Indigenous Arts and TraditionsActivities & Teaching Strategies
Active learning helps Grade 2 students connect deeply with Indigenous arts and traditions by engaging their senses and curiosity. Handling natural materials and discussing symbols makes cultural knowledge tangible and memorable for young learners.
Learning Objectives
- 1Identify natural materials used by local Indigenous artists and explain their cultural significance.
- 2Analyze symbols within Indigenous artwork to interpret the stories and ideas they represent.
- 3Explain the importance of respecting the meanings and origins of Indigenous art.
- 4Compare and contrast the use of symbols in two different local Indigenous art pieces.
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Small Groups: Symbol Sharing Circles
Form circles of 4-5 students. Each draws a personal symbol with crayons that tells a family story, then learns one Indigenous symbol from provided cards and explains its meaning. Groups compare similarities and rotate to share with another circle. End with a class mural of symbols.
Prepare & details
What natural materials do Indigenous artists in Canada use to create their artwork?
Facilitation Tip: For Symbol Sharing Circles, provide a clear talking piece to structure turn-taking and ensure every student feels heard.
Setup: Groups at tables with case materials
Materials: Case study packet (3-5 pages), Analysis framework worksheet, Presentation template
Pairs: Natural Material Explorations
Provide safe items like twine, feathers, leaves, and clay. Pairs select materials to create a small artwork inspired by local Indigenous forms, such as a woven pattern or animal figure. They label their piece with a story it tells and present to the class.
Prepare & details
How do symbols in Indigenous artwork help share stories and important ideas?
Facilitation Tip: During Natural Material Explorations, set up a sensory station with labeled samples to reinforce vocabulary and material properties.
Setup: Groups at tables with case materials
Materials: Case study packet (3-5 pages), Analysis framework worksheet, Presentation template
Whole Class: Artist Story Walk
Display images of local Indigenous artworks with labels on symbols and materials. Students walk the room in a guided tour, stopping to sketch one element and discuss its story in think-pair-share. Conclude with a group reflection on respect.
Prepare & details
Why is it important to respect the stories and meanings inside Indigenous art?
Facilitation Tip: For the Artist Story Walk, place artworks at child-height with accompanying short labels or audio clips to support accessibility.
Setup: Groups at tables with case materials
Materials: Case study packet (3-5 pages), Analysis framework worksheet, Presentation template
Individual: Respect Journal Entries
Students view videos of Indigenous artists, then journal one new learning about materials or symbols and one way to show respect. Follow with peer feedback pairs to refine entries before sharing select ones aloud.
Prepare & details
What natural materials do Indigenous artists in Canada use to create their artwork?
Facilitation Tip: During Respect Journal Entries, model a completed entry with your own thoughts to demonstrate depth and reflection.
Setup: Groups at tables with case materials
Materials: Case study packet (3-5 pages), Analysis framework worksheet, Presentation template
Teaching This Topic
Teachers should approach this topic with humility, acknowledging that Indigenous knowledge is living and held by communities. Avoid generalizing across nations and always center the voices of Indigenous artists when possible. Use storytelling as a bridge to build understanding without oversimplifying complex traditions. Research shows that when students connect art to its cultural context, their retention and respect for traditions grow significantly.
What to Expect
Successful learning is visible when students confidently describe how symbols and materials reflect cultural values, ask thoughtful questions about respectful use, and share personal connections to Indigenous art forms. Respect and curiosity should guide their interactions.
These activities are a starting point. A full mission is the experience.
- Complete facilitation script with teacher dialogue
- Printable student materials, ready for class
- Differentiation strategies for every learner
Watch Out for These Misconceptions
Common MisconceptionDuring Symbol Sharing Circles, watch for students who assume all Indigenous art uses the same symbols or materials without recognizing diversity.
What to Teach Instead
Use the circle to compare two artworks from different nations side by side. Ask students to identify one unique symbol or material in each, then share their observations with the group.
Common MisconceptionDuring Natural Material Explorations, watch for students who dismiss symbols as mere decorations without deeper meaning.
What to Teach Instead
Have students trace a symbol onto paper and write a short story or teaching that the symbol could represent, mirroring how Indigenous artists embed meaning into their work.
Common MisconceptionDuring the Artist Story Walk, watch for students who copy artwork without considering cultural protocols or permissions.
What to Teach Instead
Pose a scenario at each station: 'If you wanted to use this design in your own work, what would you need to ask the artist or community?' Discuss responses as a group.
Assessment Ideas
After Symbol Sharing Circles, provide images of two Indigenous artworks. Ask students to write one natural material they see and one symbol, explaining what they think it might mean based on their discussion.
During the Artist Story Walk, show an artwork with clear symbols. Ask: 'What do you notice about this artwork? What do these shapes or pictures tell us? Why is it important to listen when someone shares the meaning behind this art?'
During Natural Material Explorations, hold up examples like cedar bark or soapstone. Ask students to identify the material and give one reason why an Indigenous artist might choose to use it in their work.
Extensions & Scaffolding
- Challenge students to research one natural material and present its cultural significance to the class.
- Scaffolding: Provide pre-selected symbol images with simple definitions to support students who struggle with abstract concepts.
- Deeper exploration: Invite a local Indigenous artist or knowledge keeper to share their process and protocols for creating art.
Key Vocabulary
| Symbol | A picture or object that stands for something else, like an idea, a story, or a belief. |
| Natural Materials | Items found in nature, such as wood, stone, plant fibers, or animal parts, used by artists to create their work. |
| Oral Tradition | The practice of passing down stories, history, and knowledge from one generation to the next by speaking, rather than writing. |
| Cultural Significance | The special meaning or importance that something has for a particular group of people and their way of life. |
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