- Definition
The Seven Grandfather Teachings are important lessons from First Nations cultures that teach children good values like honesty, humility, and respect.
A story about a character who tells the truth even when it's hard is showing the teaching of honesty (gwekwaadziwin).
How to teach this in 30 seconds
Try this analogy: The Seven Grandfather Teachings are like a family's core values or rules for how to be a good person and live well with others.
Ask your child: If you were to create a piece of art about love, what would you make?
Common mix-up: Kids might see these as just a list of rules to memorize. These are living values that guide how a person thinks, acts, and creates.
Examples
- A dance that shows someone overcoming a fear can represent the teaching of bravery (aakdehewin).
- Creating a mask that honours an animal shows respect (mnaadendmowin) for nature.
Seven Grandfather Teachings is a term used in Ontario’s Kindergarten to Grade 8 curriculum.
Where this shows up
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 ↗
