A Fair Treaty

This week we read the book A River Ran Wild.  This book tells the story of the First Nations People who settled by the Nashua River. 
As we read the first few pages of the book the students were asked the following questions:
*How did the First Nations People live in balance with nature?
*Does the community work in a balanced way?  Does everyone have an important role?

Students then listened to the customs, traditions and roles of the Nashua people through the different seasons.  Moving into drama, the students made tableaux to show the daily activities of the Nashua people through the different seasons.

Here are some photos of the student making tableaux of the winter scene.  During winter the Nashua people would take shelter around the fire at centre of wigwam or tipi and wrap themselves in animal furs. To go hunting the Nashua people would wear heavy hides to keep warm; put on snowshoes and pull a toboggan. They would also hunt rabbits, birds, deer and other animals using snares, bow and arrow, or spears. 

After the students had finished their tableaux they came back to the carpet to read on in the book.  In the next page it showed how a traveller came bringing wears such as money, mirrors, beads and weapons such as guns.  This traveller wanted to bring more people and share the land with the First Nations People.  Next, I went into role, as the settler, and informed the students that they were the Nashua people.  I told them how I lived and what I wanted to do with this land.  I told them there were many others from where I came from that also wanted to share the land. I asked the students to come up with a Treaty so they felt there were laws in place so we could all have what we needed.