Introducing Treaties to Primary Students

Children are never too young to learn about treaties and their significance.  In primary grades we can introduce students to the importance of agreements or promises, discuss how these agreements come about and the implications of breaking them.  If we start the discussion by exploring what these ‘treaties’ or promises look like through their eyes, we can begin to deepen their understanding of their significance.

Use a simple text to provoke conversation among students in order to develop a broader understanding.  For example, teachers could use the videos provided here as a starting point.

English:

French:

Teachers could also use mentor texts as the conversation starter.  

English	French
A Promise is a Promise  Robert Munsch Turtles Race with Beaver Joseph Bruchac Racoon’s Last Race Joseph Bruchac Franklin’s Promise	Une promesse c’est une promesse      Robert Munsch

After watching the video or reading a book, you could ask students questions such as:

English	French
What types of agreements or promises do you make? Who did you make those agreements with or promises to? How did the agreement come to be? Can you think of a written agreement that you have been a part of?  (i.e. class agreements) What happens when that promise is kept? What happens when you don’t keep that agreement or promise?	Quelles promesses faites-vous? À qui les faites-vous? Comment est-ce que l’accord devient? Est-ce que tu peux penser d’un accord écrit duquel tu faisais partie? Qu’arrive-t-il lorsque vous tenez votre promesse? Qu’arrive-t-il lorsque vous ne la tenez pas?

Where to Next?

Create a promise together as a class.  This could be a promise to treat everyone nicely at school or a promise to pick up litter and take care of the Earth.  Whatever the agreement, discuss its importance with the students and how that agreement will be upheld.