Students play fur trade simulation. Photo: André Boutin-Maloney
A teacher at Bert Fox Community High School in Fort Qu’appelle, Sask., has come up with a unique way to teach colonization and financial literacy.
The “Fur Trade Simulation” has also earned André Boutin-Maloney an award.
He received the Bank of Canada Museum’s Award for Excellence in Teaching Economics in May.
Congratulations to Andre Boutin Maloney from Bert Fox Community High School in Fort Qu’Appelle, SK—one of this year’s winners of our Award for Excellence in Teaching Economics.
Read Andre’s story. https://t.co/0huzjNiE3o@StumpMrB @bert_high @PrairieValleySD pic.twitter.com/yRoFCm2Htz— Bank of Canada Museum (@BoCMuseum) May 23, 2023
The hands-on simulation takes students back before Canada signed treaties with some First Nations.
It is played outdoors, where participants locate the student designated as “a beaver” and “collect them” for trade.
Trading Post
“When the students went to the Trading Post, there was a whole list of different kinds of items that they could trade for,” said Boutin-Maloney. “And these items kind of acted like a Chance Card and they had detailed information on what indigenous people used before this.
“We kind of wanted to highlight that Indigenous people had technology that was equivalent to these items before Europeans brought stuff.”
Boutin-Maloney says there has been a lot of interest in the game from other teachers as well.
He said he makes slight modifications as the game gets played.
The simulation debuted at last year’s Treaty 4 gathering and will be featured again this year. The gathering will be held Sept. 12 to 14.
