SPN: Museum experience tied to learning
Mac Olsen
for South Peace News
For students in the Grade 10 Aboriginal Studies class at E.W. Pratt High School, it all came together.
They learned about First Nations and Metis people of centuries past at the Royal Alberta Museum and put everything into context.
Debbie Tucker, their instructor, took them to Edmonton Dec. 8-9, 2011. They visited the Royal Alberta Museum to learn about First Nations and Metis cultures.
“They were impressed with the re-creation of cultural artifacts and scenes,” says Tucker. “They read the signs first and then chose what particular subject they wanted to study.”
The students highlighted the distinctions between male and female roles in traditional Aboriginal cultures, she adds.
To go on the trip, the students had to pass a test given every Friday for three weeks. She told them the trip would tie in with a class project.
For the project, the students worked in groups of three or four and selected the Cree, Blackfoot or Metis people to study. They had to learn about how each culture met their physical, psychological and group needs. They also had to incorporate environmental factors into their presentations – vegetation, climate, landforms and water.
The museum trip made an impression with Jaylene Calahasen. She’s very interested in government and First Nations relations. She read copies of the original and updated federal Indian Act and a saw tipi replica.
Calahasen also read information about the residential school system. It made her sad because her grandparents went through it.
Karl Chowace-Calliou found it interesting to learn about the hunting patterns of First Nations people.
Roger Noskey liked the statues they saw. One depicts several hunters on a bison hunt.
“It looked so real,” says Noskey. He also liked the statues depicting fishermen at a river.
Tucker’s group was commended for very good behaviour during the tour. David Parama, the head of education and volunteer services at the museum, wrote a letter saying they were exceptionally well behaved and enthusiastic.
“On Dec. 9, (security chief Ed Stankiewicz) felt compelled to let us know just how he was with your students. Here is what he said:
“‘Today, there was a group of high school students from High Prairie that were here most of the day. They were an amazing group. They were respectful of the museum. They completed the booklets they had and were respectful of other visitors in the museum. I happened to be having lunch in the cafe at the same time as the students and they were very respectful in there as well. They were courteous to the staff and they all had individual orders that they waited for with patience. The security staff was very impressed with the group and their behaviour in the galleries.’”
Tucker’s group was not guided for the museum tour.
Separate from the museum tour, but also part of their project, the students made dream catchers. They learned how by watching a YouTube video. Jackie Lauck, the liaison worker for E.W. Pratt, was impressed about how well they made them.
“I was quite impressed they were able to grasp the instruction by watching it on screen,” says Lauck. “Modern technology is a great tool. It would almost be the same as if they had an instructor’s help.”
Tucker hopes the Aboriginal Studies course will draw non-Aboriginal students. It’s a great way for cultural exchange and understanding, she says.
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