Beaver

Students will:

• Recognize the landmarks left by the beaver for the Dene. (4-6)

• Identify different kinds of beaver - Tsa benaùereede (beaked beaver). (3-5)

• Identify the characteristics of the beaver. (K-6)

  • Very clean animal.

  • Use shavings for their mattress and sleep on white barkless poles.

  • They do not go to the bathroom in this house. They build separate houses for this.

  • Dangerous when out of the water and can attack. The beaver knows how to protect itself.

  • Never have more than eight babies.

  • Build their dams facing the sun.

• Know the skills that the beaver uses to control its environment in order to survive. (3-4)

  • Measures the water it will require in making its dam.

  • Measures the food it will require for the winter.

  • It harvests and rations food, collecting willows in the fall and saving them.

• Be able to identify a beaver dam. (K-2)

• Know difference between old and new dens. (2-4)

• Identify the different parts of the beaver. (3-4)

• Know that the winter season is best for hunting beavers. (K-3)

• Know how to capture beavers. (4-6)

  • Using wooden traps, nets.

  • Not using green wood for trapping because the beaver tends to chew on it.

  • Special tools for hunting beaver.

• Identify the different uses of the beaver. (5-6)

  • Meat along shoulder is very tough because it carries large logs all the time.

  • Stomach fur used as a bandage.

  • Bladder can be used for pain.

  • Dried castor is used for bait.

  • Tails can be singed, smoked under dry willows. Tails used for snack especially when travelling.

  • Footwear, gloves, mitts, jackets, tsawe tsa, trimmings.

  • Use of beaver parts for making traditional tools.

• Be familiar with how to skin and cut up a beaver. Be familiar with the fact that when cutting beaver, every part of bone structure is attached to the meat and often has to be cut with meat still attached.

• Be familiar with how to make a drying frame and to dry the skin of a beaver.

• Be familiar with how to soften the hide of a beaver.

• Be familiar with how to cook beaver.

• Understand the need for conservation of beavers and how this is done.

• Be familiar with the fur industry as it relates to the beaver pelt market today.

Experiences:

• Have the students go on a field trip to see a real dam. (K-2)

• Observe the beaver, how it works, communicates, and trains its young. (K-6)

• Have a trapper bring in some beaver tails and have a cook-out. (Prior to asking for a cook-out, get permission from parents because some people can not eat beaver.) (K-6)

• Have demonstrations on working with beaver. Give students who are ready, opportunities to have hands-on experience at working with beaver. (2-6)

  • Skinning a beaver.

  • Cutting up a carcass.

  • Dissecting the beaver and identifying the internal organs, e.g. gallbladder and its uses.

  • Making stretching frames.

  • Drying the skin.

  • Softening the hide.

  • Cooking the beaver.

• Have the students identify the landmarks where beaver can be found when they are on the land. (3-5)

• Have the students make traditional tools using parts of the beaver. (5-6)

• Have the students bring pelts to the store to negotiate