Heritage and Citizenship: Grade 6 - Aboriginal Peoples and European Explorers

The study of Heritage and Citizenship in Grade 6 focuses on the distinct cultures, both past and present, of Aboriginal peoples in Canada, and on the early European explorers. Students describe the role of the environment in shaping Aboriginal cultures. They examine the interactions between Aboriginal peoples and European explorers at the time of their first contact, and they learn how the early explorers contributed to the development of Canada. They also study the origins of concerns related to Aboriginal peoples and determine their present social, political, and economic conditions.

Overall Expectations (O.E. column below)

1. identify ways in which the environment molded Canadian Aboriginal cultures;
2. identify early explorers and describe their impact on the development of Canada;
3. demonstrate an understanding of the social, political, and economic issues facing Aboriginal peoples in Canada today.

Site Name	Online	O.E.	Description
Canada’s Native Peoples		3	This site provides students with information about Canada’s native peoples as well as links to other related sites.
Citizen and Heritage Week Activity Guide		2	This page provided ideas for communities to use to celebrate Citizen and Heritage Week in February 1999. Appreciation of the contributions of Aboriginal and European settlers forms a basis for some activities.
Middle School Archaeology Web Unit		1,2,3	This Archaeology site would make an excellent introduction or addition to any of the Junior “Heritage and Citizenship” units. As the student works through the site, he/she learns such things as what archaeology is (and isn’t), what archaeologists do and how they do it, and what we can learn from artifacts. At the end of the exploration there are links to Archaeological Site Tours.
History of Canada		1,2,3	Aboriginals are thought to have arrived from Asia 30 000 years ago by way of a land bridge between Siberia and Alaska. Some of them settled in Canada, while others chose to continue to the south. When the European explorers arrived, Canada was populated by a diverse range of Aboriginal peoples who, depending on the environment, lived nomadic or settled lifestyles, were hunters, fishermen or farmers.
History of the Huron People to 1614		1	This site by the curator of the Huronia Museum in Midland, Ontario gives a brief history of the formation of the Huron Confederacy and the early interactions between natives and Europeans.
Virtual Inuit Exchange		1	This site is a teacher created internet project on the Inuit. It provides questions and internet links to research for the answers.
The Inuvialuit of the Western Arctic		1	This site is drawn from the research of archaeologist, Dr. David Morrison. It gives a historical and geographical perspective of the culture of the Western Arctic prior to the arrival of European traders in the late 1700's as well as the changes experienced as a result of the new immigration.
London Museum of Archaeology		1	This site contains a virtual museum options which allows the user to view pictures of the various periods of time in native history.
Prehistory of Ontario		1	The site is divided into 6 time periods, beginning with the end of the Ice Age and continuing until the 1600’s. Particular attention is given to the study of pottery, arrowheads, and burial practices--things left behind for an archaeologist to find and study. A worthwhile visit before beginning this unit.
Windspeaker’s Classroom Edition		3	Windspeaker, Canada’s National Aboriginal News Source has designed this on-line Classroom Edition to provide information to Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal youth on issues that impact the lives and communities of Aboriginal peoples.
Aboriginal People of Newfoundland and Labrador		1	This site provides students with the opportunity to explore information about the Inuit, Innu, Micmac and Metis.
Canada’s Digital Collections		1	This is an excellent source of material that include online galleries, virtual tours of museums. The focus is on Canadian Heritage and Culture. This site contains curriculum units, lesson plans (few) and resources.
Canadian History		1,2,3	This site is composed of short articles for students to read along with questions to answer based on what they read.
Canada Information Office		1,3	This site from the National Heritage about Native Peoples addresses the following topics: Environment and Diversity, Contacts and Relationships, Partners in Trade and War, Shrinking Resources, Government, Treaties and Claims.
Discoverers Web		2	This site provides an alphabetic listing of links to world explorers.
The European Voyages of Exploration		2	This is an excellent site rich in information and maps. It is set up as a tutorial which includes the following sections: Introduction, Iberian Pioneers, Portugal, Spain, Knowledge and Power and Conclusion.
Explorers of the Millenium		2	This site is an award-winning ThinkQuest Junior project from 1998 about explorers including timelines and biographical information. Members of the Hall of Fame include John Cabot, Samuel de Champlain and Leif Eriksson.
First Contact: Smallpox		2,3	This site is an excellent starting point to help the student “identify some of the consequences of Aboriginal and European interactions”.
First Nations in Canada		1	This site gives cultural information about the various aboriginal groups prior to European arrival, outlines the problems etc. that resulted from contact, reviews the resurgence of their cultures from 1945, and discusses the progress of the 1980’s and 90’s.
First Nations Schoolnet		3	This site provides everything for your studies on aboriginal people.
Mapping the World by Heart		1,2,3	Links to Provincial and State mapping alliances.
Gander Academy’s European Explorers		2	This site is a research site for various European explorers. Explorers are arranged according to their country of origin.
Arctic Links		1,2	Big collection of links for your Arctic research.
White Oak Society - Deer River Minnesota		2	The year is 1798 and the fur trade is booming. Our fur trading post is located near the upper reaches of the Mississippi River in the north woods. In another 60 years this will become the state of Minnesota. But for now, enter and join a hearty group of gentlemen and voyageurs.
My World Of The Nisga'a Nation		1,2,3	Nisga'a Culture, the way of life of the Nisga'a, is represented in part, as categorized in this site.