Search for Resources

When I Was Eight

Elementary

Description

When I Was Eight tells the story of Olemaun, a young Inuit girl desperate to learn to read English. Against her father's better judgement, she is sent to school where she faces many cruelties at the hands of the nuns. In spite of the challenges she faced, Margaret, as the nuns call her, is determined to read. This story is the condensed version of "Fatty Legs" the true story of Margaret Pokiak-Fenton and her experience at residential school.

General Assessment

Recommendation of how and where to use it

When I Was Eight makes the story of residential schools more accessible to a younger audience. With its themes of anti-bullying, the book could be read for Pink Shirt Day as a conversation starter or in an unit for a class studying Inuit culture.  For older grades, the book could be used to discuss social justice issues.

Relevant Curriculum Units

The following tool will allow you to explore the relevant curriculum matches for this resource. To start, select a province listed below.

  • Step 1Select a province
  • Alberta
    • Step 2Select a grade level
    • Grade 1
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Social Studies
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Analyzing diverse worldviews and experiences fosters our ability and willingness to live well together
        • History: Understanding the history of our province, nation, and world and developing cultural literacy allow us to appreciate the varied richness of our shared human inheritance of original writings, artifacts, stories, beliefs, ideas and great cultu
    • Grade 2
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Social Studies
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Analyzing diverse worldviews and experiences fosters our ability and willingness to live well together.
    • Grade 3
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Social Studies
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Analyzing diverse worldviews and experiences fosters our ability and willingness to live well together
    • Grade 4
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Social Studies
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Analyzing diverse worldviews and experiences fosters our ability and willingness to live well together
  • British Columbia
    • Step 2Select a grade level
    • Grade 2
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Social Studies
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Regional and Global Communities: Canada is made up of many diverse regions and communities
    • Grade 3
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • 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: People from diverse cultures and societies share some common experiences and aspects of life.
    • Grade 4
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Social Studies
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • First peoples and European Contact: Demographic changes in North America created shifts in economic and political power.
  • Manitoba
    • Step 2Select a grade level
    • Grade 2
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Social Studies
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Communities in Canada: Communities in Canada
    • Grade 3
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Social Studies
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Communities of the World: Connecting with Canadians
    • Grade 4
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Social Studies
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Manitoba, Canada & the North: Places & Stories - History of Manitoba
  • New Brunswick
    • Step 2Select a grade level
    • Grade 3
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Social Studies
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • My Province, Exploration, History of the Atlantic Region: History
  • Newfoundland & Labrador
  • Northwest Territories
    • Step 2Select a grade level
    • Grade 1
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Social Studies
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Connecting and Belonging: My Environment
    • Grade 2
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Social Studies
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Communities in Canada: Communities in Canada
    • Grade 4
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Social Studies
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • First peoples and European Contact: Demographic changes in North America created shifts in economic and political power.
        • The NWT: Our Places, Stories and Traditions: Beginnings and Traditions
  • Nunavut
    • Step 2Select a grade level
    • Grade 1
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Social Studies
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Connecting and Belonging::Culture & Community
    • Grade 2
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Social Studies
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Communities in Canada Identity
    • Grade 4
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Social Studies
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Provinces and Territories: Our Places, Stories, and Traditions: The Land: Place & People
  • Ontario
    • Step 2Select a grade level
    • Grade 1
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Social Studies
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Heritage and Identity: Our Changing Roles and Responsibilities
    • Grade 2
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Social Studies
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Heritage and Identity: Changing Family and Community Traditions
  • Prince Edward Island
    • Step 2Select a grade level
    • Grade 1
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Social Studies
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Interactions: Groups
    • Grade 3
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Social Studies
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Provincial Identity: Peoples
  • Saskatchewan
    • Step 2Select a grade level
    • Grade 1
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Social Studies
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • My Family: Interactions and Interdependence
  • Yukon Territory
    • Step 2Select a grade level
    • Grade 2
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Social Studies
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • Regional and Global Communities: Canada is made up of many diverse regions and communities
    • Grade 3
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • 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: People from diverse cultures and societies share some common experiences and aspects of life.
    • Grade 4
      • Step 3Select a subject
      • Social Studies
        • Step 4Relevant matches
        • First peoples and European Contact: Demographic changes in North America created shifts in economic and political power.

Themes Addressed

Human Rights (2)

  • Education
  • Social Justice

A project of LSF Newsletter Sign-up