Folklife Resources for Educators

Materials Related to Canada

There are 5 items in this list.

Living Traditions: Museums Honour the North American Indigenous Games
by Virtual Museum of Canada
http://www.virtualmuseum.ca/Exhibitions/Traditions/English/teachers_corner.html

Activities and background for 8th grade students related to traditional North American indigenous games, such as lacrosse, Eastern Woodland games, archery, longball, paddling and canoe racing traditions, and the tag game known as wolf (or hunter) and moose (or caribou). The site also includes information about the North American Indigenous Games, a multi-sport event involving indigenous athletes.

Sponsoring Organization:
Virtual Museum of Canada
15 Eddy Street, 15-4-A
Gatineau, Quebec, Canada K1A OM5
(819) 994-1200
http://www.museevirtuel-virtualmuseum.ca/index-eng.jsp

Journeys and Transformations: British Columbia Landscapes
by Virtual Museum of Canada
http://www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/exhibits/journeys/english/teacher.html

Teacher's guide that presents background, teaching ideas, and activities about the physical environments of British Columbia, including its mountains, forests, waters, grasslands, and cities. For each environment, sub-topics focus on the geography, natural history, First Peoples lives, and historical development of British Columbia. Materials include artifacts and historical accounts of indigenous inhabitants. Focusing on the theme of transformation, this interactive site provides curriculum background on the interactions of the physical landscape, native and newcomer populations, and culture.

Sponsoring Organization:
Virtual Museum of Canada
15 Eddy Street, 15-4-A
Gatineau, Quebec, Canada K1A OM5
(819) 994-1200
http://www.museevirtuel-virtualmuseum.ca/index-eng.jsp

The Spirit of Islam: Experiencing Islam Through Calligraphy
by Virtual Museum of Canada
http://www.moa.ubc.ca/spiritofislam/resources/education_overview.html

Curriculum materials that introduce students to Islam and how it is perceived and stereotyped by exploring its philosophical and ethical background, its calligraphy, and the Muslim presence in Canada. The site includes six lesson plans with activities that allow students to gain an understanding of Islam and the role calligraphy plays in it. It also offers the outlines of a project designed to help students learn how to overcome cultural stereotypes. Included are links to a virtual exhibit about calligraphy, special spaces for prayer and Islamic learning, and significant objects in Islamic life.

Sponsoring Organization:
Virtual Museum of Canada
15 Eddy Street, 15-4-A
Gatineau, Quebec, Canada K1A OM5
(819) 994-1200
http://www.museevirtuel-virtualmuseum.ca/index-eng.jsp

The Kwakwaka'wakw: A Study of a North Pacific Coast People and the Potlatch
by National Museum of the American Indian
http://americanindian.si.edu/education/files/Kwak_Poster_TG.pdf

Teaching poster for grades 6-8 with accompanying lesson plans and activities that explore cultural traditions and values of the Kwakwaka'wakw people of British Columbia, Canada that express concepts of wealth and the importance of cultural continuity. Curriculum materials focus on this North Pacific Coast People's potlatch practice, its history, the values inherent in it, and the important role it plays in establishing and maintaining family connections to the past, to ancestors, and to the spirits of all living things. Poster meets national curriculum standards for Social Studies. (9 p. PDF)

Sponsoring Organization:
National Museum of the American Indian
Fourth Street & Independence Avenue, SW
Washington DC 20560
(202) 633-6996
http://www.nmai.si.edu/

To Honor and Comfort: Native Quilting Traditions
by National Museum of the American Indian
http://www.nmai.si.edu/education/files/quilts.pdf

Study guide developed by the National Museum of the American Indian to accompany a 1997 exhibition of the same name. It can also be used as an independent resource for educators. Includes four lesson plans that correspond to the exhibition sections: Origins, Honoring, Design, and Community. Curriculum focuses on quilters from eight Native American communities and has accompanying study questions, handouts, and activities. (36 p. PDF)

Sponsoring Organization:
National Museum of the American Indian
Fourth Street & Independence Avenue, SW
Washington DC 20560
(202) 633-6996
http://www.nmai.si.edu