Residential School Assignment
You have learned about residential schools in Canada.
The areas you learned about each include:
- Why residential schools were established.
- Conditions in residential schools.
- Long-term effects of residential schools on First Peoples (First Nations, Métis and Inuit people).
- How the government has tried to make amends for past wrongs.
You will have two choices for an assignment. Complete one choice and upload it in the submission area below.
Assignment Choice A - Art - More Powerful Than Words
Study this carving done by Abraham Ruben.
As you are looking at it think about what the carving is about. What kind of emotions is obvious in the carving?
The carving is called "The Last Goodbye". Given what you have learned in this section, does the title change or add to your first impression? Think about how the title adds a deeper meaning to the carving.
For this choice, you will create a carving out of a bar of soap or a block of plasticine. Think about the experiences of the First Peoples' (First Nations, Métis and Inuit) children and choose one experience that you would like to show in your carving. Create a title for your carving that adds a deeper meaning to your work. Take a picture of your carving from several angles and submit it for marking. Provide the title and a brief paragraph explaining your thoughts about the carving.
OR
Paint/draw a picture of the experience. Create a title for your artwork that adds a deeper meaning to your work. Take a picture of your artwork and submit it for marking. Provide the title and a brief paragraph explaining your thoughts about the piece.
Marking:
Your submission includes:
- Images of the completed art piece are provided
- An interesting title that adds deeper meaning to the piece
- a brief write-up discussing the art piece
Assignment Choice B - Create a Timeline
You have learned that generations of families attended residential schools in Canada and that generations after were affected.
For this assignment choice, you will create a timeline that demonstrates that multi-generations were affected by residential schools. Start from when the schools opened. Imagine how difficult it would be for the first-generation survivors to let the second generation follow in their footsteps.
Continue your timeline to the present day. How are the children and families still affected by residential schools, even though they have been closed for several years?
Your timeline can be as artistic as you wish. You need to imagine what it would have been like at several points in the timeline. You can write brief diary entries at different times, or draw pictures along your timeline to convey the emotions of those that were affected.
Marking:
Your timeline includes:
- Completed history of residential schools from conception to present day
- A personal reflection piece (either artwork or writing) with at least 4 points along the way.