gammateachingresources.weebly.comgammateachingresources.weebly.com/.../1/4/...nov6.docx · Web...

Canadian Aboriginal Literature:

An Integrated Lesson Plan for English Language Arts 20

EDUC 498

November 8th, 2012

Hall & Lyons ELA 20 2

Unit-Plan Rationale

Subject: English Language Arts (ELA) 20

Topics and Sub-Topics:1. Framing Canadian Aboriginal Literature: Important Terms2. European & Aboriginal Relations3. Aboriginal Worldview4. Identity5. Finding a Voice6. Canadian Aboriginal Literature Final Projects

Connections: The unit’s primary focus is to bring awareness to Canadian Aboriginal literature, a literary voice which has been silenced for most of its past. Also, the unit provides an understanding of Canadian history, while developing the individual identity of our students as they find their place in the world. The intention of the unit is to provide different literary texts of Canadian Aboriginal voices to complement the English 20 curriculum requirements.

Key Foundational Objectives:Speaking:Students will recognize the importance of speaking fluently and effectively.Students will have the opportunity to improve their public-speaking skills in presentation format.

Listening:Students will engage in active listening through various mediums.

Writing:Students will learn to write through a personal, reflective tone while being consciously aware of their writing style. Students will be able to practice their formal essay writing skills.

Reading:Students will be exposed to several different literary forms including poetry, short story, novel excerpt, and formal essay. Students will be given the opportunity to enhance their reading strategies to understand the texts on a deeper level.Students will be required to read independently as well as out loud to the class.

Viewing:Students will construct visual representations to aid their written work.Students are to think comparatively and critically when viewing multimedia.

Representing:Students will be given the opportunity to creatively express their thoughts in a journal format. Students will be able to represent their voice continuously throughout the unit.


Rationale:Canadian Aboriginal Literature is a unit that uses a range of texts (poetry,

short stories, essays, novel excerpts, and music videos) written by Aboriginal authors or through an Aboriginal perspective. Overall, the unit is important to the Saskatchewan English Language Arts 20 curriculum because the students should be able to draw deeper connections from the history of Canada with the literature selected while applying the messages to their school and community lives. The goals and outcomes of the Saskatchewan English Language Arts 20 suggests teachers should use a variety of First Nations, Metis, Saskatchewan, and Canadian texts that outline identity, social responsibility, and social action. These are the basis for Canadian Aboriginal Literature’s themes. This unit will be an integration of Aboriginal literature and worldview that centres on the history of Canada, therefore connecting ELA 20 to Native Studies 10, 20, 30, and History 30. Canadian Aboriginal Literature connects to all three outcomes established in the Saskatchewan Curriculum (2008): Comprehend and Respond, Compose and Create, and Assess and Reflect. Identity, social responsibility, and social action are common within the first two outcomes and become necessary to the understanding of the unit. Identity in the ELA 20 Curriculum connects the relationship the students have with themselves and others (family, friends, classmates, etc.). Within Canadian Aboriginal Literature, the unit encourages students to critically reflect on their own identity and how that identity is constructed. Their identity reflects how they connect to others of different ethnic backgrounds, and how the literary texts guides this process. Social responsibilities are the choices students make whilst considering the impacts their decisions may have on their surroundings and people around them. This social responsibility includes applying non-racist attitudes towards Aboriginal people and becoming respectful of other cultures to promote a more inclusive environment and a profound understanding. A literary viewpoint on the history of Canada and European-Aboriginal relations outlines the social action aspect of Comprehend and Respond and Compose and Create. In Assess and Reflect, students will meet curriculum requirements by self and peer evaluations on their group projects. They will be evaluated by the teacher on their writing skills through their journal entries and final projects, as well as their presentation skills. Students will also be evaluated on their participation in class discussions and their completion of required homework.

Canadian Aboriginal Literature is developmentally appropriate because it progresses the student’s basic level of understanding into a deeper reading of the texts. Through lessons focused on colour-coding, recognizing literary devices, second draft reading, and viewing through a post-colonial lens, students will be developing their critical reading and writing skills. Additionally, reflections such as the journal entries are designed to demonstrate a progression in writing style and critical thought development. As students are introduced to concepts as an entire class, their capabilities will be challenged as the class discussions evolve into small group work, with the eventual goal of having each student working an individual level.

The unit addresses Aboriginal knowledge through worldviews to give students a sense of agency in their own lives. The literary texts encourage this sense of agency that reflects the student’s ability to make a difference in their lives and community. The Canadian Aboriginal Literature unit promotes deeper reading strategies that are not only applicable inside the classroom, but can be applied into


reading social contexts (i.e. newspaper, workplace policies, etc). Throughout the design of the unit, we have consciously incorporated activities that will promote our students to become more confident as readers. At the heart of the unit is the intention that our students will reflect on their identity, place in the community, and positionality on the underlying themes of oppression, assimilation, and colonialism.

The content meets the needs of the learners through a collection of literary texts, varying from humorous to serious. This variance allows us to approach difficult subjects while encouraging the students to discuss these topics in a safe environment. Canadian Aboriginal Literature includes diverse author backgrounds, Aboriginal culture, and gender. Through a focus on the time period in which the authors are writing, students will understand the implications history has on a literary piece. Our lessons are designed primarily for auditory and visual learners with mediums to support their learning style. It is our intention to appeal to students who excel in both individual and group work. As a philosophy of our assessment, we believe that choice in final projects should be given to supplement student’s creative license.

Language Strands:

Speaking:Students will be presenting orally their research to their peers through the focus activity, “Framing Canadian Aboriginal Literature: Important Terms.” Students will be contributing to class discussions as well as small group discussions.

Listening:Students will be listening and generating questions from the presentations. Students will be listening with a critical ear to music videos in order to respond through a journal entry. Students will be listening to their teacher and peers while they read out loud the literary pieces.Students will listen to class discussions to be engaged learners.

Writing: Students will be writing reflective and personal pieces after each theme in a journal entry. Students will write one informal essay discussing their worldviews and cultural identity. In the Final Projects assignment, students have several options to write a formal piece.

Reading:Students will be independently reading poems and short stories to develop their reading strategies. Students will also be reading out loud as a class to hear the oral aspects of certain literary texts. Students are reading for literary techniques that the authors use, as well as to develop an understanding of reading for a deeper meaning.

Viewing:


Students are required to use visual aids in their focus activity and in their journal entries. Students will be viewing music videos as a way to develop their deeper reading strategies in other mediums.

Representing:Students will be representing their individual voices through several reflective writing pieces.

Cross Curricular Competencies:This unit directly relates to each of the Cross-Curricular Competencies: Developing Thinking, Developing Identity and Interdependence, Developing Literacies, and Developing Social Responsibility.

