Idaa Trail

Have students take some time to learn about the Dogrib people, and ask them: Where do they live? How do they live?
“Dogrib” entry in the Encyclopaedia Britannica: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Dogrib

With students, explore the route of the Idaa Trail. Calculate the distance between Rae and Hottah Lake, which the family will travel in this book. Look at this on a map and/or Google Earth.
Lessons from the Land: A Cultural Journey through the Northwest Territories — Idaa Trail virtual tour: http://bit.ly/2XXWybt
Idaa Trail Teacher’s Guide (pair with the virtual tour above): http://bit.ly/2VDyHAn

Continue to build and add to the word wall that has been created and integrate these words into day-to-day activities.

Included in the afterword is a description of each of the places the family visits along their journey. You could provide students with these short descriptions before reading. As the family makes it to each stop, students can share what they know (based on the information in these descriptions) about the location.

While reading, ask students to pay attention to the kinds of skills the characters learn from their grandparents. Create a chart to record the different skills. After reading, go back to this list to sort the skills — e.g., survival skills, personal skills, etc.

In this chapter, we see the first of many offerings of tobacco that are made throughout the story. Discuss this Indigenous protocol with students. If possible, invite an Elder or knowledge holder to share teachings about tobacco.

On pages 12–13, it says, “John lay on the couch … But he kept imagining what lay ahead …” How is John feeling?

On page 12, it lists the ingredients and equipment the characters are packing. What do you think they will eat on their trip?

With students, learn more about traditional ways of making birchbark canoes. View a few videos and explore why birchbark was used, what tools were needed, etc.
Native Art in Canada — “Building Birchbark Canoes: Step by Step Guide to Birchbark Canoes”: http://www.native-art-in-canada.com/birchbarkcanoes.html
“Building a birch-bark canoe”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnPCJ5bamBE
“Birchbark Canoe: Creating a replica of an 1860’s Ojibwe canoe.” Produced by Lakeland PBS, 2012: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPvbKgxN1c4

On page 20, Etseh tells the children, “To us the land is like a book,” and that they “must see each place before we tell you the stories.” Discuss with students what Etseh means by this and why it is important to see a place before you hear the stories.

Etseh tells the story of the flu epidemic that spread through Nidziikaa Kogolaa. Have students complete research to find other diseases that resulted in loss of Indigenous life in Canadian history.

Etseh tells the legend of Yamozhah. Try to find other legends that tell the story of spruce trees or birchbark, then share them with the class or have students retell these stories.

During bad weather, the Dene people play hand games. View this CBC News video to learn more about hand games: http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/dene-hand-games-1.3586982
Additional information can be found in the Canadian Encyclopedia “Dene Games” article: http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/dene-games

Ask students: What lessons do the grandchildren learn in this chapter? What in the story or illustrations lets us know about the lessons? What types of lessons have you experienced when learning or working with your grandparents or other family? How are these lessons different from those we learn in school? How do you let people know you are coming to visit? How is this different than the family in the story?

Have students research how traditional fishing differs from present-day fishing. Record the differences and similarities on a contrast-and-compare chart.

Ask students: What do the characters in the story believe about Madelaine?

With students, discuss the significance of Blood Rock. Sharing stories about the land is important throughout this book. Find stories of the land near you, visit those places as a class if you can and/or have an Elder or knowledge keeper come into your class to share the stories of the land in your community.

The caribou hunt is explained in this chapter. As a class, explore what the uses were for caribou (including those that are discussed in the chapter) and consider what else the Dogrib people used caribou for.

Have students look into the current caribou population in this territory.

Investigate how the Dogrib Caribou Skin Lodge was made and the meaning behind its construction. Share the information with your students or research the information together.
“The Dogrib Caribou Skin Lodge: An Exhibit” booklet: https://www.pwnhc.ca/item/the-dogrib-caribou-skin-lodge
More information on caribou can be found here:
Kuhnlein, H. V., and M. M. Humphries. Traditional Animal Foods of IndigenousPeoples of North America. Montreal: Centre for Indigenous Peoples’ Nutrition and Environment, McGill University, 2017. http://traditionalanimalfoods.org/mammals/hoofed/page.aspx

What themes come out of this journey?

Early in the book, Etseh tells John, “You’ll be a lot stronger.” In what ways does John become stronger throughout the story? Have students support their answers with examples from the book.

What is the role of stories throughout their journey?

In small groups or as a class, recreate the characters’ journey as a visual representation. This could be through a mural, a painting or a 3-D representation of the Idaa Trail route. Students can retell the stories that happened at each stop along the trail.
Cross-curricular Connections: Visual Arts, Language Arts

Try playing some of the Dene games described in this article: http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/dene-games/
Cross-curricular Connections: Health and Physical Education