Presents
Education Days
Teachers, parents and students are invited to participate in Education Days presented by BMO Financial Group.
Celebrate National Indigenous History Month by learning more about Canada’s diverse Indigenous cultures through engaging online content.
June 1 – 21 on Tuesdays and Thursdays online learning resources and links will be posted here and on Facebook.
Watch for live readings by indigenous authors, art workshops, music and dance performances, virtual museum tours and more.
Registrations for teachers open now. First 50 teachers to register receive a free book/teachers resource for their classroom and all registered teachers entered into draws for classroom prize packages.
Inuit Games
Presented by Aalla Metcalfe
Aalla Metcalfe Born in St. John's, NL, raised in Ottawa, ON, Aalla (Stranger) has spent more than a decade demonstrating and teaching traditional Inuit games. If your child attends school in Ottawa, it's more than likely that Stranger has taught their class about the Inuit culture. Stranger will be joined by his 14yr old son, who has inherited Aalla's passion for teaching games to anyone who is willing to learn. The boys will be teaching and demonstrating some traditional Inuit games that can be practiced during these times of social distancing.
Format: Video
Date: June 2
Time: 11:00 - 11:45
Workshop Length: 45 minutes
Required Materials: Students can use materials at home. They will need something they can kick, such as a hat, a stuffed animal, etc.
Performance details: Knee jump, Seal (knuckle) hop, One-foot high kick, Two-foot high kick, Alaskan high kick, One-hand reach
Aalla Metcalfe Born in St. John's, NL, raised in Ottawa, ON, Aalla (Stranger) has spent more than a decade demonstrating and teaching traditional Inuit games. If your child attends school in Ottawa, it's more than likely that Stranger has taught their class about the Inuit culture. Stranger will be joined by his 14yr old son, who has inherited Aalla's passion for teaching games to anyone who is willing to learn. The boys will be teaching and demonstrating some traditional Inuit games that can be practiced during these times of social distancing.
Format: Video
Date: June 2
Time: 11:00 - 11:45
Workshop Length: 45 minutes
Required Materials: Students can use materials at home. They will need something they can kick, such as a hat, a stuffed animal, etc.
Performance details: Knee jump, Seal (knuckle) hop, One-foot high kick, Two-foot high kick, Alaskan high kick, One-hand reach
Author Reading - The Orange Shirt Story
Presented by Phyllis Webstad - Suitable for grades 5 - 8 ( but open to all)
Every year on September 30th, we wear orange shirts to honor residential school survivors. Orange Shirt Day grew out of Phyllis Webstad’s story of having her shiny new orange shirt taken away on her first day of school at residential school, told for the first time in May 2013. It has become an opportunity to keep the discussion on all aspects of residential schools happening annually. Orange Shirt Day is also an opportunity for First Nations, local governments, schools and communities to come together in the spirit of reconciliation and hope for generations of children to come. Phyllis published her first children’s book called “The Orange Shirt Story” which aims to bring communities together.
Format: Secure webinar with link sent in advance to registered teachers (no download required)
Date: June 4
Time: 1:00 pm
Workshop Length: 45 minutes
Every year on September 30th, we wear orange shirts to honor residential school survivors. Orange Shirt Day grew out of Phyllis Webstad’s story of having her shiny new orange shirt taken away on her first day of school at residential school, told for the first time in May 2013. It has become an opportunity to keep the discussion on all aspects of residential schools happening annually. Orange Shirt Day is also an opportunity for First Nations, local governments, schools and communities to come together in the spirit of reconciliation and hope for generations of children to come. Phyllis published her first children’s book called “The Orange Shirt Story” which aims to bring communities together.
Format: Secure webinar with link sent in advance to registered teachers (no download required)
Date: June 4
Time: 1:00 pm
Workshop Length: 45 minutes
Natural Art Project
Presented by Emily Hoefler-Brascoupé
Enjoy making beautiful art from natural materials with Emily Hoefler-Brascoupé. Collect leaves, twigs, grass, flowers, pebbles and other found objects from nature. Check Emily’s artwork paddle, “Rabbit Moon” which is featured on the Algonquin Canoe, at the Pimisi LRT Station, Ottawa. She learned about Algonquin culture from her grandfather.
Format: Video
Date: June 11
Time: 1:00 – 1:45 pm
Workshop Length: 45 minutes
Required Materials: Materials to be found around the house and yard; leaves, twigs, gras, flowers, pebbles and other found objects from nature.
Enjoy making beautiful art from natural materials with Emily Hoefler-Brascoupé. Collect leaves, twigs, grass, flowers, pebbles and other found objects from nature. Check Emily’s artwork paddle, “Rabbit Moon” which is featured on the Algonquin Canoe, at the Pimisi LRT Station, Ottawa. She learned about Algonquin culture from her grandfather.
Format: Video
Date: June 11
Time: 1:00 – 1:45 pm
Workshop Length: 45 minutes
Required Materials: Materials to be found around the house and yard; leaves, twigs, gras, flowers, pebbles and other found objects from nature.
Feel the Heartbeat Stomp & Make your own Rattle Workshop
Presented by David Finkle & Indigenous Experiences team
Create your own "rattles" at home with David Finkle! A rattle can be made using material found around the home. David is a highly sought after project facilitator for his popular workshops regarding traditional drum and rattle building and historical presentations. A 25 minutes interactive "Feel the Heartbeat" workshop will follow. The Indigenous Experiences team will help you use your new rattle to follow along with a fun and interactive stomp dance.
Date: June 16
Time: David Finkle: 11:00 am - 11:20 pm / Indigenous Experiences team: 11:20 - 11:45
Workshop Length: 45 minutes
Required Materials: Students will be provided with a list of materials they can collect before the teaching so they are ready.
Create your own "rattles" at home with David Finkle! A rattle can be made using material found around the home. David is a highly sought after project facilitator for his popular workshops regarding traditional drum and rattle building and historical presentations. A 25 minutes interactive "Feel the Heartbeat" workshop will follow. The Indigenous Experiences team will help you use your new rattle to follow along with a fun and interactive stomp dance.
Date: June 16
Time: David Finkle: 11:00 am - 11:20 pm / Indigenous Experiences team: 11:20 - 11:45
Workshop Length: 45 minutes
Required Materials: Students will be provided with a list of materials they can collect before the teaching so they are ready.
Author Reading - My Heart Fills With Happiness & We Are Kind
Presented by Monique Gray Smith - Suitable for Grades K-3
Monique Gray Smith is a proud Mom of teenage twins and an award-winning, best-selling author. Her first published novel, Tilly: A Story of Hope and Resilience won the 2014 Canadian Burt Award for First Nation, Métis and Inuit Literature. Since then, Monique has had 6 books come out, including My Heart Fills with Happiness, which has won numerous awards, as well as Speaking our Truth: A Journey of Reconciliation which as a finalist for the TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award. In 2019, every grade one child in Canada received a copy of the dual language, English/French and Cree edition of My Heart Fills with Happiness. Monique’s latest release, Tilly and the Crazy Eights is a novel about an epic road trip that Tilly and eight Indigenous Elders take. The story reminds the reader of the power of the human spirit and that love is medicine. Tilly and the Crazy Eights recently won the First Nations Community Reads in the Young Adult/Adult Category. Coming soon, When We Are Kind, a children’s picture book reminding us what it feels like when we are kind and when someone is kind to us; as well, the importance of being kind to ourselves. Monique is Cree, Lakota and Scottish and has been sober and involved in her healing journey for over 29 years. She is well known for her storytelling, spirit of generosity and focus on resilience.
Date: June 18
Time: 1:00 - 1:30 pm
Workshop Length: 30 minutes
Monique Gray Smith is a proud Mom of teenage twins and an award-winning, best-selling author. Her first published novel, Tilly: A Story of Hope and Resilience won the 2014 Canadian Burt Award for First Nation, Métis and Inuit Literature. Since then, Monique has had 6 books come out, including My Heart Fills with Happiness, which has won numerous awards, as well as Speaking our Truth: A Journey of Reconciliation which as a finalist for the TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award. In 2019, every grade one child in Canada received a copy of the dual language, English/French and Cree edition of My Heart Fills with Happiness. Monique’s latest release, Tilly and the Crazy Eights is a novel about an epic road trip that Tilly and eight Indigenous Elders take. The story reminds the reader of the power of the human spirit and that love is medicine. Tilly and the Crazy Eights recently won the First Nations Community Reads in the Young Adult/Adult Category. Coming soon, When We Are Kind, a children’s picture book reminding us what it feels like when we are kind and when someone is kind to us; as well, the importance of being kind to ourselves. Monique is Cree, Lakota and Scottish and has been sober and involved in her healing journey for over 29 years. She is well known for her storytelling, spirit of generosity and focus on resilience.
Date: June 18
Time: 1:00 - 1:30 pm
Workshop Length: 30 minutes
CULTURAL SHOWCASE / METIS JIG, INUIT THROATSINGING AND POW WOW DANCE
Presented by Prairie Fire, Indigenous Experiences and Tarniriik - Suitable for all grades
Prairie Fire is a fun family dance group that started out as Jaime and the Jiglets with their mother Jaime Koebel. Prairie Fire is a lively and interactive group that also aims to teach audiences about Metis culture and the joy of the jig. Indigenous Experiences has been proudly presenting Pow Wow dance performances for schools and public events for over 20 years. Tarniriik, the young Inuit girls who brought the new Prime Minister to join in their giggles during their performance continue to share and perform Inuit throatsinging.
Date: June 9
Time: 11:00 - 11:45 pm
Workshop Length: 45 minutes
Prairie Fire is a fun family dance group that started out as Jaime and the Jiglets with their mother Jaime Koebel. Prairie Fire is a lively and interactive group that also aims to teach audiences about Metis culture and the joy of the jig. Indigenous Experiences has been proudly presenting Pow Wow dance performances for schools and public events for over 20 years. Tarniriik, the young Inuit girls who brought the new Prime Minister to join in their giggles during their performance continue to share and perform Inuit throatsinging.
Date: June 9
Time: 11:00 - 11:45 pm
Workshop Length: 45 minutes