Grading Scheme:

Focus Activity: 15%

Participation/Homework Checks (5): 15%

Journal Entries (5): 30%

Final Project: 40%


Lesson 1 – Framing Canadian Aboriginal Literature : Important Terms (1 hour 40 min)

Curriculum Objectives:Reading: Students will be utilizing their own researching methods to construct a presentation they will deliver to their classmates. Through researching, they will be reading critically to ensure they are using credible and reliable sources.Writing: Students are to practice condensing and prioritizing information into a handout distributed to the class. They will be writing a summary of their research findings.

Students will be working on their writing skills as well as receiving feedback on their grammar and writing style. Speaking: Students will be practicing their formal presentation skills as they present their finding to their classmates. They will be given the opportunity to relay important information to enlighten the class on their researched terms. Listening: Students are to practice their listening skills while their peers present important information for the upcoming unit. Viewing: Students are to use creativity while constructing a visual representation that they will present to their peers. It is to be visually appealing in order to keep their audience’s attention.

Sources:No sources needed in class. Sources depend on the student’s research.

Abstract: We can anticipate that the students will be coming into our classroom with prior knowledge of the history of Canada, especially concerning Aboriginal and European relations; however, in order to ensure all students are on the same level, a focus activity has been designed (Appendix 1-1). The students will be researching terms and then presenting their findings to the class. Through this focus activity, the students will be introduced to major themes within the unit (“European & Aboriginal Relations”, “Aboriginal Worldview”, “Identity”, and “Finding a Voice”). The lesson involves an integration of Native Studies and History, with the intention of framing an English Language Arts focus on Canadian Aboriginal literature.

Activities:After a brief introduction into the new unit, Canadian Aboriginal Literature, the students will organize themselves into groups of three. From there, teacher(s) will assign each group a topic to begin their research. They will be given one work period to complete their research and begin building a visual representation of the term to present the next school day. Students will include a reference page with all their citations, as well as a handout that will be distributed to their classmates. The following day, the groups will present their findings of important terms for the unit. The students are expected to participate as a viewer of the presentations by asking open-ended questions using the five Ws and H.

The students will also be given the task of evaluating themselves prior to the presentations. Throughout the presentations, there will also be a peer evaluation. Groups at random will be chosen to evaluate only one group presentation. This method of evaluation is to ensure that there is one group evaluation and one peer


evaluation submitted for each group. These assessments will be taken into consideration with the final teacher’s evaluation to appropriate a grade for the assignment.

Homework:Students must compile the information into a visual representation complete with sources and a handout, and students must demonstrate creativity in their work. Any uncompleted aspects of the assignment by the end of the work period will be assigned for homework as the presentation is due the next school day.

Assessment:Students will complete a self-evaluation at the beginning of the presentation class based on the included rubric (Appendix 1-2).

Students will assess their classmates based on a rubric (Appendix 1-3) provided, each group only assessing once (group evaluating will be chosen by the teacher prior to the presentation).

The teacher will evaluate based on the same rubric, weighting our evaluation at 50% of their final focus activity mark.


Lesson #2 – European & Aboriginal Relations (2 hours 30 min)

Curriculum Objectives:Reading: Students will be reading silently and independently, but will also take turns reading out loud to the class. Students will engage in a reading activity for first draft reading known as the colour coding technique.Writing: Students will be expected to write a journal entry to conclude the theme. Speaking: Students will be reading out loud.Listening: Students will be listening to the teacher(s) in a lecture-style class.Viewing: Students will be viewing author pictures and backgrounds through an introductory PowerPoint provided by the teacher.

Sources:Armstrong, Jeannette C. (1998). “History Lesson”. In Daniel David Moses and Terry

Goldie (2nd Ed), An Anthology of Canadian Native Literature in English (pp. 226-227). Ontario: Oxford UP.

Cardinal, Harold. (1998). “A Canadian What the Hell It’s All About”. In Daniel David Moses and Terry Goldie (2nd Ed), An Anthology of Canadian Native Literature in English (pp. 211-217). Ontario: Oxford UP.

Taylor, Drew Hayden. (1998). “Pretty Like a White Boy: The Adventures of a Blue Eyed Ojibway”. In Daniel David Moses and Terry Goldie (2nd Ed), An Anthology of Canadian Native Literature in English (pp. 436-439). Ontario: Oxford UP.

Abstract:

In order to spend adequate time on each piece, the lesson is divided into three classes: one class focusing on Harold Cardinal’s essay, one period on Jeannette Armstrong’s poem with an introduction to reading poetry, and the final lesson on Drew Hayden Taylor’s short story completed with a colour-coding technique. At the beginning of each literary piece, the teacher will introduce the author’s background as well as any additional historical context necessary to understanding the literary piece (For Author Backgrounds, see Appendix 2-1). The additional information will depend on the results of the focus activity. The purpose of this unit is to engage students in the history of Indigenous Peoples and land, whilst bringing to light the issues revolving around European and Aboriginal relations.

Harold Cardinal’s essay “A Canadian What the Hell It’s All About” focuses on the relationship between Aboriginals and Europeans, and he argues that the conflict between European and Aboriginal Peoples is a result of a lack of communication. Cardinal’s thesis states that the past and present should be used to explain the future of Canada’s economic conditions, and he frames his argument through a discussion on Canadian identity that he argues is different than an Aboriginal’s identity. He argues that two different languages led to the misunderstandings of Aboriginals and Europeans that evolved since the beginning of colonization, leading to a confusion of identity markers. Cardinal explains that being Canadian (“Canadianism”) does not have a clear definition compared to using the word Cree or Dene to describe who you are. He explains how this identity has been lost but it is slowly being regained as more and more Aboriginals understand what it means to be “clean,” a term which Cardinal explains in his essay. He concludes his paper by


stating that a bridge of understanding between two existing but separate cultures still needs to be built after all these centuries of conflict. (See Appendix 2-2)

Some topics that might be discussed in relation to Cardinal’s essay:o Kruschev and Kennedyo Quixotic battleo White Paper of 1969o Red Papero Treatieso Indian Act

Students will be asked to answer these questions in relation to Cardinal’s essay. According to Cardinal, what does it mean to be “clean” within Aboriginal

culture? Can we truly define what is “Canadian” or “Canadianism”? Why or why not? Who does Cardinal blame for the problems of the Aboriginal community? What does Cardinal’s essay say about being Aboriginal? What does it say

about being of European descent?

