NAME: Michelle Romanuk 

Grade: Grade Subject: Grade 10 Science Ecology Lesson Duration: 1 Class, 66 minutes
10 Unit (# of classes,
minutes)
Unit Theme / Cluster: Birch Bark Canoe

Lesson Title: The Birch Bark Canoe and Sustainability

Main Objective(s) or The main purpose is to explore the sustainability of the creation of birch
Purpose: bark canoes and compare their construction of modern day canoes. This
will lead to conversations about conservation of the environment and
how Indigenous people used to live.
Primary Indigenous Studying the making and significance of the Birch Bark Canoe and how
Content: that relates to sustainability.

General and/or Specific GLO/Core/Essential/Practice: SLO/Enduring/Recursive/Elemen

Learnings (if needed)
Select ​1-4​ total
SLO/Enduring/Recursive/
Element to assess;
If needed: ​1-2​ total
GLO/Core/Essential/Practi
ce
Include description and code
Integrating Aboriginal
Perspectives into Curricula
Objectives (1-2):
t:
S2-0-8d ​Describe examples S2-1-10 ​Investigate how
of how technologies have human activities affect an
evolved in response to ecosystem and use the
changing needs and decision-making process to
scientific advances propose a course of action to
S2-0-8g ​Discuss social and enhance its sustainability
environmental effects of
past scientific and
technological endeavours.
Include: major shifts in
scientific science disciplines
3.4.1: E-10​ describe the potential harmful effects of some
substances on the environment, and outline strategies for their
safe use and disposal
3.4.1: A-10​ identify behaviours and activities that contribute to
the well-being of the local natural environment

TEACHING AND LEARNING STRATEGIES

Assessment ​for Assessment ​as Assessment ​of Strategies/Activitie Multiple

learning Learning Learning s Intelligences or
(formative) Self-assessm (summative) Graphic Learning Styles
Observations ent Test organizer Targeted:
Conversation Peer-assess Quiz Think/pair/shar Bodily-kinesth
s ment Presentation e etic
Presentation Project Modelling Interpersonal
 NAME: Michelle Romanuk 

Anecdotal Graphic Published Collaboration Verbal-linguisti

notes Organizer work Discussion c
Work sample Collaboratio Rubric question Logical-mathe
Conference n Other: Learning matical
Checklist Other: stations Naturalistic
Diagnostics Individual Intrapersonal
Other: Pairing Visual-spatial
Small Group Musical
(3-5) Combination
Large group
(6-10)
Whole group
Other:
Materials & Learning 1. Chart Paper
Resources, 2. Chart Paper Markers
Technology 3. Computers, Phones or Device to conduct research on
List all needed and 4. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwItUGW9VHM​ The Birch Bark Canoe:
used Navigating a New World is a 20 minute video included in a teachers'
APA referencing guide resource package which was commissioned by the partnership
for any resources of Manitoba Aerospace, the Engineering Access Program and the
Faculty of Engineering at the University of Manitoba. Funding was also
provided from Engineers Canada. The package has been designed to
be used in Manitoba classrooms to honour the contributions of First
Nations and Métis peoples and educate future generations about the
art and science of the birch bark canoe.
Curricular / Subject Information and
Connections Science Communication technologies
Keep any Social Studies Visual Arts
necessary
LESSON - STEP-BY-STEP PROCEDURE
What will you do and how? What will the students be doing? With whom? Where? When and how will you
distribute or collect materials? How will you help students make transitions?

