Why study Indigenous history and culture? It is important for homeschoolers to be knowledgeable not just about general Canadian history but to be familiar with more specific areas that are part of our country’s history. That includes Indigenous history and culture. With the resources shared in this article, family members of all ages will find numerous avenues of learning about Indigenous history in engaging and interesting ways. Here are some resource suggestions to get you started as well as places where you can find more information.
Museums
Check with museums in your area. Some may have a section or permanent exhibit on Indigenous history and way of life. Museums may also have a day once a month that is geared towards homeschoolers which might include Indigenous history or perhaps might offer tours or talks related to Indigenous history and culture.
Libraries
Find out what your library offers. Ask a librarian to help you find and show you what resources–books, movies, and online articles–are available. Going to your local library can also be an opportunity for children to learn about how to do research and search for resources needed for assignments such as essays, papers, reports, and more.
Historical Parks
There are several historical places and parks to be found across Canada’s provinces. Upon looking into historical parks near to you, you may discover that some have a dedicated area on Indigenous history and culture. Or read about Ontario’s Lang Pioneer Village Museum and this family’s visit to Rocky Mountain House in the article Discover the Fur Trade at Rocky Mountain House. Take your family to one of the historical parks and enjoy a day of learning!
Books
Learning the stories and history of Indigenous people through reading together as a family can encourage thinking and talking about topics and events that have taken place. Family reading time can lead to discussing history and to asking questions to better understand why things happened. Check out this list of recommended Canadian history read alouds from The Canadian Schoolhouse.
Biographies
In addition to reading books about history, try reading biographies about Indigenous people. On The Canadian Schoolhouse, you will find this article about Inuit artist Kenojuak Ashevak. Including biographies in the study of history can show how God works and leads in the lives of people. Other suggestions for books and courses on biographies can be found here in An Eclectic Collection of Biography Resources.
There are many ways for homeschool families to learn more about Canada’s Indigenous history and culture. From museums to libraries and more, choose one or several of the many places where you can go to find the resources to include Indigenous history in your homeschool. Take the time to learn and discuss history with your children to grow in knowledge and understanding of Canada and the Indigenous.
This article has been written by homeschooling staff writers of The Canadian Schoolhouse (TCS). Enjoy more of our content from TCS contributors and staff writers by visiting our themes page that has a new theme topic added every month!
"Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it" (Proverbs 22:6).