Lesson: Independence vs.

Interdependence: Conflicts resulting from European and Aboriginal

worldviews about the natural world

Stage 1 - Desired Results

Established Goals: (Overall expectations)

CE: Students will be able to describe characteristics of pre-contact First Nations cultures across Canada, including their
close relationships with the natural environment; the motivation and attitudes of the European explorers; and the effects
of contact on both the receiving and incoming groups

Social Studies curriculum expectations:

--describe the attitude to the environment of various First Nation groups (e.g., Nisga’a, Mi’kmaq, James Bay Cree) and
show
how it affected their practices in daily life(e.g., with respect to food, shelter, clothes, transportation);
--explain how differences between First Nation peoples and early European explorers led to conflicts between the two
groups (e.g., lack of common language,differing world views and spiritual beliefs,
introduction of European diseases, differing views about property ownership);
--identify some present-day issues concerning First Nation peoples that relate to results of early contact (e.g., the effect
of new technologies on First Nation cultures; land claims)

Drama curriculum expectations:

--create, rehearse, and present drama and dance works to communicate the meaning
of poems, stories, paintings, myths, and other source material drawn from a wide range of cultures

Language curriculum expectations:

Writing
2.1 Write more complex texts, using a variety of forms
Understandings: Essential Questions:
Students will understand that...
CE:  Pre-contact Aboriginal cultures across Canada had a What was the relationship between various pre-contact
close relationship with the natural environment that Aboriginal cultures across Canada and the natural
involved seeing themselves as one part of creation, not environment?
more or less important than other parts of nature.
European explorers, on the other hand, saw humans as the What was the relationship between European explorers
most important creation and nature as something to be and the environment?
used by humans for their benefit.
How do these differing worldviews cause present-day
CE: These differing views of the relationship of humans to conflict between Aboriginal Peoples and the Canadian
the rest of nature continue to cause conflict between government?
Aboriginal Peoples and the Canadian government today in
the form of issues around land claims. 

Students will be able to…

CE: Begin to understand Aboriginal worldview as described in origin stories and other sacred stories, the thanksgiving
address (Iroquois), descriptions of pre-contact Aboriginal societies, and reports written by Europeans explorers.
CT: Look for bias in descriptions of conflict between these two groups caused by the perspective of those who
recorded these histories.
CE: Explain how differences in worldview regarding land ownership led to conflict between the two groups
CT: Take action to support the right of Aboriginal peoples to their land in the form of letters written to the Ministry of
Northern Affairs

Stage 2 – Assessment Evidence

Performance Tasks:
Formative Assessment of Social Studies expectations
1) Students will write in role as a member of the
Haudenosaunee to explain to the incoming
Europeans their worldview. This account will
tell the other side of the story of Jacques
Cartier’s setting up of the cross on the Gaspe
Peninsula during his first voyage. This account
will focus on an explanation of how, according
to the Iroquain worldview, Europeans do not
have the right to own the land. (evaluated using
a checklist—see attached)
2) Students will write a letter to the Ministry of
Northern Development stating their views on
the proposed revisions to the Ontario Mining
Act (evaluated using a rubric—see attached)
Other Evidence:
Formative assessment of social studies expectations
1) Anecdotal notes about students’ contributions to
answering the group question “What does this story tell
you about how this culture viewed its relationship with
nature?”
2)Collection of students’ journal responses to the
questions “What is the relationship between humans and
the environment in the Aboriginal stories (give examples
from at least 2 sacred stories)? What is the relationship
between humans and the environment in the Judeo-
Christian story?”
3) Anecdotal notes about students’ contributions to their
groups when discussing how attitudes towards the
environment were reflected in the group’s daily life.

Assessment of Drama expectations:

Formative assessment: Observation and anecdotal notes about students’ roles in the group performance and
contribution to the group, group assessment (see attached)
Assessment of Language expectations:
Formative assessment: See rubric for persuasive piece (note: with regards to the portfolio handed in for summative
assessment at the end of the persuasive writing unit, students may choose either this letter or the Attawapiskat letter to
be included).

