Lesson 1: The Link between Dance and Identity Lesson 2: The New Aboriginal Games

Instructional Plans

Teacher Information:

See the teacher background document “Changes in Aboriginal Leadership Processes”

Using the Glossary section of the Student Zone, students will solve the following crossword puzzle:


Across
3. The process of forcing one culture to become absorbed by a larger, more dominant, or mainstream group.
4. This has been amended a number of times the last time being in 1985.
7. refers to a situation in which a superior power or authority regulates the conduct of other groups on an individual and authoritative scale.
10. An Aboriginal woman who married a non-Aboriginal man lost this due to the marrying-out clause.
11. The acronym for the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development.
Down
1. To change or modify existing legislation or laws.
2. The process of trying to establish a new colony while imposing new beliefs, values, and attitudes on existing cultures.
5. There are eleven of these in total.
6. The White Paper was opposed by this group.
8. Refers to something that takes place by nature or habit.
9. The customs and shared beliefs, attitudes, values, goals, practices, social forms and material traits of a religious, racial or social group.

KEY:

Across: Down:

3. Assimilation ----- 1. Amendment

4. Indian Act ----- 2. Colonization

7. Paternalistic ----- 5. Treaties

10. Status ----- 6. Aboriginal

11. DIAND ----- 8. Inherent

Allow time to discuss the vocabulary terms in case students have any questions.

Print off the following First Nations organizations and randomly distribute them to groups of 2-3 students.

PDF of organizational tables.

Working in their groups students will create a portfolio on an Aboriginal political organization. A short class presentation will also be expected and accompanied by a fact sheet distributed to the whole class.

The group will want to examine:

1. How was the political group or organization formed and on what basis? What was the catalyst for the group’s formation?

2. The political groups position on self-determination or sovereignty, the strategies it has in place to achieve its goals, basic structure of the organization, funding support, cultural and community contributions. Areas that are of particular importance are education, health, and general social welfare.

3. Should decisions facing Aboriginal or Métis people be made at the local, provincial or federal level? What are the pros and cons for each? What is the position of Aboriginal or Métis people?

4. Some people argue that the attitude of the federal government in dealing with Aboriginal and Métis people is paternalistic in nature. Define and discuss whether your political group would agree or disagree.

5. Explain how Aboriginal and Métis groups view the concept of nationalism. Is it similar or different to how the government may view nationalism?