The Métis Abstract

- Hold up a picture with Métis artefact on it. Give a quick summary of the item, ensuring that all students heard me. Answer any questions the students may have pertaining to the artefact. Quickly model what I want. I want eye contact, confident, clear voice, and a quick summary.

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  Students need to be respectful of the people presenting. No talking while presentations are happening.
  

5 mins

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  Put the students into groups and pass out the cards. This will be faster than allowing them to choose.
  
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  Allow the students to read over the cards and write down 2 key points. (More if they want). The class will learn what the artefact is from the presenters so there needs to be enough information for the class to gain understanding.
  
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  Give the class 20 mins to do this.
  
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  Students will give presentations to the class.
  

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  TEACHER probably needs to choose the groups for this one. Be sure the students work well together. Tell them they are team and need to work as one.
  
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  Be sure that each group gets a clap.
  
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  Presentations will probably take longer than expected. More time may be needed later.
  

- Hang these pictures up on the wall in the classroom. Quickly go back over each artefact and ask if the students remember what it is. This will give you an idea if they were listening in the presentation.

- explain to the students that today is a great, exciting day. We have an amazing opportunity to learn something that many people never get the chance to.

- Quickly explain to the class how important it is that all students are participating and respectful of Mr. Watson

2 mins.

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  Allow Mr. Watson to explain the dance and the significance of it.
  
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  Lead the class down to the mini-gym.
  
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  Mr. Watson will lead.
  

- If students are not behaving well for Mr. Watson or being disrespectful, confront it right away. Most likely this will not be needed.

45 mins.

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  Lead the students back to the classroom and have a short discussion about what we participated in.
  
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  Questions will vary depending on what dance Mr. Watson will teach. They should be wrap up questions. What did you just do? What was the meaning? Did you enjoy it? Why do the Métis people do this dance? Are there dances that are common in your (the students) families?
  

- Only 1 speaker at a time.

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  Explain the significance of dance and music to First Nations and Métis peoples and its contribution to Saskatchewan intercultural development.
  

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  Research the history of the Métis people and their relationship with the land.
  

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  Introduce the Métis sash and the importance that it has to the Métis people.
  

5 mins

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  Explain to the students that we going to make miniature sashes called friendship bracelets.
  
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  Put the directions on the overhead and model for the students the procedure that will be used.
  

- Put on some jigging music in the background and get to work.

- Walk around the room to see if students are understanding what you are doing. Be sure they are keeping up. If some are falling behind and others are excelling, then ask the students who are excelling to help the others.

45 mins.

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  Ask the students who they are going to give their bracelet to.
  
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  Does anyone think they would ever make a Sash?
  
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  Clean up time can happen while these things are being discussed.
  

- Students will raise their hands to speak in the discussion.

5 mins.

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  Introduce the two names to the class. Tell the class that they are some of the most famous people in all of Western Canada’s history. There is even a holiday named after Louis Riel in Manitoba.
  
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  We need to define the word biography. A short example will be read to the class.
  

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  All questions need to be asked raising their hands.
  
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  Resources and computers need to be shared with each other.
  
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  Pairs will be chose by the teacher.
  

-10 mins

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  Directions of the report will be given. Students are to research either Gabriel Dumont or Louis Riel. They will write a short biographical report.
  
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  In their report they need to include who the report is about. Where the person lived. 2 important things they did in their lives. And when the person died.
  
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  The reports need to have good structure, spelling, and correct content.
  

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  These reports will have to be completed in groups of two.
  
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  Each pair can hand in one report.
  
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  Clearly state that class is expected to be on task and working when it is research time.
  

- Each pair will pair with a pair who researched the other person. They will quickly summarize their report to the other group, so that both groups have an understanding of each person.

- If odd number, then the groups can be bigger. Pay close attention to their progress as students will quickly get off task in larger groups.

Tone

- Assess the impact of historic loss of land on First Nations and Métis people.

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  Pose the question to the class what does Government do?
  
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  Who says that a government has control over an area? (This is more of a hypothetical question)
  

- Allow the class to think about this question for a bit. If no answers are suggested then suggest some such as roads, healthcare, electricity, laws, police, protecting the citizens.

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  Rupert’s land was sold to the Dominion of Canada. What happens to the people who live there? What if they don’t want to be ruled by Canada?
  
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  Explain to the students that the Métis people were not impressed with the sale of their land. They were afraid to have Canada rule over them, so they wanted to make their own Province that would protect the Métis people. They made their own laws and rules. Louis Riel was the President. In fact, while this government was in charge they hung an agent of the federal government named Thomas Scott. The Canadian Government was not happy, but they could not ignore the Métis people any longer.
  
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  As a class we will make our own charter of rights and freedoms to post in the class. This will be all student designed.
  

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  Show maps of the area in Southern Manitoba. Tell the students that this area will become very important in the future.
  
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  Students need to raise their hands to ask questions.
  
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  One student will suggest one item at time.
  

45 mins.

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  Explain to the class that Canada was not impressed with Louis Riel. He became a criminal and had to leave Canada. But the Métis people got their own province in 1869. The Manitoba Act.
  
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  But this happiness for the Métis would not last.
  

- Assess the impact of historic loss of land on First Nations and Métis people.