Bonus Materials in Time Meddlers

(for educators)

Back to top

Glossary of First Nations’ Terms

Algonquin – a First Nations People who ranged throughout a vast territory from Georgian Bay in the West, to the St. Maurice River in the East. Literally translated it means “at the place of spearing fish and eels.”

Kichisippirini– Algonquin people of the Ottawa region, a name meaning “people of the great river.”

Anishnabe – the original people

In the Algonquin language:

Annawan- chief
Asticou - boiling kettle
Chogan - blackbird
Dodaim - totem
Cigig - skunk
Makasin - moccasin
Makwa - bear
Odawa/Odawe - to trade
Mohawk - cannibal

In the Kanienkehaka language:

Kanienkehaka - a First Nations People who occupied territory in Ontario, Quebec and New York State. The name means “people of the flint.”

Aghstawenserontha - he who puts on the rattles

Dekanawida - two rivers running

Ayonhwahtha or Hiawatha - he who puts on the wampum belt, which indicates a peace accord

Segoleh - he who laughs

Iroquois - arguably French for “rattlesnakes.” This referred to the Five Nations, who called themselves Haudenosaunee – people of the longhouse

Wendat - islander, or people who live on the back of a great turtle. They were called Hurons by the French, from the Old French hure, meaning “boar’s head,” referring to the male Hurons’ bristly coiffure

The Five Nations are:

Kanienkehaka - people of the flint
Onondaga - people of the many hills
Seneca - people of the mountain
Cayuga - people of the landing
Oneida - people of the standing stone

Back to top

READING GROUP

Questions for Discussion

Note: This material is for educators. Reading this prior to reading the book will decrease your enjoyment of Time Meddlers.

  1. After Sarah first meets the strange boy, Matt, she tries to be friendly, but he rebuffs her. Why? What is it that finally draws them together? When people have conflict, if they could find a common thread, it might bind them together instead of leading to further clashes. Can you find something you have in common with someone you don’t generally get along with?
  2. Matt is a boy with a definite attitude problem. After meeting Sarah, his life begins to change. What does Sarah do for him that brings about a greater sense of worth?
  3. Matt has a very famous father and a huge house, but is he wealthy? Are there different ways to be wealthy or poor?
  4. When Sarah discovers that Matt’s father is missing, they decide to try to find him. What resources do they use? What things might research be helpful in, other than school projects?
  5. In Chapter Eight, the children take up spelunking north of Ottawa. How were the caves created and what sort of features and creatures did the characters find inside? How did Nadine show her true colours during this expedition? People often show what they’re made of in crisis situations. Why is that and what does it usually bring out?
  6. What were the names that the natives called themselves, their land, and each other? Why are some of the names we use inaccurate? Where do you think they came from?
  7. In Chapter Twelve, a major plot point occurs. Nadine throws Sarah and Matt into the time machine. They wind up back in the cave where their first frightening experiences occurred. What was the author doing by introducing the cave earlier? Why does it have double impact this time?
  8. In Chapter Thirteen, Sarah and Matt have their first encounter with an Algonquin boy, Chogan. What does he do for them that allays their suspicions and fear? Little acts of kindness often break down the barriers between different cultures. Can you think of things you can do, or what has been done for you, that are examples of this?
  9. Makwa (bear), mahigan (wolf), moz (moose)—these are a few of the Algonquin names for animals. What is a skunk in Algonquin? How was it significant in the story? The Algonquin sometimes used skunks to protect them from bears. When threatened, the skunk would aim and spray directly in the eyes of the bear, as we might use pepper spray. We may fear and respect the bear because of its size, but how do we feel about the skunk? Despite its unpleasant aroma, even the skunk is a creature to admire and respect. How have we lost respect for our environment?
  10. Chogan leads Matt and Sarah to the outskirts of his village, where he hides them in the bushes. Describe a typical Algonquin village. What kind of structure did the Algonquin live in? Hint: it wasn’t a teepee. What main material did they use to make their homes, canoes, containers, etc? Why do you think they used this? Despite the different era the children were from and the different culture, why did Sarah and Matt think of Chogan’s family as typical, even idyllic?
  11. Matt is abducted/rescued by the some Kanienkehaka warriors after he was shot with an arrow from the same tribe. Describe the Kanienkehaka. Why did they help him? Matt initially sees these men as fierce and bloodthirsty, yet in the end their shaman removes his arrow and they’re willing to listen to his arguments for peace. Explain why first impressions are often wrong.
  12. How did the Kanienkehaka live and construct their homes? What was similar to the Algonquin and what was different? Why were these two nations always fighting? Does there seem to be a universal theme? Wouldn’t it be better if we could explore our similarities before plunging into conflict over our differences?
  13. When Matt and Sarah run into Champlain—the first European they encounter—why are they at odds? What values have they learned through their encounter with the Anishnabe (Original People)? What do they want to change?
  14. The natives of North America never took anything from nature that they didn’t use. When an Algonquin took a strip of bark from a basswood tree for rope, he or she would never entirely denude the tree of bark because it would die. Whenever something was taken from the land necessary to their survival—bark, animals, trees—an offering of tobacco was left in its place. This is an example of their reverence for the environment and the creatures of the world. How can we show the same regard?
  15. What eventually happens to the people of the First Nations? How does Matt try to change that? If you could change one event that happened in our history, what would it be?

