Spirit Bear's Beary Caring Curriculum & Learning Guides

Spirit Bear’s Beary Caring Curriculum is a social justice curriculum for learning and taking action based on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action, sovereignty, responsible citizenship, rights, and the Touchstones of Hope reconciliation process of truth-telling, acknowledging, restoring, and relating.

This curriculum was written for teachers who teach the Caring Society’s initiatives and campaigns with their students to enact social justice and reconciliation-based actions. 

The Jordan's Principle Learning Guide invites everyone to learn about the case on First Nations child welfare and Jordan’s Principle. Students will learn about child welfare and discrimination that continues in government practices and public and services in Canada and what they can do to end discrimination against First Nations children and youth.  

This guide is written for teachers of elementary students, though may be adaptable to older learners. The guide offers context, lesson plans, curriculum links, assessment suggestions, numerous resources, and many ways to become involved in the Jordan's Principle campaign and other Caring Society initiatives.

Shannen's Dream, named in loving memory of Shannen Koostachin, is a campaign that makes sure that First Nations children and youth have the same educational opportunities as others, in ways that respect their language and culture. Shannen’s Dream recognizes that every child’s dream matters! Every First Nations child in Canada has the right to a proper education, including safe and comfy schools, quality education, and education that amplifies students’ cultural, individual, and collective needs.  

This guide is written for teachers of elementary students, though may be adaptable to older learners. The guide offers context, lesson plans, curriculum links, assessment suggestions, numerous resources, and many ways to become involved in ensuring that Shannen’s Dream is a reality. 

Spirit Bear's Virtual School Glossary is meant to be used in conjunction with Spirit Bear's Beary Caring Curriculum and the learning guides for the campaigns.

The glossary aims to support teachers and anyone who finds this resource valuable in making sense of reconciliation, justice, fairness, substantive equality, and ending discrimination against First Nations children, youth, and families. It is helpful to think of this list of words as starting points in your work toward reconciliation. Doing your own additional research on these words and terms is crucial to broadening your understanding of historical and ongoing injustices. 

Because meanings of words change over time, the Glossary is updated from time to time.