We are an approved TDSB Excursion vendor where we provide education instruction to students from Grade 4 to Grade 8 inclusively incorporating Ontario Curriculum Strands and Big Ideas from an Indigenous perspective. Our Indigenous Staff under the aegis of the Urban Indigenous Educational Centre and our principle instructor Alex Nosal (OCT, Bachelor of Ed.) provide teachings in art, social studies and language designed to open up our children’s minds to the contributions and cultural traditions of Canada’s proud, pre-Columbian peoples.
Indigenous Study Field Trips (or ‘ISFT’ for short’) combines adventure and education in a unique way in which students can learn about the First Nations from the people themselves. Our current field trip is an excellent sampler of indigenous education as students will travel to the Toronto Islands where they will be introduced to Indigenous art varieties and the history and traditions associated with the natural surroundings of the Canadian cities we live in.
Big boat to Toronto Island for students.
What is an “animal spirit?” How many different tribes exist? Do they’ll speak the same languages? Where do ingenuous art forms diverge and where do they unite? Why are the Toronto Islands a sacred burial site? What role do indigenous peoples play in historical and contemporary life in Southern Ontario?
The Toronto Island Indigenous Field Trip is being offered during the 2022-2023 school year. We operate until the beginning of May of 2023 and depart of Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursday from the Toronto Harbour to Gibraltar Point on the Toronto Islands by ship there and back. Once we arrive in the quiet and majestic surroundings of the wintry park, we will make ourselves comfortable at the old Island High School which is now operated by the Not-For-Profit Artscape, a foundation dedicated to the housing of Canadian artists.
Here the students will engage in a lesson from one of our well respected and accomplished indigenous instructors in the various artistic styles of First Nation peoples as well as the relevant background and history that led to these unique styles. Afterwards, students will create their own indigenous art based on what they have learned and explain why they chose the styles they did.
Samples of common indigenous animals used in art in Canada
Everyone will have to bring their own lunch, but we do provide juice boxes for everyone free of charge.
Students must also dress accordingly. Mittens, hats, scarves, parkas, warm leggings and warm and preferably waterproof footwear are a must for the winter walker. Though the students will only be less that two kilometres from the hustle and bustle of Canada’s biggest city centre, they will all feel like they are far off in cottage country except when the stunning skyline catches their eye and promptly reminds them of the fast paced urban environment they just came from.
Here is a quick reminder of items we recommend that adults and children wear!
In the Spring of 2023, ISFT will bring you more indigenous interaction ranging from puppet plays and bead construction, to leather work and sculpture. We will be taking students just out side of Toronto by bus to experience a variety of indigenous instructors who will be displaying their unique indigenous artistic talents while showing the students how and why these important connections have evolved over time. We will keep you posted as we dot our “i’s” and cross our “t’s”.
Indigenous dancer.
You may book a field trip by contacting us directly at the following numbers:
416-995-6809
or
416-716-8844
Alternatively, you may contact us via a form at the bottom of the page.
As part of booking the trip each student is required to sign a Media Release Form
(included below for download), if they wish to appear on our website or brochures.
Completed forms will be collected at the time of boarding.
Students receive water safety instruction prior to Toronto Island voyage.