Teacher Guide for Sugar Falls

Sugar Falls is a story of strength, family, and culture that shares the awe-inspiring resilience of Elder Betty Ross. Taken away to a residential school, Betsy is forced to endure abuse and indignity, but her father’s words give her the strength and determination to survive.Written by Anishinaabe educator Christine M'Lot, the Teacher Guide for Sugar Falls: A Residential School Story offers a diverse menu of activities that support teachers inplanning lessons throughout the reading process, including before, during, and after reading Sugar Fallscreating dynamic learning experiences for their students while maintaining a respectful and dignified approach to Indigenous topicsenhancing students’ prior knowledge about the topics addressed in the bookusing trauma-informed practices to prepare students for sensitive topicsidentifying cross-curricular connections and opportunities to collaborate with teachers in other subject areasinfusing Indigenous pedagogical practices, such as working with others, seeking holism in understanding, and learning through storytellingengaging students’ understanding and encouraging them to embrace differing worldviewsfacilitating activities for individual students, small groups, whole-class instruction and discussion, or even the whole schoolSugar Falls: A Residential School Story includes sensitive topics (e.g., abuse, trauma); therefore, it is most appropriate for grades 9–12. The activities in this guide are suitable for courses such as English Language Arts, Social Studies, History, Global or Contemporary Issues, as well as Current Topics in First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Studies. They could be adapted for use at the university or college level.