Stage 3 – Learning Plan

Materials:
Interactive CD from “The Great Peace: The Gathering of Good minds” (interactive creation story and thanksgiving
address)

Photocopies (1 per student in this group) of pp. 40 (describing Iroquois’ names of and respect for plants) in The Kids
Book of Aboriginal Peoples in Canada

Photocopies (1 per student in this group) of Assiniboine creation story (see attached)

Photocopies (1 per student in this group) of pp. 20-21 (describing People of the Plains’ respect for and dependence on
the buffalo) in The Kids Book of Aboriginal Peoples in Canada

Photocopies (1 per student in this group) of creation story of the Algonquin (see attached)

Photocopies (1 per student in this group) of pp. 46-47 (describing pre-contact daily life of the Algonquin and their
respect for the environment) in The Kids Book of Aboriginal Peoples in Canada

Photocopies (1 per student in this group) of Inuit Story “The Gift of the Whale” from Keepers of the Animals: Native
American Stories and Wildlife Activities for Children pp. 205

Photocopies (1 per student in this group) of pp. 26 and 29 (describing Inuit dependence on and respect for the animals
they hunted) in The Kids Book of Aboriginal Peoples in Canada

Photocopies (1 per student in this group) of the Haida creation story (see attached)

Photocopies (1 per student in this group) of pp. 6-8 (describing the sacredness of cedar trees and daily lives of people of
the Northwest Coast) in The Kids Book of Aboriginal Peoples in Canada
Photocopies (1 per student in this group) of Judeo-Christian creation story from the Bible (Genesis)

Overhead of excerpts from The Voyages of Jacques Cartier (see attached)

1 copy per student of newspaper article “Native fight over mining goes beyond treaty rights Stephen Scharper. Toronto
Star. Toronto, Ont.: Jun 7, 2008. pg. ID.6”

1 copy per student of teacher-prepared background information sheet on the protest at Sharbot lake and the Ontario
mining act (see attached)

Computer with CD-Rom drive

LCD projector (if possible)

2 pre-made signs (for allowing the uranium mining to continue, against allowing the uranium mining to continue)

4 pre-made signs for four corners (very fairly, somewhat fairly, somewhat unfairly, unfairly)

Props for reader’s theatre presentations (e.g. hats, Raven mask, scarves etc.)

1 copy per group of group self assessment for drama presentations

1 copy per student of concept map hand-out

1 copy per student of social studies rubric (with attached instructions), social studies checklist, and language arts
persuasive writing rubric

Accommodations and Modifications: Universal design for the lesson includes a multimedia presentation of the
Iroquain creation story so that students who are English language learners and students whose IEPs indicate difficulties
with reading will be able to access the story as well. The one student in the class reading more than three grades below
grade level will be placed in the group presenting the Iroquois creation story, since that student will already have been
exposed to that creation story during the multimedia presentation. Students whose IEPs indicate difficulties with
writing will orally respond in a one-to-one conference with the teacher to the journal entry question “What is the
relationship between humans and the environment in the Aboriginal stories (give examples from at least 2 sacred
stories)? What is the relationship between humans and the environment in the Judeo-Christian story?” Students who
are English language learners may also orally respond in a one-to-one conference, or they may write in their first
language and a peer, parent, or community member may translate.)
Timing: 250 minutes (5 x 50 minute social studies periods)
Learning Activities:

Social Studies Period 1

Introduction (Hook):
Timing: 7 minutes Grouping: Whole Class
Explain to students that today we are going to talk about the beliefs of both the European explorers and Canada’s
Aboriginal peoples when it comes to the environment. Explain that one way we know what a culture believes is to look
at its sacred stories. Show students the interactive CD-Rom Creation Story section and the Thanksgiving address
section from “The Great Peace: The Gathering of Good Minds.” Ask students to think-pair-share in response to the
following question:
What does this story and the thanksgiving address tell you about the way this culture views the relationships between
humans, plants and animals? Why do you think this?
Discuss student responses.

