10 Woodway Trail, Brantford, Ontario N3R 5Z6 • Telephone: (519) 751-0040 • Fax: (519) 751-2790 email: info@canab.com • www.canab.com

Hello Teachers: We hope your experience at the Aboriginal Education Day will be an enjoyable one. To ensure this we ask that you read these materials and ensure that you understand each item before arriving at the Better Living Centre. With this email / fax you will receive:

1. Better Living Centre FLOOR PLAN 2. Teaching Stations Descriptions 3. Tips for making the most out of Education Day 4. Student Consent and Release Form 5. Student Activity Sheet

ARRIVAL TIME: When you arrive at Better Living Centre, 1. Please have your buses drop-off the students on Princes’ Blvd. front entrance of the

building. Ed Day officials have requested that each student receive their own ticket in advance instead of the teacher holding onto students’ tickets. This will ensure there are no delays, as security will not let students enter without a ticket in hand. Once your class has entered the Better Living Centre, please go directly to the first teaching station you have chosen. We request all classes arrive at 9:30 a.m. to secure that your students can make the best of their first station, which begins at 10:00 a.m.

2. ETFO who prepares the Aboriginal Curriculum Connections for has advised us to direct

all teachers to their website at www.etfo.ca, click to more highlights and then to Aboriginal Festival Ed Day, Nov. 17th to download the Curriculum teaching guides. In previous years these teaching guides were distributed to teachers on their arrival.

3. Please remind your student to keep your backpacks with them at all times when

rotating to their next stations. TEACHING STATIONS INFORMATION: 1. There will be 10 areas which will include the following teaching stations, please refer to

the floor plan to see locations of stations.

2. 3 Craft Stns. of Mystery Braid Making, 2 Soapstone Carving, Aboriginal Reader’s Theatre (Performance Theatre), Traditional Games – 3 Way Tug of War and Rattlesnake and Hunter Game. If the stations are full, please visit the other points of interest: National Defense Pavilion; Marketplace, and the Official Canadian Aboriginal Festival Booth.

M E M O

To: All Registered Teachers

From: Catherine Cornelius, Executive Director

Date: Monday, November 14, 2011 Re: Aboriginal Ed Day, Nov. 17th, at Better Living Cen., Ex. Place

10 Woodway Trail, Brantford, Ontario N3R 5Z6 • Telephone: (519) 751-0040 • Fax: (519) 751-2790 email: info@canab.com • www.canab.com

3. Students will rotate every 30 minutes between teaching stations. A whistle to announce the end of each cycle. Note: Each station various in maximum number of students per session. If the station of your choice is full please go to another station or patiently wait for the next 1/ 2 hour.

LUNCH BREAK: 12 NOON TO 12:30 p.m.

Teachers and students are welcome to bring their own lunch bags; purchase food at the authentic Aboriginal food located on the field level. Please use the bleacher seats for your lunch break and discard garbage in receptacles.

SHOPPING:

During the lunch break, teachers and students are invited to shop in the Marketplace Area to purchase reasonably priced Aboriginal arts and craft items.

12:45 p.m.

All students/teachers gather and form a Big Circle (Dance Circle) on the turf (Refer to the floor plan). Opening remarks will be given by: Rep. from Ministry of Education; Sam Hammond President of ETFO; President of OTF, Francine LeBlac-Lebel and President of OECTA, Kevin O’Dwyer.

TRADITIONAL POW WOW DANCE AND HOOP DANCE 1:00 pm Dancing and Singing by traditional dancers. Upon completion of the dance program,

the Master of Ceremonies will ask the teachers to select one or two students from their group to join in the dance circle with the traditional dancers in a Friendship Dance. We ask that teachers pre-select 3 students from your class who will be prepared to come forward at that time, as it will get very crowded and some of the smaller traditional dancers and students may accidentally get injured.

2:00 pm – DEPARTURE

2011 ED. DAY – TEACHING STATIONS DESCRIPTIONS

TEACHING STATIONS SCHEDULE: 10 AM TO 12 NOON Rotations between teaching stations are every 30 minutes. A whistle announces the end of each cycle.

