How do we acknowledge that different experiences shape how each person sees the world?
In the fall, learners in Grades 7/8 classes participated in a unit on world views. During the first milestone, the focus was on understanding that everyone has a story that shapes their world view. The teachers began by showing learners obscure pictures or real-life tools from different eras and cultures as prompts, asking them what they were used for. Based on their personal experiences, they made calculated guesses. After collecting their answers, the teachers asked the learners to indicate how they came to their answers. The learners noted that each learner’s different experiences shaped what they believed to be each item’s purpose. The teacher then revealed the driving question for this unit, “How do we acknowledge that different experiences shape how each person sees the world?” and posted it on the wall. To help learners understand the concept of world view, the teacher shared the short YouTube video, What’s Your Worldview? (Quiz). Using sticky notes, they then described what a world view was and how it was created. Their descriptions were displayed on the project wall for future reference.
The second milestone looked at understanding the world view of Indigenous nations pre-European contact. To begin, learners were asked to complete a KWL about their knowledge of Indigenous cultures pre-contact. They were then transported back in time to Manitoba as it existed prior to European contact through Minecraft’s Manito Ahbee Aki, the world’s first Anishinaabe community built in Minecraft. Learners developed their understanding of this particular Indigenous world view as they worked their way through three different phases of the game, gaining insights from Knowledge Keepers along the way. They then analyzed a Plains Cree world view with a text written by Judy Bear from Sweetgrass First Nation and illustrated by Michael McKenna. Learners were then asked to view the video Indigenous Worldview (What it is and how it is different). Throughout this milestone, they were tasked with documenting their learning.
In the third milestone, learners came to a better understanding of what first contact represented and the colonial settlers’ world view. They began this part of the unit participating in a blanket activity that was facilitated by a teacher with the Indigenous education team. For those classes where an Elder or teacher is not available to coordinate and facilitate this activity, learners could also view another video, Reasons for Exploration and Colonization of North America. Following this activity, learners were assigned a research project to learn more about Indigenous nations pre-European contact and then the impact that First Contact had on them. They wrote responses on sticky notes that were displayed on the project wall, explaining why settlers came to Turtle Island, what happened when they arrived, and what that looked like for Indigenous Peoples. Learners also created posters to better depict their understanding of each nation’s world views. These were displayed in classes and in the hallways so that all learners could participate in a gallery walk to complete a 3-2-1 exit slip (three similarities between the nations; two differences; one summary of the four First Nations’ first contact experiences in 30 to 50 words).
In the last milestone of the unit, learners came to the understanding that each party had its own story or world view and that no interventions from colonizers were needed in traditional Indigenous life. During the first lesson, learners completed a T-chart to compare colonizer and Indigenous world views following a viewing of Got Bannock? In honour of the village we once had (TEDxManitoba) and Canada in Focus: A Promise to Share (The Treaty Relationship). Learners and teachers then discussed their findings and opinions and displayed the classroom T-chart on the project wall. Once they had completed this chart, the teachers explained the final project where learners were asked to depict a world view of an Indigenous culture before first contact. Learners brainstormed key words about Indigenous world views on the board, and then the teachers took photos of their ideas and posted them on Teams for future reference. Then, together, they created criteria for this project. Learners were then asked to create something that depicted the world view, through stories, art pieces, playlists, and so on. These were displayed in an art gallery for friends and family to attend during a community evening at the school.
Learners closed the unit by answering the following questions in their journals:
This project could be extended to a Part 2 (see Story of Practice #54).
Fremin, Makayla. “Reasons for Exploration and Colonization of North America.” YouTube, 2020.
Guiboche, Althea. “Got Bannock? In Honour of the Village We Once Had.” TEDx Manitoba, 2015.
Canada’s History Society. Canada in Focus: A Promise to Share (The Treaty Relationship). 20 Sept. 2022. Accessed 19 Nov. 2024.
Impact 360 Institute. “What’s Your Worldview? (Quiz).” YouTube, 2015.
Rose, Mallory. “Indigenous Worldview (What it is and how it is different).” YouTube, 2022.