Middle
Timing: 22 minutes Grouping: Small Groups
Divide students into 5 groups (groups of approximately 5-6 each). Distribute one of the sacred stories (Iroquois,
Algonquin, Assiniboine, Inuit, or Judeo-Christian) to each group of students. Tell students that they have the next 25
minutes to plan how they are going to present their story as a 2-3 minute reader’s theatre version to the other groups
(see attached directions to the students). Go over these directions with the students, emphasizing that each group will
also be given a piece of chart paper and asked to put the name of the culture whose story they are presenting at the top,
and their answer to the following question underneath it: “What does this story tell you about how this culture viewed
its relationship with nature?” Tell students that, in presenting their story, they must share this information with their
audience. Give each group the drama group presentation assessment (see attached) and ask them to fill this out as well.
As students are working, take anecdotal notes about students’ contributions to the group process.

Timing: 15 minutes Grouping: Whole Class

Have students present their stories to the whole class. While students are presenting, take anecdotal notes about each
child’s presentation skills.

Timing: 10 minutes Grouping: Independent

Students will write a social studies journal based on the following prompt: “What is the relationship between humans
and the environment in the Aboriginal stories (give examples from at least 2 sacred stories)? What is the relationship
between humans and the environment in the Judeo-Christian story?”

Social Studies Day 2

Timing: 15 minutes Grouping: Whole Class

Tell the class that now that they have had a chance to discuss how the worldview of interdependence with nature
showed through in how various Aboriginal cultures led their daily lives, we will look at how the worldview of the
explorers, and how that might have led to conflict with the Aboriginal groups. Explain that you will read something that
was written by Jacques Cartier, one of the explorers we have studied. Display on overhead and read the class an excerpt
from the Voyages of Jacques Cartier (pg. 37—this is a letter to the King, calling the new land the King’s land, talking
about the richness of the land and river, and saying that he is going forth to increase the King’s possessions).
Ask students to think-pair-share their answer to the following question:
”What evidence is there in this quote of the European worldview of nature being something that is there to be used for
what humans want?”
Ask some students to share their answers, and have them come up to the front to underline these sections on the
overhead using markers and to explain their thinking.

Timing: 20 minutes Grouping: Small Groups

Tell students that now that they have investigated the worldview of the Aboriginals and the European explorers, they
will need to describe how the relationship with nature of these different cultures could be seen in how they lived. Have
students sit in their groups from the previous day. Give students a photocopy of information from The Kids Book of
Aboriginal peoples related to the culture whose creation story they investigated the day before (the group who
presented the Judeo-Christian story will be given information on the Iroquois since they were previously exposed to
that creation story with the whole class). Give each student a handout (see attached) and explain that students are to
look at the activities of these cultures, their beliefs and practices related to these activities, and how these beliefs and
practices show that culture’s ideas about humans and nature. As students are answering the questions, take anecdotal
notes about students’ contributions to their groups.

Timing: 15 minutes Grouping: Small Groups

After students are finished answering the questions as a group, have students number off, in their groups, from 1-5.
Instruct all the 1s to move to a designated area, all the 2s to move to another area, etc. Instruct students to share the
answers to their questions about how the Aboriginal culture’s way of life, pre-contact, showed their interdependent
relationship with the natural environment.

Social Studies Day 3

Timing: 10 minutes Grouping: Whole Class

Tell students that now that we have investigated how both Aboriginal peoples and the Europeans viewed nature, and
how these worldviews had an effect on their daily lives. Tell students we are now going to look at a conflict that
happened between the two groups because of these differing worldviews.
Display on overhead and read and explain to students the excerpt detailing how Jacques Cartier erects a cross and
Donnaconna, the chief of the Iroquois, is upset by this (The Voyages pg. 26).

Timing: 15 minutes Grouping: Whole Class

Four corners activity
Have four signs put uparound the room. Signs will read “very fairly,” “somewhat fairly,” “somewhat not fairly” “not
fairly”

Pose the following question to students: Do you think the description we just read portrayed both Jacques Cartier’s and
the Iroquois’ side of the story fairly? Ask students to answer this question by going to stand in the appropriate corner
of the room.
Discuss student opinions and ask them where they got those ideas from the text.

Ask students to think-pair share in response to the following question:

Whose point of view was portrayed in the text and whose was left out?
Discuss student answers.

Timing: 25 minutes Grouping: Whole Class

Distribute student instructions (see attached) and the checklist for the exercise (see attached). Instruct students to write
in role from the perspective of the Iroquois, re-telling the event. Tell students that they must think about the Iroquois’
worldview with regards to nature when they are re-writing the event.