STATION # PRESENTATIONS CULTURAL CONNECTION

2 Aboriginal

Reader’s Theatre

The Reader’s Theatre writers and presenters are member of the EFTO’s Aboriginal Education Standing Committee. Visitors to the tent will be welcomed with traditional singing and drumming. Teachers who attend with their class will each receive support materials, which include a CD with the Readers’ Theatre, and related lesson plans for primary/junior/intermediate classes.

4 3-Way Tug of War Traditional Game

The game tests your physical strength, as well as your balance and agility. These traits are very important when living and surviving in the bush. 3 Players. Each player holds a piece of the circular rope and approx. 6’ behind each player is a piece of wood on the ground. The first player to grab their wood wins.

5

3 Way Tug of War Traditional Game

The game tests your physical strength, as well as your balance and agility. These traits are very important when living and surviving in the bush. 3 Players. Each player holds a piece of the circular rope and approx. 6’ behind each player is a piece of wood on the ground. The first player to grab their wood wins.

6 Rattlesnake and Hunter Traditional Game

The game helps develop excellent listening skills to become a good hunter. Two Players; a rattlesnake and a hunter. The rest of the group forms a circle around the rattlesnake and hunter. The rattlesnake has to constantly shake the rattle and try not to be caught by the hunter. The hunter is blind folded and is trying to catch the rattlesnake by listening to the rattle. The rest of the group has to be quiet and make sure the hunter and

rattlesnake don’t go outside the circle. The game ends when the hunter catches the rattlesnake.

7,8,9

Mystery Braid Crafts

Through the creation of the braid, the Lessons of patience and creativity are Taught. As the leather braid takes form, One sees the beauty and the strength of The entwined strands.

10,11

Soapstone Carving

Come and enjoy hands on experience in The art of soapstone carving with the “STONEMAN”.

12 Arts & Craft Market

Over 140 booths with various hand-made arts and craft product, Aboriginal music and services available to teachers and students.

3 National Defence Pavilion

Showcase of Canadian Forces various aspects of the Canadian military services. Be sure to visit the life size teepee, the traditional home of our prairie Aboriginal people.

1 Official Canadian Aboriginal Festival Booth

Official festival merchandise and official program book highlighting the activities for the weekend, November 18 to 20th, 2011.

The following are a few tips from years past to help you and your students get the most out of your participation in Education Day at the Canadian Aboriginal Festival at the Better Living Centre, Exhibition Place in Toronto.

• TherewillbeabriefwelcomeandGrandEntryat1:00p.m.Thestationswillopenat10:00a.m.

• Youwillhavereceivedaguideinthisinformationpackagetotellyouwheretobegin.Pleasebringitwithyou.

• Thedancingdemonstrationwilltakeplacejustafterlunchat12:45p.m.Duringlunch,stationswillbeclosed.

• Forinformationandassistance,lookforguidesinredandblackvestsmarkedvolunteerontheback.

• Beforeyoucome,makesureyourstudentsareprepared.

• Givethematask-aquestionnaire,oranactivitysheettokeepthemfocusedonthecontentoftheday.

• CoppsColiseumisabigplace.Forsecurityreasons,eachgroupofstudentsshouldhaveanadultcompanion.

• Arrangeameetingplacewithyourstudentsshouldsomeonebecomeseparatedfromtherestofyourgroup.

There are usually about 6,500 students in attendance. Many activities are taking place at once. Traditional food booths will be open selling some soft drinks but you may want students to bring their own lunches. Be prepared for lots of distractions for your students. A little pre-planning will ensure a worthwhile learning experience for your group.

Note: Main entrance is on Princess Blvd. across from the Queen Elizabeth Building and Theatre. Buses can drop off the students at the main

entrance and park at the northend of the Queen Elizabeth Theatre building.

Tips for making the most of Education Day...

November 17, 2011 • better living centre • exhibition place

Canadian Aboriginal Festival Education Day

What different dances did you observe?

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What would you like to know more about?

