Looking for meaningful Orange Shirt Day activities for primary students? This five-resource bundle combines age-appropriate lessons, writing, reflection, land acknowledgement learning, printables and a complete Orange Shirt Day bulletin board.
Designed for younger elementary students, these resources help teachers introduce Orange Shirt Day and residential school history through guided learning and thoughtful classroom activities. Use the resources together during Truth and Reconciliation Week or select individual lessons throughout the school year.
Five Orange Shirt Day Activities for Primary Students
1. Orange Shirt Day and Residential Schools Lesson
Introduce students to Orange Shirt Day and the history and impacts of residential schools with a six-page student handout.
Reflection questions help students respond to what they have learned, while the included answer key supports classroom discussion.
2. Orange Shirt Day Empathy Writing Activity
Students complete a writing prompt connected to the experiences of children affected by residential schools.
The completed writing can be displayed using the included bulletin board materials, giving students a meaningful way to share their learning and reflection.
3. Land Acknowledgement Activities for Primary Students
Help students begin understanding why land acknowledgements matter.
Students learn about the lands where they live and learn, reflect on their relationship with the land and create their own land acknowledgements.
4. Orange Shirt Day Printables
Two printable activities provide additional opportunities for students to write, colour and reflect.
Colouring posters and writing prompts can be used for independent work, early finishers or a classroom display.
5. Orange Shirt Day Bulletin Board
Display student learning with a complete Orange Shirt Day bulletin board kit.
Combine the included lettering and display pieces with student writing, artwork and reflection activities to create a thoughtful classroom display.
Perfect For
- Orange Shirt Day activities for primary students
- Orange Shirt Day activities for elementary students
- National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
- Truth and Reconciliation Week
- Residential schools lessons
- Indigenous education
- Elementary social studies
- September classroom activities
- Writing and reflection
- Classroom bulletin boards
This Orange Shirt Day activity bundle gives primary teachers five complementary resources for introducing important learning through reading, writing, reflection, art and discussion.
Teaching older students? Explore my Orange Shirt Day activities for intermediate students, featuring lessons, research projects, reading responses and reflection activities.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
The resources provided here are designed to support the teaching of Indigenous cultures, including First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples. It is important to recognize that these communities are not monolithic; beliefs, traditions, and practices vary greatly from Nation to Nation, and even from community to community. The content shared in these materials reflects my own lived experience and understanding of Indigenous cultures, but it does not encompass the full diversity or richness of these traditions.
I encourage educators to approach these resources with respect, sensitivity, and openness to learning. When possible, please engage with local Indigenous communities or cultural experts to ensure that the information shared is accurate and culturally appropriate for the specific Nations or groups you are teaching about.
These resources are intended to foster understanding and appreciation for Indigenous people.
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