Meaningful Land Acknowledgement Activities for Students

Land acknowledgements have become part of the daily routine in many Canadian schools. But hearing or repeating one each morning does not necessarily mean students understand what the words mean.

Meaningful land acknowledgement activities should help students learn whose lands they are on, recognize the Indigenous Nations connected to those lands and reflect on their own relationship with the land.

A land acknowledgement should not be something students simply memorize. The learning that comes before it matters.

That is why I created this land acknowledgement activity for primary students. It guides students through learning, reflection and discussion before they work together to create a class land acknowledgement.

Image of a land acknowledgement activity worksheet, featuring space for students to write their own land acknowledgement and learn about Indigenous cultures.

Why Land Acknowledgement Activities Matter

A meaningful land acknowledgement for students should do more than teach them the correct words to say.

Students should have opportunities to think about:

The land where they live and learn
The Indigenous Nation or Nations connected to that land
Their own relationship with the land
Why land acknowledgements matter
What responsibilities can accompany an acknowledgement

This is especially important for younger students. The full history and meaning behind a land acknowledgement can feel complicated, but primary students can begin by noticing the land around them and making connections to places that are important in their own lives.

These early conversations can create a foundation for deeper learning as students grow.

Begin With the Land

Before creating a class land acknowledgement, begin by helping students notice the land itself.

What plants and animals live nearby? Are there mountains, forests, rivers or oceans in the area? What places are special to your students? How do they use, enjoy and care for the land?

One of the activities in this resource asks students to reflect on a treasured place. It might be a beach, forest, park, backyard or another place where they feel happy and connected.

This gives young students a personal and accessible way to begin thinking about land, place and belonging.

It also helps them understand that land is not simply the ground underneath us. It is connected to our experiences, relationships, memories and responsibilities.

Learn About Local Indigenous Nations

Land acknowledgement activities should always include learning about the specific Indigenous Nation or Nations connected to the local area.

Whenever possible, use information from official Nation, Tribal Council, cultural centre, friendship centre or local Indigenous education websites. These sources can help you learn the correct Nation names, pronunciations and information about the lands where your school is located.

Students should also understand that Indigenous Peoples are not only part of history. Indigenous Nations are present-day communities with longstanding and ongoing relationships with their lands.

You might explore questions such as:

Which Indigenous Nation or Nations are connected to this area?
What names do those Nations use for themselves?
What is the traditional name of this place?
Is this area part of a treaty?
What can we learn from official local Indigenous sources?
How can our class continue learning throughout the year?

Teachers do not need to position themselves as experts on a local Nation. The goal is to help students ask thoughtful questions and find reliable, Nation-specific information.

Create a Class Land Acknowledgement

Once students have learned about the land and the local Indigenous Nations connected to it, they can begin creating a class land acknowledgement.

Start by discussing what should be included. Depending on your location and the age of your students, your acknowledgement might:

Name the Indigenous Nation or Nations connected to the land
Recognize their longstanding and present-day relationships with the land
Express gratitude for the opportunity to live and learn there
Include something the class will continue learning about
Identify an action or responsibility the class wants to carry forward

Students can contribute ideas while the teacher helps organize them into one shared acknowledgement.

Creating the acknowledgement together gives students a much deeper understanding of the words. They know why particular ideas were included because they participated in the learning, discussion and writing.

A Land Acknowledgement Lesson Plan for Primary Students

If you are looking for a ready-to-use land acknowledgement lesson plan, this resource breaks the learning into manageable, age-appropriate activities.

The primary land acknowledgement activity includes:

♡ Learning about what belongs in a land acknowledgement
♡ Exploring why land acknowledgements matter
♡ Learning about the lands where students live and learn
♡ A “My Treasured Place” reflection activity
♡ A collaborative class land acknowledgement
♡ A “We Live On…” colouring page
♡ An “Our Class Land Acknowledgement” bulletin board
♡ Nature-themed bulletin board pieces

The activities can be completed over several lessons instead of trying to fit the entire topic into one class period.

Why This Approach Works for Primary Students

A land acknowledgement for primary students needs to be concrete, personal and accessible.

Young students learn through conversation, drawing, writing, movement and connections to their own experiences. This resource gives students several ways to participate, even if they are not yet confident writers.

Students can draw their treasured places, share observations about nature, contribute ideas during class discussions and help create a collaborative acknowledgement.

Their completed work can also be added to the included land acknowledgement bulletin board. This keeps the learning visible and gives the class something they can revisit throughout the year.

The bulletin board is not simply a classroom decoration. It becomes a reminder of what students learned about land, local Indigenous Nations and their shared responsibilities.

Make Land Acknowledgements More Than Words

The learning should not end when the class finishes writing its acknowledgement.

Return to it throughout the year. Continue learning about local Indigenous Peoples through books, art, language, history and present-day voices. Revisit the ideas and commitments your students included.

You might ask:

What have we learned since we created our acknowledgement?
Are there any words we understand differently now?
How have we shown care for the land?
What else would we like to learn?
Are our actions reflecting the words we say?

A land acknowledgement cannot do the work of reconciliation on its own. It can, however, become a meaningful starting point for continued learning, reflection and action.

If you are ready to begin this learning with younger students, my land acknowledgement activity for primary students includes four guided activities, a colouring page and a complete classroom bulletin board.