) is honoured to work with educators and schools across Canada to engage children and youth in peaceful and respectful processes of reconciliation designed to achieve culturally-based equity for First Nations children and young people. This resource guide offers ideas for engaging students in critical learning to better understand the situation of First Nations children and young people and to address the inequalities they experience in education, child welfare, and access to government service through three interrelated campaigns nested in principles of reconciliation and in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC): Shannen’s Dream, Jordan’s Principle and I am a witness.
An e-book and teaching module about the life of Gladys Chapman, who fell ill with tuberculosis while at residential school and died in 1931 at the age of 12.
Learning resources designed to help Grade Five students attain an understanding of the history of the relationship between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal peoples over Canada’s history. The primary learning resources are published literature, enabling a cross-curricular approach employing both Language Arts and Social Studies learning standards. While the instructional activities are presented in a structured format that is an example of how they may be incorporated, they are intended to be flexible in their use. They allow for the application of both a First Peoples Pedagogy and the BC Social Studies Curriculum.
Orange Shirt Day: Every Child Matters
Orange Shirt Day is a legacy of the St. Joseph Mission (SJM) residential school commemoration event held in Williams Lake, BC, Canada, in the spring of 2013. It grew out of Phyllis’ story of having her shiny new orange shirt taken away on her first day of school at the Mission, and it has become an opportunity to keep the discussion on all aspects of residential schools happening annually. Lesson plans and resources are also available for Grades K-3, Grades 4-8, Grades 9-12 along with additional resources.
Provides educators with resources to support increased integration of the rich body of First Peoples (unappropriated) knowledge and perspectives into classrooms and schools in BC.
Monique Gray Smith invites you and your students to walk with her on a journey to examine the impacts of colonialism on Canada’s First Nations, Métis and Inuit families and communities. By looking closely and compassionately at the ongoing effects of the Indian Act and the Residential School system, students will not only begin to understand the complexities of Indigenous and non-Indigenous relationships in Canada but will be encouraged to envision what kinds of relationships, policies and systems would ensure equity for all children in the future. The Teachers’ Resource Guide follows the book, chapter by chapter. Each chapter features a summary, essential questions, metaphors for learning, key concepts and vocabulary and detailed learning activities.
Truth and Reconciliation Lessons by Wilton Littlechild, Speak Truth to Power Canada
Speak Truth to Power (STTP), a global program of the organization known as Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, is a multifaceted human rights education resource for schools that uses the experiences of courageous human rights defenders to educate and inspire students to take positive action. The Truth and Reconciliation lessons and activities by Wilton Littlechild are applicable to Grade 5 to 12 students, with viewer discretion warning. Teachers should review the suggested resources prior to undertaking with their students.
Grades 4-6 Books
This reading list contains reading material suggestions for students learning about residential schools. It is a compiled list sourced from the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation, Legacy of Hope Foundation, Project of Heart, Goodminds.com and the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund.
Code Talker: A Novel About the Navajo Marines of World War Two by Joseph Bruchac, Published by Speak
My Name is Seepeetza by Shirley Sterling, Published by Groundwood Books
Grades 7-9 Activity Guides & Lesson Plans
100 Years of Loss – EDU Kit and Teacher Bundle by Legacy of Hope Foundation
In 2010-2100 the Legacy of Hope Foundation began developing an education program targeted to Canadian youth aged 11-18. This program is designed to support educators and administrators in raising awareness and teaching about the history and legacy of residential schools – effectively providing practical tools that can be implemented in classrooms. These products come in response to demands from educators to complete in-class resources and serve as an entry point to both the subject matter and to existing resources currently available at wherearethechildren.ca. The curriculum packages are comprised of videos, including Survivor testimonies, a Teachers’ Guide with six customizable Lesson Plans (12-24 hrs of activities), teacher resources and extension activities. The Edu-kit package contains a wall-mounted timeline, and timeline in the more-compact teacher bundle is in booklet format. Due to an overwhelming demand, supply of the Edu-Kit has been depleted. There is a supply of the Teacher’s Bundle, which is a smaller version of the Edu-Kit but without the vinyl timeline banners. Please contact info@legacyofhope.ca for more information.
Authentic First Peoples Resources
This guide has been created to help BC educators make appropriate decisions about which of these resources might be appropriate for use with their students. The annotated listings provided in this guide identify currently available authentic First Peoples texts that students can work with to meet provincial standards.
