Indigenous History Month - Residential Schools

The residential school system was active in Canada from 1831 to 1996. The government-sponsored, church-run schools were used as a weapon against Indigenous children, in hopes of assimilating them, by forcibly removing them from their families. The atrocities of this system have left a horrible legacy that Indigenous peoples are still struggling to overcome to this day.  

Below is a non-exhaustive list of resources to learn from and help educate about the legacy of residential schools.  

Canadian Geographic x Google Earth Map of Canadian Residential Schools 

It’s Our Time Education Toolkit – a support toolkit for teachers to aid in teaching about residential schools.  

Why our kids need to learn about residential schools – an article for parents  

Orange Shirt Day – organization and initiative to commemorate the residential school experience 

Indian Residential School Survivors Society – a BC organization that provides services to Indian Residential School survivors.  

Legacy of Hope Foundation – a national Indigenous charitable organization  

A Mother’s Voice – a Telus STORYHIVE video on the history of Residential Schools and their legacy through the eyes of a survivor and her daughter 

Residential Schools – a podcast by Historica Canada  

They Called Me Number One – a memoir of three generations of women that attended St. Joseph’s Mission in BC 

Call Me Indian – a memoir of Fred Sasakamoose who was a NHL player and a residential school survivor.  

University of Alberta Teacher Resources – a list of resources for lesson planning and lesson augmentation 

11 Books to Teach Kids about Residential Schools – books for children aged 4-13 

We Were Children – a feature film (not suitable for children)