This resource will guide teachers through activities, lessons, and discussions to go along with the animated film, "Secret Path" by Gord Downie and Jeff Lemire. Students will discuss the history of Canadian residential schools and the impact that they have had and continue to have on Indigenous Peoples of Canada.

Resource includes:

• Lesson plan/guide for teachers
• Graffiti Wall Activity for students (30 minutes)
• Residential Schools Discussion and Lesson (30 minutes)
  "Secret Path" intro, during viewing chart, and after viewing reflection questions (2 hours)
• Final discussion/closing circle (30 minutes)
• Learning Extension Ideas and Resources for further reading and viewing
• Canadian and US Crisis Line information and numbers

These lessons were created with high school students in mind. You could adapt the lessons for a younger group, but keep in mind the sensitive nature of this topic. The animated video does allude to abuse that took place in residential schools.

Note to Teachers:

This is meant to introduce the concept of residential schools and is in no means meant to be a comprehensive resource on the topic. This should be considered an entry point into the discussion about Canadian residential schools. We have included links to resources for further exploration, should you wish to do a deeper dive into the topic.

These lessons are centered around the “Secret Path” animated film, which is available online through the CBC website (links below or search online for “Secret Path”); however, if you can access the book either through your school or local library, or by purchasing, it can be a great addition to these lessons.

Terms of Use

Thank you so much for trusting us to contribute to your classroom. The purchase of a license is for a single educator to use with their students only. Sharing this resource with other educators without purchasing an additional license is a violation of the terms of use, as well as a violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). You may purchase additional licenses from our store https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Earning-A-Learning. Materials are for personal and classroom use (not commercial use). If you have questions or problems, please contact us through Product Q&A or email us at earningalearning@gmail.com and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can!

Want TPT credits to use for future purchases?

TpT credits are points that can be applied to future TpT purchases. The primary way you can earn TpT Credits is by leaving ratings and reviews on your purchased resources. When you leave a review, you'll earn 1 credit for every $1 you spent on TpT for that resource. Each credit has a value of 5 cents, so every 20 credits earned equals $1 you can apply to future TpT purchases. TpT credits are only earned for reviews left on active, paid resources. Credits are not earned on gift card purchases, inactive resources, or free downloads.

After using a resource, you can leave a rating and review by following these steps:

Go to your "My Purchases" page.

Click the "Leave a review" link.

Answer each question and leave a review sharing more about your experience with the resource. Then, click "Done."

To redeem your credits, look for "Use Account Balance" located under the "Checkout" button in your cart. Enter the amount you'd like to apply toward your order and click "Apply."

Let’s Connect!

TpT: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Sellers-Im-Following/Add/Earning-A-Learning

Instagram: @earningalearning

Pinterest: www.pinterest.ca/earningalearning