Social Studies Day 4

Timing: 10 minutes Grouping: Whole Class
Explain to students that we have seen how the different worldviews on human relationships with the natural
environment caused conflict between Canada’s Aboriginal peoples and the Europeans. We will now look at conflicts
that are happening today.

Take a stand activity

Read students the following: “Frontenac Ventures corporation wants to begin mining for the mineral uranium in
Northern Ontario. Doing would create many jobs, which have become few and far between in Northern Ontario, and it
would make the investors a lot of money. The corporation is doing everything legally, because in Ontario, to start
mining, all you need is to be over the age of 18. However, the mining they are suggesting falls within traditional
Ardoch Algonquin territory and these aboriginal peoples thinks that the mining will destroy their lands. They are also
upset that they have no legal say over what happens to their lands when it comes to mining.” Ask students to line up
according to their beliefs about the following question: “Should Frontenac Ventures corporation be allowed to practice
uranium mining on the lands of the Ardoch Algonquin people?” Ask students at the beginning, middle and end of the
line to describe why they hold this opinion.

Timing: 15 minutes Grouping: Whole Class

Tell students that this issue is a real issue facing Aboriginal communities today in Ontario. Show students clip (from
7:40-11:22) of on-line documentary “One community’s struggle”
http://current.com/items/88859724/uranium_mining_one_community_s_struggle.htm

Display powerpoint slide (see attached), giving other background on the the issue.

Discuss the following with students:

Why is uranium mining dangerous?
Why are aboriginal groups upset about uranium mining on their lands?
Are there any laws that protect Aboriginal people’s lands from the miners?

Tell students that currently, people are writing to the government (The Ministry of Northern Development and Mining)
to express what changes they think should happen to the Ontario Mining Act.
Timing: 15 minutes Grouping: Small Groups
Distribute photocopies of the article (1 per student) “Native fight over mining goes beyond treaty rights” Give each
table group a piece of chart paper and markers. In their table groups, ask students to answer the following questions:
“What 2 viewpoints about the relationship between humans and the environment are discussed in the article?” “How
are these different viewpoints causing conflict between Aboriginal communities and the Canadian government?”
Discuss group answers with the whole class.

Timing: 10 minutes Grouping: Independent

Tell students that they will now be given a chance to take action on this issue by using the persuasive writing skills they
have been working on to write their own letters to Ministry of Northern Affairs. Distribute the rubric for this task to
students (see attached).
Tell students the following and staple a hard copy of these instructions to the rubric. “In your letter, state your opinion
about whether or not Aboriginal groups should be able to have more say over what happens on their land. Your reasons
for your opinion must include a) an explanation of the worldviews of the Algonquins and the Canadian government as
they relate to nature. b) an explanation of how this difference has caused conflicts in the past and has caused this issue
today

Give students the attached “Concept Map” template and model making an outline for them on chart paper that has been
prepared to look like their template. Stress that the explanation of the worldviews and how these differences may have
caused conflicts are NOT going to be the reasons that students can use to back up their opinions. Rather, they will
support the reasons. (e.g. Reason 1: Aboriginal groups have rights to these lands under treaties, so they should be
allowed to determine how the lands are used.
Supporting details: Aboriginal groups have a different worldview about nature than the Canadian government, because
they believe they are supposed to care for the land.)

Social Studies Day 5

Timing: 50 minutes Grouping: Independent

Students will be given a work period to write their letters. The teacher will circulate and provide one-to-one support for
students who may be experiencing challenges writing their letters.

From: Understanding by Design Professional Development Workbook

By: Grant Wiggins and Jay McTiqhe
ASCD 2004, Alexandria, VA

Directions to students for reader’s theatre:

The story your group is going to present is a sacred story from either an Aboriginal or a Judeo-
Christian culture. You will present this in a reader’s theatre format.
1) Make sure everyone in your group has a part. People can be narrators and two people can
share the same role if there are not enough parts.
2) Write your script in the same style you used for your “Raven Steals the Light”
presentations
3) Decide what props you need from our prop table at the front to represent the character
you are playing. Since everyone will present to the whole class, groups can use the same
props.

