Teaching Indigenous Education

Welcome.
This section features  books that help teach about the history and legacy of Residential Schools in age-appropriate, sensitive ways. These stories, often written by Indigenous authors and survivors, offer powerful entry points for learners to begin understanding this important part of history.

Why Read About Residential Schools?

Residential Schools were a central part of colonial policy and have left lasting impacts on Indigenous families and communities. Reading survivor accounts, Indigenous perspectives, and critical histories is an important part of truth-telling, reconciliation, and building respectful relationships today.

Why Use Children's Books?

Stories help young students connect emotionally and thoughtfully to difficult topics. Carefully chosen books allow children to engage with the truths of Residential Schools in ways that are honest but age-appropriate, encouraging empathy, respect, and deeper learning.

Getting Started

• Use the University of Alberta Library homepage to search for books.

• Explore recommended keywords and subject headings under the "Search Tips" section.

• Browse our recommended book lists for curated recommendations.

• Contact the library help chat, we’re happy to support you further!

How to search:

Think of your search terms!

• If you want just a few good results, use one or two terms
• If you want to make your search wider, use more related terms.

Try, for example: "first nation*'" or aboriginal* or native* or Indigenous

Remember, the names or spelling of Indigenous nations or communities may vary, and names may change over time. The names communities use for themselves may be different from how they are referred to in English.

In many databases: 

• "quotation marks" keep your search terms together (e.g. "first nations" will search for instances where those two words appear next to each other). 
• *asterisks can help you search for words that have the same root (e.g. indigen* searches indigenous, indigenize, indigeneity etc. BUT will also search indigent).

Language matters. Search using multiple terms such as "Indigenous," "First Nations," "Métis," "Inuit," or "Native American" to capture different perspectives and materials. When possible, also search using nation-specific names (e.g., Haudenosaunee, Cree, Anishinaabe).

When searching the library catalogue for books try these subjects or combinations of these subject terms:

When searching the library catalogue for books try the terms: