Intergenerational Trauma & Legacy

Active learning works for this topic because discussing intergenerational trauma and legacy requires critical thinking about sensitive, lived experiences. When students engage directly with the TRC's Calls to Action through discussion and debate, they connect abstract concepts to real-world implications and develop empathy alongside understanding.

• Grade 10
• Canadian Studies
• 3 activities
• 25 min–50 min

Learning Objectives

1. Explain the concept of intergenerational trauma as a consequence of historical injustices, specifically the residential school system in Canada.
2. Analyze the ongoing impacts of residential schools on Indigenous communities' health, education, and family structures.
3. Evaluate the effectiveness of current initiatives aimed at addressing intergenerational trauma and promoting reconciliation.
4. Predict potential long-term societal consequences if intergenerational trauma stemming from residential schools remains unaddressed.

Inquiry Circle

⏱ 50 min·Small Groups

Inquiry Circle: The 94 Calls to Action

Divide the class into small groups, each assigned a category of the Calls to Action (e.g., Education, Justice, Health). Students use online trackers to determine the current status of their assigned calls and present their findings to the class.

Prepare & details

Explain the concept of intergenerational trauma in the context of residential schools.

Facilitation Tip: For the Collaborative Investigation, assign small groups to focus on 2-3 Calls to Action each, then have groups present their findings in a gallery walk format to expose students to the full range of recommendations.

Setup: Groups at tables with access to source materials

Materials: Source material collection, Inquiry cycle worksheet, Question generation protocol, Findings presentation template

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

Formal Debate

⏱ 45 min·Whole Class

Formal Debate: The Role of Education in Reconciliation

Students debate the effectiveness of Call to Action #62, which calls for mandatory curriculum on residential schools. They discuss whether education alone is enough to achieve reconciliation or if it must be paired with economic and legal changes.

Prepare & details

Analyze how the effects of residential schools continue to manifest in contemporary Indigenous communities.

Facilitation Tip: During the Structured Debate, use a timer for each speaker's turn and provide a visible pro/con chart to keep the discussion grounded in evidence from the TRC report.

Setup: Two teams facing each other, audience seating for the rest

Materials: Debate proposition card, Research brief for each side, Judging rubric for audience, Timer

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Decision-Making

Think-Pair-Share

⏱ 25 min·Pairs

Think-Pair-Share: What Does Reconciliation Mean to You?

After reading the TRC's definition of reconciliation, students reflect individually on what it looks like in their own lives or school. They share their ideas with a partner and then contribute to a class 'reconciliation wall' of actionable ideas.

Prepare & details

Predict the long-term societal impacts if intergenerational trauma is not addressed.

Facilitation Tip: In the Think-Pair-Share, ask students to revisit their initial responses after the debate to notice how their perspectives may have shifted.

Setup: Standard classroom seating; students turn to a neighbor

Materials: Discussion prompt (projected or printed), Optional: recording sheet for pairs

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

Teaching This Topic

Approach this topic with clear structure and emotional safety. Start with the TRC's mandate to frame why survivors' testimonies matter more than abstract theories. Avoid rushing to solutions; instead, have students sit with the discomfort of unresolved harm. Research shows that when students analyze primary sources like survivor statements, their understanding of trauma becomes more nuanced and less prone to oversimplification.

What to Expect

Successful learning looks like students recognizing the difference between symbolic gestures and systemic change, applying the TRC's framework to contemporary issues, and articulating personal or societal commitments to reconciliation. Students should leave able to explain how intergenerational trauma persists and why redress matters beyond apologies.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

During the Collaborative Investigation of the 94 Calls to Action, watch for students who equate reconciliation with verbal apologies.

What to Teach Instead

Use the Calls to Action themselves as evidence. Have students categorize each call as either symbolic (e.g., apologies) or systemic (e.g., policy changes) on a T-chart, then discuss why systemic actions are required to create lasting change.

Common Misconception

During the Structured Debate on education's role, watch for students who claim the TRC had the authority to punish individuals.

What to Teach Instead

Refer students to the TRC's final report introduction, which explicitly states its truth-seeking mandate. Ask them to compare this to a court's role in sentencing, then discuss why punishment was not the TRC's goal.

Assessment Ideas

Discussion Prompt

After the Collaborative Investigation, facilitate a class discussion using the prompt: 'How can understanding intergenerational trauma help us analyze the current challenges faced by Indigenous communities in Canada? Provide at least two specific examples.' Assess responses based on their ability to connect historical events (e.g., residential schools) to contemporary issues (e.g., child welfare disparities, incarceration rates) using evidence from the Calls to Action.

Quick Check

During the Think-Pair-Share, present students with three short case studies, each describing a different contemporary issue in an Indigenous community. Ask students to identify which aspects of the case study could be linked to intergenerational trauma and explain their reasoning in 2-3 sentences. Collect responses to assess their understanding of trauma's legacy.

Exit Ticket

After the Structured Debate, ask students to write one sentence defining intergenerational trauma in their own words and one sentence predicting a positive societal change that could occur if this trauma is effectively addressed. Review these for accuracy and thoughtfulness to gauge their synthesis of the topic.

Extensions & Scaffolding

• Challenge early finishers to draft a letter to a local representative outlining which of the 94 Calls to Action their community could prioritize for implementation.
• Scaffolding for struggling students: Provide sentence stems for the debate (e.g., 'One perspective on this Call to Action is...') and a word bank of key terms (e.g., intergenerational trauma, cultural genocide, reconciliation).
• Deeper exploration: Invite a guest speaker from an Indigenous organization to share how their work addresses a specific Call to Action, then have students prepare questions in advance.

Key Vocabulary

Intergenerational Trauma	The transmission of historical trauma and its emotional and psychological effects from one generation to the next. This can manifest in various social and health issues within affected communities.
Residential School System	A network of boarding schools for Indigenous children in Canada, established by the government and religious authorities. The system aimed to assimilate Indigenous peoples by removing them from their families and cultures.
Cultural Genocide	The deliberate destruction of the cultural heritage of a group of people, often through forced assimilation, suppression of language, and disruption of traditions. This term was used by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to describe the residential school system.
Reconciliation	The process of establishing or restoring friendly relations between groups. In the Canadian context, it refers to addressing the ongoing legacy of residential schools and working towards a more equitable relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples.