Reconciliation Project

From 1867 until 1997, approximately 150,000 Aboriginal children attended Indian Residential Schools in Canada; the intention was to assimilate those children by removing them from their families and communities. Seven generations of Aboriginal peoples were negatively influenced by the Indian Residential system in Canada. Traditional cultures, languages, and customs were affected. Thousands of Aboriginal students were victims of emotional, physical and sexual abuse in these schools while others did not survive. The effects are still being felt today.
 
In 2009, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission began a multi-year process of hearing survivors’ stories, collecting documents, and developing reports. It has become clear that the education of our society along with the hearing and acknowledgment of the survivors’ stories are key to the move towards reconciliation and healing.
 
This project has been designed with some of the Commission’s “Call to Actions” in mind:
 
We call upon the Council of Ministers of Education, Canada to maintain an annual commitment to Aboriginal education issues, including:
  •  …history and legacy of residential schools
  • Sharing information…on teaching…residential schools and Aboriginal history
  • Building capacity for intercultural understanding, empathy, and mutual respect
 
 
Teacher Information

The Reconciliation Project consists of the following parts:

Part I: Research Report
Part II: Reconciliation Project
Part III: Connecting

It has been specifically designed to give teachers freedom to choose the project and make a connection with Aboriginal peoples.

Part I: Research Report

Students will research the history and legacy of Indian Residential Schools in Canada, along with the history of one of the Indian Residential Schools within the students’ province or territory. The students could be permitted to share their learning in multiple ways (ie: written report, slide presentation, video).
 
A visit from a local Elder could be incorporated either here or during Part III

Part II: Reconciliation Project

Either as the teacher or as a class, a project should be decided upon. It is preferable if the project uses interests or skills that the teacher and/or students have and can draw on. Examples of class projects could include:
  • class quilt
  • mural
  • class documentary or a series of mini-documentaries
  • class mosaic with painted tiles
  • stained glass panels
  • beadwork projects
  • class reconciliation fair (with displays)
  • newspaper articles
  • handcrafted cards
 
Students will construct paragraphs explaining their portion of the project and how it relates to the history and legacy of Indian Residential Schools in Canada.
 
Part III: Connecting

The teacher and/or the students should decide how they are going to share their project with Aboriginal peoples. A local school for Indigenous students or Aboriginal community could be contacted. Arrangements could be made to visit the school or community or arrangements could be made for some of their students or community members to visit the school.
This would be another time when students might have the chance to meet a local Elder and hear their stories.
 
Reconciliation Project

Suzanne Williamson

9

Lacombe, Alberta

Students explore Aboriginal history and Indian Residential Schools.

Related Lesson Plans

  • Surviving Residential School

    Surviving Residential School

    Lindsay Fichter

    Edmonton, Alberta

    Students explore and understand how residential schools were a negative consequence of Canadian imperialism and ethnocentrism.

  • Writing a Better Textbook

    Writing a Better Textbook

    Stefan Stipp

    Surrey, British Columbia

    Applying a variety of skills students re-write a section of their textbook about Aboriginal Peoples.

 
View all plans