Honouring Our Land

Grade Level

Year 2 (Approx. age 7)

Subject Area

Social Studies

Duration

50 minutes

Class Size

17 students

Curriculum Connection

Ontario Social Studies Curriculum – Grade 2
Strand A: Heritage and Identity – Changing Family and Community Traditions
Specific Expectation A1.3: “Demonstrate an understanding of the significance of traditions in their own family and the communities to which they belong.”

Goal: Students will explore the meaning and importance of a Land Acknowledgement as a respectful community tradition, and begin to understand Indigenous presence, cultural heritage, and shared responsibility for the land.

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Big Idea

Land Acknowledgements are important community traditions that help us show respect and recognition to the First Peoples of this land. We can understand why we say them and create our own respectful class version to use throughout the year.

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Learning Goals

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

• Describe what a Land Acknowledgement is and explain why it is meaningful.
• Identify key elements in their school’s Land Acknowledgement.
• Collaboratively write a classroom Land Acknowledgement using shared criteria.
• Orally practise respectfully saying their class Land Acknowledgement.

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Success Criteria

Students will:

✅ Participate in reading and discussion of the school’s Land Acknowledgement
✅ Identify respectful and meaningful parts of the school’s Acknowledgement
✅ Contribute ideas during shared writing of a class Acknowledgement
✅ Practise saying their new class Acknowledgement with expression and respect

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Preparation & Materials

• Enlarged poster or printed copy of the school’s official Land Acknowledgement
• Chart paper & markers
• Pre-made handout or displayed “Land Acknowledgement Criteria Template” (see below)
• Sticky notes
• Document camera or projector (if available)
• Speaking rock, plush animal or another item to use during circle sharing

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Lesson Structure

🕘 Minute 0–5: Community Warm-Up

• Gather students in a circle on the carpet.
• Begin with a calming breathing activity (e.g., “Smell the flower, blow out the candle”)
• Review map of Canada on classroom wall – gently point to your province. Ask: “Who lived here before us? Who takes care of this land today?”

Teacher Talking Point: "We’re going to talk about something we hear at the start of special assemblies. It’s called a Land Acknowledgement. It helps us remember who first cared for this land."

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🕘 Minute 5–15: Group Read and Reflect

• Post or display your school’s official Land Acknowledgement.

• Read it aloud as a class – slow, purposeful tone.

• Encourage call-and-repeat of key phrases to support fluency and engagement.

• After reading, ask:

  • “Whose land are we on?”
  • “Why do we say this before some events at school?”
  • “What do some of those words mean – like territory, ancestors, or respect?”

Strategy: Pass around a speaking rock so each student can share one word or idea they remember from the reading.

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🕘 Minute 15–20: Deconstructing for Understanding

• Hand out sticky notes to students and ask them to help you pick out:
  • Words that show respect
  • Names of Nations or groups
  • Words that describe the land
• Use the sticky notes to label parts of the school’s Land Acknowledgement.
• Emphasise the importance of each element using kid-friendly language.

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🕘 Minute 20–35: Create Criteria Together

• Display a poster titled: "What Makes a Respectful Land Acknowledgement?"
• Use oral brainstorming with scribing as students list answers such as:
  • Says who was here first (e.g., local Indigenous nations)
  • Shows thanks and respect
  • Mentions the land or water we are on
  • Uses kind and careful words
• Display a pre-made criteria template (see below — adjustable as needed):

Land Acknowledgement Template:

1. We are on the land of…
2. We say thank you to…
3. We promise to…
4. We share this land with…

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🕘 Minute 35–45: Shared Writing of Class Acknowledgement

• Using collective class voice, fill in the shared template—prompting discussion for each section.
• Ask guiding questions (e.g., “What do we want to promise to these Nations?”)
• Scribe their sentences on large chart paper in clear, neat handwriting.
• Read the final version aloud together once it’s written.
• Invite a few students to volunteer and read one line each.

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🕘 Minute 45–50: Reflection & Practice

• Have students practise saying the class version together again with respectful voices.
• Ask: “How does it feel to say this every day?” “Why is it important to say it together?”

Extension Suggestion: Assign a “Land Acknowledgement Helper” each week to lead the morning ritual.

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Differentiation and Inclusion

• Use visual cues and pictures of land, water, Indigenous symbols
• Support ELL students with gestures and translated key vocabulary
• Allow oral or drawn contributions for students with expressive language difficulties

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Assessment Opportunities

• Observation and anecdotal notes during group read and circle reflection
• Use of sentence starters and sticky note responses as formative assessment
• Peer and self-assessment: “Did we follow our class criteria?”

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Bringing It Home

Invite students to share a part of their class Land Acknowledgement with their families. Build a “Home Connections Wall” where students post pictures or notes showing how they and their families respect the land.

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Teacher's Reflection

Use these guiding questions post-lesson:

• Which parts of the lesson helped students connect emotionally to the idea of land and respect?
• Did all students feel they had a voice in the shared writing?
• What might deepen student understanding in future lessons or across the term?

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Final Thought 💡

In centring the Land Acknowledgement as a living classroom ritual, we help build young citizens who are thoughtful, aware, and connected to their community’s past and future. This lesson isn’t just a one-off: it’s the beginning of a daily act of remembrance, respect, and responsibility.

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🪶 “We do this together, because it matters every day.”