For this mixed-media project, Grade 4-6 students explored the beauty and ingenuity of Canada’s North. They learned about traditional igloos used by the Inuit in northern Canada—how they were carefully constructed from blocks of compacted snow and why their dome shape makes them a strong, efficient architectural structure for Arctic conditions. While igloos are no longer the common type of housing used by the Inuit, they remain culturally significant in Arctic communities. Igloos also retain practical value: some hunters and those seeking emergency shelter still use them.
"Igloo" (from Inuktitut iglu) means "house" or "home" in Inuit languages.
Inuit are the Indigenous people of the Arctic, numbering approx 70,545 in Canada, who primarily reside in Inuit Nunangat, a vast northern homeland spanning 40% of Canada's landmass and 72% of its coastline.
After looking at photos of northern lights, students began by painting vibrant Northern Lights using watercolours, experimenting with colour blending and movement to capture the magic of the night sky. They sprinkled salt on the wet paint to create a textural effect. Let dry overnight.
Then we watched this old short film from 1949 by the NFB (National Film Board of Canada) showing two Inuit men building an igloo. It's fascinating how they build it with just snow and a knife and from the inside.
Students then drew their own igloo on a separate sheet, adding subtle shading with pencils and blue pencil crayons to create dimension and form. Finally, they cut out their igloos and collaged them onto their painted backgrounds.
These artworks celebrates both the natural beauty and innovative design of Canada’s northern landscape.
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