Residential Residential

LESSON TITLE (LINE OF INQUIRY 3, C.C. 1):
INTRODUCTION TO RESIDENTIAL SCHOOLS
Recommendation: Introduce mentor text in language.
BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE FOR TEACHERS/BOOK SUMMARY:
Shin-chi’s Canoe, the sequel to Shi-shi-etko, by Nicola Campbell
portrays the features of Residential Schools in an age-appropriate
manner through text and rich illustrations.
• Shin-chi’s Canoe is about Shi-shi-etko’s younger brother,
Shin-chi, who is sent off to residential school with his sister.
His father gives him a toy canoe, which he holds as a reminder
of his family life during his year at school.
• Three symbols are prominent in the story. One is the canoe,
GROUNDWOOD BOOKS/
HOUSE OF ANANSI PRESS, 2008
an important cultural symbol for most of First Nation communities. For Shin-chi, it is a
personal connection with his family. Another symbol is the children’s hair. To many First
Nation people, a person’s hair is considered sacred, especially when it is grown long.
The third symbol is the sockeye salmon, which for Shin-chi was a marker of time passing
before he could return home.
• The story portrays the features of Residential Schools, including:
9 travelling a great distance aboard a cattle truck
9 cutting off hair
9 regimentation of children’s lives
9 enforced use of English
9 dormitory situation for sleeping
9 enforced work by children to maintain the institution
9 poor food
9 isolation 13
MATERIALS:
• Copy of Shin-chi’s Canoe
• Thinking Journals
• Residential school photo to activate students’ thinking: two possible suggestions:
13
Borrowed from FNESC and FNSA document “Indian Residential School & Reconciliation” with permission.
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