This comprehensive teacher's guide is designed to accompany Second Story Press' First Nations Series for Young Readers. Just as the series tells the stories of inspirational figures from the First Nations community who have taken action on issues that are important to them, the guide is designed to help educators and students do the same. It can easily be integrated into everyday junior level classroom programming for language skills, arts,social studies, and character education. It is also appropriate for adaptation in intermediate and senior level classrooms. It uses the six books in the series and the material can be applied to other books and texts about First Nations peoples and that address themes of social justice, activism, the environment, sports, and politics.

Shawntelle Nesbitt is a former elementary teacher who designs educational programs that address issues of identity, community, human rights, and social justice. Her materials have been integrated into schools in Canada and the United States.

Shawntelle Nesbitt's profile page

This is an excellent resource to encourage a dialogue on local, national or global social justice issues.

Canadian Teacher Magazine

Very helpful to any study of aboriginal life. Of particular value are the ideas of thick and thin questions, seeing beyond the bias and challenging the text, and the focus on both critical thinking and the development of a structured approach to writing biographies. The questions around social justice could move students' thinking beyond the personal to the world outside the classroom.

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