Lesson

Rock your Mocs Date Nov. 16/2018

Title/Focus

Subject/Grade Time
Art & Social Studies/ Grade 2 60 minutes
Level Duration

OUTCOMES FROM ALBERTA PROGRAM OF STUDIES

General Art GLO: COMPOSITION

Learning
• organization of images and their qualities in the creation of unified statements.
Outcomes:
Social Studies GLO: 2.1 Canada’s Dynamic Communities

• Students will demonstrate an understanding and appreciation of how geography,

culture, language, heritage, economics and resources shape and change Canada’s
communities.

Specific Art SLO (composition):

Learning
• Component 7 EMPHASIS: Students will create emphasis based on personal choices.
Outcomes:
• CRAFTSMANSHIP: Students will add finishing touches.

Social Studies SLO 2.1.1

• appreciate the physical and human geography of the communities studied:

• appreciate the diversity and vastness of Canada’s land and peoples (CC, LPP)

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Students will participate in the nation-wide event, Rock Your Mocs by designing and creating their own
miniature paper moccasins.

Students will understand that real moccasins are made out of animal hide

Students will understand the significance of moccasins to First Nations people and that Rock Your Mocs is a
way to celebrate First Nations Culture.

ASSESSMENTS (How I will know students have achieved the objective(s))

Formative assessment

• Finished product: students have successfully decorated and constructed their moccasins
• Observation: after instruction, I will walk around the classroom and provide assistance to any of the
students who need it.
• Conversation: When the students are creating their paper moccasins I will walk around the classroom
and talk to them about the significance of the moccasins

Prior to the Lesson MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT

• Print out moccasin templates • The Moccasins book by Earl Einarson

• Create my own moccasins as an example • Pencil crayons
• Create power point with examples • Moccasin template

Adapted from a template created by Dr. K. Roscoe 1

 • Print out extra colouring sheets • Scissors
• Glue stick
• Strings of yarn pre-cut
• Smartboard to show examples of moccasins
• West Coast colouring sheets
PROCEDURE

Introduction Time

Invite Students to the Carpet

Introduce the topic

• Say: I have a fun lesson planned out for you guys today. We are going to learn about
moccasins and then we are going to create our own.
• Say: A couple days ago when Mrs. T was here, she taught you some things about the
Blackfoot culture and history. So, you guys all know that we live on Blackfoot territory!
• What does that mean? That means that for thousands of years, the Blackfoot people, a
First Nations tribe, would live on this land, hunt and gather from this land, and defend
this particular territory of land from other First Nations tribes such as the Cree.

ASK: We talked about how the Blackfoot people got their name, does anyone remember?

• Answer: The colour of their moccasins were dark or black.

Transition into story

• Say “moccasins are an important to the First Nations, Metis and Inuit cultures. There is a
day that is called Rock your Moc’s Day where everyone is encouraged to wear their
moccasins. That day was yesterday, so to honor that we are going to create our own
paper moccasins.” 13-15
• Ask “have any of you every had a pair of moccasins or know someone who has had a pair minutes
of moccasins?”
• Say “Now we are going to read this book; “The Moccasins” by Earl Einarson. Pay
attention to the importance of the moccasins in the story

Read the Story

• Can any of you tell me what the moccasins smell like?

Answer: campfire
• Why did the boy in our Story love his moccasins so much?
Answer:
• Do any of you have something in your life that makes you feel safe, warm and loved?
(let the kids answer)

Transition into body

• Now we are going to make our own paper moccasins!

Adapted from a template created by Dr. K. Roscoe 2

 Body Time

Invite students back to their desks

Pull up PowerPoint

• Show examples of different moccasins on the board. Explain that beads were not
introduced to First Nations people until the Europeans came and the different tribes
would trade for them. Different tribes have different designs. For example, most
traditional Blackfoot designs are geometric while most Cree designs are floral. (Show
examples)

Pass out moccasin templates

• Explain that the template will create two moccasins, so a pair.

• Explain what the “tops” of the moccasins is (with the tabs) and what is the base or sole
of the moccasins (the oval shoe shape)

Say: I want you to design moccasins that have a theme to nature. It can be geometric (these
usually represent the stars, moon, sun, mountains etc. Or it can be floral like the Cree designs, or
it be something else that we find in nature like birds or animals.

Activity 40 minutes
These steps will be broken up and only given one or two at a time:

• First, you will colour your design on the top part of the moccasin. Pencil crayons work
best for this project.
• Then you will cut out the base and the tops.
• VERY IMPORTANT: YOU MUST CUT AROUND THE TABS. DO NOT CUT OFF THE TABS.
(Repeat this several times)
• Put your name on the base of each moccasin before you start gluing.
• Next, you will fold the tabs DOWN along the line. When you do this, you will see your
moccasins begin to take shape. You will put glue one by one on the bottom of the tab
and glue this to the bottom or base of the moccasin. It is easiest to start with the “toe”
tab (tab at the toe part of the moccasin) and then work your way around the outsides

Introduce Sponge activity for those students who are done.

• Say: So, we have been learning a lot about the Blackfoot First Nations community, and a
bit about the Cree First Nations community. If anybody is done their moccasins I have
some colouring sheets from the West Coast First Nations community (haida). The reason
I have brought Haida art is because I grew up on the Sunshine Coast in BC and this is the
art work of the First Nations there.

Closure Time

Adapted from a template created by Dr. K. Roscoe 3

 Optional: Students can showcase their moccasins for a picture by placing one or both in a circle
to replicate many of the pictures that are taken and posted on social media with the hashtag
#Rockyourmocs.

Last thing to do is to take a piece of the yarn and string it through the back of the moccasins so
that they dangle down like a necklace.
7-10
minutes
Closing comments:

• Say: By participating in this lesson and learning about Moccasins and their significance
you are honoring First Nations culture and traditions. Thank you for your creations,
participation and contributions to Rock Your Mocs day!

Sponge If students are finished their paper moccasins, they can grab one of the Haida
Activity/Activities coluring sheets I have provided.

Reflections:

Adapted from a template created by Dr. K. Roscoe 4