Before presenting, your group must think about what this story means in terms of the relationship
of this cultural group to the natural environment. You will receive a piece of chart paper. On the
top of your chart paper, you will write the name of your cultural group. Underneath it, you will
write the question “What does this story tell me about the relationship of this culture with the
environment?” In ONE SENTENCE, your group should write down the answer to this question.
Underneath this, write down the evidence you have from the story that supports your answer.

Social Studies period 2: Questions for students to answer when investigating how their given
Aboriginal culture’s relationship with the natural environment was evident in the culture’s daily
life.

Read the information on the Aboriginal culture that your group is investigating. Pick out an
activity or activities that this culture practiced in its traditional ways of life (e.g. hunting certain
animals, agriculture). Write down some of the beliefs and practices that people associated with
the activity (e.g. they would use all parts of the animal, they would hang animal skulls in
reverence for the gift the animal had offered, they named certain plants human names). In the
third column, explain how these beliefs and practices showed this culture’s ideas about humans
and nature being interdependent.

Activity Beliefs and practices associated with How do these beliefs and practices
this activity show that this culture believed
humans and nature are
interdependent, and that humans
must respect and care for the natural
world, including plants and
animals?
Student instructions for re-telling the historical event in role

Pretend that you are a member of the Iroquois culture and you were present at the event when
Jacques Cartier put up a cross. Write a letter to Cartier describing what you saw when he put up a
landmark and acted as though he was claiming the land. In your letter, make sure you describe
your culture’s ideas about nature, mentioning your creation story, the way your daily lifestyle
reflects those ideas, and your beliefs about your responsibility to care for the land.
Checklist for student letters to Jacques Cartier

Student’s Name__________________________________________________________

In my letter I… YES or NO

Talked about the Iroquois’ worldview about the

relationship between humans and nature
Gave evidence of this worldview from the
Iroquois’ creation story
Gave evidence of this worldview from the
thanksgiving address
Gave evidence of this worldview from the daily
lives of the Iroquois
Discussed why, given this evidence, the
Iroquois would be upset by the explorers trying
to claim their land
Native fight over mining goes beyond treaty rights
Stephen Scharper. Toronto Star. Toronto, Ont.: Jun 7, 2008. pg. ID.6

Abstract (Summary)
"If you go camping often or spend time in the woods," [Bob Lovelace] continues, "you know we
live in a very quiet world, a world of murmurs."

"When you look at a map of Europe," he notes in an interview, "you don't see a square all cut up."
Instead, national boundaries are often formed around ecosystems, as was the case with pre-
contact maps of North and South America. We have to recapture a sense of our rootedness in our
lands and waters in order to be healthy as a species.

Lovelace has been buoyed by support from religious leaders across the province. Such support
dovetails nicely with what Lovelace calls "transactional democracy," which begins with
grassroots environmental concerns and awareness, involving people "in their kitchens" and not
just in provincial or federal legislatures.

 »  Jump to indexing (document details)

Full Text (517  words)
Copyright (c) 2008 Toronto Star. All Rights Reserved.

"Politicians, guided by the power of the privileged class, promise that the dream of everlasting
wealth is still possible. It is not. For millions of human beings, poor and separated from their
indigenous relationship with the land, the proof is clear Development as defined by nations of this
world is merely theft and murder and when we bring it on ourselves, it is suicide."

So wrote Bob Lovelace, former chief of the Ardoch Algonquin First Nation, who was freed last
month after protesting mining on traditional Ardoch lands.
"If you go camping often or spend time in the woods," Lovelace continues, "you know we live in
a very quiet world, a world of murmurs."

Yet many of us in North America have become "autistic" to the natural world and have to re-
attune ourselves to the whisperings of non-human nature, notes "geologian" Thomas Berry.

"What it means to be human comes out of the environment," Lovelace observes.

"When you look at a map of Europe," he notes in an interview, "you don't see a square all cut up."
Instead, national boundaries are often formed around ecosystems, as was the case with pre-
contact maps of North and South America. We have to recapture a sense of our rootedness in our
lands and waters in order to be healthy as a species.

Lovelace, who teaches aboriginal studies at Queen's University, warns that if we neglect our eco-
systems, the results will be "cataclysmic."

Signs of cataclysm are already visible through increased natural disasters such as- earthquakes,
tsunamis, and typhoons.

