NWT Heritage Fairs: Teachers Resources Manual
Heritage Fairs Teacher's Guide
Activity 1: What is 'Heritage'?
Background:
For projects to successfully explore ‘heritage’ it is important that students understand the term. This will help them to focus their topics on areas that have personal meaning.
Goal:
- Students will understand the term ‘heritage’.
Materials:
- Chart paper and markers or board
Time:
- 15 minutes
Procedure:
1. Write the word ‘heritage’ on the board or chart paper and circle it. Ask students what the word ‘heritage’ means and put all their ideas around the word. You may need to prompt but together come up with phrases such as: where you come from, who you are, race, community, gender, generational experiences, birthplace, parents’ birth place, what we like to do, traditions, culture, etc.
2. Share a definition such as, ‘Heritage is the combination of all those things that make us, as individuals, the people we are and, on a larger scale, make us the community we are, the territory we are and the nation we are.’
Depending on the age and stage of your students you could discuss ‘heritage’ in greater detail. ‘Heritage’ includes, but is much more than ‘just old things’ as one student put it. It is both tangible and intangible and can include the learning of songs, recipes, language, dances, activities and many other elements of who we are and how we identify ourselves. It also includes our buildings, archaeological sites and stories. Learning our collective heritage gives us all a better sense of who we are as individuals.
3. Tell your students that they will be doing a project and participating in a Fair where they will get to explore and learn about their own heritage, that of their classmates, the rest of the Territory and Canada as a whole.
Next - Activity 2: What is a Heritage Fair? »
