Anne Pringle
OPTA
Teaching Aboriginal Philosophy:
Annotated Resource List
Print
Aikenhead, Glen, and Michell, Herman. Bridging Cultures: Indigenous and Scientific Ways of
Knowing Nature. Toronto: Pearson Education Canada, 2010


Textbook
Epistemology, philosophy of science
Alexie, Sherman. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian. Little, Brown Books for
Young Readers. 2007


Humorous novel
Appropriate for grades 7-9
Battiste, Marie and Jean Barman, Ed. First Nations Education in Canada: The Circle Unfolds.
UBC Press, Vancouver. 1995


Book geared towards educators
Aboriginal Epistemology (W. Ermine, p. 101)
Boyden, Joseph. Three Day Road. Penguin Publishing Canada, Seventh Impression Ed.
2008


Novel
Appropriate grades 8-10
Bouchard, David. The Elders are Watching. Raincoast Books, 5th Ed. 2003


Children’s book
Environmental issues and respect
Bruchac, Joseph and Jonathan London. Thirteen Moons on Turtle’s Back: A Native American
Year of Moon. PaperStar Penguin Young Readers Group, Putnam Berkley Group Inc. 1997


Children’s story
Cycles of the moon and changing seasons (basic teachings)
Caduto, Michael, and Joseph Bruchac. Keepers of the Earth: Native American Stories and
Environmental Activities for Children. Fulcrum Publishing, Colorado. 1997.


Creation stories, stories about the importance of human relationship with nature
Environmental sustainability and respect
Callicott, J. Baird, and Michael P. Nelson. American Indian Environmental Ethics: An Ojibwa
Case Study. Prentice Hall Educational Publishing. 2003.


Ojibwa attitudes on the environment, environmental ethics
Responses to contemporary environmental issues/crises
Clarkson, Linda, et. al. Our Responsibility to the Seventh Generation: Indigenous Peoples and
Sustainable Development. The International Institute for Sustainable Development,
Winnipeg. 1992.


Academic text for teacher reference
Sustainable development project based in the Seven Generations principle
Anne Pringle
OPTA
Filion, Barbara. Aboriginal Beliefs, Values, and Aspirations. Toronto: Pearson Education
Canada and GoodMinds.com, 2011

Text book (grade 10)
Fraser, Wendy. “Hunger Strike Raises Awareness of Pipeline Project.” The Bridge River
Lillooet News. Lillooet, British Colombia. April 11, 2012.


News article
Ethics and the Environment, obligations to seventh generation and nature
Graveline, Fyre Jean. Circle Works: Transforming Eurocentric Consciousness. Fernwood
Books Limited. 2003


Information on conducting circle discussions in educational settings
Geared toward post-secondary educators, but much is applicable to secondary classrooms
Greenwood, Jean. The Circle Process: A Path for Restorative Dialogue. Center for
Restorative Justice and Peacekeeping, University of Minnesota. 2005


Teacher reference for leading circle talks
The meaning behind circle talks, values, different uses and implementations
Labelle, Marcel. Our Knowledge Canoe: A look beyond the aesthetics of the Traditional Birch
Bark Canoe to the original people of North America. (Self-Published) 2011


Children’s book
Explains the significance of the canoe and how to make one the traditional way
Lane, Phil, et. al. The Sacred Tree: Reflections on Native American Spirituality. Lotus Press,
2004.


Created by the Four Winds Development Project
The handbook is being used to eliminate drug and alcohol abuse in Aboriginal communities by
taking them back to their traditional values and teachings (written collaboratively with elders)
King, Thomas. Borders.
http://faculty.law.ubc.ca/myoung/constitution/images/Thomas%20King%20Borders.pdf


Fictional short story about woman who wants to cross Canadian-American boarder but refuses to
identify herself as a citizen of one of those two countries
Will only identify herself as “Blackfoot,” becomes detained at boarder
Meuse-Dallien, Theresa. The Sharing Circle: Stories about First Nations Culture. Nimbus
Publishing, Halifax. 2003


Children’s book (collection of 7 stories)
Simplistically explains First Nations culture and major spiritual practices (significance of Dream
Catchers, the Eagle Feather, etc.)
Ontario Ministry of Education. Aboriginal Perspectives: A Teacher’s Toolkit. 2009
http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/aboriginal/Guide_Toolkit2009.pdf

Online curriculum resources for Aboriginal Education
Suzuki, David and McConnell, Amanda. The Sacred Balance: A Visual Celebration of Our
Place in Nature. Toronto: Greystone Books, 2004.


Book of images that capture the beauty and balance of nature
Suzuki includes small passages that reflect Indigenous views on nature
Anne Pringle

OPTA
Aesthetics
Toronto District School Board. Decolonizing Our Schools: Aboriginal Education in the TDSB.
2010.
http://www.tdsb.on.ca/wwwdocuments/programs/aboriginal_voices/docs/Decolonizing%20Ou
r%20Schools%203.pdf


Teacher roles, responsibilities, and guidelines for Aboriginal Education
Some lesson/project ideas (“talking stick project”)
Toronto District School Board. Aboriginal Education Curriculum Resource. Since Time
Immemorial: Issues of Land, Identity and Self-Government. 2011-2012



Curriculum resource
Includes lesson plans and resources for use in both elementary and secondary classrooms
Basic fact sheets on certain Aboriginal issues (Attawapiskat, Residential Schools, etc.)
Rice, Brian. “Seeing the World with Aboriginal Eyes: A Four Directional Perspective on
Human and non-Human Values, Cultures and Relationships on Turtle Island”. Mohawk
and Finnish Scholar, 2005.




Book on Aboriginal perspectives on human values, cultures and relationships
Sections of interest:
Aboriginal Consciousness (pp. 61-66) – Metaphysics and identity
Relationships with the Earth World (pp. 29-34) – Ethics and Environment
Restoule, Jean-Paul. “Everything is Alive and Everyone is Related: Indigenous Knowing
and Inclusive Education.” Canadian Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences.
Equity Matters: online blog. 2011. Retrieved from:
http://blog.fedcan.ca/2011/01/25/everything-is-alive-and-everyone-is-related-indigenousknowing-and-inclusive-education/


Online article written for educators by OISE professor of Aboriginal Education Jean-Paul Restoule
Includes a description of the traditional Aboriginal practice of “meeting in circle,” which is meant to
give everyone an equal voice
Ross, Rupert. Returning to the Teachings: Exploring Aboriginal Justice. Penguin Books
Australia. 1996

Author has been an Assistant Crown Attorney since 1985, shares his experiences working with
Aboriginals in the justice system
Web
www.goodminds.com
www.oise.utoronto.ca/preview/deepeningknowledge
http://www.aboriginalcanada.gc.ca/acp/site.nsf/eng/index.html
http://www.fourdirectionsteachings.com/
http://www.plar.arcticcollege.ca/apps/authoring/dspPage.aspx?page=home
Anne Pringle
http://www.fncaringsociety.com/shannensdream/
http://www.wawataynews.ca/
http://www.ammsa.com/publications/windspeaker
http://www.aptn.ca/
Video
http://www.cbc.ca/doczone/8thfire/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlkuRCXdu5A

Wab Kinew rant on George Stroumboulopoulos
OPTA