Canadian Studies · Grade 10

Active learning ideas

Experiences of Residential School Survivors

Active learning works for this topic because it transforms abstract historical trauma into tangible, human experiences through collaboration and reflection. Students engage with survivor voices in ways that build empathy and historical understanding without relying on graphic or triggering details alone.

• Ontario Curriculum Expectations
• ON: Canada, 1914–1929 - Grade 10
• ON: Identity, Citizenship, and Heritage - Grade 10

• 25–45 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 3 activities

Activity 01

• Inquiry Circle
• 45 min · Small Groups

Inquiry Circle: The Cycle of Trauma

In small groups, students use a 'concept map' to trace how a specific impact of residential schools (e.g., loss of language) can affect a survivor, their children, and their grandchildren. They then identify 'points of intervention' where healing can occur.

Analyze the common experiences of children within residential schools.

Facilitation Tip

In the Gallery Walk, place art pieces with quotes from survivors nearby so students see direct links between artistic expression and lived experience.

What to look for

Pose the following question to small groups: 'Based on the survivor testimonies you have read, what were the three most common challenges children faced daily in residential schools? Be prepared to share specific examples from the texts to support your choices.'

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Self-Awareness

Activity 02

• Think-Pair-Share
• 25 min · Pairs

Think-Pair-Share: Resilience and Healing

Students watch a short video or read an article about a community-led healing initiative (e.g., land-based learning). They discuss with a partner how these programs address intergenerational trauma by reconnecting people with their culture and identity.

Explain the various forms of abuse and neglect prevalent in the system.

What to look for

Students will write a brief response to: 'Describe one specific form of abuse or neglect experienced by children in residential schools, and explain one way this experience might impact a survivor's identity or well-being long-term.'

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Activity 03

• Gallery Walk
• 35 min · Pairs

Gallery Walk: Indigenous Art and Healing

Display images of contemporary Indigenous art that addresses residential school legacies. Students move through the gallery, discussing in pairs how art can be a tool for expressing trauma and fostering community resilience.

Evaluate the impact of cultural suppression on Indigenous identity.

What to look for

Present students with a short excerpt from a survivor's testimony. Ask them to identify and list two distinct forms of cultural suppression mentioned or implied in the text. Review responses for accuracy in identifying the specific practices being suppressed.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Create
• Relationship Skills
• Social Awareness

A few notes on teaching this unit

Approach this topic with a focus on lived experiences rather than abstract concepts, using survivor narratives as primary sources. Avoid framing Indigenous communities solely through deficit-based language, and instead highlight cultural continuity and resistance when possible. Research shows that centering Indigenous voices and perspectives reduces harm and increases student engagement with difficult histories.

Successful learning looks like students making explicit connections between systemic policies and their real-world consequences today, using survivor testimonies as evidence. Students should also articulate how resilience and healing are active, ongoing processes in Indigenous communities.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Collaborative Investigation, watch for students who say, 'Only people who went to residential schools are affected.'

  During Collaborative Investigation, use a family tree model to show how the absence of one generation's parenting skills impacts the next two generations, making the harm visible.

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Methods used in this brief

• Inquiry Circle
• Think-Pair-Share
• Gallery Walk