Bi-Giwen: Coming Home, Truth-Telling from the Sixties Scoop by Legacy of Hope Foundation
It is our hope that the information and activities contained herein will give both facilitators and participants the resources they need to examine aspects of the Sixties Scoop and to recognize the impact it has had and continues to have on generations of Indigenous Peoples, and all those who have relationships with them.
Forgotten: The Métis Residential School Experience by Legacy of Hope Foundation
This project documents and gives voice to the experiences of the many Métis children who were forced to attend Indian Residential Schools. Guided by small, expert Métis advisory group, the Legacy of Hope Foundation created this exhibit and associated resources to shed light on the history and legacy of the Métis residential school experience.
From Apology to Reconciliation: Residential School Survivors was developed in response to the Government of Canada’s formal apology to Aboriginal people who attended residential schools. The project was created to help Manitoba students in Grades 9 and 11 understand the history of the residential school experience, its influence on contemporary Canada, and our responsibilities as Canadian citizens.
The Assembly of First Nations has developed It’s Our Time: First Nations Education Toolkit as the basis for a comprehensive strategy to reach out to First Nations students, teachers, schools, communities, and the Canadian public in general. The resource is designed to bring together First Nations and non-First Nations people and foster a spirit of cooperation, understanding, and action.
Orange Shirt Day: Every Child Matters the Manitoba Teachers’ Society
Orange Shirt Day is a legacy of the St. Joseph Mission (SJM) residential school commemoration event held in Williams Lake, BC, Canada, in the spring of 2013. It grew out of Phyllis’ story of having her shiny new orange shirt taken away on her first day of school at the Mission, and it has become an opportunity to keep the discussion on all aspects of residential schools happening annually. Lesson plans and resources are also available for Grades K-3, Grades 4-8, Grades 9-12 along with additional resources.
Monique Gray Smith invites you and your students to walk with her on a journey to examine the impacts of colonialism on Canada’s First Nations, Métis and Inuit families and communities. By looking closely and compassionately at the ongoing effects of the Indian Act and the Residential School system, students will not only begin to understand the complexities of Indigenous and non-Indigenous relationships in Canada but will be encouraged to envision what kinds of relationships, policies and systems would ensure equity for all children in the future. The Teachers’ Resource Guide follows the book, chapter by chapter. Each chapter features a summary, essential questions, metaphors for learning, key concepts and vocabulary and detailed learning activities.
Promoting awareness of the history and legacy of the Indian Residential School System Activity Guide. This resource consists of six activities, each of which examines an aspect of the history or legacy of the Residential School System. It is our hope that the information and activities will give both facilitators and participants the resources they need to examine the history of the Residential School System and to recognize the impact it has had, and the continues to have, on generations of Aboriginal peoples in Canada.
Truth and Reconciliation Lessons by Wilton Littlechild of Speak Truth to Power Canada
Speak Truth to Power (STTP), a global program of the organization known as Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, is a multifaceted human rights education resource for schools that uses the experiences of courageous human rights defenders to educate and inspire students to take positive action. The Truth and Reconciliation lessons and activities by Wilton Littlechild are applicable to Grade 5 to 12 students, with viewer discretion warning. Teachers should review the suggested resources prior to undertaking with their students.
We Were So Far Away: The Inuit Experience of Residential Schools by Legacy of Hope Foundation
Thank you for choosing to use this guide with your group. The information and activities contained herein will give both facilitators and participants the resources they need to examine aspects of the Residential School System and to recognize the impact it has had, and continues to have, on generations of Indigenous Peoples in Canada. Awareness that the legacies of the residential schools also impact non-Indigenous Peoples is also intended.
Grades 7-9 Books
This reading list contains reading material suggestions for students learning about residential schools. It is a compiled list sourced from the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation, Legacy of Hope Foundation, Project of Heart, Goodminds.com and the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund.
Canada’s First Nations and Cultural Genocide by Robert Z. Cohen, Published by Rosen Publishing
Canada’s First Nations and Cultural Genocide is the 2017 title from Rosen Publishing’s series, Bearing Witness: Genocide and Ethnic Cleansing in the Modern World. For more than 100 years, the First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples in Canada endured an educational system designed to essentially remove all evidence of their Indigenous identities. Children were mistreated, abused and stripped of their identities as they received a substandard education. This insightful resource provides a history of Canada and outlines the development of attitudes that resulted in the residential education system, as well as a glimpse into the experiences of children who were forced to attend residential schools administered by various religious organizations.
