Passion Project

(Josh, Rachael, Kyla, Amber)

Outcome(s) of Lesson: (Blooms or I can statement)

(TQS) 5d. Supporting the learning experiences of all students by using resources that accurately reflect and
demonstrate the strength and diversity of First Nations, Métis and Inuit

How will I know students have achieved the learning outcome(s)?

● Students will ​model​ the connection of themselves to the earth.
● Students will ​relate​ to First Nations values

Hook:​ Has anyone heard the word Indigenous before? What about First Nation? Aboriginal?

Learning Opportunities:

Time Learning Opportunity How do I check that

students understand
what to do?

​15 min Have a discussion with students to establish what they already Observation of
know about Indigenous life. If needed, give prompts or information participation during the
about residential schools, our teepee, Orange Shirt Day, and the story (students will be doing
connection to creation (the earth, plants, animals, etc.) the actions with us as we
read the story).
Set up:​ Set boundary of playing area outside with pylons in large
rectangle.

Story Expectations:​ quiet voices, find own space (within pylons),

movement only on the spot.

Read:​ “As Big as the Sky, As Tall as the Trees” (by Leah Yardley).
Have students stand while reading the book to incorporate actions
throughout the book.
 Actions: Materials Needed

● As big as the sky (stretch big) ● Book:

● Rise and fall like the sun (touch toes)
● Sweet smell of prairie grass (take a deep breath) “As Big as the Sky, As Tall
● Jump from star to star (jump 5 times) as the Trees” (by Leah
● Make your body as small as you can (crouch down) Yarley)
● Reach up high and pretend you’re as tall as a mountain
● Pylons (4)
(stretch up high)
● Throw a rock into a lake (throwing motion)
● Winding river (twisting motion)
● Move fast like the wind (jog fast)
● Slow like a breeze (jog slow)
● Become a very tall tree (stretch out wide)
● The wind flows through your branches (sway)
● Jump like a rabbit (jump)
● Fly like an eagle (flap arms/soar)
● Scurry like a mouse (small, quick steps)
● Swim like a fish
● Favourite animal movement (student choice) *no sound
● Hand over heart (listen)

How do I differentiate for ALL learners? Accommodations (ISP’s)

Beginning: ​Teachers will walk around, helping to model, support and

monitor.

Developing:​Teachers will walk around, helping to model support and monitor.

Achieving: ​Do actions in a way that is comfortable and at developmental

level.

Exceeding: ​Do actions in a way that is comfortable and at developmental

level.
 Transition: (what will students do when they are finished?, how will we move to the next learning
opportunity?)

Do a clap pattern to get their attention. Then have students move to one end of the rectangle and have
them stand in a line facing the other side of the designated area.

Time Learning Opportunity How do I check that

students understand
what to do?

​10 Min Ask students - Explain how nature is important to you? (higher Call on students before
order question). beginning gameplay. Ask
them what the rules are.
Introduce game:​ Tatanka Tatanka is a First Nation’s game.
Examples:
Background Information:​ Tatanka is the leader of the buffalo. It is
a game that is usually played by women and small children; they “What do you do when you
would mimic their fathers and grandfathers who used to go on the get tagged?”
buffalo hunt. The game helped the women and children learn how
to lead the buffalo into the compound during the hunt. “What do you do when you
hear Tatanka, Tatanka?”
How to Play:
“What are the boundaries?”
- One participant is chosen as the Tatanka and the rest of the
participants line up along one edge of the pylons.
- The Tatanka calls out ​“Tatanka, Tatanka”​ and the
participants run across to the opposite edge of the pylons
and try not to get tagged by the Tatanka.
- If a participant is tagged they become part of the Tatanka’s
herd and have to try to tag more participants to become part
of the herd. Materials Needed
- When there are no more runners the game is over and a
new Tatanka is chosen. ● Pylons to set out
game boundary.
Boundary: ​Within the pylons. ● Hat or pinny for the
Tatanka (optional)
Extension challenge:​ When tagged, have the Tatankas link arms
while trying to tag other participants, creating a large line of
Tatanka’s!
 How do I differentiate for ALL learners? Accommodations (ISP’s)

Beginning: ​Teachers will model, monitor and support students.

