Classroom Treaty

See “What is a Treaty?” on pages 4 and 5 in the We Are All Treaty People issue of Kayak: Canada’s History Magazine for Kids.

Read

For First Nations people, land is a gift from the Creator. They did not own the land. The Creator gave them teachings on how to respect it and look after it. This would ensure that all Creation would benefit from it. Europeans did not understand this way of thinking. For them, land was not to be shared – it was to be divided up and each part owned by different people.

Minds on

Design a classroom Treaty. Make sure that students have full involvement and investment in its creation.  Use it throughout the year as the typical “class rules.” Refer to it often as a guide.

Hands on

Purposely break one of the “rules” to be upheld. Have the students explore the idea of interpretation and broken promises. Instruct them to write a personal reflection on how they felt when the classroom Treaty was not honoured. Use the experience as an activator for exploring Treaties, worldview, and broken promises.