Mush-Hole: Memories of a Residential School by Maddie Harper, Published by Sister Vision Press
My Name is Seepeetza by Shirley Sterling, Published by Groundwood Books
Grades 10-12 Activity Guides & Lesson Plans
100 Years of Loss – EDU Kit and Teacher Bundle by Legacy of Hope Foundation
In 2010-2100 the Legacy of Hope Foundation began developing an education program targeted to Canadian youth aged 11-18. This program is designed to support educators and administrators in raising awareness and teaching about the history and legacy of residential schools – effectively providing practical tools that can be implemented in classrooms. These products come in response to demands from educators to complete in-class resources and serve as an entry point to both the subject matter and to existing resources currently available at wherearethechildren.ca. The curriculum packages are comprised of videos, including Survivor testimonies, a Teachers’ Guide with six customizable Lesson Plans (12-24 hrs of activities), teacher resources and extension activities. The Edu-kit package contains a wall-mounted timeline, and timeline in the more-compact teacher bundle is in booklet format. Due to an overwhelming demand, supply of the Edu-Kit has been depleted. There is a supply of the Teacher’s Bundle, which is a smaller version of the Edu-Kit but without the vinyl timeline banners. Please contact info@legacyofhope.ca for more information.
8th Fire is a four-part documentary series about contemporary Aboriginal peoples in Canada, social and economic issues facing them, and possibilities for moving forward in a word that is rapidly changing. This Guide for Educators contains several components. For each of the four episodes, there are content overviews and social considerations, along with main elements on which to focus instruction. In addition, for each episode, there are “Critical Thinking Challenges”, “Viewing Questions”, “Instructional Activities” and “Possibilities for Involving the Community”.
This curriculum aims to increase awareness of the residential school system as a major part of the European colonizing effort against Aboriginal peoples, resulting in significant intergenerational impacts.
This document was developed in response to the Government of Canada’s formal apology to Aboriginal people who attended residential schools. The project was created to help Manitoba students in Grades 9 and 11 understand the history of the residential school experience, its influence on contemporary Canada, and our responsibilities as Canadian citizens.
These learning resources are designed to help Grade Ten students attain an understanding of the history of the relationship between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people over Canada’s history. They are for the instruction of youth from all cultural backgrounds, not just Aboriginal students. While the instructional activities are presented in a structured format, they are intended to be flexible in their use. They allow for the application of both a First Peoples Pedagogy and the changing BC Curriculum. The activities are designed to be adaptable and flexible. Teachers can follow the sequence of lessons, they can use particular lessons or sections as stand-alone activities, or they can adapt the activities to meet their own curriculum planning requirements and the learning needs of their students.
These Indian Residential Schools learning resources are designed to use an inquiry approach to provide students in a number of Grade 11 and 12 courses with an understanding of the history of the relationship between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people in Canada. They are intended for use for instruction of students from all cultural backgrounds, not just Aboriginal students. The learning activities are based on the use of primary source materials. They allow for the application of both a First Peoples Pedagogy and the changing BC Curriculum.
Orange Shirt Day: Every Child Matters by the Manitoba Teachers’ Society
Orange Shirt Day is a legacy of the St. Joseph Mission (SJM) residential school commemoration event held in Williams Lake, BC, Canada, in the spring of 2013. It grew out of Phyllis’ story of having her shiny new orange shirt taken away on her first day of school at the Mission, and it has become an opportunity to keep the discussion on all aspects of residential schools happening annually. Lesson plans and resources are also available for Grades K-3, Grades 4-8, Grades 9-12 along with additional resources.
In a Facing History and Ourselves study, students go beyond core historical understandings to think about their own identities and then make connections that relate to their lives and those of the communities in which they live. Through an in-depth examination of the steps and events that led to collective violence, mass violations of human rights, and genocides, students deepen their understanding of the connection between past injustices and the moral choices of the present. This journey is designed to empower them to think about what it means to make a positive difference in their own communities. Stolen Lives includes digital resources, professional development sessions and a two-week unit outline.
This resource consists of six activities, each of which examines an aspect of the history or legacy of the Residential School System. The information and activities will give both facilitators and participants the resources they need to examine the history of the Residential School System and to recognize the impact it has had, and the continues to have, on generations of Aboriginal peoples in Canada.
The Secret Path: Ahead By A Century CBC
A group of Ontario high school students write and perform a play that honours Gord Downie’s music and Secret Path project.
