Board / Authority Authorized Courses
(Developed by Districts Other than SD67)
Course Name:
R’Native Voice
Developed by (District Name):
OKANAGAN SIMILKAMEEN
District Number:
SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 53
Grade Level of Course:
Grade 11
Number of Course Credits:
4
Number of Hours of Instruction:
100
Prerequisite(s):
None
Special Training, Facilities or
Equipment Required:
Specific Training to deliver course and approval from the
Okanagan Nations Alliance
Course Synopsis:
R’Native Voice is a holistic approach to teaching
Aboriginal youth about their culture and history to assist
them to develop self-empowerment and to make choices
that will support them to make decisions that will lead to a
more sustainable future.
This program is taught as a partnership between the
Okanagan Nations Alliance and the School District. The
primary instructor is trained and employed by the ONA.
The school provides a contact teacher to oversee the
students’ learning and meeting of outcomes.
Rationale:
(How does this course fit into the school’s instruction program?)
The Okanagan Nation Alliance developed a series of
workshops for Aboriginal youth to teach them about their
culture and connect them to their communities, as directed by
the Elders and communities. A review of research on
Aboriginal child welfare and youth mental health indicated
that knowledge and pride in one’s culture and heritage can
reduce the risk of youth engaging in high risk behaviors and
developing mental health illness later in life. The project
included participation by the seven bands and three friendship
centre’s in the Okanagan Territory. It is delivered in ten
SD No. 67 Board / Authority Authorized Courses
communities.
Curriculum topics are selected to give youth information and
skills to help make healthy choices and cope with societal
pressures. The structure of the curriculum encouraged the
participation of local people, including Elders, Knowledge
Keepers, storytellers, and mentors.
Each community may adapt the workshop to meet the needs
of youth in their area. Workshop topics include, but aren’t
limited to: Personal Identity, Beliefs and Values, Okanagan
History, Drug and Alcohol Prevention, Depression and
Suicide Prevention, Nsyilxcen and other cultural activities.
Developing District Approval
Date:
Date Developed: Dec. 16, 2011
SD67 CDAC Approval Date:
Board/Authority Approval Date:
(Note: Curriculum will be attached when received from developing district)
Ref: Doic Data/Forms/00650-20 Board Authority Authorized Courses Dev by other districts 30Dec2008.doc (lw)
Organizational Structure:(units, topics, modules)
Unit/Topic
Title
Time
Unit 1
ORIENTATION
5 hours
Unit 2
ABORIGINAL HISTORY
5 hours
Unit 3
NSYILXCEN
5 hours
Unit 4
BELIEFS AND VALUES
10 hours
Unit 5
BUILDING HEALTY SELF-ESTEEM
5 hours
Unit 6
LATERAL VIOLENCE
5 hours
Unit 7
NUTRITION AND COOKING
5 hours
Unit 8
DEPRESSION AND SUICIDE
5 hours
Unit 9
SEXUAL HEALTH
5 hours
Unit 10
PHYSICAL FITNESS
5 hours
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Unit 11
BRINGING IT ALL TOGETHER – WRAP UP
5 hours
COMMUNITY PROJECT
20 hours
YOUTH CAMP
30 hours
Total Hours
105 hours
Unit/Topic/Module Descriptions:
(A short description and the curriculum organizers and learning outcomes of each unit/topic/module)
Unit 1:
Orientation: This unit provides an overview for the students, with guidelines and
expectations.
It is expected that students will:
 learn about each other including “likes about school”, family life,
hobbies, favorite sport, etc.
 develop understanding of guidelines around events, behavior or
attitudes acceptable while participating in the program
 develop understanding about safety requirements of facilities
 develop understanding about health safety
 develop understanding about the program and how each lesson will
run
 complete a pre-evaluation form
Unit 2:
Aboriginal History: This unit may involve elders and/or stories to teach students
about their history of the Okanagan people.
It is expected that students will:
 share what it means to be Aboriginal
 understand the importance of knowing their history
 key aspects of the history of Aboriginal people and how Aboriginal
people fit into to society today
Unit 3:
Nsyilxcen (Okanagan Language)
It is expected that students will:
 learn basic Nsyilxcen introductory phrases and numbers so that these
teachings can be utilized throughout the program
 learn an offering prayer
 learn about the importance of language and its connection to identity
and place
 learn about the sharing of local resources
Unit 4:
Beliefs and Values: This unit teaches about traditional Okanagan beliefs and
values, while having students explore their own beliefs and values.
It is expected that students will:
 learn the definition of belief and where beliefs come from
 Captikwl (oral story telling) teachings about our core Syilx beliefs and
values
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 look at how Aboriginal core beliefs and values were affected
throughout history
 explore their own understanding of beliefs and share with others
 learn about values and the Seven Teachings:
 Honesty
 Humility
 Truth
 Wisdom
 Love
 Respect
 Bravery
 understand that you can change your beliefs if they are not making you
happy
 understand the codependency between beliefs and values
Unit 5:
Building Healthy Self-Esteem: This unit helps the student to understand why
feeling good about one-self is important for having a healthy life.