Back to top

Activities

  1. During the peace negotiations between the Algonquin and the Kanienkehaka, Segoleh explains the legend of Dekanawida. Legends are stories that are passed down from one generation to another, and they often describe how something came to be. Write your own legend about an event in history, or from your own cultural background, or to explain something in the natural world.
  2. During their experience in the 1600s, Sarah and Matt are introduced to many traditional tools (like birchbark canoes and a turtle-claw rattle). Make a list of these items and explain their use. Use illustrations if you like.
  3. Animals played a significant role in aboriginal life. They gave the First Nations people food, clothing, tools, and ideas for adapting to their environment. For example, the beaver was industrious and its home was a blueprint for the Algonquin wigwam. Sometimes the given name of an Algonquin or Kanienkehaka person was that of an animal. In the story, Chogan is named for the blackbird because he too is bold and curious. Choose an animal name that you feel suits your personality, and explain why.
  4. At the end of the book, Matt and Sarah have altered history by interfering in the Algonquin and Kaniekehaka war. Can you expand on the ideas presented? Write the next chapter and describe how things are different from the North America in which the story began.

Back to top

Curriculum Components

Heritage and Citizenship: Aboriginal Peoples and European Explorers

In Overall Expectations
  • identify ways in which the environment molded Canadian and U.S. Aboriginal cultures;
  • identify early explorers and describe their impact on the development of Canada and the U.S.;
  • demonstrate an understanding of the social, political, and economic issues facing Aboriginal peoples in North America today.
Understanding Concepts
  • demonstrate an understanding of the theories related to the origin of the Aboriginal peoples (e.g., migration and settlement);
  • describe the relationship between Aboriginal peoples and their environment (e.g., with respect to food, shelter, cultural practices);
  • describe how the Algonquian and Iroquoian nations contributed to the development of Canada and the U.S. (e.g., with respect to food, transportation, exploration, the arts, technology, government);
  • identify early explorers (e.g., Viking, French, English) who established settlements in North America and explain the reasons for their exploration (e.g., fishing; fur trade, resulting in the establishment of the Hudson’s Bay Company);
  • identify technological developments and cultural factors that led to the exploration of North America;
  • identify some of the consequences of Aboriginal and European interactions (e.g., economic impact of the fur trade on Aboriginal peoples; transmission of European diseases to Aboriginal peoples).
Developing Inquiry/Research and Communication Skills

The novel includes a map of original place names and inhabitants of the Ottawa Valley, Quebec, Ontario and New York State, activities related to writing and reading group questions.

Applying Concepts and Skills in Various Contexts
  • describe early explorers’ perceptions of Aboriginal peoples’ way of life;
  • identify current concerns of Aboriginal peoples (e.g., self-government, land claims);
  • identify the contributions of Aboriginal peoples to the political and social life of Canada and the U.S.(e.g., in music, art, politics, literature, science)

Back to top