School Outreach Project Supports Two-Eyed Seeing
Photo taken pre-COVID.
Cape Breton University Senior Lab Instructor,听Chantelle Cormier,听is听hoping to introduce听the guiding principle of Two-Eyed Seeing听developed by Elder Albert Marshall听into Cape Breton classrooms,听through听a听Let鈥檚 Talk Science听project听using听Indigenous and Western Knowledge Systems.听The project, entitled听惭颈鈥檏尘补飞听Night Sky Stories,听will听develop 12听integrative听science听kits based on听lessons听contained听within the听惭颈鈥檏尘补飞听Calendar,听to complement previously developed activities around the听惭颈鈥檏尘补飞听constellation story听Muin听and the Seven Bird Hunters.听The project was听recently听awarded funding through the (NSERC), through its听PromoScience听division.听听
鈥淭he story of听Muin and the Seven Bird Hunters听is part of a rich oral听history, passed from generation to generation. It听reveals teachings about cultural importance, astronomy and phenology,鈥� Chantelle explains.听Phenology is the study of seasonal changes in plants and animals, and the relationship between these events to weather and climate.听听
In 2009, the CBU Integrative Science Research Team rekindled this听惭颈鈥檏尘补飞听Sky Story using the guiding principle of Two-Eyed听Seeing听for the International Year of Astronomy. The team included Elders Albert and听Murdena听Marshall of听Eskasoni听and Elder Lillian Marshall of听Potlotek.听鈥�This听traditional story links the annual cycle of the seasons as observed by听the听Mi’kmaw听with the movement of stars about the Northern Celestial pole,鈥澨�says听Chantelle,听鈥�It demonstrates the听惭颈鈥檏尘补飞听understanding that everything that happens in the sky is connected with what takes place on Earth, or that patterns on Earth are reflected in the patterns in the sky.鈥�听
The听PromoScience听project will develop听complementary integrative science kits听that听will be hands-on/minds-on kits modelled after the Let鈥檚 Talk Science kits. They will be developed for elementary students,听and听materials听will听be developed听in English, French and Mi鈥檏maq languages.听An听Indigenous Science Outreach Coordinator听will be hired to develop the kits, organize classroom visits and lead professional development opportunities for local school boards. CBU students will also be invited to volunteer with outreach activities.听
鈥�Using Two-Eyed Seeing as our guiding principle, this project will bring together Indigenous and Western Knowledge Systems to provide Indigenous and non-Indigenous youth the opportunity to come together in a respectful, reciprocal and responsible way to engage with each other, fostering reconciliation听and understanding听in the classroom while at the same time inspiring a mutual interest in science,鈥� says Chantelle.听听
Congratulations to Chantelle听Cormier听for continued success in science outreach!听