Jeannette Armstrong’s poem “History Lesson” is a poem that describes the history of European and Aboriginal Peoples through imagery and personification. The speaker of the poem begins with the adventures of Christopher Columbus and brings it to Armstrong’s writing period where Aboriginal Peoples feel lost and confused in their present situation. Armstrong’s poetry alludes to many items that the students will recognize (like Rice Krispies) and hopefully question. (Appendix 2-3)

Drew Hayden Taylor’s “Pretty Like a White Boy: The Adventures of a Blue-Eyed Ojibway” is a humorous approach to explaining European and Aboriginal relationships. Taylor is writing about his experiences as a Metis person living in a society that defines Aboriginals based on their appearance. For that reason, Taylor can neither identify as Aboriginal or Caucasian. Taylor touches on the stereotypes of both races and how they are applicable in his life. Students will appreciate the humour behind Taylor’s writing and begin to question how First Nations people perceive Metis and Caucasian people, as well as how Caucasian people see Aboriginals. (Appendix 2-4)

In history, European and Aboriginal relations is usually described from the European point of view. However, by looking at literature from Cardinal, Armstrong, and Taylor, students will begin to understand a perspective from an Aboriginal viewpoint. An important concept for students to understand is that all of these sources are secondary—none of them are written during the colonization period. Knowing these texts are secondary sources has an impact on how they are read because it allows students to be critical about the perspective. Each text fits into the theme because although these texts are very different from each other, each text explains the past, present, and future of what these European and Aboriginal relationships mean to their personal lives.

Activities:Students will be reading Cardinal’s essay and answering questions in class.


Students will be introduced to reading poetry through a group analysis of the poem “History Lesson”. Students will read the poem through once with the teacher(s) out loud. The teacher(s) will ask the students to paraphrase a literal meaning of the poem through a class discussion. The teacher(s) will than ask the students to read through the poem again, this time highlighting any literary techniques the students may recognize. Students will be looking at literary techniques such as personification, metaphor, simile, and imagery. Teacher(s) will also ask the students to highlight any words that relate to each other through imagery, such as nature, or through terms that are relatable as a group such as European or Aboriginal. Students should be aware of tone, audience, and voice, and should also recognize the structure of the poem Armstrong uses. After deconstructing the poem’s elements, the students should be able to aptly discuss the meaning of the poem. At the end of class, the teacher will ask the students to think about these questions:

- Can you relate to the poem in any way? Why or why not?- Are there any personal experiences that draw you towards a certain

passage in this poem? Explain.

Reading strategy: For Drew Hayden Taylor’s “Pretty like a White Boy”, the teacher would facilitate a class reading for the first two pages of the short story. During those two pages, students will use the colour-coding strategy to engage in an effective first draft reading of the short story. The students would identify interesting passages, but also acknowledge where they needed further clarification (ex. Vocabulary). We want students to learn about their own reading strategy and recognize that not all students are strong readers. Students will be asked to share as a class their passages, as well as their questions of clarification. The lesson is designed to get students thinking about how they can efficiently and effectively read literature the first time while still connecting to the author’s main ideas.

Homework: Questions for Cardinal’s essay not completed during class will be assigned for homework and discussed the next day.

Journal entry- after reading three pieces of literature, students are to write a journal entry based on one of the pieces that spoke to them the most. Students are expected to relate the author’s experiences or message to an experience they have had. Students also must explain why the poem/short story/ essay is included in the theme of Aboriginal and European relations. Journal entry will be due two days after assigned in class.

Assessment:Students will be expected to complete a journal entry after the pieces of European and Aboriginal relations have been discussed in class. Rubric to all journal entries can be found in Appendix 2-5.

Students will be assessed on their independent participation in the colour-coding reading strategy for effective first draft reading in the form of a homework check.


Lesson 3 – Aboriginal Worldview (1 hour 40 min)

Curriculum Objectives:Speaking: Students will be required to participate in class discussion following the two short stories. Listening: Students will be presented with the opportunity to listen to an oral story that has been transcribed. They will be encouraged to see the difference between stories we have previously studied in comparison to a story with oral tradition embedded in it. Writing: Through the assignment, the students will be required to write either in a journal-style or as an informal essay. Students will receive feedback on their writing skills. Reading: Students will be asked to read the short story out loud as a class. Students will also practice their individual silent reading skills. Representing: Students will be given the opportunity to write as well as to bring in a representation of their identity. They will choose a visual medium that adequately represents them.

Sources:Geyshick, Ron. (1998). “A Windigo”. In Daniel David Moses and Terry Goldie (2nd

Ed), An Anthology of Canadian Native Literature in English (pp. 200). Ontario: Oxford UP.

King, Thomas. (1998). “The One About Coyote Going West”. In Daniel David Moses and Terry Goldie (2nd Ed), An Anthology of Canadian Native Literature in English (pp. 203-210). Ontario: Oxford UP.

Abstract: At the beginning of each literary piece, the teacher(s) will introduce the author’s background as well as any additional historical context necessary to understanding the literary piece.

It is important that the teacher(s) mentions that each Aboriginal culture has their own trickster, and as a class we will only be doing a quick survey on these tricksters. While there is only a focus on Coyote, Raven, and Windigo, the students previous presentation in the focus activity will ensure the students have the ability to gain a deeper understanding of these Aboriginal trickster figures. If the teacher(s) feels that additional information is needed after the presentation on Aboriginal tricksters, it would be presented before taking up the literary pieces. However, this decision will occur after the completion of the focus activity in Lesson #1.

In Thomas King’s “The One About Coyote Going West”, King comically jabs fun at Canadian history by placing it out of context that students would be familiar with. King assumes his readers have heard the “White man” stories already, including the “discovery stories”, such as: “Eric the Lucky and the Vikings playing hockey for the Old-Timers, find us Indians in Newfoundland”, “Christopher Cartier looking for something good to eat. Find us Indians in a restaurant in Montreal”, and “Jacques Columbus come along that river, Indians waiting for him” (203-204). By introducing this critical piece into the lesson, the students will comprehend the dangers of taking history as fact and whole, rather than viewing it as only a piece of the whole


truth. This aspect will relate to the previous theme of “European and Aboriginal Relations” as it includes the European point of view in contrast to the Aboriginal point of view. Through reading “The One About Coyote Going West”, it is important that the students recognize that both points of view can work together to form a somewhat complete history. As well, King explores an Aboriginal worldview through his short story. A trickster story is a very significant aspect of oral tradition and Aboriginal culture; for this reason, King transcribes the trickster story to include aspects of orality. While the students are reading the text, the teacher(s) would bring attention to how King uses orality in the written word.

In Ron Geyshick’s “A Windigo”, a story is presented of a young boy trapping with his father and encountering a windigo. As the class knows from the focus activity, a windigo is a cannibalistic spirit capable of conniving humans to partaking in malicious acts. Once a human has eaten human flesh they are capable of turning into a windigo, and humans take great measures to rid their surroundings of such a negative, manipulative spirit. Geyshick’s narrative speaks from a young boy witnessing his father protecting him of the windigo. In the description of the windigo and the ridding of its spirit, the readers will be able to sense how serious a windigo is taken, in this particular piece, in an Ojibway community. The incorporation of Geyshick’s “A Windigo” is important because it is a story piece that passes lessons down through generations, but also informs the students of the importance of the windigo which can be drawn from the narrative.