It was this understanding of the interrelationship of humans with nature that in part prompted
Lovelace and six members of the Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug (KI) to take a stand against
uranium drilling in their homelands by Frontenac Ventures Corporation.

Last February, Lovelace was sentenced to six months in jail for his protest. He challenged the
Ontario Mining Act of 1873, which stipulates that anyone 18 or older can obtain a prospector's
licence and stake mineral claims throughout the province. Lovelace, declaring that the act
provided no protection for aboriginal lands, sought to reveal the "colonialism" that accompanied
access to resources on native land.

Lovelace has been helped by support from religious leaders across the province.

As this incident reveals, our mainstream approach to land use is still overwhelmingly marked by
exploitation for money. Lovelace is forcing us to confront the baleful legacy of a land that is
proving devastating to the planet's climate, leaving vast swaths of our ecosystems, as well as
impoverished children, as road kill.

Lovelace's cause concerns not only aboriginal rights, but also changing entrenched laws that
perpetrate outdated values. They open up not only a path to new legislation, but to new land
ethics as we confront the ecological and social challenges of the 21st century.

Stephen Scharper is co-author of The Green Bible. stephen.scharper @ utoronto.ca.

Credit: Special to The Star

A. Native Creation Myths
 

Algonquin - Brother

North American Indian Mythology. Cottie Burland, Hamlyn Publishing, 1965.

Two brothers lived at the beginning of time. Gluskap represented righteousness. He made the
plains, food plants, animals and humans. Malsum represented destruction. He made rocks,
thickets and poisonous animals. Malsum tried to find magic to kill his brother, Gluskap. He asked
Gluskap "what is your weakness, what would kill you." Unsuspecting of Malsum's evil intention,
Gluskap replied "an owl feather." To this Malsum mistakenly admitted that only a fern root
would kill him. One night Malsum took the feather of an owl's wing and used it in place of an
arrowhead to kill his brother. Gluskap fell to his death, but he summoned his own magic and was
reborn again. Believing that it was Malsum who tried to kill him, Gluskap went into the forest
stream declaring that only a flowering reed would kill him. A toad heard this and hopped away.
The toad searched for Malsum in the forest. When he found Malsum he asked him for the power
to fly in exchange for his secret. Malsum refused, for a toad with wings is foolish. In anger and
humiliation, the toad sought revenge and returned to Gluskap to warn him of the danger. Gluskap
plucked a large-rooted stem. With it he struck down Malsum and his evil magic into the earth.
Malsum did not have the power to be reborn like Gluskap. Instead he became a vindictive wolf.
Left in peace Gloskap was able to finish creating the earth from his mother's body.
Assiniboine Origin Story
Ik-Tomi, to the Assiniboine is a legendary character who created the world. He is not to be
confused with the Great Spirit, God-Wakan-Tanka. Ik-Tomi made the waters and the land. He
made heaven as well as the night and the day. He made everything that we now see. After he
made all the universe; he made men and women. Seven men and seven women he made from the
earth. But, after he made these people, he did not want them to multiply and increase on this land
that he had made. Because he felt that the land that they were on was not the right place for them,
he wanted to find another place. He looked around and hunted but found nothing else. Then he
found some large oyster shells; these he floated on the water in the manner of a canoe. He sat in
the first one and had the seven people sit in the others. They all paddled for many days in the
great water, but fearing that they would die because of thirst and the hunger, he called together all
the fowl of the water that had been following them. “Brothers and Sisters,” Ik-Tomi said to the
fowl, “I am going to select seven from among you. Those that I select must dive down to the
bottom of this water and bring me some mud. And, you must not come back unless you bring me
the mud.” All seven fowl that Ik-Tomi selected went down. For seven days and nights, the people
waited and watched for their return. Finally on the seventh night the birds who had gone down
began to float to the surface of the water. Ik-Tomi examined the tiny claws or webs of each of the
birds but found no mud.
“We have made a mistake,” he said,” and so we must try again. This time I am going to select the
muskrat, the mink, the beaver, and the fisher. Now each of you dive down and don’t come back
unless you can bring back some mud.” Down they went. At the end of the fourth day, they began
to float back to the surface of the water, just as the fowl had down before. The muskrat came first,
next the mink, then the beaver, and lastly the fisher. All of them, like the birds before them, were
dead. But Ik-Tomi looked over their little paws and to his amazement and joy he found tiny
specks of mud clinging to them. Carefully he took the mud from each of the animals, and from
this mud he made the land that we are now on for his people. Ik-Tomi knew, however, that his
people could not survive on the land alone, so he then made some large lakes, and there at the
edge of the lake he put his people.
He made all things for them and taught them all things that they needed to know. He said for
them to multiply and to increase. He told them to scatter throughout their new land as they
increased.

Haida Creation Story

One of the most famous stories that the Haida tell is the story of Raven. The story begins during a
time when there was only water and the sky above. There was no earth, only a single reef that
came out of the water. A reef is a chain of rocks close to the surface of the water or sticking out
of it. All of the great beings lived on top of this reef. The greatest of the beings lived on highest
point of the reef. Next to him were all the others stretched in a row. Finally at the end was the
weakest of the great beings. The great flying being, Raven, flew
above but couldn't find a place to land. He decided that he would
travel to the sky country instead.

In the sky country, there was a town that was set up in five rows. In
the town, the chief's daughter had a baby. During the night, Raven  
entered the chief's house, scooped the baby out of its skin and took its
place, becoming Raven Child. Then Raven Child began to get hungry,
so he took an eye from everyone in the first row of the village and ate
them all. He did this for four more nights with each of the other rows
in the village. A woman made of stone saw everything that was Source
happening, and she told the sky people about it. The chief of the town The Raven and the First
called everyone together and sang a song for Raven Child. One of the   Men, cedar sculpture by
people was holding Raven Child in his cradle and dropped him. He Bill Reid
fell down though the sky and drifted on the water.

Suddenly Raven Child heard a voice say, "Your grandfather is going to let you in." He stepped
out onto a two-headed totem pole made of stone and he found he could climb up and down it. He
climbed down and found a house at the bottom. He entered the house and found a man that
looked like a seagull. The man said to Raven Child, "Put this speckled stone in the water first and
the black one next. After you do this, bite off a piece of each and spit it out. You will see them
unite and become one." Raven Child did as he was told. When the two pieces came together they
began to appear as trees. He put them in the water and they stretched and became the land called
Haida Gwaii.

After this, Raven Child was able to make many things. When the great waters had gone down,
Raven Child summoned four groups of human beings. One of the groups of human beings was
the Haida.

We learn from this oral tradition that the Haida believe in a world that lives above them, an earth
world in the middle, and a world below the earth. The story also tells us that the trees and land are
sacred to the Haida. The Raven is also sacred. He is a trickster who is greedy and mischievous,
but who also teaches humans how to live a good life. The Raven has supernatural powers and
uses them to obtain important things for humans. He stole the sun, moon and stars for humans, as
well as giving them fresh water, salmon and fire. When the Haida look at their country, they
understand the story of Raven. His creation is all around them.

Social Studies rubric for persuasive letter to Ministry of Northern Development and Mining

Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4

Understanding of
Concepts
demonstrates a demonstrates demonstrates a demonstrates a
limited some considerable thorough
understanding of understanding of understanding of understanding of
the worldview of the connection the connection the connection
the Algonquin between the between the between the
community as it Algonquin Algonquin Algonquin
 relates to the community and community and community and
environment the environment the environment the environment
Inquiry/Research provides a provides some provides a Provides an
Skills limited analysis analysis of how detailed analysis insightful,
of how European European views of how European detailed analysis
views and and historical views and of how European
historical events events historical events views and
contributed to the contributed to the contributed to the historical events
Algonquin’s Algonquin’s Algonquin’s contributed to the
current concerns current concerns current concerns Algonquin’s
current concerns
Communication makes limited makes some use makes makes extensive
of required use of of appropriate considerable use use of
knowledge appropriate vocabulary of appropriate appropriate
vocabulary vocabulary vocabulary
Application of identifies and identifies and identifies and identifies and
concepts and explains with explains with explains with explains with
skills limited clarity some clarity and considerable insight, clarity
and effectiveness effectiveness clarity and and effectiveness
how the current how the current effectiveness how the current
concern of the concern of the how the current concern of the
Algonquin Algonquin concern of the Algonquin
community community Algonquin community
results from early results from early community results from early
contact contact results from early contact
contact

