I. General Information
School Name: John Howitt Elementary School
School District: SD#70 Pacific Rim
Inquiry Team Members: Christopher Harper: charper@sd70.bc.ca
Iris Sanders: isanders@sd70.bc.ca
Steven Brown: sbrown@sd70.bc.ca
Inquiry Team Contact Email: charper@sd70.bc.ca
II. Inquiry Project Information
Type of Inquiry: NOIIE Case Study
Grade Levels Addressed Through Inquiry: Intermediate (4-7)
Curricular Areas Addressed: Physical & Health Education, Science, Social Studies
Focus Addressed: Indigenous Focus (for example, Traditional Knowledge, oral history, reconciliation), Land, Nature or Place-based learning, Self-regulation
In one sentence, what was your focus for the year? To create a Nature & Culture Club that fosters a connection to nature and promotes cultural awareness by engaging students in nature walks, drumming, and singing Nuu-chah-nulth songs to build appreciation for Indigenous culture and environmental stewardship.
III. Spirals of Inquiry Details
Scanning: During our scanning process, we asked students what was going well with their learning and what could be better. Many students expressed interest in drumming, especially while learning the district song, and showed higher engagement during outdoor learning. Listening to their voices helped us see a strong connection between cultural activities and nature-based learning. We were guided by the First Peoples Principles of Learning ideas that learning is holistic, reflexive, and connected to place, as we explored how to combine cultural awareness and environmental stewardship in a meaningful way.
Focus: We selected this area because students showed genuine interest in drumming and were highly engaged during outdoor learning. We hoped to create a learning experience that would deepen their connection to Indigenous culture and the natural world. By incorporating drumming and time outside as a soft start to the day, we also aimed to support self-regulation and help students transition into learning in a calm, focused way.
Hunch: Our hunch was that the school day often started too quickly, without enough time for students to settle in and regulate. We also felt that learning experiences were sometimes too classroom-bound, limiting opportunities for hands-on, culturally rich, and outdoor learning. These factors may have contributed to lower engagement and limited connections to place and culture. We believed that incorporating more land-based and culturally grounded practices could better meet the needs of our learners.
New Professional Learning: We explored several new areas of professional learning focused on Indigenous knowledge and place-based education. We learned from Elders who guided us in drum-making and shared teachings through songs and stories. We also hosted presentations on the traditional uses of cedar, local residential school experiences, and classroom activities led by local artists. Guided nature walks with members from the Ministry of Forests, Lands & Natural Resource Operations helped us learn to identify native plants and invasive species. These learning opportunities were offered school-wide and not limited to the Culture Club, allowing a broader group of staff and students to benefit.
Taking Action: Our team implemented a weekly routine for the Nature & Culture Club, with one morning each week dedicated to hiking and outdoor learning, and another to drumming and singing. On hiking days, students explored local trails, learned to identify native plants and invasive species, and engaged in nature-based reflection activities. Drumming sessions were held weekly as well, where students practiced songs outdoors, learned drumming techniques, and were joined by singers from primary classes, creating a multi-age learning community. To celebrate our learning, we organized a full-day field trip that included an 8 km hike and a shared picnic overlooking the valley. The club’s efforts culminated in a school-wide assembly performance, where drummers and singers proudly shared what they had learned. These strategies promoted cultural awareness, environmental stewardship, self-regulation, and a strong sense of connection among students.
Photo descriptions: We captured many moments that reflected the impact of this inquiry – students happily posing at the top of our final 8 km hike, overlooking the valley; students practicing drumming together along a local trail; and students working together to remove an old tire from the bush as part of their stewardship efforts. Click to enlarge image.
Checking: Yes, we believe we made a meaningful difference. We used observations and feedback from both students and classroom teachers as evidence of change. Teachers reported that students who participated in the club returned to class more regulated, focused, and ready to learn after morning outings. This impact was so noticeable that one teacher continued taking their entire class on morning trail walks even after the club had finished. We were satisfied with the outcomes, especially the increased student engagement, sense of community, and the lasting impact on daily routines.
Reflections/Advice: Through this inquiry, we learned the value of combining cultural learning with outdoor education to support student engagement, self-regulation, and community connection. We saw how small changes like starting the day with time on the land can have a big impact on students’ readiness to learn. Going forward, we hope to expand this work by providing more time for longer hikes and exploring ways to involve entire classes, rather than limiting participation to club members. We also observed that older students enjoyed drumming but were often hesitant to sing, while younger students were eager to join and sang confidently. Our advice to other schools is to start small, listen closely to student interests, and look for ways to connect learning to both culture and place.