First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Studies · Grade 12 · Colonialism and Historical Impacts · 2.º Período

The Residential School System and Sixties Scoop

This topic explores the devastating impacts of the residential school system and the Sixties Scoop on Indigenous families and communities. Students examine the intergenerational trauma caused by these assimilationist policies.

TL;DR:This topic addresses the dark legacy of the residential school system and the Sixties Scoop, focusing on their roles as tools of cultural genocide. Students examine the state-sponsored attempt to 'kill the Indian in the child' by forcibly removing children from their families and communities. The curriculum explores the physical, emotional, and spiritual abuse survivors faced and the long-term intergenerational trauma that continues to impact Indigenous families today.

• Ontario Curriculum Expectations
• D2.1 Assess the impact of residential schools on Indigenous communities
• D2.2 Analyze the effects of the Sixties Scoop on family structures

About This Topic

This topic addresses the dark legacy of the residential school system and the Sixties Scoop, focusing on their roles as tools of cultural genocide. Students examine the state-sponsored attempt to 'kill the Indian in the child' by forcibly removing children from their families and communities. The curriculum explores the physical, emotional, and spiritual abuse survivors faced and the long-term intergenerational trauma that continues to impact Indigenous families today.

Students will also learn about the Sixties Scoop, where Indigenous children were placed in the child welfare system and adopted into non-Indigenous homes, often without parental consent. This topic requires a sensitive, trauma-informed approach. This topic comes alive when students can engage with primary sources, such as survivor testimonies from the TRC, through structured reflection and peer support.

Key Questions

1. What were the goals of the residential school system?
2. How has intergenerational trauma affected contemporary Indigenous communities?
3. What role did the government and churches play in these systems?

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

Residential schools were just 'bad schools' or a product of their time.

What to Teach Instead

They were a deliberate, systemic policy designed to eliminate Indigenous cultures. Active analysis of government documents from the era helps students see the intentionality behind the system.

Common Misconception

The Sixties Scoop was done with good intentions to help children.

What to Teach Instead

While individuals may have had various motives, the system was rooted in the racist belief that Indigenous families were inherently unfit. Peer discussion of the 'scoop' statistics helps surface the systemic bias.

Active Learning Ideas

Think-Pair-Share

Analyzing the TRC Findings

Students read a short excerpt from the TRC Final Report, discuss the concept of 'cultural genocide' with a partner, and share how this term applies to the school system.

30 min·Pairs

Gallery Walk

The Power of Testimony

Students move silently through the room reading quotes from survivors of the residential school system and the Sixties Scoop, recording their emotional and intellectual responses.

40 min·Individual

Inquiry Circle

Intergenerational Trauma

Groups research how the disruption of family structures in the past leads to contemporary challenges in health, education, and social services, presenting their findings as a 'ripple effect' diagram.

50 min·Small Groups

Frequently Asked Questions

What is intergenerational trauma?

It is the transmission of the effects of trauma from those who experienced it directly to subsequent generations. In this context, it refers to how the loss of parenting skills, culture, and language in residential schools affects the children and grandchildren of survivors.

When did the last residential school close?

The last federally funded residential school, Gordon's Residential School in Saskatchewan, closed in 1996. This highlights that the system is not ancient history but has affected people living today.

How can active learning help students process these sensitive topics?

Active learning strategies like silent gallery walks or structured reflection circles provide a safe container for students to process difficult emotions. These methods encourage empathy and deep listening rather than just rote memorization of facts.

What was the purpose of the Sixties Scoop?

It was an extension of assimilationist policies where Indigenous children were removed from their families by child welfare authorities and placed in non-Indigenous middle-class homes, often losing all connection to their heritage.