Abstract

A First Nations' view of health encompasses spiritual, interpersonal, physical and intellectual components. It is believed that for a person to be truly healthy, they must achieve balance and strength in all four aspects of their being--spirit, heart, body and mind. This thesis discusses the processes involved in the development of lessons and the evaluation of the "Miyupimaatisiiuwin", Cree-specific, primary and secondary school health curriculum. This educational package provides teachers and students in Northern Québec Cree community schools with a range of educational activities that allow them to practice various ways to develop the skills necessary to make healthy life-style choices. An overview of the client and reasons for the creation of the curriculum are discussed. Although this curriculum was developed by a team, this thesis describes the contributions made by the author to the development and evaluation of this curriculum material. The design and development of this curriculum was guided by research on First Nation learning styles, health issues and curriculum design, already existing First Nations' and mainstream health education materials, Cree and non-Cree health and education professionals, and various members of the nine Northern Québec Cree communities. Evaluations and an expert review were conducted. All the data obtained was examined and incorporated in revisions where appropriate. A list of recommendations for further development and implementation are included.