Rubric for language expectation

Grade 6: Rubric for Persuasive Letter
Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4
Reasoning The student:
– complexity of – writes a few simple, --writes and --writes and --develops ideas fully
ideas undeveloped ideas develops a variety develops ideas of to create greater
– exploration of the --states facts about the of simple ideas some complexity understanding
issue of mining on issue, but shows little --shows some --shows --shows thorough
traditional under-standing of it understanding of understanding of understanding and
Aboriginal lands – does not provide at the issue the issue commitment about the
– number and least 3 main ideas --provides some --supports his or issue
relevance of main --provides few facts supporting main her point of view --supports his or her
ideas and supporting his or her for his or her point with at least 3 point of view fully with
supporting details point of view of view main ideas 3 or more main ideas
supported by supported by relevant
relevant facts facts
Communication The student’s letter:
– purpose (to – states facts --attempts to --is persuasive i.e. --is very persuasive i.e.
express an opinion – contains no clear persuade i.e. contains an contains an opinion or
in a letter to opinion or point of contains an opinion or point of point of view expressed
Minister of Indian view --opinion view expressed clearly and
Affairs, Chuck – contains few ideas somewhat clearly clearly convincingly
Strahl) and facts clearly expressed --contains ideas --all or almost all ideas
– voice (opinion) – stated -- contains some and facts that are and facts clearly and
clarity and precision – contains little or no ideas and facts mostly clearly concisely stated ---
of ideas evidence of persuasive clearly stated, but stated contains persuasive
– word use and vocabulary or which may be --contains language and tone that
vocabulary vocabulary that suits repetitive persuasive support the opinion
– sentence variety the audience --contains some vocabulary that presented as well as the
(structure, type, --does not persuasive suits the purpose audience
length) acknowledge the other vocabulary and audience --effectively
side of the story --ineffectively --effectively acknowledges the other
– relies on one acknowledges the acknowledges the side of the story and
sentence type other side of the other side of the supports own opinion
story story & weakens it by weakening it
--contains a --contains a wide --contains a wide
variety of variety of variety of sentences
sentences sentences used effectively
Organization In the student’s letter:
– overall structure – there is no clear --there is some --the organization --the organization sup-
(introduction, body, overall structure or evidence of a is logical and ports the purpose and
conclusion) organization structure or appropriate enhances the argument
– very little attempt organization --the student’s --the introduction
has been made to state --the student’s opinion is defined clearly states the
the student’s opinion opinion is in the introduction, student’s opinion on
in the introduction mentioned in the and the the issue, the issue,
--there is no summary introduction introduction and captures the reader’s
of the reasons that --some attempt has conclusion are attention, and is
support the student’s been made to connected connected to the
opinion or clear call to summarize the --the final conclusion
action reasons that paragraph --the reasons for the
support the summarizes the student’s opinion are
student’s opinion reasons for the summarized and the
student’s opinion request for action is
and requests clear and compelling
further action
Conventions In the student’s letter:
– grammar, – there are several --there are several --there are only a --there are practically
spelling, major errors or minor errors or few minor errors or no errors or omissions
punctuation omissions omissions omissions --the visual
– visual – few aspects of the --some aspects of --the visual presentation is
presentation (i.e. expected visual pre- the expected presentation is effective
paragraphs, spacing, sentation are evident visual presentation appropriate
letter format) are evident

Drama: Group Assessment

Handout in package one per group

Level one
The story presentation may be difficult to follow. Few of the requirements have been
met. Not everyone has participated to the best of their ability.
There may have been a problem following the ground rules set by the group.
Level two
The story is told in a way that meets some of the requirements. Some of the group
have participated to the best of their ability. Some of the ground rules set by the
group have been followed.
Level three
The story is told clearly and some creative ideas have been tried and used. Almost all
of the requirements have been met and the group members have cooperated and have
all participated well.
Level four
The story is told clearly and interestingly. Many creative ideas have been tried and
used. All of the requirements have been met and the group members have cooperated
and have all participated to the best of their ability.

We assessed our performance to be a Level _____________ because

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