Truth and Reconciliation Lessons by Wilton Littlechild of Speak Truth to Power Canada
Speak Truth to Power (STTP), a global program of the organization known as Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, is a multifaceted human rights education resource for schools that uses the experiences of courageous human rights defenders to educate and inspire students to take positive action. The Truth and Reconciliation lessons and activities by Wilton Littlechild are applicable to Grade 5 to 12 students, with viewer discretion warning. Teachers should review the suggested resources prior to undertaking with their students.
Grades 10-12 Books
This reading list contains reading material suggestions for students learning about residential schools. It is a compiled list sourced primarily from the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation, Legacy of Hope Foundation, Project of Heart Goodminds.com and the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund.
7 Generations Series – Teacher’s Guide by Portage & Main Press
As Long as the Rivers Flow by James Bartleman, Published by Random House
Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese, Published by Douglas & McIntyre
Indian Horse Educational DVD and Study Guide
Indian School Days by Basil H. Johnston, Published by University of Oklahoma Press
Red Wolf by Jennifer Dance, Published by Dundurn Press
Red Wolf Teachers’ Guide developed by Jennifer Dance and Jennifer Greenham
Additional Indigenous Education Resources
100 Years of Loss, Legacy of Hope Foundation
For more than a decade, the Legacy of Hope Foundation has worked with Survivors, Aboriginal communities, researchers, curators, and educators to develop resources to increase public awareness and knowledge of the history and legacy of the Indian Residential School System. 100 Years of Loss: The Residential School System in Canada is LHF’s newest education program.
“A space to smudge: How Durham schools are accommodating creed”, Durhamregion.com
The Durham District School Board released a new guide for Accommodating Creed in Schools
Aboriginal Education Lesson Plans, UBC Library
Lesson planning resource guide from the University of British Columbia
When selecting resources for your curriculum, it is important to incorporate authentic Indigenous resources. But what does it mean to be authentic? And how can such resources be incorporated in a respectful way?
Beyond 94 – Truth and Reconciliation in Canada, CBC
Teacher Guide
From 2008 to 2014, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission heard stories from thousands of residential school survivors. In June 2015, the commission released a report based on those hearings. From that came the 94 Calls to Action: individual instructions to guide governments, communities and faith groups down the road to reconciliation. Beyond 94 will now monitor the progress of that journey.
Building on the legacy of the NWAC Faceless Doll Project, Native Women’s Association of Canada
NWAC’s Faceless Doll Project is a collection of faceless felt dolls that will be used to create a traveling art exhibit in memory of the more than 600 missing and murdered Aboriginal women and girls in Canada.
Canadian scholars have recently suggested there is an absence of understanding, or action, related to culturally relevant pedagogy in physical education, particularly with respect to Aboriginal students.
Indigenous Education K-12 Research Guide, University of British Columbia Library
This guide includes search strategies for finding books and articles as well as curriculum resources and lesson plans.
Indigenous Education Resource list – First Nations, Métis & Inuit Education Association of Ontario
The First Nations, Métis & Inuit Education Association of Ontario is a subject association for educators teaching First Nations, Métis and Inuit Studies, and Native Languages in Ontario, Canada. We support and help all educators understand issues related to First Nation, Métis and Inuit Peoples in Canada as well as offer strategies for teaching this content to all learners.
Indigenous Foundations First Nations Studies Program, University of British Columbia
An information resource on key topics relating to the histories, politics, and cultures of the Aboriginal peoples of Canada. This website was developed to support students in their studies, and to provide instructors, researchers and the broader public with a place to begin exploring topics that relate to Aboriginal peoples, cultures, and histories.
Indigenous History Educational Portal, Historica Canada
A collection of learning tools focused on Indigenous history in Canada.
Indigenous Studies Portal, University of Saskatchewan Library
The Indigenous Studies Portal (iPortal) is a database of full-text electronic resources such as articles, e-books, theses, government publications, videos, oral histories, and digitized archival documents and photographs. The iPortal content has a primary focus on Indigenous peoples of Canada with a secondary focus on North American materials and beyond.
Joining the Circle Habitat for Learning
The Joining the Circle Guide for Educators provides information and guidance for leading group discussions using our series of short animated films.
The Legacy of Hope Foundation (LHF) is a national Indigenous-led, charitable organization founded in 2000 with the goal of educating and raising awareness about the history and many legacies of the Residential School System. These include the direct and ongoing impacts on First Nation, Métis, and Inuit Survivors, their communities, and their descendants. Our mission is to educate towards creating just and equal relationships of reconciliation and healing for all Canadians, to expand awareness of and access to the rich legacy of the contributions of Indigenous Peoples in Canada and the world, and to make known the histories of Indigenous Peoples in Canada, including the histories of injustice.
