Home · Languages · Nakoda · Lesson 1

Greetings and Introductions

20-minute video Open · K–12 With Theresa O'Watch Carry the Kettle First Nation Available May 25, 2026

Video unlocks May 25, 2026

Classroom-ready downloads

Student handout (PDF)Download
Teacher lesson plan (PDF)Download
Quiz + answer key (PDF)Download

Curriculum alignment

Saskatchewan Indigenous Languages K–12 outcomes met in this lesson:

CR.1	Listen and respond to oral texts in the language.
CR.2	View and respond to visual and audiovisual texts.
CC.1	Use simple phrases for greeting and introducing oneself.
CC.2	Speak in short exchanges with a partner.
AR.1	Reflect on personal learning and on the place of the language.
CULT.1	Identify the First Nation where the language is spoken and locate it on a map.

Also maps to Alberta Cree Language and Culture 3/6/12 Y (A.1 oral interaction, S.1 sociocultural), Manitoba Aboriginal Languages K–4 outcomes, and BC First Peoples' Principles of Learning.

About this lesson

In this first Nakoda lesson, Theresa O'Watch, a language teacher from Carry the Kettle Nakoda First Nation in southern Saskatchewan, shows students how to greet someone in Nakoda, introduce themselves, and answer back when they are greeted. The lesson is built around a short dialogue that any pair of students can act out together by the end of the period.

Nakoda belongs to the Siouan language family. Historically it has been spoken across the plains of Saskatchewan and Alberta. It is closely related to Dakota and Lakota, and shares with them a grammar that stands out among the Indigenous languages of North America.

Learning objectives

Communicative

Students can greet someone in Nakoda and respond appropriately.

Vocabulary

Students learn 7 core expressions and can recognize them when spoken.

Cultural

Students understand where Nakoda is spoken and by whom.

Reflective

Students articulate why learning Indigenous languages matters in Canada.

Core vocabulary

Nakoda	Pronunciation	English
Hau koda	how KOH-dah	Hello, friend.
Aŋpa waśté	ahng-PAH wash-TEH	Good day / It is a good day.
Toniktuka he?	toh-NEEK-too-kah heh	How are you?
Waśtewadake	wash-teh-WAH-dah-keh	I am well.
Miye ______ emakiyabi	mee-YEH ______ eh-mah-KEE-yah-bee	My name is ______.
Nituwe he?	nee-TOO-weh heh	Who are you?
Pidamaya	pee-DAH-mah-yah	Thank you.

A note on spelling. Nakoda has several accepted ways of being written down. The spellings shown here are the ones Theresa O'Watch teaches at Carry the Kettle. Teachers from other communities may use slightly different spellings, and both are correct.

Suggested class structure (50 minutes)

0 to 5 min. Context. Open the lesson page. Say a few words about who Theresa is and where the lesson comes from.

5 to 25 min. Video. Play the full 20-minute video. Students follow along on their handout.

25 to 35 min. Practice. Pair work. Students introduce themselves to a partner using the dialogue template.

35 to 45 min. Quiz. Run the in-class quiz from the handout. Correct it together.

45 to 50 min. Reflection. Circle discussion: "Why does it matter that Canadian students learn Indigenous languages?"

Extension ideas

Ask students to greet a family member in Nakoda tonight and report back tomorrow.
Write a short paragraph in English explaining what you learned and what surprised you.
Locate Carry the Kettle First Nation on a map of Saskatchewan.
For upper grades: compare Nakoda greetings to greetings in French or another language the class studies.

For your curriculum documentation. Indigenous Languages K–12 · Outcomes CR.1 and CC.1 · one 50-minute class · formative assessment through the quiz · cultural context covered.

Next lesson

Unit 1 · Lesson 2: Polite expressions and asking questions. Publishing calendar to be confirmed.

Back to all languages Teacher guide