Social Studies · Grade 1

Active learning ideas

Respecting the Land: Indigenous Teachings

Active learning works well for this topic because young children make sense of Indigenous teachings through direct experience and social interaction. Stories, songs, and symbols become meaningful when paired with movement, art, and discussion, which help students connect abstract ideas to concrete actions they can see and feel.

• Ontario Curriculum Expectations
• ON: People and Environments: The Local Community - Grade 1

• 20–35 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Inside-Outside Circle
• 30 min · Whole Class

Circle Share: Gratitude Stories

Gather students in a circle to listen to or share a simple Indigenous story about land respect, such as Two Row Wampum principles adapted for young learners. Discuss one way the land helps us. Each student draws a thank-you picture for nature and shares it.

Explain Indigenous teachings about respecting the land.

Facilitation Tip

During Circle Share, sit in a circle with students to model turn-taking and active listening, reinforcing respect as a shared value.

What to look for

Provide students with a drawing of a natural element (e.g., a tree, a river). Ask them to draw or write one way they can show respect for that element, connecting it to Indigenous teachings about caring for the land.

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Relationship Skills
• Self-Management

Activity 02

• Inside-Outside Circle
• 25 min · Pairs

Pairs Walk: Spot Connections

Pair students for a short schoolyard walk to observe interconnections, like birds eating berries or roots holding soil. Pairs sketch or note one connection and one way to protect it. Regroup to share findings on a class chart.

Compare Indigenous environmental practices with modern ones.

Facilitation Tip

For Pairs Walk, provide magnifying glasses and a simple chart so students can document their observations of connections in nature.

What to look for

Ask students: 'Imagine you are planning a picnic. What are two things you could do to show respect for the park or natural area you are visiting?' Guide them to connect their answers to ideas of not littering and leaving the place as they found it or better.

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Relationship Skills
• Self-Management

Activity 03

• Inside-Outside Circle
• 35 min · Small Groups

Small Groups: Practice Compare

Provide images of Indigenous sustainable practices, like berry picking, and modern ones, like recycling. Groups sort and discuss similarities and differences, then role-play one respectful action. Present to class.

Predict the impact of not caring for the environment.

Facilitation Tip

In Small Groups, use picture cards of local plants and animals to prompt comparisons between Indigenous practices and modern ones.

What to look for

Show students pictures of different environmental actions (e.g., planting a tree, throwing litter, watering a plant, fishing). Ask them to sort the pictures into two groups: 'Caring for the Land' and 'Not Caring for the Land', explaining their choices based on Indigenous teachings.

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Relationship Skills
• Self-Management

Activity 04

• Inside-Outside Circle
• 20 min · Individual

Individual: Prediction Art

Students draw two pictures: one showing cared-for land with healthy animals, and one showing neglect with impacts like dirty water. Label with predictions and share in pairs.

Explain Indigenous teachings about respecting the land.

Facilitation Tip

During Prediction Art, offer only natural materials like leaves or twigs so students create artwork that reflects their connection to the land.

What to look for

Provide students with a drawing of a natural element (e.g., a tree, a river). Ask them to draw or write one way they can show respect for that element, connecting it to Indigenous teachings about caring for the land.

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Relationship Skills
• Self-Management

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teach this topic by grounding lessons in local Indigenous perspectives, even if you are not Indigenous yourself. Invite guest speakers from nearby communities when possible, and use stories and symbols from the land where your school is located. Avoid generic or vague references to 'Native people'—instead, name specific Nations or communities. Research shows young children best learn about respect for land when they experience it through sensory and emotional engagement, not just facts.

Successful learning looks like students using Indigenous perspectives to describe how land sustains life and how people can care for it. They should express gratitude, identify connections in nature, compare practices, and create artwork that shows their understanding of reciprocity and seasonal awareness.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Circle Share, watch for students who generalize Indigenous teachings as all the same. Redirect by inviting a local Indigenous guest speaker or sharing multiple stories from different Nations to highlight diversity.

  During Circle Share, share two or three short stories or songs from different First Nations, Inuit, or Métis communities to show how teachings vary by place and people.

• During Pairs Walk, watch for students who treat plants and animals as separate from humans. Redirect by asking guiding questions like, 'What does this plant need to grow? How does it help other living things?'

  During Pairs Walk, have students trace their path on paper and draw lines between each natural element they observe to show the connections between them.

• During Small Groups, watch for students who assume modern ways are always better for the land. Redirect by having them compare images of both traditional and modern practices side by side.

  During Small Groups, provide images of Indigenous harvesting methods and modern farming techniques for students to compare, asking them to explain which methods show more care for the land.

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Methods used in this brief

• Inside-Outside Circle