The Martin Family Initiative is committed to improving elementary and secondary school education outcomes for First Nations, Métis Nation, and Inuit students in Canada, by working in full partnership with the Indigenous people of Canada, pertinent governments and the private sector.
National Aboriginal History Organization
The National Aboriginal History Organization or NAHO is an internationally recognized research, publishing, and collection organization. They aim at promoting understanding of Aboriginal cultures, languages, stories, and traditions. Their website aims to connect with Aboriginal people and raise awareness about them.
A shared vision held by those affected by Indian residential schools was to create a place of learning and dialogue where the truths of their experiences were honoured and kept safe for future generations. They wanted their families, communities and all of Canada to learn from these hard lessons so they would not be repeated. They wanted to share the wisdom of the Elders and Traditional Knowledge Keepers on how to create just and peaceful relationships amongst diverse peoples. They knew that Reconciliation is not only about the past; it is about the future that all Canadians will forge together. This vision is the legacy gift to all of Canada.
Native Land Digital is a Canadian not-for-profit organization, incorporated in December 2018. It is designed to be Indigenous led, with an Indigenous Board of Directors who oversee and direct the organization. Numerous non-Indigenous people also contribute by being on our Advisory Council. The Board of Directors runs finances, sets priorities, and appoints staff members as required.
A digital storytelling project for children of residential school survivors.
Office of the Treaty Commissioner Education Resources
The OTC has a number of resources available to groups and individuals looking to learn and educate.
The First Nations Education Steering Committee (FNESC) was founded in 1992 by participants at a provincial First Nations education conference at the Vancouver Friendship Centre. That visionary group of people determined the need for a First Nations-controlled collective organization focused on advancing quality education for all First Nations learners, and they set out FNESC’s commitment to supporting First Nations in their efforts to improve the success of all First Nations students in BC.
Lesson plans from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto
Teach for Canada is a non-profit organization that works with northern First Nations to recruit, prepare, and support committed teachers.
They Came for the Children by The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada
Excerpt from the report created by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada. Issued also in French under the title “Ils sont venus pour les enfants”
United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples United Nations
The official resolution adopted by the United Nations’ General Assembly on September 13, 2007
Where are the Children? – Legacy of Hope Foundation
Where are the Children? acknowledges that the era of silence is over. The resilience of Aboriginal people is evident in efforts to address the effects of unresolved trauma, thereby conferring upon future generations a renewed legacy of peace, strength, and well-being.
“Why our kids need to learn about residential schools”, Today’s Parent
Allyship
Indigenous Ally Toolkit by Montreal Urban Aboriginal Community Strategy NETWORK
In this Indigenous Ally Toolkit (2019), you will learn the role that an individual occupies and plays within the collective experience and so much more!
Native Canadian Centre of Toronto Programs, Native Canadian Centre of Toronto
Native Canadian Centre of Toronto is a membership-based, charitable organization located in the heart of downtown Toronto in a beautifully renovated heritage building. NCCT offers a wide range of programs and services based on Native cultural traditions and teachings. All are welcome.
How to get started, and who can help
Book Stores and Publishers
An independent, multicultural bookstore.
Aboriginal History book list c/o Artists Against Racism
To build an understanding of all people. To speak to the youth, the future of our global community, about the basic human right of equality, so that a civilized society will finally result.
A leading source for purchasing bias-free teaching and educational resources related to Native American, First Nations, Indigenous and Aboriginal studies. GoodMinds.com stocks over 3,000 Indigenous titles from Preschool to Adult.
A small fine-art and literary publishing house, Penumbra has carved its niche with Northern and Native literatures, as well as children’s literature, poetry, belles letters, translations of Scandinavian literature, history, mythology, and art books.
Portage & Main Press publishes a wide range of innovative and practical K–12 educational materials. We build dynamic learning communities by bringing together authors, educators, and students. Founded in 1967 as Peguis Publishers, the company quickly established a reputation for publishing quality educational resources in addition to Indigenous literature and regional history. Portage & Main Press remains an independently owned Canadian company.
Theytus Books is a leading North American publisher of Indigenous voices. Located in Syilx territory on the Penticton Indian Reserve in British Columbia, Theytus Books is proudly First Nations-owned and operated in partnership with the En’owkin Centre.
