Spotlight on the 2002
SIG/Tel Online
Award Winners
| Honorable Mention |
![[Photo]](/Images/membership/sigs/sigtel/community/awards/2002/martin.jpg) |
Barbara
Martin and Team with Jan
Van Dam
and Sally Bair.
(Al Rogers) |
|
The Artistry of the Land of our First
Nations
People:
"Respect and
Harmony"
Barbara
Martin
Richard
Gaskell,
Pam Irving, Lorraine Flavelle
Target Audience: Grades 2–3
|
Dr. Morris Gibson
School,
Millarville Community School, Red Deer Lake School
147 Crystalridge Dr. Okotoks, Alberta
Canada
martinb@cadvision.com
www.galileo.org/schools/gibson/land
403.228.8942 (Galileo Office)
403.938.6221 (Dr. Morris Gibson School)
Project
Summary
This is an inquiry based telecollaborative project that is student
directed
and teacher facilitated. Through this project the children gained an
understanding
of the First Nations People of their area learning the importance of
respect
and harmony.
Grade 2 & 3 students from 3 non-native schools located just south
and west
of Calgary, Alberta were interested in learning about the First
Nations People
of their area. They wanted to experience the importance of the land
and also
the artistry of the ancient stories, clothing, dwellings and artifacts
of the
Blackfoot, Stoney and T'Suu tina People. One class in Okotoks took on
the challenge
of gaining respect through understanding the Blackfoot. Students from
Millarville
Community School began to learn about the Stoney. Red Deer Lake
students joined
the project and started their journey to understand the T'Suu Tina.
Each of
the First Nations people currently reside in the area where the
students live.
The project began with a visit to the land. Students from each of the
schools
went on to their land and spent time sitting and standing and
journaling how
it felt to be there. They sketched and wrote their thoughts and
brought them
back to class to discuss as a large group. After they had a large
class discussion,
they set about writing their own personal thoughts. Each class posted
their
thoughts on the website. It is important to realize that the students
experienced
the land and territory of their area not knowing what the other
students were
writing. Then they viewed each other's entries on the web starting to
look for
similarities and differences in the discoveries that the students made
from
each of the schools. They recorded and posted their thoughts.
Next the students embarked on gaining an understanding of the ancient
stories
of the First Nations People of their area. Many stories were read
together and
finally they settled in to investigating a small number. They
summarized each
story and looked for cultural connections within the story to the
First Nations
People from their area. They wrote about what they had learned from
the story
and why this would be important for the Native people that they were
studying.
These discoveries were posted on the website. Each school then began
their own
exploration to find similarities and differences in the stories of the
different
native people. They then shared their thoughts as they posted their
discoveries
to their website.
Next the students began their exploration of the artistry of
clothing, dwellings
and artifacts of the First Nations People of their area. Each topic
was looked
at through the eyes of color and design learning why and how they were
created
as they began to understand the spiritual connections. They then
demonstrated
their understanding of color and design by developing their own
artistry of
clothing, dwellings and artifacts. These were posted on the
website.
Objectives
Social Studies Objective:
- Main objective was to have the children gain respect and
understanding
of the First Nations People by realizing that people live in
different ways
for very important reasons.
- Culture has aspects that endure and aspects that change.
- Responding, analyzing, communicating
Language Arts Objectives:
- Reading, Writing, Viewing, Responding, Communicating, Critical
thinking,
Art:
- Representing, expressing, communicating
Music:
- Appreciation, representing, rhythm, beat
Necessary
Telecommunications Resources
Dreamweaver, fireworks, Corel/ Photshop, email, webserver access,
telephone
Role of
Telecommunications
- The students used their website to look at the findings of the
students
from the other schools and then respond to them.
- They used telecollaboration to post their own discoveries
- They used telelcollaboration to gain and verify information about
their
First Nations People
Curriculum Area(s)
Involved
Social Studies, Language Arts, Music, Art
Grade Level(s)
Targeted
Grade 2 and 3 (ages 7 & 8). Because this project is flexible it
could
be used by any grade
Planning Requirements
& Procedures
- Teachers began reading and discussing prior to the beginning of
the project
to gain personal background knowledge.
- Procedures of planning are outlined in question # 2.
- Teachers were prepared to take the direction of the students and
help them
plan for their next discovery.
- Location of books, ancient stories and websites for the children
to explore
- Planning for guest appearances, field trips, etc.
- Planning for parent helpers to assist the children with their
technology
Print Materials
Needed
- Factual readings of the Blackfoot, Stoney, T'Suu Tina
- Ancient Stories, images of clothing, dwellings and artifacts
Class Management
Strategies/Required
Activities
- Class Management Strategies/ Required Activities:
- Activities to build a background knowledge of the First Nations
People
- Time spent of the land to journal feelings and observations
- Reading, summarizing and analyzing the Ancient Stories of the
First Nations
People
- Constructing designs to show understanding of the artistry of
clothing,
dwellings, music and dance.
Suggested Class Time
& Project
Duration
- Project duration 3 months
- Class time 1 hour 2 times a week
- This project could be longer or shorter depending on which topics
you chose
to investigate within the project itself
Method(s) for Evaluating
Student
Achievement of Objectives
- Rubric evaluation
- Performance based assessment
- Anecdotal ongoing assessment
- Summative and formative assessment tools
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