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Historical Trauma & Boarding School

This documentary provides a harrowing first-hand account of the traumatic experiences of Indigenous children who were forcibly taken away from their families and placed in boarding schools. The film sheds light on the devastating impact of this government-sanctioned policy, which aimed to assimilate Indigenous children into Eurocentric culture.
Viewers will hear from survivors who were subjected to physical abuse, such as spanking and hitting, as well as emotional abuse, including being told that their families and traditions were evil. The children were forced to eat food that made them sick and punished for speaking their native language. Sexual abuse was also prevalent in these institutions.
The documentary highlights how this experience has caused lifelong trauma for survivors and their families. However, it also features stories of hope, as survivors share how they have been able to reconnect with their culture and communities as adults. Through speaking with Elders and unpacking their trauma, they are learning to be their true selves. This powerful film is a call to action for reconciliation and healing.

Lesson Plans

World War II Alaska: Oral Histories

Students will learn about Indigenous scholar, Dr. Holly Miowak Guise and her process in authoring Alaska’s Native Resilience: Voices From […]

Classroom Guide

Essential Questions

What is Equilibrium Restoration (in the context of World War II Alaska: Oral Histories)?
Why is it important to learn about the resilience efforts of Alaska Native Peoples?
How were Alaska Native Communities impacted by World War II and what are the impacts today?

Standards

Context & Resources: This lesson was designed for a semester-long 9th-grade Alaska Studies class in Anchorage, Alaska. It will be introduced to students after learning about the pre-contact period in Alaska. Resources to help teachers prepare for this lesson include researching the Aleutian Islands World War II and the Battle of Attu and reading Alaska Native Resilience: Voices from World War II by Holly Miowak Guise. Students will need to be familiar with understanding and using primary resources before this lesson.
Rationale: This lesson was created to support the practice of my students in using various primary sources such as oral histories from Native Elders in Alaska. My students need to continue to practice their listening and writing skills. The opportunity to listen to the oral histories and take notes at the same time will help students focus on supporting these skills. My students also need to practice summarizing their thoughts fully in both written and verbal form. Students need to also listen to their peers' thoughts. This process helps to support classroom practice understanding and listening to each other while recognizing various perspectives.

Resources

Workshop Info

In this professional development course, educators received comprehensive support to engage students in documentary filmmaking. Participants learned how to utilize primary sources from the Library of Congress and incorporated local resources such as Elder interviews, artifacts, photos, and documents. This training equipped teachers with the tools to create enriching, historically grounded educational experiences through the art of documentary filmmaking.