Lesson Class: The importance of language to culture Course French Second

Title/Focus Language - Grade 4/5

PROGRAM OF STUDY OUTCOMES

Grade 4:
4.3.2
4.4.6
Grade 5:
5.4.6

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
At the end of the lesson students will be able to:
1. Understand the value that language plays in culture.
2. Show where different languages were spoken in Canada before colonization.

MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT

● Maps of Alberta and Canada
● Video: Rare Audio of Indigenous Languages Saved By Invention 100 Years Later - Science Nation
● Video: Studying to Preserve Indigenous Language - CBC News: The National
● Video: The Loss of Indigenous Languages - Interpreters and Translators Inc.
● Video: Truth and Reconciliation: Preserving and Revitalizing Indigenous Languages - Global
News

PREPARATION AND LOGISTICAL CONSIDERATIONS

● Have videos pulled up so that they can be shared when ready
● Have the maps printed, hole-punched, and ready to be handed out.

- I want this class to be open to discussion. I am not a qualified person to speak on a lot
of these things, so I have found many videos that are better to discuss these things
that I am. After each video I will open the floor to discussions. I don’t want to lead the
discussions, rather I will be the mediator.
- This class may take 1.5 or 2 classes to complete, depending on how long
conversations go and how long it takes them to do the worksheets.

PROCEDURE
Introduction Time
 ● Were English and French the first languages spoken in Canada? No,
before Canada was colonized there were so many different nations and 3 min
cultures here that spoke many different languages. There were hundreds
of different languages that we’re spoken here.

Body Time

Topic 1) Play the video “The Loss of Indigenous Languages -

Interpreters and Translators Inc.” 2 min
First Video

Topic 1) Why is language important? Why would it be important

to Indigenous people to have their own language? To be 5 min
Class Discussion able to speak their own language?

Topic 1) Play the video “Rare Audio of Indigenous Languages

Saved by Invention 100 Years Later - Science Nation” 5 min
How Are These 2) Play the video “Studying to Preserve Indigenous
Languages Being Languages - CBC News: The National” (Only play part
Saved Now? of this video)

Topic 1) Open the floor to a discussion. I can provide prompts to

lead students to talk, but for the most part I want them to 5 min
Class Discussion be engaged in the conversation rather than me.

Topic 1) Play the video “Truth and Reconciliation: Preserving and

Revitalizing Indigenous Languages - Global News” 5 min
Last Video 2) Quick discussion.

Topic 1) I found a map of Alberta and of Canada that show many

of the Indigenous languages that were once spoken here,
Activity and that still are spoken here.
2) On the Alberta map you will colour in the individual
areas. On the Canada map you are going to try to copy 15 min
the other map. Don’t worry if it’s not perfect or exact, just
try your best, there are many little languages everywhere,
so at least try to get the ones that are bigger and more
obvious.
3) After this students can begin working.

Closure Time

● What do you think about revitalization and preserving Indigenous languages in

Canada? Do you think more should be done? What do you think should be 5 min
done? Is what we’re doing enough?
 Assessment
● Students will be formatively assessed during this lesson. I am looking for an understanding of
how important language is to culture, to how many languages were once spoken in Canada, and
to understand what work is currently being done to preserve and revitalize these languages.