Lesson Resources
A recent initiative by Alberta Education to ‘infuse’ aboriginal content into the curriculum has created a number of challenges for science teachers. Courses in senior high sciences incorporate Aboriginal perspectives in order to develop in all students an appreciation of the cultural diversity, and achievements of FNMI peoples. The courses are designed to:
acknowledge the contributions of Aboriginal peoples to understandings of the natural world;
support relational thinking by integrating learning from various disciplines in science;
develop the concept of humankind’s connectivity to the natural world and foster an appreciation for the importance of caring for the environment (Alberta Education 2007).
Lessons developed in this project to date include Alberta Biology 20 and Elementary curriculum resources. See the link to these resources in the frame to the left. Future work on this project should see further resource develop in biology and other science and mathematics courses. If you wish to contribute resources (especially lesson plans) to this project contact Frank Elliott at felliott@ualberta.ca.
APT Aboriginal Lessons
The following lesson plans were ideas generated and created by APT students for EDSE 451. Feel free to use and adapt as necessary.
Science 7
Science 9
Science 10
Science 20
Biology 20
Biology 20 Aboriginal Resources
For initial lesson development we chose a very specific part of the science curriculum – Biology 20. These units of study in the Alberta Biology 20 Curriculum include Unit A: Energy and Matter Exchange in the Biosphere, Unit B: Ecosystems and Population Change, Unit C: Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration, and Unit D: Human Systems. The following resources, developed by Tracy Onuczko (Blood) were field tested for use in her biology classroom. They can be modified for individual teacher use, depending on the science classroom context.
The organization of the materials below are by topic; i.e., ecology, biosphere, animals, plants, global warming, sustainability, health and disease, and general outcomes, respectively.
Using the above topics as organizers, downloadable resources and Internet links are provided for applicable Alberta Education curriculum outcomes.
See the downloadable resources below. Start with the overview document called Aboriginal Lesson Resources. Each of the downloadable resources is mentioned in this overview document.
Elementary Resources
The following resources were developed by student teachers in the Aboriginal Teacher Education Program (ATEP). This was part of an EDEL 330 assignment to incorporate Aboriginal perspectives. They represent sample student lesson plans which utilise an Aboriginal science point of view. The authors have shared these in order for teachers to use or modify in their own community. The names of the authors and specific author requests are to be honoured when using this material.
Title: Human activity and wetland ecosystems
Audience: Grade 5/6
Authors: Priscilla Cardinal, Melissa Cardinal, Lynette Stone, Carole Kamieniecki
Title: Let's Approach Science from an Aboriginal Perspective
Audience: Grade 5/6
Authors: Shannon Houle & Crystal Lameman
Author's request: Explicit instructions on the Aboriginal sacredness and respect is required for this material. If non-Indigenous people wish to use it, the authors request an Indigenous Elder or Traditional Indigenous person be consulted and/or present. It must remain with good intentions & never exploited.
Title: Color: Where it all Began
Audience: Grade 1
Author: Joyce Vandermaas
Title: Useful References and Links
Audience: All grades
These references have been used by science student teachers in the ATEP program (Aboriginal Teacher Education Program). Student teachers are encouraged to submit more recent references for updates as they appear. Submissions can be sent to Dr. Frank Elliott (felliott@ualberta.ca) or to CMASTE (cmaste@ualberta.ca).