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ED 3603: Social Context

FNMI Integration Lesson Plan
Jennifer Matosevic
February 4th, 2019.

Course/Grade Level: Popular Music, Grade 10 (General Music Level 1)

Rationale:

This lesson was created for a Popular Music class, where the students would focus on different

aspects of popular music, including theory, form, harmony, history, and composition. The General and

Specific Learning Expectations would be drawn from the General Music curriculum Program of Study.

In this course, I would highlight Canadian music artists and icons, introducing a new artist every month.

This idea to focus on Canadian artists is where I found the inspiration for this lesson featuring the Secret

Path, a project by The Tragically Hip’s frontman: Gord Downie.

In selecting the content for this lesson, it was my hope to find a way to tackle the subject of

Canadian residential schools in a music classroom setting; I wanted to do this in a sensitive and unique

way. It is my goal, when discussing Canadian residential schools with my students to bring a lens of

healing; to ensure that the survivor’s stories are heard, and honoured. Like Gord Downie mentions in his

statement, “it will take seven generations to fix this,” and I hope that by sharing the survivor’s stories that

we can begin on a path towards healing. When I first found the Secret Path, I felt incredibly moved by

the story and the way it is presented, with a picture book and music. This unique twist on the picture

book medium is why I was so drawn to the Secret Path and why I believe it is perfect resource to

incorporate into a music classroom.

In creating this lesson, I have a few different ways that I integrated First Nations, Metis, and Inuit

(FNMI) content. I first incorporated the Indigenous beliefs surrounding the circle, specifically the talking

circle, into my lesson. I believe that due to the heavy nature of the subject matter, having the students

hopefully feel the interconnectedness of the circle will make the discussion more open and the focus on

healing clear. After researching the concept more thoroughly, I believe that I would incorporate the
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Indigenous beliefs of the circle into my more traditional music classes as well. For example, I intend to

have my students in band and choir sit or stand in circles to practise ensemble blend and when this occurs,

I will reintroduce the concept of the circle from an Indigenous perspective. Additionally, with the circle I

have also incorporated the FNMI concept of the Talking Stick. When researching this concept, I was

really in awe of how much significance it holds in Indigenous beliefs and how it empowers the

individuals who are holding it to speak the truth and their true emotions. I believe that the Talking Stick

would really compliment and support the discussion after watching the Secret Path. Another FNMI

concept that I have integrated is the Seventh Generation Principle, which is the concept of how every

decision that is made in the present will affect our decedents seven generations in the future. After

discussing this concept with my students in the group discussion, it is my hope to continue to integrate it

throughout the year with classroom policies, such as banning single use plastic water bottles. It is my

hope that by utilizing the Seventh Generation Principle my students will understand how these convenient

products, such as plastic water bottles, are harmful to the people who will inherit the Earth seven

generations from now and encourage them to make a more sustainable choice in bringing a reusable water

bottle.

Integrating FNMI content, like the three concepts above, is really important to me especially after

looking more in depth the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Survivors Speak document. It is my

hope that after initially introducing the concepts to my students that they will become regular aspects of

my classroom and classroom teaching. Incorporating FNMI content into my classroom is important

because I believe it is a vital step in healing as a community and as country.

The lesson I created incorporates cross-curricular content drawing on the Social Studies Program

of Study. While I am aware that Canadian residential schools are not a topic that are traditionally

discussed within a music classroom, I believe that it is important to integrate it and begin a thoughtful

conversation with students in all classrooms. With my lesson specifically, I hope to show my students
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how a prominent Canadian musician used their influence to bring attention to this issue and how

important reconciliation is.

Building off this lesson, I would introduce a performance task to the students where they would

select a picture book that illustrates a story of a residential school survivor and set the text to a melody

that they compose. This task would fully incorporate the other areas that have been covered in the course,

such as form, theory, and composition. With this activity, I would encourage my students to draw upon

their creativity, incorporating a variety of different instruments and harmonies in their composition, while

not distracting from the fact that the text is the most central element of the assignment. It is my hope that

this lesson and performance task will integrate FNMI content and promote reconciliation within my

classroom.
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Lesson Class: Popular Music (Grade 10) (1 hour 25

Course ED 3603: Social Context
Title/Focus mins)

PROGRAM OF STUDY OUTCOMES

General Learning Expectations/Outcomes:
• Develop awareness of the applications of music in our society with respect to music careers, and
avocational and leisure uses. (Researching, 2)
• Appreciate the contributes music has made in our cultural heritage and civilization. (Attitudes, 11)
• Students will understand the effects of historical globalization on Indigenous and non-Indigenous
peoples. (Social Studies, 10-2)

Specific Learning Expectations/Outcomes:

