Narrated by Terri Galligos, Indigenous Mentor Teacher. Pronunciation support from Woodland Cree teacher, author Nancy Lafleur.
Missing Nimama is an award winning picture book dealing with the sensitive issue of the MMIW. We hear two voices in this story, the author and her missing mother.
Questions you can ask your students:
Looking closely at the cover of this story what mood might you be feeling?
Might you know how to say any of the words in the Cree language into another language?
The author Melanie Florence invites readers to look closely at Francois Thisdale’s illustrations. What are your thoughts on these illustrations? Is there a favorite illustration that you like?
Show me 5 fingers. 1 do not miss 3 maybe miss 5 so much miss.
When your Mother or guardian has left for a few hours how much have you missed her?
Might your Mother or guardian have to leave for an overnight trip, how much would you miss her?
Any other 5 finger strategies?
How old might Kateri be at the beginning of the story?
How old do you think Kateri might be at the end of the story?
Nimama (Kateri’s mother) watches over her daughter throughout the years, why might she say. “I am at peace now” at the end?
What type of feelings might surface when you think of being in the dark in an unsafe situation?

Project(s):

Study the life cycle of butterflies. Find an Indigenous artists design of a butterfly. What might the artists story be of the butterfly? Draw a butterfly and decorate how you would like. Which colors did you choose and why?



Using black construction, create images with pastel colors.



Color blocks, zigzags, random shapes onto white paper, using bright colors.

Cover this image with a film of black pastels

Using an edge of a thumb tack or your finger nails create an image or poem, titled from dark to light

What might the title of your creation be?





Create and design a dress for a special occasion.

Create and design a dress for the Red Dress movement.

If you were to create a sign of a missing loved one what might it look like?

If you were to create a t shirt of a missing loved one what might it look like.



Create a portrait of Kateri, her mother and grandmother in a happy setting.



Write a letter to grandmother, Nokom, thanking her for taking care of Kateri in nimama’s (Aiyana Cardinal’s) voice.



NIMAMA, KAMAMAKOS, NOKOM, TIPISKAW, NITANIS, NISTO

Create an acrostic poem with each word. Illustrate each acrostic poem with the character or pronoun. Create a booklet. Might you tell a story with this booklet without sentences (oral language).