A local teacher at Ecole H.J. Cody High School is using the Indigenous Peoples Atlas of Canada to teach students.
The Indigenous Peoples Atlas of Canada is a floor map that is meant to be engaged with and walked on by users and was made in collaboration with Indigenous communities across Canada, teacher Melissa McQueen said.
"I have had the fortunate experience of using the map in my education career and found it an invaluable experience and resource for myself, students, and colleagues."
The floor map has pre-made lessons that touch on each subject area and allows educators to use their expertise to teach course content through the map, she added.
"For example, I have used it in the past to highlight significant communities when teaching about residential school locations and where they were in relation to us, and then followed it up with stories and experiences from those schools and communities that were near us."
Other teachers have used the map for climate change lessons, and area and distance with math, McQueen said.
"The map is designed to be grand and immersive. It highlights significant Indigenous communities, languages, treaty land, and other identifiers. The map is a great tool to use so that students can see where they are in relation to significant places and sites," she said.
The map is a resource owned by the Alberta Teachers Association. It is a free resource that schools can put on a waitlist to use for three weeks.
"We were fortunate enough to have H.J. Cody be chosen for September this year and have been utilizing it with all staff and students throughout the month leading up to the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation as a true act of reconciliation at our school," McQueen said.
More information on the floor map can be found on the Canadian Geographic Education website, cangeoeducation.ca/en/maps/indigenous-peoples-atlas-of-canada/.
