Indigenous Perspectives

Canada's Outdoor Learning Store sells a variety of book bundles, guides, and kits to aid educators in taking learning outdoors. Search the shop by seasons, themes, type, language, and age level. It is run as a social enterprise which allows them to provide a return for outdoor learning non-profit organizations from across the country, and beyond.

Walking Together is a resource developed for teachers to help increase their understanding of Indigenous perspectives. Topics include Traditional Environmental Knowledge and Connection to Land. The guide can be worked through at your own pace and includes interactive elements and video interviews with speakers bringing a range of perspectives, including Kainai, Dene, Woodland Cree, Plains Cree, Métis, Nakoda, and more. 

Add your class to the Junior Water Walkers! Use the activity ideas in the four pillars: Connect, Reflect, Respect, and Protect, and then commit to protecting a local water source near your school. Check out the book The Water Walker by Joanne Robertson, and sign up to receive a Water Box for your own class copy of the book and journal to act as a "time capsule" of your learning, to then pass on to a new class at the end of the year. 

Learn about the importance of learning with the land, led by Indigenous Peoples. Included are links to other great resources as well. 

Empowering Learners in a Warming World is a comprehensive guide to climate change education with eight different inquiries that are structured to follow the inquiry process:

Inquiry 1. What is climate change and why care?
Inquiry 2. Climate change: where are we now?
Inquiry 3. Monitoring change using the Climate Atlas of Canada
Inquiry 4. Environmental impacts & restoration
Inquiry 5. Human health: Addressing climate change makes us healthier
Inquiry 6. A low carbon future: Economic transitions, risks and impacts
Inquiry 7. Climate action and decolonization: Indigenous perspectives
Inquiry 8. Ethical dimensions for children, youth, and livable futures
Inquiry 9: Youth Agency

View projects by youth across Canada and submit your project. 

Alberta Food Matters is a province-wide organization that connects dietitians, teachers and local producers to each other and to information on projects that already exist in Alberta and across Canada. They are linked to Canada-wide organizations that also promote these initiatives (such as Food Secure Canada, Coalition for Healthy School Food, Farm2Cafeteria Canada, Farm to School B.C. etc. AFM are currently working on a pilot project called “Community Animators” that supports schools to undertake whatever they are dreaming of doing to bring local, sustainable
food to their students.
 

Take Me Outside has a directory of resources about outdoor learning, including lesson plans and kits!

See the Canadian Outdoor Learning Resource Hub for a detailed list of other organizations supporting outdoor/environmental learning.

Join the Take Me Outside for Learning Challenge each year to gain access to additional resources, presentations, and professional development opportunities. 

Keepers of the Athabasca have created ready-to-use powerpoints and resources for Junior High and High School classrooms. These powerpoints and resources have previously been offered as workshops for teachers. Keepers of the Athabasca have generously donated these materials so that teachers can utilize them in the classroom. 

Exploring the Treaties: Junior High powerpoint, Senior High powerpoint, resources page, walk of privilege exercise

"Where's my Power?" Exploring Power by Saving Energy (energy audit tools for your school & home, energy efficiency, and Indigenous perspectives): Junior, Senior, resources, Climate Connection Circle Game

Community Climate Action Answering your Questions about Solar Power (What do Traditional Knowledge Holders observe? What can we do to slow climate change? How can I get a solar installation for my school/home?):  Junior, Senior, resources, climate change fact sheet, Climate Connection Circle Game

United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples: Senior High (only version), resources, walk of privilege exercise

Indigenous Water Governance: Junior, Senior, resources, water testing activity (see powerpoint slide "Water testing activity")

Talking Circle Guidelines for using a Talking Stick. 

See social studies curriculum links to the above lessons here. 

Discovering the Arctic Learn about arctic wildlife, challenges, people, and research.

Discovering Antarctica Learn about the oceans, atmosphere, landscape, food webs, exploration, and challenges. 

Discovering Galapagos Learn about the challenges that we face in ensuring a sustainable future for these unique islands and find out about ground-breaking conservation projects happening now.

Each website features activities, images, video clips and fact sheets.