Rabbit Snaring Grade 9
Lesson Plans
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Rationale:
In the past there has been a lot of talk about traditional education. Many people ask "What is traditional education?". Elders answer the question by saying it is the teaching of values through cultural experiences. We are starting to bring these experiences into the school for our students. Elders also say that learning has to be equal between traditional and contemporary education in order for our students to succeed in these changing times. We recognize that this can be done by using traditional activities to teach contemporary issues. It is very important to start now because the wisdom and knowledge of our elders is slowly fading away as they pass on. So, with this unit and the others done at George Knott School, we hope to set the right path for teachers, community members, and students in the future.
This unit was taught to students in Grade Nine, Native Studies.
It is a unit to show them the basics if snaring, skinning, and cooking the rabbit.
This unit may be extended to a different area of the curriculum.
It can also be used at any grade level.
Objectives:
- To get students to become proud of their culture.
- To appreciate the elders for the hardships they faced to survive and, in turn, learn to respect them.
- To work cooperatively with elders.
- To bring traditional education to the classroom.
Rabbit Snaring In the past, rabbit snaring was the simplest way of getting food. It is so easily learned and can be done by any member of the family. Not only was the rabbit needed for food, it was also in great demand for its fur. The people used the fur to make clothing and blankets. They also used the fur in babies' diapers, where it was mixed with moss, and also as lining for the babies' tikanagans to keep the babies warm during the winter.
There are three ways of setting snares. The first one is the most common which is the horizontal pole snare. This type of snare is simply a noose fastened to a pole and is built across the trail of a rabbit. Small spruce boughs and twigs are placed on each side of the snare to dissuade the rabbit from going around it.
The second one is the vertical pole snare. This one is also a noose fastened to a pole but is placed vertically on top of the snow so the snare is directly above the rabbit trail. This type of snare was mostly used when winters were long and cold and the rabbits were hard to catch.
The third type of snare is the toss pole snare. The pole used in this snare is much larger than the first two. The noose is fastened on the lighter end of the pole which is the front of the snare. The other end of the pole should be heavy enough so that when triggered, it will hold the weight of the rabbit and toss it up into the air. When a rabbit is caught in this snare, it hangs up in the air and is protected from predators until the snare can be checked.
HAPPY SNARING!!
Rabbit Snaring Unit Grade Nine
Pre-test - Students wrote down the steps on rabbit snaring to see what they already knew about the topic.
Rabbit Snaring Poems - Students wrote poems on "Rabbit Snaring" or "Rabbits".
Preparing Snare Wire - With instruction of elder, students prepared snare wire to be used on the rabbit snaring trip.
Rabbit Snaring - Along with elder and teacher, students went out to set rabbit snares at Stone Lake.
Checking Rabbit Snares - Along with elder, teacher, and curriculum development coordinator, students went to check on rabbit snares.
- Students also got a lesson on how to build a fire.
Rabbit Preparation and Cooking - One afternoon was taken to teach the students how to skin a rabbit and cook it. They also made bannock and rabbit stew of oatmeal and flour. The students enjoyed their meal at the end of the day.
Final Activity/Assignment - Students worked in groups of four to "invent" a game. The games were to have the theme of "rabbits" of "Rabbit Snaring". The games could be: board games, card games or activity. They had come up with a title for each game.
Some titles are: "Hide the Rabbit"
"Rabbits and Snares"
"Pin The Tail On The Rabbit"
"Who Can Throw The Rabbit The Farthest"
Other Activities Included - Syllabics Worksheet #1
- Syllabics Worksheet #2
- Story on the Rabbit Dance
- Questions on the Rabbit Dance
Elder's Report April 17, 1996
Wednesday Activities
- teaching the students about how to catch a rabbit.
- teaching the students about rabbit snaring.
- students listened carefully.
Thursday
- Students went out in the bush to do rabbit snaring.
- Marilyn was with the students and they listened and learned how to do rabbit snaring.
- They did a really good job on rabbit snaring.
Friday
- On Friday they went out to the bush to check their rabbit snares at 11:45 am.
- At 1:30 pm the students were picked up. During the noon hour they had lunch.
- Nobody caught a rabbit and eight lost their snares.
- After lunch they were taught how to take care of things and how to light a fire. It was good to see the students listen to their teacher Marilyn.
Thank you,
I hope we will teach students soon again.
Report Done By:
Elder Peter Harper Jr.
Snaring For Survival Shoelaces, or a piece of nylon fishing line, can be used as an emergency snare if you are lost or injured in the wilderness. Rabbits, squirrels, ducks and grouse are among the easier creatures to capture this way, when the main concern is simply survival.
Make a quarter-inch loop at one end of your snare, then slip the other end through it, leaving an opening according to the size of your quarry. For rabbits, lay this opening along one of their regular trails, then tie the other end to a tree or some brush. Hold the snare open with small sticks or bunches of grass arranged in such a way that the animal must enter the loop in order to go along the trail. Check this setup frequently, at least every morning and night, to make sure nothing suffers for long in it.
A spring-pole setup makes death by snaring go more quickly; it also holds the snared animal out of reach from others who might find it before you. For this method, the snare is attached to the tip of a sapling or small tree. This is bent over and held down by a well-balanced stick to which some bait is attached. When the animal takes the bait, it moves the balanced stick which causes the sapling to spring up, pulling the noose tight and lifting the victim up into the air.
Rabbit hides were often sewn together in former times to make soft robes and blankets.
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