Lesson

Rock Your Mocs Date Nov.15th

Title/Focus
Subject/Grade Time 1 hour or two 30
Grade 1- Art/Social Studies
Level Duration minute blocks

LEARNING OBJECTIVE
Students will participate in the nation-wide event, Rock Your Mocs by designing and
creating their own miniature paper moccasins.

GLOs/ SLOs
Social Studies
Students will demonstrate an understanding and appreciation of how identity and self-
esteem are enhanced by their sense of belonging in their world and how active
members in a community contribute to the well-being, growth and vitality of their group
and community.
1.1.1 Value self and others as unique individuals in relation to their world:
 Appreciate how belonging to groups and communities enriches an
individual’s identity.
 Appreciate multiple points of view, languages, cultures and experiences
within their groups and communities.
1.1.3 Examine how they belong and are connect to their world by exploring and
reflecting upon the following:
 Appreciate how the languages, traditions, celebrations and stories of
their families, groups and communities contribute to their sense of
identity and belonging
 Recognize how ancestors contribute to their sense of identity within the
family and community
 Acknowledge and respect symbols of heritage and t in the family and
community.
Students will demonstrate an understanding and appreciation of how changes over time
have affected their families and influences how their families and communities are
today.
Art:
Reflection
Expression
3. Students with decorate items personally created.
6. Students will develop themes, with an emphasis on personal concerns, based on
plants and animals or environment
ASSESSMENTS (How I will know students have achieved the objective(s))
 Students will understand that real moccasins are made of animal hide.
 Students will understand that beads and bead designs on moccasins were only incorporated
after European trading
 Students will understand the significance of moccasins to First Nations people and that
Rock Your Mocs is a way to celebrate First Nations Culture.
Prior to the Lesson MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT
 Students do not need any prior knowledge of  Personal moccasins
moccasins.  Pencil crayons/crayons
 Students have had a story read to them and  Moccasin template
brief introduction of what moccasins are  Scissors
 Glue stick
 Strings of yarn pre-cut
 Smartboard to show examples of
moccasins
  Rock your mocs youtube video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7R9
vD0Vgb78
Introduction
Introduction Time
Have class discussion about moccasins. Ensure students know that
moccasins are the traditional footwear that First Nations people would
wear and continue to wear for ceremonies and celebrations (pow-wows).
Discuss what Roc your mocs day is (identity movement, for FNMI,
celebrating pride, identity- Global movement)

Have discussion about Blackfoot culture:

Does anyone know what the traditional territory is that we live on?
Answer: Blackfoot territory.
What does that mean? That means that for thousands of years, the
Blackfoot people, a First Nations tribe, would live on this land, hunt and
gather from this land, and defend this particular territory of land from other
First Nations tribes such as the Cree. 5-10
So, this is in our community, Who remembers what our community is minutes
(Lethbridge).
Moccasins are important to First Nations culture and identity. This day
helps bring people in those communities together and celebrate their
heritage, and have pride (be proud of their culture).

Ask any students in the class who have traditional mocs if they would like
to speak about their moccasins and how special they are.
Talk about how special moccasins are and how they are all different and
come in many different shapes and sizes and styles depending on the
tribe/region.

Play YouTube video Rock your mocs. Have students watch to notice and
appreciate the many different styles of moccasins and dance represented
by FNMI. (May allow students to join in and dance)

Ask students how many different mocs they noticed/ if they want to talk
about any they thought were really neat.

Now, we are going to create our own miniature paper moccasins.

Body Time
Show examples of different moccasins on the board. Explain that beads
were not introduced to First Nations people until the Europeans came and
the different tribes would trade for them. Different tribes have different
designs. For example, most traditional Blackfoot designs are geometric
while most Cree designs are floral. (Show examples)
5
Google: Cree moccasins minutes
Google: Blackfoot moccasins

Pass out moccasin templates

Explain that the template will create two moccasins, so a pair.
Explain what is the “tops” of the moccasins (with the tabs) and what is the
base or sole of the moccasins (the oval shoe shape)

I want you to design moccasins that have a theme to nature. It can be

geometric (these usually represent the stars, moon, sun, mountains etc.
Or it can be floral like the Cree designs, or it be something else that we find
in nature like birds or animals.

Activity Time
These steps will be broken up and only given one or two at a time:

First, you will color your design on the top part of the moccasin. Pencil
crayons work best for this project.

Then you will cut out the base and the tops.
VERY IMPORTANT: YOU MUST CUT AROUND THE TABS. DO NOT
CUT OFF THE TABS.
(Repeat this several times) 30
minutes
Put your name on the base of each moccasin before you start gluing.

Next, you will fold the tabs DOWN along the line. When you do this, you
will see your moccasins begin to take shape. You will put glue one by one
on the bottom of the tab and glue this to the bottom or base of the
moccasin. It is easiest to start with the “toe” tab (tab at the toe part of the
moccasin) and then work your way around the outsides

Closure Time
Optional: Students can showcase their moccasins for a picture by placing
one or both in a circle to replicate many of the pictures that are taken and
posted on social media with the hashtag #Rockyourmocs.
-Last thing to do is to take a piece of the yarn and string it through the back
of the moccasins so that they dangle down like a necklace.

Closing comments: 5
By participating in this lesson and learning about Moccasins and their minutes
significance you are honoring First Nations culture and traditions. By
wearing your creations around your neck, you are also participating in the
Rock Your Mocs event. So thank you for your creations, participation and
contributions to Rock Your Mocs day!