Family and Culture

by Jessica Wesaquate and Andrea Rogers

Grade Level:

8

Social Studies:

Identity

Objectives:

Know that an individual's identity is shaped through interaction with his or her family.

Know that some parts of an individual's identity are inherited and others are learned

Family plays a major role in our lives. We all grow up with different family dynamics and different values.

Have a discussion with the students about family. Remember that not all students have the "normal" family that consists of one mother and father. Talk about what things they inherit from their parents, or grandparents, etc. Talk about what they have in common with their siblings. Ask questions like, do you think they would have this in common if they weren't in the same family?

Referring to the the Saskatchewan Evergreen curriculum, you can get students to write down people in their family and compare how they are alike and how they are different. They can then get in groups of two or three and compare how their findings. Students will see that we all don't have the same behaviours and mannerisms from the same people in our family.

Watch Video of Alika Lafontaine dealing with family influences

Watch Video of Kelly Quewezance of Kelly talking about role models

In relation to the videos, questions like how did Kelly and Alika's family help them to where they are today? and then possibly follow up with questions like how has your family helped you complete a goal you have had in your life? Another part could be that the students can compare the two men's family lifestyle and how their families impacted them. They can then share to the class or pair share.

Other questions that can be brought up are:

How are some families different?

What is societies view of a "normal family"? Is this necessarily true?

Ask students to share some different family traditions with the class. Then ask what they enjoy about these traditions. Students should be able to see how families do things differently, and how that difference is good.

Discuss how different cultures portray family. Example: The oral tradition of the elder in an Aboriginal community sharing with the young people. This is how information was passed down in a family. Also, elderly people like grandparents are key people in these families and are well respected.

Aboriginal Perspectives is supported by the University of Regina, the Imperial Oil Foundation, the Canadian Mathematical Society and the Pacific Institute for the Mathematical Sciences.