Wordcraft Circle of Native Writers and Storytellers was founded in 1992 by Lee Francis III after attending the first Returning the Gift gathering of Native writers and storytellers in Norman, Oklahoma.
Films and Television
The Adam Beach Film Institute envisions Indigenous People working within the Media, Film and Television industry…and healing with every story told.
In the shadow of a de Beers diamond mine, the remote community of Attawapiskat lurches from crisis to crisis, as their homeland transforms into a modern frontier.
The Aboriginal Peoples Television Network is a Canadian broadcast and television network.
Bee Nation is a Canadian documentary produced and directed by Lana Šlezić. The film follows the inspirational stories of six students in the first-ever First Nations Provincial Spelling Bee in Canada. Through the eyes of students, parents and educators, we learn of the challenges and opportunities awaiting the First Nations students in Saskatchewan as they strive to make it to the National Championships in Toronto; the highs, the lows, and everything in between.
Canadian Federal Government Apology to First Nations
Stephen Harper on behalf of the Canadian Federal Gov’t apologizes to the Survivors of the Indian Residential School System
A documentary series about harnessing Indigenous knowledge and Indigenizing the future
Gord Downie honoured by AFN CBC News
The Tragically Hip lead singer and advocate for First Nations people was hailed at an Assembly of First Nations gathering for his work highlighting the plight of those who were subjected to residential schools
Offering free in-school and in-cinema screenings for grade 7 to 12 teachers and their students throughout the school year.
imagineNATIVE is the world’s largest presenter of Indigenous screen content. The organisation is recognised locally, nationally, and internationally for excellence and innovation in programming and as the global centre for Indigenous media arts.
In Jesus’ Name: Shattering the Silence of St. Anne’s Residential School is a poignant all-Indigenous English and Cree-English collaborative documentary film (42 mins) that breaks long-held silences imposed upon indigenous children who were interned at the notoriously violent St. Anne’s Residential School in Fort Albany First Nation, Ontario. Use of a homemade electric chair at St. Anne’s and the incorporation of testimony about student-on-student abuse makes this documentary stand apart from other films about Canadian residential school experiences. This film will serve as an Indigenous historical document wholly authored by Indigenous bodies and voices, those of the Survivors themselves.
Peabody and Gemini award winning Reel Injun takes an entertaining and insightful look at the Hollywood Indian.
Rumble: the Indians Who Rocked the World
The Indians Who Rocked the World brings to light a profound and missing chapter in the history of American music: the Indigenous influence. Featuring music icons Charley Patton, Mildred Bailey, Link Wray, Jimi Hendrix, Jesse Ed Davis, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Robbie Robertson, Randy Castillo, and Taboo, RUMBLE shows how these pioneering Native musicians helped shape the soundtracks of our lives.
“Truth and Reconciliation Commission final report”, CBC News: The National
The final report of the Truth and reconciliation Commission says Canada must move from apology to action. Click here for the full story: http://www.cbc.ca/1.3365921
Joshua “Classic Roots” DePerry is an award-winning producer and DJ who is impacting the music community with his fresh sound and meaningful collaborations with diverse artists. Through the inclusion of First Nations drumming and singing in his electronic compositions, he acknowledges the continued resilience of his nation.
Land Acknowledgements
Canada’s #Next150 Years Will Start with a Territory Acknowledgement, Animikii Indigenous Technology
This challenge asks you to find out on whose traditional territory you live (or are from, or are visiting, etc.) and to respectfully acknowledge that territory for others to see so they can engage in that learning too.
The goal of this guide is to encourage all academic staff association representatives and members to acknowledge the First Peoples on whose traditional territories we live and work.
Know the Land Territories Campaign, Laurier Students’ Public Interest Research Group (LSPIRG)
To recognize the land is an expression of gratitude and appreciation to those whose territory you reside on, and a way of honouring the Indigenous people who have been living and working on the land from time immemorial.
“Land acknowledgements: uncovering an oral history of Tkaronto” by Local Love
The GTA has been home to Indigenous peoples for millennia. Here, Sara Roque and Selena Mills share their reflections on this land. Illustrations by Chief Lady Bird.
“Treaties and Comprehensive Land Claims in Canada” by Experiences Canada
English and French learning tool intended to engage communities to learn about treaties and land claims in Canada. Map of treaties and land claims across Canada.
