SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 83 (NORTH OKANAGAN-SHUSWAP)
Land acknowledgement from a kindy class

Kindergarten students at Falkland Elementary School developed their own classroom land acknowledgement!

Teacher Robbie McAfee said she started the process by watching the CBC Kids News video entitled "The word Indigenous - explained" with her students. She said they then discussed the video and related it to names of the people that live on land where they live and go to school.

The students then went outside and took a closer look at the land. They talked about what they loved, and what they thought was beautiful about it. She added she took photos of the students with things from nature they thought were beautiful and made a large poster featuring the pictures for the classroom.

They talked about how it makes us feel to have this beautiful land shared with us and the students answered that they felt great! Next she posed the question, "What do we do on this land that makes us feel great?" and the answer was, "We have fun and enjoy life".
The group then discussed what happens when you lend something to someone else and how you expect it to be returned in the same shape they received it. She used the example of what happens when you lend someone a toy. "You don't want it to come back broken or ruined."
She added that discussion led to what can be done to leave the land as beautiful as it is. McAfee read a book to the students called, "10 Things I Can Do To Help My World," by Melanie Walsh. Everyone in the class drew out a promise that they wanted to do to help keep the land beautiful.

McAfee says she plans on having the students notice the beauty of the land throughout the seasons. She will update the pictures to reflect the season they are in. "They may have new ideas for promises as well so we can adjust and change those to make sure they reflect our current feelings as well. I want to keep it as personal and meaningful as possible as I don't want it to just become a memorized, recited, speech."