- Definition
An Elder is a respected person in an Indigenous community whose wisdom about their culture, spirituality, and life experiences is highly valued, regardless of their age. People often ask Elders for guidance on important matters.
A community might ask an Elder to share a traditional story to teach children about their culture.
How to teach this in 30 seconds
Try this analogy: An Elder is like a wise guide in a community, someone everyone trusts to share important stories and give good advice.
Ask your child: Who in our family or community knows the best stories?
Common mix-up: Kids may think an Elder is just any older person. An Elder is someone whose wisdom is recognized by their community, no matter their age.
Examples
- A family might ask an Elder for advice on an important decision.
- An Elder might lead a special community ceremony or gathering.
Elder is a term used in Ontario’s Kindergarten to Grade 8 curriculum.
Where this shows up
- Grade 5 Health and Physical Education
- Grade 1 Social Studies / History / Geography
- Grade 2 Social Studies / History / Geography
- Grade 3 Social Studies / History / Geography
- Grade 4 Social Studies / History / Geography
+5 more mentions across the curriculum
The descriptions on this page are SmartStudy’s own original, plain-language writing — not the Ministry’s wording. They are aligned to the Ontario Curriculum, © King’s Printer for Ontario. For the Ministry’s official wording, see the source link below. SmartStudy is an independent service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Government of Ontario or the Ministry of Education. Ontario Curriculum and Resources ↗
