Four Seasons and Family

Overview

This 30-minute lesson introduces young learners to kinship patterns through Indigenous teachings reflected in the Medicine Wheel and the changing seasons, using Grandfather, What Are the Four Seasons? by Sandra Samatte. Students engage in story listening, hands-on activities, and thoughtful discussion to anchor their understanding of family and community roles across time.

Curriculum Connections

• Saskatchewan Curriculum Outcome DR1.2: Describe kinship patterns of the past and present and describe according to traditional teachings (e.g., Medicine Wheel teachings).
• Canadian Social Studies Framework (Elementary K-3): Understanding self, family, and community through diverse cultural perspectives.
• General CA Kindergarten to Grade 3 Social Studies Outcomes: Understanding relationships within families, communities, and environments.

---

Learning Objectives

By the end of the lesson, students will:

• Recognize the four seasons as represented in Indigenous culture and the Medicine Wheel.
• Understand and describe how family and community roles change with each season, both in the past and present.
• Make connections between traditional Indigenous teachings and their own family experiences.
• Develop fine motor skills through colouring, cutting, and pasting.

---

Materials Needed

• Book: Grandfather, What Are the Four Seasons? by Sandra Samatte
• Large Medicine Wheel diagram (displayed on rug or projector) divided into four quadrants labelled with the four seasons
• Student worksheets with four Medicine Wheel sections (one quadrant each) outlined, with corresponding season names
• Colouring materials (crayons, coloured pencils)
• Scissors and glue sticks
• Picture cutouts from the book, scaled small enough to colour and paste
• Large chart paper and markers for concluding discussion

---

Lesson Procedure

1. Gathering and Introduction (5 minutes)

• Invite students to sit on the rug. Begin with a brief connection: “Today, we will learn about the four seasons and how families and communities do different things depending on the time of the year.”
• Show the large Medicine Wheel and briefly introduce its significance as a teaching tool from Indigenous culture representing cycles, balance, and connection.

2. Read Aloud (10 minutes)

• Read Grandfather, What Are the Four Seasons? aloud with expression and pauses for engagement.
• Pause briefly after each season is introduced to point to that section of the Medicine Wheel. Encourage students to notice how family members work, play, and care for each other during that time.
• Ask simple predictive or reflective questions such as: “What is happening in this season? How do you think the family helps one another?”

3. Cut and Paste Activity (10 minutes)

• Transition students back to their desks where each has a worksheet of the Medicine Wheel sections without pictures.
• Distribute pre-printed pictures from the book illustrating seasonal family/community scenes (e.g., planting in spring, harvesting in fall).
• Guide students to colour the pictures carefully, cut them out, and glue each onto the correct seasonal section of their Medicine Wheel worksheet.
• Circulate and support students, reinforcing connections between the pictures and the seasons.

4. Closing Whole Class Discussion (5 minutes)

• Gather students back on the rug or in a circle. Using a large chart paper, write down students’ thoughts on how families and communities change their activities through the seasons.
• Prompt reflection: “How do the jobs or roles of family members change? Are there things your family does that are the same or different in each season?”
• Highlight how these patterns show both how families have worked together in the past and continue to do so now, respecting traditional teachings.
• Reinforce the idea that the Medicine Wheel helps us understand these connections.

---

Assessment and Reflection

• Observe student participation during discussion and their ability to correctly match pictures to seasons during the activity.
• Use prompts during the closing discussion to assess comprehension of kinship roles and seasonal changes.
• Collect and review cut-and-paste worksheets to check understanding and fine motor skills.

---

Differentiation

• Provide pre-cut pictures for students with fine motor challenges.
• Use picture cues on the worksheet’s Medicine Wheel sections for students needing additional support.
• Encourage verbal responses or drawing instead of cutting and pasting for students who require alternative expressions of comprehension.

---

Extension Activities

• Create a class seasonal calendar that integrates Medicine Wheel teachings and family/community events.
• Invite family members or community Elders to share stories about kinship and seasonal traditions, deepening cultural understanding.
• Integrate a nature walk where students identify signs of each season and discuss family/community activities that might happen outside.

---

This lesson blends literacy, cultural awareness, and hands-on creativity to deepen students’ understanding of kinship and traditional teachings, aligned with Saskatchewan’s DR1.2 outcome. It integrates visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learning styles, ensuring engagement and accessibility for all learners in a culturally respectful and age-appropriate manner.