A Visit from Mnjikaning Grade 5/6 Students!

This morning, the Grade 5/6 class from Mnjikaning Kendaaswin Elementary School visited our school with their teacher, Laura Lateic, one of their Elders and two Educational Assistants.  They met with the Grade 6 students at Rama Central, who are starting a Social Studies unit about First Nations people and European Explorers.

Elder "Two Bears" shared some important and wise life teachings.  Students seemed to really respond to his down-to-earth and engaging manner.  They also enjoyed hearing about his experiences as a student at Rama Central P.S.  Two Bears transferred from a one room schoolhouse to Rama Central the year it opened.  At the time, he was in Grade 4.  As a Grade 7 student he designed the Rama Central logo we still use today, and his Grade 8 class was in our classroom!

After Two Bears' talk, the Grade 6 students from our school broke into four small groups.  Each group learned about a different topic having to do with Aboriginal culture and traditions, with students from Mnjikaning acting as presenters and discussion leaders.

Our visitors from Mnjikaning also gifted us with some wonderful keepsakes:  a large Rama First Nation Flag for our school, signed by students in their Grade 5/6 class, a beautiful dream catcher for our classroom and a lovely beaded lanyard for Mrs. Black.

Here are some pictures from our visit.  (Click on any picture to see it enlarged.)

Over the next few weeks, each group of Grade 6 students from our school will delve into their particular topic in greater detail and then make a presentation to the whole group.  The four topics are as follows:

• Turtle Island
• The Seven Grandfather Teachings
• The Medicine Wheel
• Contributions of Aboriginal People and Ideas

Our new friends from Mnjikaning School have offered to act as resource people, should we need any information or advice as we progress with our Aboriginal Studies unit.  We also plan to visit with them again later in the school year.

Miigwech!  THANK YOU SO MUCH to Two Bears, the Grade 5/6 class at Mnjikaning, their teacher and their helpers for coming to see us today, and for their friendship and kind assistance!

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Thanks for visiting our class BLOG.  If you have any questions or comments, feel free e-mail me (Margaret Black):  mblack@mail1.scdsb.on.ca or to add a comment to this page.