Activities:The teacher will read Thomas King’s “The One About Coyote Going West” out loud to the class for several reasons, most importantly for the students to hear the oral aspects of the story. It is important for the students to be following along as the teacher is reading so they can see how King has written a story that can be read with personalization, but also with oral traditions in mind. About one-third into the story, the teacher will call upon students to read the story as well. Following the reading, the teacher will facilitate a discussion on the characteristics of oral tradition and how King incorporates them into his piece. The teacher will then guide thediscussion to why King chose to use “Eric the Lucky”, “Christopher Cartier”, and “Jacques Columbus” instead of their names properly (Erik the Red and son Leif Ericson, Christopher Columbus, and Jacques Cartier). Another question the teacher would ask is, “what is Thomas King doing by using these mixed up names? What is his intention?”.

While reading “A Windigo” as a class with student participation, a discussion on traditional Aboriginal legends will follow. The teacher will guide the discussion around how “The One About Coyote Going West” and “A Windigo” has introduced or perhaps re-introduced these Aboriginal characters into the students perspective on Canadian Aboriginal literature. Guided by questions such as:

1. Why is learning the legend of windigo important to understanding Geyshick’s narrative?

2. How does it relate to the previous story King provides?3. Does your culture have a similar trickster to Coyote, Raven, or Windigo?4. Do you know any other trickster tales? 5. Why is learning about Aboriginal and other trickster tales important?


After a class discussion and before introducing the worldview and cultural identity assignment, the teacher would read the description of a worldview as “A comprehensive view or philosophy of life, the world, and the universe. It is the view of life that shapes how people interact and respond to the world around them; it influences, shapes, and interprets what people experience and provides them with a sense of vision for the future” (Office of the Treaty Commissioner, 2008, 27). The class would then brainstorm some aspects of a worldview to start the writing process based on their own worldview, which will be a part of their assignment. (See Appendix 3-3)

Homework:No formal homework is assigned; however, the worldview and cultural identity assignment is due two school days after the assignment is handed out. If students do not use their time wisely, they will have to complete it on their own time as no additional class time is allotted for the worldview assignment.

Assessment:Students will be assessed on their completion of the worldview and cultural identity assignment as a component of their journal entry grade.

Students will be graded based on the rubric provided (Appendix 2-5).


Lesson 4 – Identity (1 hour 40 min)

Curriculum Objectives:Speaking: Students will be required to read out loud to the class.Listening: Students will listen to the teacher read, while noting passages that strike them as important or worth analyzing on a deeper level.

Students will listen to others describe their passages while critically thinking about the message the passage is trying to imply.Writing: Students will write a journal entry in regards to their identity.Reading: Students will recognize the importance of the speaker’s voice in literary works and its influence on the reader.

Students will be required to read individually and practice their oral reading skills.Representing: Students will incorporate a visual representation of their identity in their journal entry.

Sources:Armstrong, Jeannette. (1998). “Indian Woman”. In Daniel David Moses and Terry

Goldie (2nd Ed), An Anthology of Canadian Native Literature in English (pp. 229-230). Ontario: Oxford UP.

Wagamese, Richard. “From Keeper N’Me”. In Daniel David Moses and Terry Goldie (2nd Ed), An Anthology of Canadian Native Literature in English (pp. 403-410). Ontario: Oxford UP.

Abstract: At the beginning of each literary piece, the teacher will introduce the author’s background as well as any additional historical context necessary to understanding the literary piece. (Appendix 2-1)

In the lesson centred on “Identity”, the students will be reading “Indian Woman” by Jeannette Armstrong and an excerpt from Richard Wagamese’s Keeper N’Me. Through these two pieces, the students will examine how the speakers identify themselves and how they have searched for their own understanding of their identity.

In her poem “Indian Woman”, Jeannette Armstrong centres her message on facing the different ways in which Europeans view an Indian woman in comparison to how women are viewed in Aboriginal culture. In contrast to the patriarchal family construction that is present in European families, the Aboriginal family construction varies between equal involvement of the mother and father in supporting the future generations. In many Aboriginal families, if viewing how a family is constructed through the form of a circle, the children are placed in the middle. Surrounding their children, the mother and father are equal providers. On the outer level would be the Elders and older generational family members. In order to understand the poem, the differing values of women will need to be explained to the class since Armstrong plays on the stereotype of an Aboriginal woman. In the speaker’s description of the sacred Indian woman, the connection to the land is prevalent. The teacher will offer a description of the connection of Aboriginal peoples to the land, including that Aboriginal worldview sees every object on the land as living. (See Appendix 4-1 for “Indian Woman”; Appendix 4-2 for Connection to Land).


Keeper N’Me demonstrates many parallels to Richard Wagamese’s, the author’s, life. Despite Wagamese drawing connections from his own life, Keeper N’Me is a fictional novel that centres on Garnet Raven’s search for identity in his conquest to reconnect with his Ojibway family, community, and heritage. Garnet has been disconnected from his family for 22 years after being placed in foster care during the Sixties Scoop. After all these years, Garnet has returned to his reserve. Through reading the passage, it is obvious that Garnet has adopted another culture, that of his black friend Lonnie. Once he returns to the reserve, the residents poke fun at his James Brown-esque style of clothing and hairstyle. Garnet Raven and the students in the classroom are both trying to construct and shape their own identities. While Garnet’s may be more complex since he has been disconnected from his heritage for over twenty years and does not speak the language, many of the students in the classroom have probably felt some form of disconnection in their lives. As a contemporary author, Wagamese has the ability in his novel to play with humour, while also addressing cultural and identity issues.

It is important for students to understand that an identity is never fixed; instead identity is always evolving as each person continues to learn and grow as individuals. Drawing on their recent assignment of constructing and understanding worldview and cultural identity, the students will be able to draw a deeper analysis of Armstrong’s and Wagamese’s construction of their identity.

Activities:

While taking up Jeannette Armstrong’s “Indian Woman”, the students would first be asked to read the poem silently by themselves. Next, as the teacher(s) read the poem out loud, the students would follow along highlighting or underlining words and/or phrases that caught their attention. After the group reading, each student will choose one passage or phrase that they found to stand out or be thought-provoking. After organizing themselves into groups of three, the students will be assigned a group reading activity. In their groups, they will individually share a line or combination of words that intrigued them, having the remaining group members each take a turn commenting on the passage before the original owner of the passage comments themselves. After each member has shared his or her passage, the teacher will give them a set of questions to be answered on “Indian Woman”. The questions the students will be asked to answer are:

1. Looking at the different language (vocabulary) which Armstrong uses during the first half of the poem in comparison to the word choice she uses in the second half, what effect does this have on the reader?

