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Dad, Is It Time to Gather Mint?

Elementary

Description

Joshua experiences the changing seasons as he learns about traditional food gathering practices from his Omushkego Cree and Anishinaabe family. He accompanies his father on the land, observing how their family lives in rhythm with nature while deepening their connection to each other and Mother Earth. As the seasons pass, Joshua eagerly awaits summer when his family collects the wild mint growing along the shores of lakes and streams of Animbiigoo Zaagi’igan Anishinaabek (Lake Nipigon First Nation) to make the tea that he loves. This story with an accompanying teacher's guide uses bright, expressive illustrations, Traditional Ecological Knowledge, and Omushkegomowin and Anishinaabemowin language to help young learners understand Indigenous relationships with the land, the seasons and community.

General Assessment

Recommendation of how and where to use it

This book supports Grade K-3 learning outcomes in Language Arts, Science and Social Studies by encouraging observation, questioning and reflection while exploring First Nation traditions. The story also highlights seasonal changes, patterns in nature and Indigenous perspectives about respecting the environment. The free teacher's guide provides discussion questions for previewing and reading the text, and includes ideas for extending the learning.

One extension idea suggests inviting an Indigenous Elder into the classroom to share knowledge about local, native plants and their traditional uses. This experience could develop  into an action project where students create a small traditional food garden on school grounds that features plants such as mint and student-designed signs with both English and Indigenous names for each species. 

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        • Stories and other texts can be shared through pictures and words
      • Science
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        • Science: Plants and animals have observable features
    • Grade 1
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      • English/Language Arts
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        • Curiosity and wonder lead us to new discoveries about ourselves and the world around us
        • Everyone has a unique story to share.
        • Language and story can be a source of creativity and joy
        • Playing with language helps us discover how language works.
        • Stories and other texts can be shared through pictures and words
      • Science
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        • Science 1:Observable patterns and cycles occur in the local sky and landscape
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        • Curiosity and wonder lead us to new discoveries about ourselves and the world around us
        • Everyone has a unique story to share.
        • Language and story can be a source of creativity and joy
        • Playing with language helps us discover how language works
      • Science
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        • Science 2: Living things have life cycles adapted to their environment
      • Social Studies
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        • Regional and Global Communities: Canada is made up of many diverse regions and communities
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      • Step 3Select a subject
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        • Curiosity and wonder lead us to new discoveries about ourselves and the world around us.
        • Language and story can be a source of creativity and joy.
        • Stories can be understood from different perspectives
      • Social Studies
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Global Indigenous Peoples: Learning about indigenous peoples nurtures multicultural awareness and respect for diversity.
        • Global Indigenous Peoples: Indigenous knowledge is passed down through oral history, traditions, and collective memory.
        • Global Indigenous Peoples:Indigenous societies throughout the world value the well-being of the self, the land, spirits, and ancestors

Themes Addressed

Ecosystems (1)

  • Appreciating the Natural World

Indigenous Knowledge (1)

  • TEK -- Traditional Ecological Knowledge

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