B1. Application: Interrelationships within the Community
Specific Expectations
B1.1
describe some of the ways in which people interact with the natural environment and the built features of, and human services in, the local community to meet their needs, and what might happen if these features/services did not exist
- Where does your family go to get food? What might happen if the store or location (farmers’ market, farm, harvesting area) were no longer there?
- Who uses the local park? Why do they use it? Is there anywhere else these activities could take place if the park weren’t there?
- How would you feel if the playground were torn down?
- How do community garden projects help serve the needs of people living in cities? What are all the ways in which community gardens keep people healthy?
- What are some ways in which Inuit across the Arctic hunt for food? What might happen if temperatures continue to rise in the north? How might that impact Inuit hunters and wildlife populations?
- “I like playing on the swings. I would be sad if they were not there. The other park is far away, so I wouldn’t be able to go there much.”
- “It hasn’t been raining a lot, so I helped my neighbour at the community garden by watering the vegetables.”
- “I live in a big city. The local park is where I can play with my friends and look at birds and squirrels and get fresh air. I would be sad if I couldn’t do this, if the park was not there anymore.”
- “I helped dig potatoes at the community garden this year. It was hard work! I am grateful that Mother Earth provides us with our food.”
- “We go on hikes with my mishomis (grandfather) and are learning about foraging for wild foods like plants, berries, and mushrooms. If the trails at Curve Lake First Nation were not here, I would not be able to go on walks and learn about this.”
- “I helped my pépère harvest a moose this year during hunting season. It was a lot of work, but I was happy we could give some of the meat to our community. We wouldn’t be able to do this if our hunting area wasn’t there anymore.”
B1.2
identify some services and service-related occupations in their community (e.g., occupations such as sanitation worker, store clerk, restaurant server, repair person; services provided by the post office, the First Nation administration office, the Métis community council office, Inuit community centres, the community health clinic, the Indigenous Friendship Centre, cultural education centres, the water treatment plant, grocery stores, gas stations), and describe how they meet people’s needs, including their own needs
- What are some of the services that exist in your community? How do these services help you live your life in a good way?
- What are some jobs people have that serve others in your community? Can you name the jobs or describe their roles?
- “We put leaves out in bags in the fall. In the spring we get compost that is made from leaves and old food. We put it in the garden to help things grow.”
- “My city has a wastewater treatment plant to help take care of and clean the water.”
- “When someone in my community goes hunting, they share the meat with others to help care for everyone.”
- “The Indigenous Water Walkers teach us that we have a responsibility to take care of the water.”
B1.3
create a plan that outlines some specific ways in which they can responsibly interact with the built and/or natural environment in the local community (e.g., map out the location of garbage and recycling cans in parks so they can properly dispose of their waste; help plan and grow a sustainable garden at home, composting in the school, or other ways of reducing their environmental footprint; plan ways to participate in clean-up days), and describe how their actions might enhance the features of the local environment
- “We are going to plant a tree in our backyard. It will grow and be a place for birds and squirrels to live. Trees help clean the air, too. We are looking up the best tree to plant for this area.”
- “I put my vegetable scraps in the compost. In the spring, my family and I will use the compost to feed the garden. I’m making a list of all the things we can put in the compost, and all the things we should throw in the garbage instead. My mom said she will put it on the fridge.”
- “When I am with my grandparents, they teach me about traditional medicines. They will offer tobacco when picking plants to give thanks to Mother Earth. This helps our spirits and helps the plants.”
- “My community has a Three Sisters garden and they use it to teach us the knowledge of our ancestors. I learned about the Three Sisters story and how corn, beans, and squash all help each other survive.”