A new online learning tool which takes NT’s grade 4 students on a virtual canoe tour of the territory’s waters has been introduced by the GNWT.
The program takes students from the waters of the Mackenzie River in Fort Smith to the northern shores of the territory in Tuktoyaktuk.
It includes video, songs and interactive activities teaching students about the natural landmarks and Indigenous history present throughout the territory.
The resource was created by Michelle Swallow, author of The Mackenzie River Guide – A Paddler’s Guide to Canada’s Longest River, as part of her master’s design thesis.
The program was repurposed for education by the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, with Indigenous elements created by Sadetło Scott, Emily Sabourin, and Nikita Hehn through the summer student and internship program.
While aimed at grade 4 level students, the release says the resource can be used for a variety of age groups.
“We are proud to release a new teaching resource that is culturally relevant to the North,” R.J. Simpson, Minister of Education, Culture and Employment said in a press release. “Through this virtual journey, students will learn about the land, customs, languages and traditions that carry the identity of our northern cultures and ways of life.”
It is important that we continue to include NWT narratives in the delivery of education in the territory.”
