Social Justice for Little Learners

Truth and Reconciliation: “We All Play” by Julie Flett

Grade Level: PS 3 – Kindergarten

Topic: Truth and Reconciliation

Book Title: “We All Play”

Author: Julie Flett

Link to Purchase: https://a.co/d/0FJflP7

Link for Online Read-Aloud : https://youtu.be/bPivCAi1D74?si=Pvwh4HbZ8LfKdF3y

Discussion Prompts/Questions:

  • Before Reading
    • “Look at the cover of the book. What is happening? Who is included? Read me the picture! Now, let’s look at the words. What do you notice?”
    •  
  • During Reading
    • Picture walk through the storybook, with the words covered. “What do we notice? What are we thinking about?”
  • Read through the book again, reading the English words, practicing the Cree words, and acting out what the animals are doing (crawling, slithering, sniffing, sneaking, running, hopping, etc).
  • During a third walk through the book, make a list of all of the animals we met in the book, and search for the little animals that are hiding in the illustrations. Use both the English and Cree words.
  • After Reading
    • “What did you notice about how the children were playing in the book? “
    • “What did you notice about how the animals were playing?”
    • “Turn-and-Talk to your shoulder partner about your favourite animal in the book. Why did you like it? What was it doing?”
    • “Turn-and-Talk to your new shoulder partner about a game you like to play at recess. Why do you like it? Who do you play with?”
    • “Turn-and-Talk to your new shoulder partner about a game you like to play at home. Why do you like it? Who do you play with?”

Follow-Up Activity:

  • Go outside to a nature space or the playground. Explore how many different ways, either like in the book or new ideas, students can move around in the space.
  • Have students create art (drawing, painting, playdough, clay, loose parts, taking photos, etc) showing different ways that the students in the class like to play. Depending on the age of the class, they can add words through labels, captions, or having writing scribed on the page. You may want to use a writing prompt such as “We all play! I am __________ when I play ____________.”

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.
    • In familiar settings, I can interact with others and my surroundings respectfully.
    • I can identify when something is unfair to me or to others.

Thinking

  • Creative Thinking
    • I get ideas when I play.
  • Critical Thinking
    • I can explore materials and actions.

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)
    • Through listening and speaking, we connect with others and share our world. (ELA K)
    • Our communities are diverse and made of individulas who have a lot in common. (SS K)
    • Learning about ourselves and others helps us develop a positive attitude and caring behaviours, which helps us build healthy relationships. (Physical and Health Education K)
  • Know (Content):
    • Ways in which individuals and families differ and are the same. (SS K)
    • Rights, roles, and responsibilities of individuals and groups. (SS K)
    • Cultural and social awareness, achieved by exploring self-identity, acknowledging cultural differences, honouring indigenous traditions. (Career Education K)
    • Caring behaviours in groups and families. (Physical and Health Education K)
  • Do (Curricular Competency):
    • Comprehend and connect (reading, listening, viewing)
      • Engage actively as listeners, viewers, and readers, as appropriate, to develop understanding of self, identity, and community. (ELA K)
      • Recognize the importance of story in personal, family, and community identity. (ELA K)
      • Use personal experience and knowledge to connect to stories and other texts to make meaning. (ELA K)
    • Create and communicate (writing, speaking, representing)
      • Exchange ideas and perspectives to build shared understanding. (ELA K)
      • Use language to identify, create, and share ideas, feelings, opinions, and preferences. (ELA K)
    • Recognize causes and consequences of events, decisions, or developments in their lives. (SS K)
    • Acknowledge different perspectives on people, places, issues, or events in their lives. (SS K)
    • Identify fair and unfair aspects of events, decisions, or actions in their lives and consider appropriate courses of action. (SS K)
    • Share ideas, information, personal feelings, and knowledge with others. (Career Education K)
    • Develop and demonstrate respectful behaviour when participating in activities with others. (Physical and Health 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 involves recognizing the consequences of one’s actions.
  • Learning is embedded in memory, history, and story.
  • Learning requires exploration of one’s identity.

BC ELF Link:

  • Early years spaces are inclusive.
  • Play is integral to well-being and learning.
  • Relationships are the context for well-being and learning.
  • Learning is holistic.

TFT Through-line Link:

  • Justice Seeking
  • Community Building

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