A. Heritage and Identity · Our Changing Roles and Responsibilities

People, Places and Things That Matter to Me

A3.2 A1.4About 30 minutes

Learning goals

I can name some important people, places and things in my life and tell why they matter.
I can describe the role an important person has in my life.
I can tell how the way people treat each other can make someone feel.
I can tell how I can make someone feel good about who they are.

Words to know

relationship
The way two people are connected, like parent and child, friends, or teacher and student.

significant
Important. A significant person, place or thing matters a lot to you.

Elder
A person respected by First Nations, Métis or Inuit communities for their knowledge, wisdom and teachings. Not every older person is an Elder; the community recognizes Elders.

feelings
How we feel inside: happy, sad, proud, scared, left out, included.

Who is in your web?

Think about the people you see every day. You might see your family at breakfast, your teacher at school and your friends at recess.

You are connected to each of these people. The way you are connected is called a relationship. A mom and her son have a relationship. Two friends have a relationship. A teacher and a student have a relationship.

A relationship web. You are in the middle. Each line shows a relationship with people in your life.

Important people have roles in our lives

The people who are significant (important) to us often have a role in our lives:

A parent or caregiver keeps us safe, fed and loved.
A teacher helps us learn.
A doctor or nurse helps us stay healthy.
A coach helps us learn a sport.
In First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities, an Elder may share teachings, stories and knowledge.
A friend plays with us and cares about us.

Places and things matter too

Some places are significant to us: our home, our school, a park, a place of worship, a grandparent's home, a lake we visit in summer.

Some things are significant: a blanket from Grandma, a family photo, a library card. Each one has a purpose or a special meaning.

A green canoe rests on the shore of a calm Ontario lake beside a wooden dock and birch trees. — A lake you visit every summer can be a significant place. What places matter to you and your family? AI-generated image

Significant...	Example	Why it matters
person	Grandpa	He picks me up from school and teaches me to fish.
person	crossing guard	She helps me cross the street safely.
place	the library	I borrow books and go to story time.
place	the arena	I take skating lessons there.
thing	my library card	It lets me borrow books for free.
thing	a quilt my auntie made	It keeps me warm and reminds me of her.

People, places and things that matter, and why

How we treat each other matters

The way people treat us can change how we feel about ourselves.

When a friend says "Great job!", we feel proud.
When someone says "You can't play with us", we feel sad and left out.
When someone asks "Do you want to play?", we feel included and happy.

Our words and actions have a big impact on other people. We can choose to help others feel good about who they are.

Our words have an impact. The same child can feel left out or welcome, depending on what we say.

Worked example

Example: How did it make Noah feel?

Noah is new at school. At recess, Ava says, "Hi! I'm Ava. Do you want to build a snow fort with us?" How might Noah feel? How did Ava's action affect him?

Think about Noah's situation. He is new. He might feel shy or lonely.
Look at what Ava did. She said hi, told him her name and invited him to play.
Think about how that feels. Being invited feels welcome and happy.
Say the impact: Ava's kind words helped Noah feel like he belongs at his new school.

Noah probably felt happy and welcome. Ava's kindness had a good impact: it helped him feel like he belongs.

Just for fun

Riddle: What building has the most stories in town?

The library! (A significant place for lots of readers.)

Hands-on activity

My relationship web

You need: paper, crayons, and photos if you have them.

Draw yourself in the middle of the paper.
Around you, draw 4 to 6 people who are significant to you. Draw a line from you to each person.
On each line, write or say the relationship (mom, cousin, friend, teacher, coach, neighbour).
Tell a grown-up one thing each person does for you, and one thing you do for them.
Bonus: add one significant place and one significant thing.

Talk about it: "How do these people help you feel good about who you are?"

Your turn

What is a relationship?

Name one person who is significant to you. What role do they have in your life?

Name one significant place in your life and tell why it matters.

What does a crossing guard do for children?

Sophie spills her milk. Ben laughs at her. How might Sophie feel?

What could Ben say or do instead?

In First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities, who is an Elder?

More practice: warm-up

Is a teacher and a student a relationship? Yes or no.

Who helps you stay healthy: a doctor or a mail carrier?

😊 or 😢: Someone invites you to play. How do you feel?

Name one significant thing you own and why it matters.

Finish the sentence: "My friend makes me feel happy when ___."

More practice: on your own

Grandma and Ella are connected in two ways. Ella is Grandma's ___, and Grandma is Ella's ___.

Why might the arena be a significant place for a child?

Jacob tells Mia, "Your drawing is so colourful!" What impact might this have on Mia?

Name two people at school (not your teacher) and the role each one has.

A child always sits alone at lunch. Name one thing you could do to make a difference.

Challenge

Think of a time someone was kind to you. How did it change how you felt about yourself?

A thing can be significant because of who gave it, not because it cost a lot. Give an example.

Are all relationships the same? Compare your relationship with a friend and with your teacher.

Check your understanding

Quiz

What is a relationship?

Which person's role is to help you learn to read and write?

What does significant mean?

Max says "You can't play" to a new student. How might the new student feel?

Which action helps someone feel included?

In First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities, an Elder is...

For parents and teachers

Big idea: We have relationships with many people, and some people, places and things are especially significant in our lives. The way people treat each other affects how we feel about ourselves.

How to help at home:

Look at family photos together and talk about each person's relationship to your child and the role they play.
When your child is kind (or unkind), name the impact: "When you shared, your cousin smiled. You helped her feel welcome."
Talk about significant places in your family's life: where you've lived, places of worship, a cottage, a grandparent's community.

Common difficulties:

Relationship words that work in two directions (grandmother / granddaughter, aunt / niece). Practise with your own family: "I'm your aunt, so you're my...?"
Thinking "significant" means expensive. Stress that things matter because of what they mean to us.
About Elders: in First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities, an Elder is someone recognized by their community for knowledge and wisdom. It is not just a word for any older person, so try to use it with care.