2. When does the speaker’s voice change?3. What causes this change in the speaker’s voice?

After the students are given adequate time to share their passage and answering the questions in their group, the teacher will take up the questions as a class. To ensure everyone is involved, the teacher will be calling upon students to share their understanding and knowledge of the questions in relation to the larger themes and unit.


For the excerpt from Richard Wagamese’s Keeper N’Me, the students and the teacher will both read out loud. It is important that the teacher ensures that students know what the Sixties Scoop was and how it affected many young Aboriginal children and their families (Appendix 4-4). By calling upon students within the classroom, they will be able to demonstrate their oral reading skills. After reading the passage, the teacher would generate a class discussion around the question, “If you were disconnected from your family since you were three years old and returned to a community where your family resided, how would you feel? What would be your response?”

To conclude the lesson on “Identity”, the students will be required to write a journal entry on the topic of their own identity. The students will be instructed that they are to take their previous assignment of worldview and cultural identity to a deeper understanding. While leaving the topic open, a few suggestions would be to write on its importance, how it is constructed, how the students view themselves, or how it helps the students relate to others. A visual representation, such as a picture, drawing, family tree, etc., is required to be submitted with their journal entry. This visual must be different than the previous worldview assignment and should relate to a different aspect of the students identity.

Homework:The journal entry, including a visual representation, will be due two schools days after it is assigned in class. While there will be class time allotted to plan and start the journal, finishing it and incorporating a visual representation will be for homework.

Assessment:Students will be assessed on their journal entry based on the rubric provided (see Appendix 2-5).


Lesson 5 – Finding a Voice (1 hour 40 min)

Curriculum Objectives:Speaking: Students will enhance their presentation skills through a deeper reading activity.Listening: Students will develop an understanding of different methods of finding a voice within Canadian Aboriginal Literature.

Students will recognize listening as a valuable asset to their learning and actively engage with the presenters. Writing: Students will be able to develop their personal voice and express their feelings through a comparative assignment.Reading: Students will recognize speaker, tone, literary techniques, and style when analyzing literary texts.

Students will be able to evaluate a text’s literal and deeper meaning through their analysis as a class.Viewing: Students will reflect on visual representations of the theme to gain a deeper understanding.

Sources:Joe, Rita. (1998). “I Lost My Talk.” In Daniel David Moses and Terry Goldie (2nd Ed),

An Anthology of Canadian Native Literature in English (pp. 113-114). Ontario: Oxford UP.

Annharte (1998). “One Way to Keep Track of Who Is Talking.” In Daniel David Moses and Terry Goldie (2nd Ed), An Anthology of Canadian Native Literature in English (pp. 190-191). Ontario: Oxford UP.

Eekwol (2009, May 5). “Too Sick.” Retrieved November 6, 2012, from < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XuYikRUl7g>

Sainte-Marie, Buffy. (1998).”Universal Soldier.” In Daniel David Moses and Terry Goldie (2nd Ed), An Anthology of Canadian Native Literature in English (pp. 175). Ontario: Oxford UP.

Sainte- Marie, Buffy. (2007, December 26) “Universal Soldier.” Retrieved November 6, 2012, from <http://lynn.libguides.com/content.php?pid=47000&sid=349970>

Abstract: At the beginning of each literary piece, the teacher will introduce the author’s background as well as any additional historical context necessary to understanding the literary piece (Appendix 2-1). The lesson will be introduced with a discussion on post-colonialism.

Rita Joe’s “I Lost My Talk” is a poem about how the speaker lost her language in residential school to become more like the ambiguous audience “you”. The speaker addresses the issue about residential schools, assimilation, and lost language, but she also wants to learn her talk again to teach the audience about her culture. Students will use the information provided by the focus activity to guide their assumption on who the “you” will be. Teacher(s) could use this opportunity to explain further the residential school system if needed. Joe’s poem fits into the theme of “Finding a Voice” because the poem demonstrates two things. One, the speaker of the poem lost her voice in residential schools, but wants to find her talk again so she can teach the ambiguous “you” in the poem about her culture and


language. Two, the poem “I Lost My Talk” is a way for the poet to speak up about her loss of voice and her longing to find it again, now having the ability to do so. Despite the reference to residential schools, “I Lost My Talk” is generally personalized to “you” and “me,” which can offer relevance to any student who is struggling to find their voice within their own life (Appendix 5-1).

Annharte’s “One Way to Keep Track of Who is Talking” is a poem that depends on each individual’s interpretation because while other’s may view one speaker, some other students may view the poem as multiple speakers and voices. Students are expected to read this poem through a post-colonial lens, which will be supplemented through an activity (See Appendix 5-3). The activity is designed for students to ask questions about the speaker (or speakers) of the poem who seem to be “frozen” in a colonized view, but they will also question the period in which Annharte is writing. In Annharte’s poem, the speaker(s) discuss oral tradition, and the “frozenness” of their language and conversation. Therefore, Annharte’s poem is suitable to the theme of “Finding a Voice” because it emphasizes the feeling of being stuck in a colonized world (Appendix 5-2)

Eekwol’s “Too Sick” is a song that shows her pride in both her hip hop and Indigenous culture. Her rap music provides a release for the issues that surround Indigenous culture. The purpose of including “Too Sick” in the unit is for the students to relate to the material (hip-hop being rather popular), but also to show a different perspective than the current trends in popular media. Eekwol’s video will be contrasted to the works of Buffy Sainte-Marie.

Buffy Sainte-Marie’s “Universal Soldier” was a song reproduced in 1964 in response to the Vietnam War. Her song represents individual responsibility and asks readers/ listeners to look at the structures of power and who upholds these structures (a post-colonial view). Sainte-Marie makes reference to World War II, Caesar, democracy, pride, and religion. The purpose of including “Universal Soldier” is for students to consider the period in which Buffy Sainte-Marie was writing, and the implications this time period had on a First Nations woman (See Appendix 5-4). Buffy Sainte-Marie’s song “Universal Soldier” is also a part of the theme “Finding a Voice” because the artist has decided to write her song during a period in which many anti-war songs or poets were silenced. As an Aboriginal woman, the importance of finding a voice on the important issues are expressed in the content of “Universal Soldier”.

