Indigenous Issues: “Birdsong” by Julie Flett

Grade Level: Kindergarten

Topic: Indigenous Issues (Knowledge Sharing, Relationship with Elders)

Book Title: “Birdsong”

Author: Julie Flett

Discussion Prompts/Questions:

Before Reading
- “In this book, Katherena moves with her Mom to a new home, and meets a new neighbour named Agnes. Katherena is young, and Agnes is very grown-up. They teach each other important things!”
- “What are some important things that you can teach to someone else?”
- “What are important things that grown-ups have taught to you?”
- “This book also takes us through the seasons. What do you know about seasons?”
During/After Reading
- “What do we notice in the pictures that gives us clues that the seasons are changing?”
- “Katherena says goodbye to friends when she moves to her new home, and then at the end she says good bye to Agnes. Have you ever had to say goodbye to someone?”
- “We learn from each other, and we learn a lot from people who are not the same age as us, or are not from the same place as we are! What do you think is something important that Katherena taught? What is something important that Agnes taught?”

Follow-Up Activity:

Arrange a “preschool playdate”, or an opportunity for younger siblings to visit the classroom for playtime. Encourage students to teach the younger children something new.
If possible, arrange for older students visit your class to teach your students some new outdoor activities.
Invite grandparents (or people from a grandparent generation) to come in and teach students some games they enjoyed playing when they were children.

BC Core Competency Connections:

Personal and Social

Positive Personal and Cultural Identity
- I am aware of myself as different from others.
Social Awareness and Responsibility
- I am aware that other people can be different from me.
- I can identify when something is unfair to me or to others.

Thinking

Communication

Communicating
- In a safe and supported environment, I respond meaningfully to communication from peers and adults.
- In familiar settings, I communicate with peers and adults.
Collaborating
- In familiar situations, I can participate with others.

BC Curricular Connections:

Understand (Big Ideas):
- Stories and other texts help us learn about ourselves and our families. (ELA K)
- Everyone has a unique story to share. (ELA K)
- Stories and traditions about ourselves and our families reflect who we are and where we are from. (SS K)
- Strong Communities are the results of being connected to family and community and working together towards common goals. (Career Education K)

Know (Content):
- Ways in which individuals and families differ and are the same. (SS K)
- Cultural and social awareness, achieved by exploring self-identity, acknowledging cultural differences, honouring indigenous traditions (Career Education K)

FPPL Link:

Learning ultimately supports the well-being of the self, the family, the community, the land, the spirits, and the ancestors.
Learning is holistic, reflexive, reflective, experiential, and relational (focused on connectedness, on reciprocal relationships, and a sense of place).
Learning involves generational roles and responsibilities.
Learning recognizes the role of Indigenous knowledge.
Learning is embedded in memory, history, and story.

BC ELF Link:

Families have the most important role in contributing to children’s well-being and learning.
People build connection and reconnection to land, culture, community and place.
Play is integral to well-being and learning.
Relationships are the context for well-being and learning.

TFT Through-line Link:

Social Justice for Little Learners