October 27, 2017

Dear Parents,

This week in Rooms 1 and 2 we have begun learning about the Acknowledgement of the Land as we begin of our journey into Indigenous Education.

Acknowledgement of the Land

We would like to acknowledge the traditional territories and oral practices of the Blackfoot Nations.  This includes the Siksika, the Piikani and the Kainai.  We also acknowledge the Tsuut'ina and Stoney Nakoda First Nations and the Metis Nation (Region 3), and all people who make their homes in the Treaty 7 region of Southern Alberta.  

We began to interpret some of the language for the children.  We have talked about how the Blackfoot people were the original inhabitants of Southern Alberta.  We looked at a map of North America in order to find our region.  We also talked about the meaning of "oral traditions" i.e. story telling. We are beginning to share Indigenous stories about how and why things came to be as they are today.

In order to show a respect for our natural environment, we walked back to the pond in order to return the cat tails we borrowed earlier in the year.  We released their seeds and offered a gift of wood that we brought from our school to say, "Thank you" to Mother Nature.  We shared our learning in a video clip where some of our students talked about what the Acknowledgement of the Land meant to them. 

Have a lovely weekend

Ms. Cvach and Mrs. Kenna