CLASS # One

ACTIVITY/STEPS TIMING DETAILED DESCRIPTION ASSIGNMENT(S)

(MIN) The teaching plan and information shared, ASSESSMENT
student activities, HOW students will learn, DESCRIPTION
etc. (connect with
learning codes used
above)
1. Introductory 25 Minutes ● First we will start off the class with an ● S2-0-8d
Activities introduction to the topic and a class ● S2-0-8g
discussion to see what students
 NAME: Michelle Romanuk 

(assessment as) remember from grade 9 Social studies ● I decided to

regarding the Fur Trade and what was start off with
the mode of the transportation a small class
during the fur trade. Some of the discussion to
discussion questions for the start of find out what
class include: student know
○ What was the mode of transport on the topic
during the fur trade we are
○ Why was it necessary to use learning
canoes, why not other modes of before diving
transportation? into the
● After the discussion this will lead into amazing
the video created by Manitoba video
Aerospace. This video explores the produced by
craftsmanship of the birch bark canoe Manitoba
and it’s meaning culturally. It is also a Areospace
locally created video, which I believe
is a bonus.
2. Development ● Students will be given chart paper ● Graphic
al Activities 25 minutes and split into groups of 3 or 4 organizer
● Students will be allowed to use their ● Collaboration
(assessment for) technology that they have with them ● Small Groups
for research ● S2-1-10
● Students will create a chart on the ● 3.4.1: E-10
paper comparing the materials used ● 3.4.1: A-10
in the birch bark canoe with the ● I decided to
materials used in the average modern do small
day canoe. They will be given groups and
instructions to research where each chart paper
material comes from and how it is so students
produced. Example: Plastic – plastic is could
created from oil, oil is extracted from collaborate
the earth, it produces carbon and work
emissions and plastic does not together on
biodegrade. this tough
subject
3. Consolidating ● After placing chart paper up on the ● S2-1-10
Activities 15 minutes walls of the charts created by ● 3.4.1: E-10
(assessment of) – students we will rearrange the chairs ● 3.4.1: A-10
remainder into a circle. ● I thought it
of class ● In the circle, we will talk about what would be a
they have learned through this good idea to
activity. host a group
discussion in
a circle to
 NAME: Michelle Romanuk 

● Students will tell us what materials engage

are better for the environment and students and
which has less of an impact. get them
● Then we will discuss possible reasons talking about
why we started to use modern day what we
canoes over birch bark canoes have learned
○ cost
○ production time
○ convenience
SEQUENCE/FLO This particular SLO that we are hitting in the Science curriculum is the final SLO of
W the Ecology Unit. I believe this will be a great lesson to gets students engaged and
excited about Ecology. This particular lesson will lead to a review class and then a
Unit test on Ecology.

Student Accommodations / I personally feel the way I have set up my group work and
Modifications our round table discussions that I have set this lesson up to
hopefully be accommodating to all learners.
Class Reminders or Personal Notes Students will be tested on material that is covered in class
during the Ecology Unit Test.

​ ttps://umanitoba.ca/faculties/education/media/Lesson_Planning_Resources_2014.pdf
*This is modified from the Four-Column-Planner - h

INTRODUCTION

My lesson is focusing on the birch bark canoe and the sustainability of its craftsmanship. This fits well

into our theme of the Metis people during the Fur Trade. The birch bark canoe was the mode of

transport during the fur trade. The birch bark canoe was created by many different nations but during

the fur trade it became a large part of Metis culture and its construction was ceremonial to the people

who made them. I believe our lessons flow very well starting off with Kelsey CK’s lesson, Malcolm’s

lesson, My lesson and then Kelsey H’s lesson. Kelsey CK’s lesson is about Metis poetry, which ties into

our theme well. Her lesson allows students to explore Metis art. She has picked 3 poems that fit

perfectly in our theme, one of the chosen poems is about the Red River Jig, another about living

between two languages and cultures and another poem about the Fur trade. Malcolm’s lesson works

nicely after Kelsey CK’s lesson where he is exploring the Red River Jig in music. His students are going
NAME: Michelle Romanuk 

to learn how to play jigging music with their guitars. Next we have my lesson about the birch bark

canoe and that leads us to Kelsey H’s lesson. Kelsey is focusing her lesson on the materials used to

seal and waterproof the birch bark canoe and the chemical properties of the materials. Overall, I

believe our lessons work well together and we are able to cover a lot of different topics in our vastly

different subjects of English, Music, Science and Chemistry.

