b'FIRST NATION-LED EDUCATION PRACTICESConnecting withour NeighboursFirst Nation-led education practices in curriculum developmentBY GREER ATKINSONS ome of the best resources aboutChippewas of Georgina Island First Indigenous history, communityNation, Moose Deer Point First Nation, life and current issues comeRama First Nation and Mississaugas of into the classrooms because theScugog Islanddeveloped a curriculum First Nation educators themselves haveresource booklet profiling each offered them. In southern Ontario, thecommunity for Ontario students. These Ogemawahj Tribal Council (OTC) haswere designed to meet the Grade 6 social developed a set of six amazing books forstudies curriculum, and a companion classrooms that look at the First Nationslesson plan guide was also created to who live right beside their schoolssupport teachers using the resources. and communities. Giving OntarioRecently, the OTC partnered with learners the opportunity to know moreNelson Canada to revisit the books, about these First Nation neighboursexpanding and updating the content and is an important step to reconcilingdesign features. The books have been current relations. re-released and are currently available by The history of First Nations incontacting the OTC or GoodMinds.Ontario is intensely tied with coloniza- This set of six books offers learners tion and the influx of immigrants, buta comprehensive peek into the lives of First Nations communities exist andtheir neighbours and answers questions flourish side by side with the commun- we know often come to mind when ities that make up Ontario. Somestudents consider First Nation commun-learners might be surprised to learn justities and people.how like them, and at the same time, how different First Nations communitiesFor their part, the books are each are from their own community. structured similarly and have three In 2002, the six First Nations of thedistinct parts.Ogemawahj Tribal CouncilAldervilleThe first section deals with the First Nation, Beausoleil First Nation,geography of our First Nations. It shows 24l ISSUE 2 2019/20C hIEfS ofo ntarIoA dvocAte magazInE'