It is expected that students will:
 learn about self-esteem and be able to talk to others about it
 learn to measure their self-esteem
 learn strategies to deal with things that make them unhappy
 learn about the “Six Points of Power” and how understanding them
can help them feel stronger and more confident
 learn about stress and how the body responds to it and how it effects a
person’s emotions
 learn about how stress can affect the family.
Unit6:
Lateral Violence: This unit explores violence, its place in Aboriginal society and
strategies to deal with it.
It is expected that students will:
 learn about lateral violence and its definition
 understand about the extent of lateral violence in Aboriginal society
 learn strategies to deal with lateral violence and conflict
 review and discuss the “Seven Teachings” (Unit 4)
Unit7:
Nutrition and Cooking: This unit uses “hands-on” while exploring healthy eating.
It is expected that students will:
 understand about good nutrition
 be able to give consideration to allergies when choosing foods
 be able to choose and cook healthy recipes
 discuss the high rate of Diabetes in Aboriginal communities
 Learn about the four food chiefs
 Learn about traditional foods
 Learn about healthy portions
Unit8:
Depression and Suicide: The Okanagan Nation Alliance Critical Response Team
leader or team members will facilitate this session.
It is expected that students will:
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 understand the various indicators of depression and how depression
can lead to suicide and other self-harm behaviors
 Learn about the high-rates of violence and suicide in Aboriginal
communities
 Learn about the signs of depression or suicide
 learn about the various places/agencies to get help if depressed
 strategies to help themselves or friends if depression should set in
Unit9:
Unit10:
Unit11:
Sexual Health: Trained resource personnel are employed in the facilitating of this
unit.
It is expected that students will:
 learn about sexually transmitted diseases
 learn about the prevention of STPs
 become familiar with attitudes which will allow them to have safe and
fulfilling sexual health
Physical Fitness: This unit introduces basic exercise for leading a healthy active
lifestyle.
It is expected that students will:
 understand the necessity of exercise
 Discussion around the high rate of Diabetes in Aboriginal
Communities
 Look at specific high profile Aboriginal Athletes as examples
 learn some basic exercises
 learn strategies for ensuring that they do regular exercise
Wrap Up: This unit has the students reflect on their learning and understanding of
the overall teachings of the program. It also teaches about the importance of
celebrating their knowledge, culture and successes.
It is expected that students will:
 youth will deliver a presentation on what they’ve learned from the
course in the form of a power-point, display board, poetry, song, and
or art this is their time to be creative.
 demonstrate knowledge of the program and how the various
components fit together to support them in having healthy and
meaningful lives.
 develop plans for the upcoming Youth Camp portion of the program.
Youth Camp: The youth camp is a critical component of the program because it:





Brings the youth that have completed the program together from throughout the
Nation to participate in a 2 day campout
Understand the importance nationhood and being on the land
Youth at camp will take leadership role in activities
All activities are focused on cultural teachings
Some activities will include but are not limited to: Nsyilxcen, identifying traditional
medicines, canoeing, learn how to make spitsn’ (traditional rope), tanning hides, and
other interactive activities.
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Community Project: Each youth will work individually or in a group and pick a community
project, the goal is for them to give back to community. Throughout the program they are taught
about how Aboriginal communities have shifted from communal to individualistic thinking. The
youth need to find what their role and responsibility is in community.
Instructional Component: Each unit will involve hands-on, experiential learning style, being
action-orientated, being reflective, valuing intergenerational relationships, promoting life-long
learning and place-based learning. When appropriate, Elders and resource people will be
involved in the teachings. Students will complete a variety of assignments and homework will
be assigned. The time dedicated to each curriculum topic, is suggested guidelines but may be
adjusted as needed to fit the local context.
Each lesson will follow a traditional agenda: prayer, introductions, check-in. Nsyilxcen and
captikwl will be used throughout the entire program.
Assessment Component: Students will be assessed based on their participation and
completion of the tasks assigned. Mark breakdown is as follows:
Participation
50% (including attendance)
Community Project
25%
Learning Contract
10%
Individual Work Ethic
10%
Presentation of Project
5%
Learning Resources:
1. Dove, Mourning (1990). Coyote Stories. University of Nebraska Press.
2. Miller, Jay (1990). Mourning Dove, A Salishan Autobiography. University of
Nebraska Press.Coyote Stories
3. Peterson, Sarah 2005). Captikwl 1, Okanagan Stories for Beginners. Paul Creek
Language Association. Nsyilxcen
4. Peterson, Sarah (2005). Nsyilxcen, Language for Beginners. Paul Creek Language
Association.
5. Armstrong, Jeanette (1993). We Get Our Living Like Milk From The Land.
Okanagan Rights Committee and The Okanagan Indian Education Resource Society.
6. Armstrong, Jeanette (2008). Neekna and Chemai. Theytus Books.
7. Armstrong, Jeanette (2004). How Food Was Given. Theytus Books.
8. Elders and Traditional Knowledge Keepers
9. Nsyilxcen Speakers
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