Developing: ​Teachers will model, monitor and support students.

Achieving: ​Play game at a speed that is comfortable.

Exceeding: ​Play game at a speed that is comfortable. Offer alternate

movements (skipping, shuffling, etc.)

Transition: (what will students do when they are finished?, how will we move to the next learning
opportunity?)

Have students move like an animal of their choice to the door to line up, while making the noise of their
animal. Return to the classroom silently.

Time Learning Opportunity How do I check that

students understand what
to do?

​10 Min EXTENSION/ALTERNATE ACTIVITY Call on students before

beginning gameplay. Ask
In case the weather is not permitting/we do not have access to the them what the rules are.
gym, we can play a different Indigenous game inside of the
classroom. Examples:

Introduce game: ​Animal Muk is an Inuit game. “What do you do if you are
in the middle?”
Background Information:​ This “laughing game” was played
during social gatherings, especially during the long dark months “What sound does a seal,
when blizzards were common. It also gave an opportunity for the goose, owl, black bear,
hunters to enhance their animal calling skills and become more moose, crow make?”
successful on hunts.
“What happens if you
laugh?”
 How to Play: Materials Needed

- Participants do animal sounds or actions common in the ● none

Northwest Territories; a seal, a goose, an owl, a black
bear, a moose and a crow.
- The participants form a circle with one person standing in
the middle.
- The person in the middle uses only animal sounds or
actions to make someone in the outside circle smile or
laugh.
- Eye contact between the person in the middle and the
person they selected in the circle must be maintained at all
times.
- If the person in the circle smiles, laughs, or breaks eye
contact, he or she will take their turn in the middle to make
someone else in the circle try to smile or laugh.
- Participants are not allowed any physical contact with their
opponents.

Add other animals from around the world if there is additional time.

How do I differentiate for ALL learners? Accommodations (ISP’s)

Beginning: ​Teachers will support and prompt as needed.

Developing: ​Teachers will support and prompt as needed.

Achieving: ​Students will complete actions and sounds of animals.

Exceeding: ​Students will complete actions and sounds of animals.

CLOSURE: ​Have students give a thumbs up if they learned something new today. Tell them that it can be
fun exploring different cultures and that we know that Indigenous people have a special relationship with
the world around us.
Lesson Plan Analysis​: Using your lesson above, describe the following: (This information ​MUST ​be in
your learning opportunities)

Cooperative None
Learning
Strategies used

Movement Breaks Games and actions in the story.

Modes of Kinaesthetic and Auditory.

Learning

Higher Order ​Explain ​how nature is important to you.

Question(s)

Rationale for Lesson Plan Changes

In our lesson plan we changed a few things. We began by changing the hook to a question that
would show us what the students know about Indigenous People, their history, and their lives. This
will help to better engage students right off the start and will give us more information about the
knowledge that they are coming to the activity with. From that question, we included a little discussion
to help get this information. We also added to the differentiation that the teachers will model the
actions for the story and for the game. This will help the students to know what to do because we will
offer them a visual. This can happen before or even during the activities.

For our first transition, we added a clap sequence to get their attention. We also changed the
transition so that students will just line up quickly on one of the lines, designated by the pylons. We
realized during teaching our lesson that they did not have to move very far, therefore getting them to
move like animals to that location did not seem necessary or realistic.

In our second learning opportunity, we included our higher order question which we changed to
make it more clear for the students to answer. When we initially asked them about the connection
between nature and Indigenous people, the students did not understand the connections and looked at
us with glazed over eyes. With this new question, it will be a bit clearer for them and will help them to
understand and share their own experiences.
Reflection and Revisions