Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action: Reconciliation Tree

Our Finished Reconcillation Tree

After we studied about the experiences of Indigenous children in Residential schools, our class started looking at the Truth and Reconciliation Commission as one of the ways Canada can work to acknowledge the wrongs committed to Indigenous peoples in Canada.

I framed this lesson around the artist that sculpted the "Reconciliation Tree" for the TRC, Donald Chretien.  We also looked at one of his paintings "The Tree of Life" on which the Reconciliation Tree is modelled.  We watched a quick video on the purpose of the TRC commission, and why is was so significant and important.  Then I highlighted some of the Calls to Action from the TRC document, so that students had a sense of what was being requested by the commission.  I focussed on the Education, Heath and Language sections for our class discussion, but the students were going to read them in groups to complete the activity.

Donald Chretien and the Tree of Life Painting (from the Artist's website)

As a class, we looked at the painting, and made notes of what we saw/ felt/ thought about it.  As a class, we read the Artist's statement about the tree, which is a story available on his website http://donaldchretien.com/portfolio/treelifepaint/.  I had the students focus on the word "restorative."  We looked up a definition, and once we understood the meaning, students discussed why it was a good symbol for Truth and Reconciliation.

Our discussion was great.  One student noted that they thought it was "amazing" that Indigenous people could forgive Canada for the residential schools.  And another noted that "maybe its not for Canada, but for the people to feel better."  I agreed that healing and forgiveness can be "restorative" and that is an important part of TRC.

For our activity, groups went through the TRC document in sections.  Then we did some "expert groups break outs" so that each student could share about the section they read.  Students made not of one of the Calls to action they felt connected to.

Then students got a Circle worksheet (linked at the bottom of this post).  On the front of the circle, they were to colour the circle using colours from Chretien's Tree of Life Painting.  On the back, they were to copy the call to action and write why they were moved by this specific statement.

First, I shared my circle.  I felt connected to Call to Action #62 "We call upon the federal, provincial, and territorial governments, in consultation and collaboration with Survivors, Aboriginal peoples, and educators, to: i) Make age-appropriate curriculum on residential schools, Treaties, and Aboriginal peoples’ historical and contemporary contributions to Canada a mandatory education requirement for Kindergarten to Grade Twelve students." You can see my reflection in the picture above.

Students were excited to share their circles with one another.  

I was impressed by how thoughtful the students were when writing their circle reflections:

After students were finished their circles, they hung them on the Tree:

Making the tree was simple, I found some fallen branches and put them in a planter with some plasticine and some heavy rocks to keep it from toppling over.

And now the tree lives in our classroom window.  Because it is eye-catching, anyone that comes into the classroom, automatically comes over to it and reads it.  And the students are more than happy to explain the project to any visitor.  

If you want to complete the activity with your own students, here is the circles I gave the students.  To save paper, cut on the diagonal for 2 worksheets.  Print these on card stock so the circles are stronger, can withstand writing on the front and back, and can hang on the tree nicely.  

How does this fit into the curriculum?
The Ontario Arts Curriculum:

The elementary Arts Curriculum specifically notes that in Art education, there should be a commitment to social justice-- and art is a way of communicating artists responses to issue of injustice and culture.  Additionally, in this activity, we look at the "Tree of Life" and make connection to what students think and feel about the painting, as well as making the connection between the art, artist and Truth and Reconciliation, a focus of Social Studies.

Ontario Social Studies Curriculum:

Although it shouldn't be, Truth and Reconciliation is a controversial issue.  Investigating the Calls to Action, and sharing that information is advocacy, and something my students did without being told to do so.  They were proud of their research and of the Reconciliation Tree in our classroom, that they spread the knowledge about the project freely.  

What other TRC activities do you do in class?  I would love to hear about it.