LESSON & CURRICULUM RATIONALE

1. Answer A to F​:

A. Identify your reasoning for selecting the Indigenous topic into your chosen Subject and

Grade.

I decided to pick this topic because I was interested in the sustainability that indigenous populations

have maintained throughout history. I am Cree, so I didn’t want our group to focus on a subject that I

know a lot about. Instead I wanted to explore something I wasn’t familiar with. I recently watched a

video on the creation of birch bark canoes and I thought that this was something that I could connect

to the Biology or Science curriculum. It is a super interesting subject and I can allow for some

creativity when it comes to exploring the subject. I thought it would be really interesting for students

to explore the sustainability of the birch bark canoe vs. the modern day canoe.

B. Overall goal or learning objective of the lesson and how the Indigenous content included

connects with specific lesson themes and curriculum expectations. Essentially, in what ways

does the lesson effectively/appropriately/respectfully reflect the Indigenous topic chosen?

The main learning objective of my lesson from the grade 10 science curriculum is for students to

investigate how human actions have impacts on the ecosystem. I was also able to find two learning

objects from Indigenous education for grade 9 and 10 which fit in absolutely perfectly with the science
NAME: Michelle Romanuk 

objective. Those objectives were to identify behaviours and activities that contribute to the well-being

of the local natural environment and to describe potential harmful effects of some substances on the

environment. These fit in perfectly with the construction of the birch bark canoe versus the

construction of the modern day canoe because birch bark canoes materials are far more sustainable

and they promote a positive relationship with the earth, whereas the modern day canoe is created

with materials that have harmful negative impacts on the earth and are made from materials that are

not natural and do not decompose. I think I was able to take a subject that had a huge impact on the

Metis culture and people and bring it in and apply it to the science curriculum. The current science

curriculum is actually hard to find places to incorporate indigenous perspectives because it hasn’t

been updated since the very early 2000s. When this curriculum was created there was not a lot of

motivation for them to give room for us to incorporate indigenous perspectives. When they do update

this curriculum, I hope they will allow for more incorporation.

C. Any teacher background information or pre-learning necessary for this lesson.

For this lesson, it will be very important that I have a good background in the materials used in the

making of the birch bark canoe and a modern day canoe. I need to ensure that I can have a good

conversation about sustainability with the students after the class. I will also need to do research on

D. Reasoning behind including specific resources that will be shared with students. What is the

purpose of using a particular book or video?

I decided to use this particular video because it is Manitoba made and has Manitoban people in it.

Parts of it are filmed on the University of Manitoba campus and highlights an Indigenous student in

her Masters who is studying the aerodynamics of the birch bark canoe. For a 20 minute video it is able

to fit a lot of the ideas I want students to think about during this lesson. The video also shows a
NAME: Michelle Romanuk 

representation at the Access Engineering program at the U of M and he is a wonderful speaker. This

video was also created to be used in the Manitoba classroom and it is very relevant to the area in

which we live. They also have a Metis Elder showing how he builds birch bark canoe and the diversity

within different constructions for different purposes. I feel this video is a great tool to use in the

classroom.

E. Explain the choice behind your assessment tool and ​how t​ his aligns with the assessment

assignment.

My assessment tool is for the students to use chart paper to create a graphic organizer of the birch

bark canoe and the modern day canoe. I believe this aligns with my assessment because it allows the

students to work together to learn about the environmental impact each of these materials have. It

also allows the students to organize their thoughts in a logical manner.

F. Other important information you want to share (Questions to consider: Are you connecting

with family or community? Are you incorporating various ways of learning into your lesson

that you want to point out here? Are you providing alternative assessment/learning

activities for students who need accommodations? Are you bringing in Elders, Senators,

Cultural Knowledge Keepers?).

I really would like to point out that we tried to keep our lesson plans very local to Winnipeg and

Manitoba. I wanted to try to focus on a group I haven’t studied or a group I am a member of. I also

want to point out that I have tried to make this lesson multimodal by incorporating, group work,

videos, discussion and sharing circles.