“What are land acknowledgements and why do they matter?” by Local Love
Indigenous writer Selena Mills illustrates the importance of land acknowledgements—and shares perspectives about this newly popular form of reconciliation
Whose Land – Aproject of BOLD Realities, TakingITGlobal, and Canadian Roots Exchange
Whose Land is a web-based app that uses GIS technology to assist users in identifying Indigenous Nations, territories, and Indigenous communities across Canada.
Language
Resource list from the University of Toronto categorized by language.
The goal of the project is to co-create an on-line, multimedia linguistic atlas of Algonquian languages.
Seven Generations Education Institute, Rainy River District School Board, and SayITFirst entered into a partnership in 2017 to develop The Ojibwe Language Strategy. The main goal of the strategy is to help put Anishinaabemowin back into the homes of the Anishinaabe people.
Mental Health
First Nations and Inuit Hope for Wellness Help Line awareness resources
Downloadable resource posters that can be printed and distributed.
Weblinks to multiple mental health services available in Canada
Kids Help Phone is Canada’s only 24/7, national support service. We offer professional counselling, information and referrals and volunteer-led, text-based support to young people in both English and French.
Here to support the family members of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two-Spirit People through various counselling services. These services are designed to address the impacts of loss, trauma, and systemic injustice experienced within the family.
Resources Around Me – Kids Help Phone
Kids Help Phone has developed an interactive 24/7 online resource navigation tool named Resources Around Me. This tool allows young people to search from over 19,000 services to find resources in their community such as Counselling and Mental Health Support, Sexual Health Support, Housing Support, Legal Support, Job Help, and more.
The Aboriginal Healing Foundation
Welcome to the archived website of the Aboriginal Healing Foundation. This website is maintained courtesy of Spear Communications Group.
We Matter is an Indigenous youth-led and nationally registered non-profit organization committed to Indigenous youth support, hope and life promotion.
Miscellaneous
Chiefs of Ontario is an advocacy forum and secretariat for collective decision-making and action for Ontario’s First Nations communities.
Experiences Canada offers youth exchanges for participants aged 12 to 17 years old. The exchanges are organized between groups of 10 to 30 young people. By discovering a new community, young people deepen their knowledge of a second language, become aware of a new culture, remove social barriers, form new friendships, and develop greater self-confidence.
First Nations Child & Family Caring Society
The Caring Society stands with First Nations children, youth and families so they have equitable opportunities to grow up safely at home, be healthy, get a good education and be proud of who they are.
First Nations Nutrition Program, Canadian Feed the Children
Many First Nations families cannot access or afford nutritious food. As a result, more than half of First Nations children are malnourished and at risk of developing Type 2 diabetes or other diet-related chronic diseases.
Fostering Open eXpression among Youth (FOXY)
FOXY is a revolutionary program for young women and gender diverse youth that promotes mental and sexual health and healthy relationships across the North.
This Guide is intended to be a starting resource to help lawyers and others in the justice system to learn about Indigenous cultures and understand the interplay between Indigenous legal orders and the Canadian legal system.
National Indigenous Peoples Day is celebrated each year on June 21 and Remembrance Day November 11. Indigenous people in Canada have reason to be proud of their wartime contributions. More than 7,000 First Nations members served in the First and Second World Wars and the Korean War, and an unknown number of Inuit, Métis and other Indigenous people also participated. One Veterans group estimates that 12,000 Indigenous men and women served in the three wars.
The National Representational Organization Protecting and Advancing the Rights and Interests of Inuit in Canada
National website for the Metis Nation
National Association of Friendship Centres
The National Association of Friendship Centres (NAFC) is a network of 112 Friendship Centres and Provincial and Territorial Associations (PTAs) from coast-to-coast-to-coast.
NAN is a political territorial organization representing 49 First Nation communities within northern Ontario with the total population of membership (on and off reserve) estimated around 45,000 people.
North American Indigenous Games
The North American Indigenous Games help us realize the collective potential of our bodies, minds, spirit and of our people – our hopes and dreams – The Spirit Strong, Brave & True.
Northern Exchange – Mimico Canadiens Hockey Association, Experiences Canada
Building on the rousing success of MCHA’s recent used equipment drive for remote northern communities, MCHA has been presented with a unique opportunity to grow our support for grassroots hockey in northern Canada, while providing a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Mimico youth to experience life in the Canadian arctic.
Primary Junior Indigenous Education, Queen’s University Library
This page supports the teaching and learning of teacher candidates in the Aboriginal Teacher Education Program.