• The student will demonstrate knowledge of and respond to emotional expression in music.
(Composition, Cognition and Aural Recognition, 1)
• The student will identify some of the moods that are created in various compositions, and discuss
how they are created. (Careers in Music, Composer, 2)
• The student will demonstrate an understanding of how popular music reflects and affect society
through the exploration of historical perspective, cultural responses, social implications, and its
relationship to other aspects of living. (Popular Music, 5)
• Students will examine the consequences of imperialism in Canada for Aboriginal Peoples (Indian
Act, consequences of residential schools, social impact on Indigenous peoples) (CC, TCC, I, GC)
(10-2, 2.10)

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
At the end of the lesson students will be able to:
1. Apply the Indigenous beliefs about circles to classroom discussions. (Applying)
2. Recall the impacts of Canadian residential schools, learned in previous classes. (Remembering)
3. Explain how sharing the narrative of the Secret Path through music influences the impact of the
story. (Understanding)
4. Compose a thought or sentence about how the Secret Path impacted their emotions and their
understanding of the consequences of Canadian residential schools. (Creating)

MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT

• Secret Path – Gord Downie & Jeff Lemire (Book and Audio)
• https://secretpath.ca/
• Classroom audio system
• Smartboard
• Post-it notes
• Spare pencils in case some students forget to bring them to class

PREPARATION AND LOGISTICAL CONSIDERATIONS

• Set classroom so chairs are in a circle formation.
• Have the classroom audio prepared.
• Ensure that the Secret Path video is loaded on the computer.
• Coordinate with Social Studies teacher(s) so that this lesson aligns with their unit or lessons
specific to Residential Schools.
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RESOURCES
Reference 1:
Secret Path. (n.d.). Retrieved January 26, 2019, from https://secretpath.ca/
Reference 2:
Education and Training. (n.d.). Retrieved February 2, 2019, from
https://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/abedu/perspectives/concepts.html
Reference 3:
Aboriginal Teaching Strategy: Circle Traditions - Talking Circle. (n.d.). Retrieved February 2, 2019, from
http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/aboriginal/strategygr01lancircle.pdf
Reference 4:
About Sharing Circles. (n.d.). Retrieved February 2, 2019, from http://ravenspeaks.ca/wp-
content/uploads/2012/04/Sharing_Circle_Instructions_SECONDARY.pdf
Reference 5:
Larkin, M. (2017, March 17). What is the 7th Generation principle and why do you need to know about
it? Retrieved February 2, 2019, from https://www.mollylarkin.com/what-is-the-7th-generation-
principle-and-why-do-you-need-to-know-about-it-3/

PROCEDURE
Introduction Time
• “Good morning class! Today we are going to be focusing on Indigenous ways
of knowing and beliefs as we discuss this month’s Canadian artist. I’m sure
that you’ve noticed that I have arranged our classroom so that we are sitting
in a circle today. Does anyone have any ideas as to why I have done this?
(Allow for 4-5 responses) Before we begin, I would like to state that I am not
an expert, but that I am going to do my absolute best to present the
Indigenous beliefs in their truest form. Circles represent interconnectedness,
equality, and continuity in a majority of Indigenous belief systems. They are
also significant because of how many parts of nature occur in circles, like the
shape of the Earth, the moon, or a bird’s nest, just to name a few. Indigenous
peoples also believe because of all these prominent “circles” in the natural
world that the power of the world is in the shape of the circle. I believe that
because of the heavy topic that we are going to be discussing, it is important
that we rely on the connectedness to one another that the circle provides. 5 min
• “Before we begin today, we are going to do a Think, Pair, Share activity.
Let’s take a few moments reflect on what we know and have learned about
Canadian residential schools (Think). Now, share what you’ve thought of
with the person beside you; ensure that you ask your partner if it is alright for
you to share their ideas with the class (Pair). Would a few people volunteer to
share your ideas or what you and your partner discussed (Share)?”
• “Today we are going to be focusing on a Canadian artist named Gord Downie.
Can anyone tell me who he is? (Allow for 3-4 responses) Gord Downie was the
lead singer of the Tragically Hip and he passed away from a form brain
cancer in 2017. When he found out about his diagnosis, he and the Tragically
Hip made the decision to embark on one final national tour. As soon as the
tour concluded, Gord began to work on a new project: the Secret Path.”
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Body Time
Gord Downie’s 1) “Instead of me explaining what the project is, I am
Statement going to read you Gord’s statement about his vision and
what he hoped to accomplish with the Secret Path.”
5 min
2) Read the statement from https://secretpath.ca/ (attached to
the lesson plan)

Pre-Video 1) “We are going to watch a digital recreation of the

Discussion picture book that integrates the album that Gord
Downie composed. Before we begin watching this video
recreation of the picture book, I want to reinforce that I
understand how heavy this subject matter is, and it is
not my intention to present it with a frame of guilt as it
generally is in the media. I love this album and this
3 min
book because it focuses on the healing that needs to be
done. Are there any questions?”
2) “As you are watching, please make sure to pay specific
attention to how the songs effect the story, and also how
the songs in combination with the images effect your
emotions.”

