SPRING 2012

21

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Social Justice Begins With Me

Social Justice Begins With Me is a new literature-based curriculum resource.

Each lesson uses the read-aloud as a way to enter into safe and respectful discussions with

students about equity and social justice. Available in either the CD version or Suitcase version

through shopETFO http://www.etfo.ca/shopetfo/pages/default.aspx

DIVISION

Primary

Untie the Knots of Prejudice

March

One

GRADE

MONTH

THEME

Big Idea / Objective / Character Development Connection

Cultural Awareness; Environment; Respect; Empathy

Suggested Activities and Culminating Tasks

E As you read the book, stop and talk about the various kinds of homes, clothing, means

of transportation, tools, and sacred activities and objects on each page. How are each of

the items related to the places the people live? What do students think the weather is like

there? What do students think their culture is like?

E Have students retell information from the book after you have read it to them. Encourage

them to use illustrations as prompts or to create picture prompts. Students will retell the story

with their reading buddies.

E Create a shared writing experience in which students incorporate new vocabulary (from the

text) and familiar vocabulary in order to complete a class Alphabet Big Book.

E Have students look carefully at the illustrations to find two-and three-dimensional objects.

Ask students to create models and replicas, and display them with a sentence to label/

describe them.

E Use the illustrations and text to look at and talk about changes in weather, climate, clothing,

and times for hunting and gathering.

E The letter X is a stretch in the book. Christmas was introduced by people who came from

Europe, not by Aboriginal people.

Extensions

E Invite elders of students in your class to help create ABC books that have cultural connections

reflective of their families. If possible, have them make dual language or multilingual books.

Invite the elders and students to read the books to the class or other classes.

Community Engagement / Related Resources

Invite reading buddies or family volunteers to go to an Aboriginal museum to look for items

that are in the book and extensions to the book. Which items in the book and the museum are

spiritual in nature, or practice? If picture taking is allowed, you could use the photos in book-

making activities or to create slide shows or other displays.

BOOK TITLE:

The Aboriginal Alphabet

for Children

AUTHOR:

Evelyn Ballantyne

ILLUSTRATORS:

J. Marleen Ross and Noah

Head

PUBLISHER: Pemmican

Publications Inc., 2001

ISBN-13: 978-1894717137

SYNOPSIS

This is a fun and enriching

way to learn the alphabet.

The full-colour illustrations

that accompany each letter

are of traditional artifacts and

cultural notes.

MINISTRY EXPECTATIONS

English Language

Reading

1e4, 1e15, 1e16, 1e29

Writing

1e48

MATERIALS

- Picture book listed above

- Attribute and pattern blocks

- Three-dimensional solids

- Paper

- Crayons/markers

CURRICULUM CONNECTION EXPECTATIONS

Mathematics

1m43, 1m52

Science and Technology

1s20

CURRICULUM INSERT