Teaching the 94 Calls to Action in the Classroom, Reconciliation syllabus
TRC-inspired gathering of materials for teaching law
An advocacy organization representing First Nations citizens in Canada
Science Through Native American Eyes
People who used to see Native American culture represented only in the fall as an exotic extra – “just after we study dinosaurs and just before we study Columbus” – now can study both Science and the real deal about Native America. Students and teachers now can learn unexpected things about America’s first cultures at the same time as doing their required science lessons, applying their computer skills, and having fun.
The Nihewan Foundation for Native American Education
The Nihewan Foundation for Native American Education is a small private non-profit foundation dedicated improving the education of and about Native American people and cultures.
Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls
Highway of Tears Carrier, Sekani Family Services
With respect and love for the victims of the Highway of Tears, and guided by their communities, we are committed to fulfilling the 33 recommendations from the Highway of Tears Symposium Recommendations Report. We work diligently towards preventing further victimization, supporting the families of the victims, planning for emergencies and supporting the communities’ efforts towards health and vibrancy.
The intention of this page is a space for family members to honour the lives of their loved ones through personal stories, photos or other important aspects of someone’s life.
A congressional resolution to designate May 5th as a National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Native Women and Girls has been introduced.
The National Inquiry’s Final Report reveals that persistent and deliberate human and Indigenous rights violations and abuses are the root cause behind Canada’s staggering rates of violence against Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA people. The two volume report calls for transformative legal and social changes to resolve the crisis that has devastated Indigenous communities across the country.
News Feeds
Aboriginal Peoples Television Network national news website
CBC news curated stream of Indigenous news in Canada
Non-Profit Friends of DWF
Exploring by the Seat of Your Pants
Exploring by the Seat of Your Pants aims to inspire the next generation of scientists, explorers and conservationists. They do this by bringing science, exploration, adventure and conservation into classrooms through virtual speakers and field trips with leading experts across the globe.
First Book Canada’s mission is to transform the lives of children in need by improving access to educational opportunities. Through a market-driven model, First Book Canada is creating equal access to quality education
Rumie’s mission is to bring the surge of free learning content available online to communities least likely to access it but with the most to gain.
Online Courses
Reconciliation Through Indigenous Education by the University of British Columbia
Advancing reconciliation in classrooms, organizations, and communities through the teaching and learning of Indigenous ways of knowing.
Podcasts
All My Relations is a podcast hosted by Matika Wilbur (Swinomish and Tulalip) and Adrienne Keene (Cherokee Nation) to explore our relationships— relationships to land, to our creatural relatives, and to one another. Each episode invites guests to delve into a different topic facing Native peoples today as we keep it real, play games, laugh a lot, and even cry sometimes. We invite you to join us!
Coffee With My Ma (explicit language is used at times)
Coffee with my Ma is a podcast created by actress Kaniehtiio Horn that places the audience at the kitchen table with her and her mom, Kahn-Tineta Horn.
Hosted by Mohawk Journalist, Editor and Public Speaker Vincent Schilling and CEO of Schilling Media, Inc. Delores Schilling they talk to the best and the brightest, the movers and shakers and of course… Native Trailblazers.
Hosted by Tanya Talaga, “Understanding The Secret Path” explores Gord Downie’s journey that led to the creation of Secret Path and the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund. It also explores the upcoming Secret Path Live concert, held Oct. 19, 2019, as well as DWF’s current program.
Unreserved Hosted by Rosanna Deerchild
Unreserved is CBC Radio’s space for the Indigenous community, culture, and conversation. Host Rosanna Deerchild introduces listeners to the storytellers, culture makers and community shakers from across the country. Bonus: the podcast features music by Indigenous artists, as well.
Disclaimer
By using the Legacy Schools toolkit, reconciliACTION Guidebook, and resources provided, you acknowledge the materials referenced herein as linked sites are provided solely for your convenience. These sites may have their own privacy policy and terms and conditions that are not governed by the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund (DWF). DWF is not responsible for the privacy practices and/or the content of any linked sites or their subsidiaries and/or affiliates. These linked sites are independent parties over whom DWF has no control. Use of any linked site is entirely at your own risk. DWF makes no representations or warranties as to the accuracy or any other aspect of the information contained on the linked sites, including the resources made available. DWF therefore disclaims all liability and responsibility for the availability of information, content, accuracy, products, or services found on third party sites which are linked from or to this website. The existence of a link from the website to any third- party site does not constitute an endorsement or approval by DWF of the linked site or any goods, services or information provided through such linked sites.
The Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund
Registered Charity Number: 784055915RR0001