Video Presentation 1) Play the video from the beginning and stop it at 46:13.
47 min
Post-Video 1) “In Indigenous traditions, most talking circles utilize a
Discussion Talking Stick, which we will also be doing today. The
Talking Stick is important to the circle because it is a
symbol of respect for the ideas, emotions, and stories
shared as well as the backgrounds of each individual
who is a part of the circle.”
2) “As we begin this discussion, I want to remind you of the
Indigenous beliefs of the interconnectedness and
equality of the circle, and to please be respectful of your
peers as they share their thoughts. Everyone in this
circle is equal and everyone’s opinions matter.”
3) Potential Class Discussion Questions:
• What were you feeling while you were watching the 20 min
images and listening to the album?
• What do you think are the impacts of sharing this
story with song?
• Do you think that it would have been different if I
had read the lyrics aloud with the picture book
instead of playing the album? Why or why not?
• How do you think Chanie was feeling at the
beginning of the story, compared to the middle or
the end? Have you ever felt like that in your own
life?
• What are the impacts of having this discussion in a
circle compared to our regular classroom set-up?
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• In his statement, Gord Downie mentions the Seventh
Generation principle, can anyone describe what it
is? In what ways do you think it could positively
affect your life?
• How is the impact of the Secret Path different than
other books that have been written on the subject of
Canadian residential schools?
• Did the fact that the Secret Path was written by a
prominent Canadian musician change its impact?
Why or why not?
4) Lead the discussion but ensure that it is the students who are
contributing to the discussion. Choose questions from
above depending on how the discussion evolves.

Conclusion Time
• “Thank you everyone for sharing! I really appreciate your ideas and insights.
Before we close for the day, I am going to give each of you a Post-it Note and I
would like you to write one thought or sentence describing how you feel after
5 min
watching the Secret Path or how you feel after our Talking Circle discussion.
Please be sure to include your name on the back of the Post-it Note.”

Assessment
• Formative: Questioning and Discussion. Observe the students throughout the course of the
lesson and ensure that they are participating, if they feel comfortable. This will ensure that the
students are understanding the content of the lesson. It fulfills Learning Objectives 1, 2, and 3.
• Formative: Post-it Note. This is a way for the students to reflect on how the Secret Path and the
Talking Circle discussion made them feel. It will help me ensure that all of the students were fully
engaged while watching the video and in the class discussion. It fulfills Learning Objective 4.

Additional Notes:
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STATEMENT BY GORD DOWNIE
Ogoki Post, Ontario
September 9, 2016

Mike Downie introduced me to Chanie Wenjack; he gave me the story from Ian Adam’s Maclean’s
magazine story dating back to February 6, 1967, “The Lonely Death of Charlie Wenjack.”

Chanie was a young boy who died on October 22, 1966, walking the railroad tracks, trying to escape from
the Cecilia Jeffrey Indian Residential School to walk home. Chanie’s home was 400 miles away. He
didn’t know that. He didn’t know where it was, nor know how to find it, but, like so many kids - more
than anyone will be able to imagine - he tried. I never knew Chanie, the child his teachers misnamed
Charlie, but I will always love him.

Chanie haunts me. His story is Canada’s story. This is about Canada. We are not the country we thought
we were. History will be re-written. We are all accountable, but this begins in the late 1800s and goes to
1996. “White” Canada knew – on somebody’s purpose – nothing about this. We weren’t taught it; it was
hardly ever mentioned.

All of those Governments, and all of those Churches, for all of those years, misused themselves. They
hurt many children. They broke up many families. They erased entire communities. It will take seven
generations to fix this. Seven. Seven is not arbitrary. This is far from over. Things up north have never
been harder. Canada is not Canada. We are not the country we think we are.

I am trying in this small way to help spread what Murray Sinclair said, “This is not an aboriginal
problem. This is a Canadian problem. Because at the same time that aboriginal people were being
demeaned in the schools and their culture and language were being taken away from them and they were
being told that they were inferior, they were pagans, that they were heathens and savages and that they
were unworthy of being respected — that very same message was being given to the non-aboriginal
children in the public schools as well…They need to know that history includes them.” (Murray
Sinclair, Ottawa Citizen, May 24, 2015)

I have always wondered why, even as a kid, I never thought of Canada as a country – It’s not a popular
thought; you keep it to yourself – I never wrote of it as so. The next hundred years are going to be painful
as we come to know Chanie Wenjack and thousands like him – as we find out about ourselves, about all
of us – but only when we do can we truly call ourselves, "Canada."

"Do we want to live in a haunted house the rest of our lives?” - Joseph Boyden