Action Research - Authentic Indigenous Connections to Science

The most important thing to me as I began an earnest journey to reconciliation in my classroom, was to ensure that I am learning from, and amplifying, Indigenous sources of information. This means finding books written by members of the Indigenous community, inviting Elders and Knowledge Keepers into my classroom to share information, and attending professional development sessions facilitated by Indigenous educators. I feel honoured to have been able to widen my own views of western science to acknowledge how our understanding has stemmed from wisdom carried forward for centuries by the original inhabitants of Turtle Island.

I want to be clear that all of the work I do in my classroom in this area is based on teachings from the Indigenous Community. I make it clear that what we are doing is sharing knowledge and teachings from others for the purposes of learning from those whose footsteps have marked these lands for centuries.

NOTE: before inviting Elders or Knowledge Keepers into your classroom, make sure you are familiar with the Protocol expected. 

Metis Elder Ann Harvey

Incorporating read alouds into classroom activities is a quick and relatively simple way to amplify Indigenous voices in the classroom. It is important to ensure that sources are appropriate, of course, and this includes using books that have been written Indigenous authors. The photos to the right are a selection of books I have found that have worked well in my classroom.

I also like to have students capture their thoughts on the reading using sketch notes. This ensures they listen more closely and the images they create are stunning! See below for how ideas on how to connect read alouds to specific concepts from the Alberta Science Curriculum.

Each of the links to the right will lead to a specific lesson (or set of lessons) which integrate western science and traditional Indigenous wisdom. I have ensured that the source material inspiring each lesson is from authentic Indigenous sources. It is also important to remember to clarify for students that we are sharing that which we have learned from the Indigenous community, rather than claiming the information as our own.

While the lessons include learning outcomes specifically from Alberta, they can be adapted to other regions as well.

*NOTE: Links will be made live as lessons are completed.

This is probably my favorite way to bring in Indigenous ways of knowing and being into science. It is crucial here to ensure that teachings are coming from members of the Indigenous community, either by inviting Elders and/or Knowledge Keepers into the classroom or by using source material created by Indigenous people. I also make sure that I am stating, very clearly, that I am passing on teachings that were passed on to me, and that we are doing this as a way to learn more together.

In order to ensure that I am continuing to help learn and grow, I believe it is crucial to take part in regular professional development in the areas related to my action research.