Activities:The class will read the poem “I Lost My Talk” out loud. After the initial reading of the poem, students will be asked “what does it say?” After a quick discussion, the teacher will divide the students into groups of three. The students will be instructed to read through the poem again silently and note anything of importance. The teacher will hand out big sheets of paper and markers for students to discuss the meaning of the poem through a brainstormed T-chart. On the right hand side of the page, students will write the literal meaning of the poem (what does it say). On the left hand side of the page, students will write “what does it mean” as the title. Students will be expected to discuss what they perceive is the meaning of the poem in their group discussion based on the poem reading strategies given in Lesson #2 for “History Lesson”. Each group will present their analysis of the poem to the class.


The teacher will ask the final question: “what does it matter”. Students will be asked to draw together important ideas from their focus activity (ex. residential schools, loss of voice, gaining of voice) to Rita Joe’s poem while relating the topics to current issues.

Reading through a post-colonial lens: Post-colonial literary theory is the voice that has been silenced for years. Based on the questions provided in Appendix 5-3, students will begin to understand how to read through a post-colonial lens.

The teacher will introduce two Canadian Aboriginal artists, Eekwol and Buffy Sainte-Marie. Students will also watch “Too Sick” by Eekwol and “Universal Soldier” by Buffy Sainte- Marie to frame their journal response. The teacher will hand out the lyrics to “Universal Soldier” at the end of class to frame their next journal response.

Homework:Students are to pre-read Annharte’s poem “One Way to Keep Track who is Talking”.

Students will be completing a journal entry on a comparative study of two Canadian Aboriginal artists: Eekwol and Buffy Sainte-Marie. Students are expected to watch the videos again, this time with only Buffy Sainte-Marie’s lyrics in front of them. The main question to answer is: how does Eekwol’s hip-hop music fit into the theme of “Finding a Voice”? How does Buffy Sainte-Marie’s “Universal Soldier” fit into our theme? Journal entry will be due two school days after it is assigned.

Some questions to guide the response:What was your initial reaction to each video? How does watching “Universal Soldier” with lyrics change your perception of what you are watching versus “Too Sick” where lyrics are not provided?What does the music video say on a literal level? Consider the lyrics and the visual representation chosen.What are some major issues or problems each artist refers to within their music and video?What do you think is the meaning behind each artist’s music?What was happening in the time each artist produced their song?

Assessment:Students will be expected to complete a journal entry after the literary pieces studied in the “Finding a Voice” lesson.

Students will be assessed on their journal responses based on the rubric provided (Appendix 2-5). Students will be assessed on their group participation in the deeper reading of “I Lost My Talk” in the form of a homework check.


L esson 6 – Final Project & Assessment (1 hour 40 min)

Curriculum Objectives:Writing: In all of the projects, students will have to complete a writing component through reflection or essay.Representing: Students will have creative license for their projects, including illustrations, collages, or other means of representations.

Sources:Sources vary on each assignment.

Abstract:Students will be given the assignment at the beginning of the unit and are expected to consider the topics over the next ten days (see Appendix 6-1). Students will be given one in-class work period for their assignment, with the final project being due three days after the unit is finished. If students chose a project where a presentation is required, they will present the day it is due.

Activities:Students will have one in-class work period for their final projects.

Homework:Students should have their final project chosen before their work period on the projects.

Students will do the majority of their final project for homework.

Assessment:Students will be assessed on their final project based on the rubric provided (Appendix 6-2).

Teacher will evaluate and assess the project and presentations.


References

Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Awards. (2012). “Eekwol”. Retrieved November 6, 2012, from < http://aboriginalpeopleschoice.com/artists/eekwol/>

Creative Spirits. (2012, November 1). “Aboriginal Spirituality and Beliefs”. Retrieved November 6, 2012, from <http://www.creativespirits.info/aboriginalculture/spirituality/what-is-aboriginal-spirituality>

Eekwol (2009, May 5). “Too Sick.” Retrieved November 6, 2012, from <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XuYikRUl7g>

Office of the Treaty Commissioner. (2008).Treaty Essential Learning: We Are All Treaty People. Canada.

Ministry of Education. (2008). English Language Arts 20. Government of Saskatchewan. <http://www.curriculum.gov.sk.ca/index.jsp?lang=en&subj=english_language_arts&level=20>

Moses, Daniel David & Goldie, Terry (Eds.) (1998). An Anthology of Canadian Native Literature in English. Ontario: Oxford UP.

Sainte- Marie, Buffy. (2007, December 26) “Universal Soldier.” Retrieved November 6, 2012, from <http://lynn.libguides.com/content.php?pid=47000&sid=349970>

Wikipedia. (2012, November 3). “Sixties Scoop”. Retrieved November 6, 2012, from < http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sixties_Scoop>


APPENDIXLesson #1: Framing Canadian Aboriginal Literature: Important Terms

1-1 Focus Activity Assignment handout1-2 Self-Evaluation Rubric 1-3 Group/ Teacher Evaluation Rubric

Lesson #2 European and Aboriginal Relations

2-1 Author Background2-2 Harold Cardinal, “A Canadian What the Hell It’s All About”2-3 Jeannette Armstrong, "History lesson"2-4 Drew Hayden Taylor, “Pretty Like a White Boy: Adventures of a Blue-Eyed Ojibway”2-5 Journal Entry Rubric

Lesson #3 Aboriginal Worldview

3-1 Thomas King, “The One About Coyote Going West”3-2 Ron Geyshick, “A Windigo”3-3 Worldview Assignment

Lesson #4 Identity

4-1 Jeannette Armstrong, "Indian Woman"4-2 Land and Spirituality 4-3 Richard Wagamese, From “Keeper n’ Me”4-4 Sixties Scoop

Lesson #5 Finding a Voice

5-1 Rita Joe, “I Lost My Talk”5-2 Annharte, “One Way to Keep Track of Who is Talking”5-3 Post Colonial lens activity sheet5-4 Buffy Sainte-Marie, “Universal Soldier” lyrics

Lesson #6 Final Project

6-1 Final Project Assignment6-2 Final Project Rubric


APPENDIX 1-1 Framing Canadian Aboriginal Literature: Important Terms

As we move into our new unit plan, Canadian Aboriginal Literature, there are a few key terms that you will need to know before we dive into the essay, novel excerpt, and collection of poetry and short stories that will give you a better understanding of the themes of “Aboriginal-European Relations”, “Aboriginal Worldviews”, “Identity”, and “Finding a Voice”.

**Use your class time wisely, as we will only have one work period to research, create a visual representation, and make a handout for the class. You will be presenting these in tomorrow’s class. Any work not completed will be assigned for homework. It might be helpful to assign your classmates specific tasks at the end of the period to make sure you have all three components ready for tomorrow’s presentation.**

Here is a step-by-step guide to help you get started:Step 1: Gather into groups of 3Step 2: Come to the teacher with a list of your group and you will then be assigned a termStep 3: Research your term (include a works cited page with your references)Step 4: Create a visual representation (example: PowerPoint, Prezi, poster board, etc.) that your group will be present to the class Step 5: Create a one-page handout sheet that will be distributed to your classmatesStep 6: Present! (3-5 minute presentation)

Terms: Residential Schools We are all Treaty People (include a discussion on what is a “Treaty”) Riel Resistance Trickster (Windigo) Oral Tradition Assimilation European-Aboriginal Relations contact-1821 European-Aboriginal Relations 1821-present White Paper/Red Paper

You will be graded on your visual representation and quality of work in a self-evaluation, as well as by your classmates in a peer evaluation. You will be graded on the quality of information presented and included in the handout by the teacher in relation to the rubric attached.