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Using the materials you gathered, identify the sponsors of Aboriginal Education Day

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For further investigation: When you return to school, try to find the websites for the sponsors you identified. Read about the goals and priorities of the organizations.

Check off the activities you participated in today: q Mystery Braid Craft Station q ETFO Aboriginal Reader’s Theatre q Rattlesnake and Hunter Games Station q

Three Way Tug of War Games Station

q

Canadian Aboriginal Festival Official Booth

q

Arts & Crafts Market Place

q

National Defense Pavilion

q

Drum Making

Describe the most interesting thing you learned.

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Student Activity SheetExample

November 17, 2011 • better living centre • exhibition place

Canadian Aboriginal Festival Education Day

Aboriginal Education Day

Better Living Centre, Exhibition Place, Toronto

Thursday, November 17th, 2011

STUDENT CONSENT AND RELEASE

Name of student: _______________________________________________________

I, the undersigned adult, consent to and authorize the use and reproduction of a photo of the

above named student either alone, with other students, and/or his/her teacher at

_________________________________________ Public School,

_______________________________ District School Board.

The photo may be taken on Thursday, November 17th, 2011.

I give permission for the photograph to be published by the Canadian Aboriginal Festival

and all Sponsors, on its website and other Festival promotional material.

Signed: _______________________________________________

Please print your name ____________________________________

Date: ____________________________

Teachers who return completed surveys by February 1, 2012 will receive five (5) free passes to Education Day 2012.

Has your school attended before, and if so, how many times? q Yes q NoTimes attended:___________________________

Assisted students in better understanding Aboriginal people’s culture and heritage: q Yes q No

_______________________________________________________________________________________

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Students were: q Very Interested q Interested q Not interested

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Feedback from students about the Education Day was:

q Excellent q Very Good q Good q Fair q Poor

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Teachers’ SurveyNovember 17, 2011 • better living centre • exhibition place

Canadian Aboriginal Festival Education Day

Information about First Nations was:

q Very well presented q Well presented q Not well presented

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Please rate the various presentations you attended at Education Day:

q Mystery Braid Craft Stn. # _____ q Excellent q Very Good q Good q Fair q Poor

q ETFO Aboriginal Reader’s Theatre q Excellent q Very Good q Good q Fair q Poor

q Rattle Snake and Hunter

Game Stn. # _____ q Excellent q Very Good q Good q Fair q Poor

q Three-Way Tug of War

Game Stn. # _____ q Excellent q Very Good q Good q Fair q Poor

q Can. Aboriginal Festival Official Booth q Excellent q Very Good q Good q Fair q Poor

q Arts & Crafts Market Place q Excellent q Very Good q Good q Fair q Poor

q National Defense Pavilion q Excellent q Very Good q Good q Fair q Poor

q Drum Making Station

q Excellent

q Very Good q

Good q

Fair q

Poor

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Organization of the event was:

q Excellent q Very Good q Good q Fair q Poor

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The material provided was:

q Excellent q Very Good q Good q Fair q Poor

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What, if any, preparation did you do with your students prior to attending the Education Day?

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As a teacher, would you recommend the event to other teachers? q Yes q No

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Will you attend future Aboriginal Education Days? q Yes q No

If no, please indicate why

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Did you notice the...

q Ontario Teachers’ Federation booth? q Yes q No

q Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario booth? q Yes q No q Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association booth? q Yes q No

q Ministry of Education booth? q Yes q No

How did you hear about the Festival? q Affiliate q Internet q Organization q Other (List below)

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Please include your comments and/or suggestions on the Teaching Circle in the space provided:_______________________________________________________________________________________

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On behalf of the Ontario Teachers’ Federation, the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario, the Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association, the Ministry of Education and Indian Art-I-Crafts, thank

you for taking the time to fill out the questionnaire.

Please return the completed questionnaire by mail or by FAX to: Aboriginal Teaching Circle FAX: 1-519-751-2790 c/o Indian Art-I-Crafts of Ontario 10 Woodway Trail Brantford, ON N3R 5Z6

am/November 2011