Indigenous Issues: “On the Trapline” by David A. Robertson

Grade Level: Grade One/Two

Topic: Indigenous Issues (Relationship with Elders, Connection to the Land, Knowledge Sharing)

Book Title: “On the Trapline”

Author: David A. Robertson

Discussion Prompts/Questions:

Before Reading
- “Many indigenous cultures pass their knowledge along through story-telling, songs, and teaching ‘out loud’, rather than by writing things down. This is a really good way to learn! However, if something happens to make it hard for Elders to teach their knowledge, some of that gets lost. That’s a big problem for First Nations communities and Indigenous people around the world.”
During/After Reading
- “While they are traveling, Moshom teaches the narrator words in the Swampy Cree language. Do you or your family speak languages other than English? What are some words that you can teach us?”
- “What are some of the foods that Indigenous people eat while on the trapline? Have you ever eaten any of these?”
- “Why do you think it was important for Moshom to share his old trapline with his grandson?”
- “What is some of the important knowledge that Moshom shared? If Moshom didn’t share it, what might happen to that knowledge?”

Follow-Up Activity:

Learning and knowledge is a gift. Have students create artwork to show knowledge that they have. Display their work in a “Things That We Know” presentation, as a way of passing the knowledge along to others.
Work with another teacher, of older or younger students, to give students the opportunity to teach and learn from each other. There can be flexibility in what they want to teach and how they want to teach it, or you can give specific guidelines.

BC Core Competency Connections:

Personal and Social

Positive Personal and Cultural Identity
- I am aware of different aspects of myself. I can describe my family, home, and/or community (people and/or place).
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
- I can understand and share basic information about topics that are important to me.
Collaborating
- I contribute during group activities, cooperate with others, and listen respectfully to their ideas.

BC Curricular Connections:

Understand (Big Ideas):
- Stories and other texts help us learn about ourselves and our families. (ELA 1)
- Everyone has a unique story to share. (ELA 1)
- Through listening and speaking, we connect with others and share our world. (ELA 1)
- Healthy communities recognize and respect the diversity of individuals and care for the local environment. (SS 1)

Stories and other texts help us learn about ourselves and our families. (ELA 2)
- Everyone has a unique story to share. (ELA 2)
- Through listening and speaking, we connect with others and share our world. (ELA 2)
- Local actions have global consequences, and global actions have local consequences. (SS 2)
- Strong Communities are the results of being connected to family and community and working together towards common goals. (Career Education 2)

Know (Content):
- Diverse cultures, backgrounds, and perspectives within the local and other communities. (SS 1)
- Cultural and social awareness, achieved by exploring self-identity, acknowledging cultural differences, honouring indigenous traditions. (Career Education 1)

Diverse characteristics of communities and cultures in Canada and around the world. (SS 2)
- Cultural and social awareness, achieved by exploring self-identity, acknowledging cultural differences, honouring indigenous traditions. (Career Education 2)

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