Focus Activity Rubric

Presenters: ____________________________________________________________________________

Grade Presentation Visual Representation

Content Reflection

1Poor

Group stands in front of peers and does not seem enthused. Group is unable to answer many questions on the topic. Group was difficult to understand when speaking.

Group does not explain their visual representation.

Does not appear to have analyzed the poem. Did not adequately inform their classmates on the topic.

Not formatted for easy reading, providing all information presented. No references included.

2Fair

Group makes reference to visual but does not rely on it. Group answers most questions and seems somewhat prepared.

Group reads from their visual representation and explains it briefly.

Group presented general knowledge on the poem. Classmates did not learn anything new.

Slightly easier to read, however, did not prioritize information to be included. Little referencing included.

3Good

Group seems interested in their topic and explains the information in their own words. Group was prepared for peer’s questions.

Group gives specific details about their visual representation and its importance to their topic/presentation.

Group provided general analysis, but surface reading. Provided adequate information to their classmates. Classmates learnt little about the subject.

Formatted for easy reading. Prioritized information so classmates are provided with the important points of the topic. Some references included. Group answers questions thoughtfully.

4Excellent

Group shows true interest in the topic, engages their peers, and fully describes interpretation of the poem. Group displays clarity when speaking. Group was well-prepared for peer’s questions.

Group uses their visual representation to enhance their presentation. They thoughtfully explain the visuals importance to the topic/presentation.

Group analyzed their poem fully, providing insightful information. The class learnt new perspectives on the topic.

Formatted for easy reading. Strong evidence of understanding the material. Provided necessary references. Group completely and thoughtfully answers each question to the best of their ability.


Comments

/4 /4 /4 /4


Canadian Aboriginal Literature Journal Entry RubricName: __________________________________

4 3 2 1

Subject Journal entry thoroughly answers the question(s) posed in the prompt.

Journal entry generally answers the question(s) posed in the prompt.

Journal entry addresses some aspects of the prompt, but questions or portions of a question are left unanswered.

Journal entry is off-task or makes little reference to the question(s) being asked.

Quality Journal entry is thoughtful, carefully written and demonstrates self-reflection with regards to the topic.

Journal entry is carefully written and generally demonstrates self-reflection with regards to the topic.

Journal entry shows lapses in care and depth of understanding regarding the task at hand.

Journal entry is not thoughtfully written, and does not suggest the subject has been taken seriously.

Clarity Journal entry is clear, logical and articulate.

Journal entry is mostly clear and logical.

Journal entry is somewhat unclear and may have gaps in logical sequence.

Journal entry is unclear and may ramble from topic to topic.

Mechanics

Journal entry contains few or no grammatical errors.

Journal entry is contains some grammatical errors, but is generally well-written.

Journal entry contains several grammatical errors.

Journal entry contains frequent grammatical errors and is poorly-written.

Comments:


Canadian Aboriginal Literature

Your Worldview & Cultural Identity

A cultural identity is how you identify yourself and how you view yourself in relation to others. Your identity is made up of where you came from, ethnicity, gender, class, sexuality, religion, nationality, among other identity markers. Your identity is not fixed, but rather static, changing as you develop, learn, and continue to grow as individuals.

A worldview is how a person or group of people they see themselves and the world around them. It includes a set of beliefs and ideas, your values, and has an impact on how you make decisions. A worldview is how we understand life and make sense of the world around us. Everyone has a worldview; it is now just up to you to search within yourself to uncover how you view the world.

Assignment

This is not a formal essay, but rather a collection of your thoughts. It can be written in a journal-style or it can be written as an informal essay. Either way, complete thoughts and sentences are necessary. A guideline is provided and you are expected to answer these questions, however, it does not have to follow exactly. Also important is that you include a visual that denotes you, your identity, and your worldview.

1. Briefly define cultural identity (in your own words!)2. What are your identity markers? Write a paragraph or two on how you identity yourself.3. Briefly define worldview (in your own words!)4. Analyze your life, what are you beliefs, ideas, values, and how does it have an impact your

decision-making skills.5. Write a paragraph or two on how your worldview impacts your life.6. Write a paragraph on how cultural identity and worldview interact with one another. How are

they similar or different? How does one shape the other? Or are they completely separate from one another?

7. Don’t forget to include a visual (a photo, drawing, etc) that signifies your identity and worldview.

You will be graded on the same rubric as the Journal entries.This is due in two school days, use your time wisely.



Importance of the Land

Office of the Treaty Commissioner. (2008). Treaty Essential Learnings: We Are All Treaty People. Canada.

“Many First Nations people maintain a high level of spirituality that allows them to live in harmony and balance with the Creator, with each other and with the natural world. Throughout First Nations history, there was a widespread peaceful co-existence among North American First Nations peoples; at times, however, tribes did war with one another, mostly over territorial hunting grounds. . . First Nations people also respected the earth and its provisions, only taking what was necessary from the environment without destroying it”.

Creative Spirits.(2012, November 1). “Aboriginal Spirituality and Beliefs”. Retrieved November 6, 2012, from <http://www.creativespirits.info/aboriginalculture/spirituality/what-is-aboriginal-spirituality>

“Aboriginal spirituality is inextricably linked to land, “it’s like picking up a piece of dirt and saying this is where I started and this is where I’ll go. The land is our food, our culture, our spirit and identity.” Dreamtime and Dreaming are not the same thing. Dreaming is the environment the Aboriginal people lived in and it still exists today “all around us”. None of the hundreds of Aboriginal languages contains a word for “time”.

Our spirituality is a oneness and an interconnectedness with all that lives and breathes, even with all that does not live or breathe.—Mudrooroo, Aboriginal writer. Aboriginal spirituality, Mudrooroo continues, “is a feeling of oneness, of belonging”, a connectedness with “deep innermost feelings”. Everything else is secondary.

Aboriginal spirituality involves the land. Aboriginal spiritual beliefs are invariably about the land Aboriginal people live on. It is ‘geosophical’ (earth-centred) and not ‘theosophical’ (God-centred). The earth, their country, is “impregnated with the power of the Ancestor Spirits” which Aboriginal people draw upon. They experience a connection to their land that is unknown to white people. A key feature of Aboriginal spirituality is to look after the land, an obligation which has been passed down as law for thousands of years.

