With financial support from Canada’s Global Forest Leadership Program through the International Model Forest Network’s IMFN Governance initiative, the Canadian Institute of Forestry – Institut forestier du Canada (CIF-IFC) worked alongside two Canadian Model Forests (Prince Albert and Eastern Ontario) to create lesson plans about forest ecosystems grounded in Indigenous Knowledge. These resources, which highlight culturally significant species and how they relate to each other and their environment, are geared to students aged 8-13 and are available in English, French and Spanish.
Entitled “Web of Life – Indigenous Knowledge and the Interconnectedness of Forest Species,” the first lesson was developed with the Prince Albert Model Forest and is designed for students in Grades 4-7. This curriculum explores culturally significant species to Indigenous Peoples in the region and delves into their interrelations.
The second lesson plan, “Turtle Island: Indigenous Connections to Nature,” created in partnership with Eastern Ontario Model Forest, is aimed at students in Grades 3-6. This lesson incorporates a nature walk and an examination of local species. It also includes a supplementary coloring book highlighting native flora and fauna.
The development of the Web of Life and Turtle Island lesson plans was a collaborative process involving research, consultation, and thoughtful design to ensure cultural respect and educational value. This work included reviewing Indigenous teachings and stories, aligning content with curriculum needs, and collaborating with knowledge holders and educators to ensure the content was accurate and relevant. Each lesson plan took several months to complete, with a focus on creating age-appropriate activities, discussion prompts, and visuals to support student learning.
These resources are intended to help educators introduce Indigenous perspectives on the natural world, encourage critical thinking about sustainability and stewardship, and foster cross-cultural understanding by integrating Indigenous teachings into broader educational contexts. By emphasizing the relationships among forest species and their cultural significance, this project aims to foster respect for traditional wisdom and inspire future stewardship of Canada’s forests.
“CIF-IFC is proud to support the creation of educational resources that honour Indigenous knowledge and perspectives,” expressed Curtis Cook, CIF-IFC Executive Director, “by integrating these materials into classrooms, we hope to encourage meaningful learning that connects both traditional knowledge and modern forest science.”
These most recent offerings build on the previously released Lesson Plan for grades 10-12 entitled “Exploring Model Forest Frameworks in Canada”.
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