Corn Moon
August/Beginning of September - 9th Moon - Corn Moon (Mdaamiin Giizis):
This moon teaches about the cycle of life. Each cob of corn should have 13 rows of kernels, which represent future generations who have yet to begin their journey of life. This moon marks a time to harvest corn.
Other Names for this Moon: Harvest Moon, Autumn Moon (Cree), Yellow Leaf Moon (Assiniboine), Corn Harvest Moon (Dakota)
Learning IN & FROM all of Creation
Learning FROM the Outdoors
How do you know when it's time to harvest?
What are the changes to plant life that let you know about their cycle?
What can animal and insect behaviours teach us?
Learning IN the Outdoors
Corn Gathering, Identification, Sorting
Learn Indigenous stories connected to harvesting time and the environment (e.g. Three Sisters: Corn, Beans and Squash, Haudenosaunee Perspective)
Learning About the Three Sisters: Corn, Beans, and Squash
Science Connections
Life Cycles
Adaptations of Living Things
Sustainability & Reciprocity
Lesson Connections for the Classroom
Primary/Junior students
It is important to remember the diverse First Nations communities across Turtle Island when reviewing this resource. There are elements of integration with Social Studies and Science in this unit plan from BC Education. The seasonal round unit ideas lend well to integrating the topics of Understanding First Nations Communities in Western Canada in Social Studies and Plants & Habitats in Science. A seasonal (or annual) round refers to the pattern of movement from one resource-gathering area to another in a cycle that is followed each year. Spring, summer, and fall saw the people moving to a variety of resource areas while during the harsher winter, the people gathered in winter villages. The abundance of resources also determined how often people moved. In areas that had a greater abundance of variety, people could stay in one location for longer than in areas where resources were scarcer.