“Spirituality is about tapping into the still places I go to when I’m on country and I feel like I’m part of all the things around me,” explains Senimelia Kingsburra, from the far north Queensland Yarrabah community.

A powerful explanation of the spiritual connection of Indigenous people to the land can be found in a publication of the now abolished ATSIC.

We don't own the land, the land owns us. The land is my mother, my mother is the land. Land is the starting point to where it all began. It's like picking up a piece of dirt and saying this is where I started and this is where I'll go. The land is our food, our culture, our spirit and identity.—S. Knight



Sixties Scoop

The term Sixties Scoop was coined by Patrick Johnston in his 1983 report Native Children and the Child Welfare System. It refers to the Canadian practice, beginning in the 1960s and continuing until the late 1980s, of apprehending unusually high numbers of children of Aboriginal peoples in Canada and fostering or adopting them out, usually into white families. Reder (2007) reports that the adult adoptees who were the subjects of this program have eloquently spoken out about their losses: loss of their cultural identity, lost contact with their natural families, barred access from medical histories, and for status Indian children the loss of their status.

An estimated 20,000 aboriginal children were taken from their families and fostered or adopted out to primary white middle-class families. This government policy was discontinued in the mid-’80s, after Ontario chiefs passed resolutions against it and a Manitoba judicial inquiry harshly condemned it. This judicial inquiry was headed by Justice Edwin Kimelman, who published the File Review Report. Report of the Review Committee on Indian and Métis Adoptions and Placements (also known as the Kimelman Report).

Two lawsuits have been filed in Canada by survivors of the Sixties Scoop, one in Ontario in 2010 and one in British Columbia in 2011.

Taken from:

Wikipedia. (2012, November 3). “Sixties Scoop”. Retrieved November 6, 2012, from < http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sixties_Scoop>


Post-Colonial Questions on

Annharte’s “One Way to Keep Track of Who is Talking”

1. Discuss and define post-colonialism as a class.

2. Does Annharte’s poem reinforce or undermine colonialist ideology through its representation of colonization, and or its inappropriate silence about colonized people?

3. How does Annharte’s poem represent various aspects of colonial oppression?

4. What does the text reveal about the problematic of post-colonial identity, including the relationship between personal and cultural identity?

5. How are the Aboriginal people described by Annharte?

6. What does the text reveal about power? What does it reveal about anti-colonialist resistance?


Canadian Aboriginal Literature: Final Project and Assessment

Please select one of the following items as your final project for the Canadian Aboriginal Literature unit. Be sure to read through each description carefully to ensure you include all items asked of you. Projects will be graded according to the creativity, quality, and effort outlined in the rubric attached. For all projects, MLA citation is mandatory.

1. Aboriginal Literature story book: take one piece of literature and write a children’s book. You can use either the terms discussed in the presentations or select a piece of literature from the themes we have studied. Illustrations must be included and made by you, not taken from the computer. You must also include a reflection piece (1/2 page) on why you chose that term or literature.

2. Write a 1000 word essay on one of these topics:a. Written versus oral stories (informational essay)b. Deeper reading of a Canadian Aboriginal poem (Poem reading strategy

—persuasive essay)c. Comparison of two Canadian Aboriginal poems (not included in class)

(comparative literary essay)

You must use proper essay formatting. Do not forget to edit or proofread your work.

3. Poetry anthology: brainstorm and select a theme for your poetry assignment. Choose 5 Canadian Aboriginal poems that fit into your theme. You will have to include a preface and a cover page to your anthology. Your preface should include why you chose these poems for your themes, why some poems did not make it into your anthology, and what is the purpose or goal. Also, think about your tone, voice, and audience. You must also include a reflection piece (1/2 page) on why you chose that term or literature.

4. Cultural Identity Diary: Since colonization and assimilation, many Aboriginal people have felt they have lost their identity. Using your two journal entries on Worldview and Cultural Identity, write 5 diary entries that includes a written reflection of how you think your identity helps you relate to others in regards to race, and how you would feel if you were told you could no longer have that identity. You may write these diary entries in a narrative format. You must also include a reflection piece (1/2 page) on why you chose that term or literature.


5. Create your own project. Must have permission from the teacher and it must relate to the unit and themes. In whatever is chosen, a ½ page written reflection is required.


Canadian Aboriginal Literature Final Project Assessment6 5 4 3 2 1

Understanding of the content

Project shows many strong,

accurate links to the unit’s

themes and content. An exceptional

understanding of the material

is evident.

Project shows several strong,

accurate links to the unit’s themes. A

clear understandin

g of the material is evident.

Project shows several

adequate and accurate links to the themes. An

above average

understanding of the

material is evident.

Project shows some

adequate links to the unit’s themes. An

average understanding of the material

is evident.

Project shows only one or

two accurate written links to the text

with several errors. Some

understanding of the book is

evident.

Project shows no accurate

written links to the text.

No understanding of the book

is evident.

Organization Organization is very clear.

Proper format for type of

project chosen has been used and enhances the project.

Organization is above average.

Proper format for type of

project chosen has been used.

Organization is average.

Proper format for

type of project

chosen has been mostly

used.

Organization is average.

Proper format for the type of project chosen has been used

at times.

Organization is below average.

Proper format has been

attempted.

Organization is not clear.

Proper format has barely been attempted.

Mechanics Contains little to no errors in

spelling, grammar, and punctuation.

The minimal errors in spelling,

grammar, and

punctuation do not impede

understanding.

The frequent errors in spelling,

grammar, and

punctuation do not impede

understanding.

Frequent errors in spelling,

grammar, and punctuation

impede understanding

at times.

Frequent errors in spelling,

grammar, and punctuation

impede understanding

.

It is difficult to

understand project due

to the frequent errors.

Quality of Work

Project shows excellent quality

of work and attention to

detail. A strong effort to follow the assignment

guidelines.

Project shows above

average quality of work and

attention to detail.

Follows the assignment guidelines.

Project shows

average quality of work and


Generally follows the assignment

Project shows below average

quality of work with little

attention to detail. Only

loosely follows the

assignment

Project shows minimal

quality of work and


Sporadically follows the assignment

Project shows poor quality of work and

attention to detail. Does not follow

assignment guidelines.


guidelines. guidelines. guidelines.

Creativity Surprisingly unique and

original

Creative. Interesting. Straightforward.

Predictable. No creative touches added.

Name: ___________________________________ Comments

gammateachingresources.weebly.comgammateachingresources.weebly.com/.../1/4/...nov6.docx · Web...

Documents

Transcript of gammateachingresources.weebly.comgammateachingresources.weebly.com/.../1/4/...nov6.docx · Web...