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Friday 31 May 2013

Access Resources for Reading

Access Resources for Reading

Created for parents and teachers who are looking for reading resources, this page connects you to book lists for children, activities to promote reading, practical reading tips and advice, lesson plans, teacher discussion guides and more.

The Reading Resources page gives you quick access to relevant content online, from TD-supported organizations. Dropdown menus conveniently located in the sub-navigation bar make it easy to narrow your search and find what you're looking for. You can filter your search results for content items based on age or type and link directly to the relevant web source.

https://tdreads.com/home/reading-resources/



Thursday 30 May 2013

Poetry Contest by www.polarexpressions.ca

Student Contests

Watch for our upcoming 8th annual . . .

2013/2014 National Student Poetry Contest and
2013/2014 National Student Short-Story Contest

(for Canadian students in kindergarten through grade twelve)

Deadline:
November 22nd, 2013 (post-marked mail)
November 29th, 2013 (e-mails or faxes)

Each fall we hold two contests, which are open to Canadian students in kindergarten through grade twelve. Over $10,000 is awarded in cash prizes to schools and students who participate!

There is no entry fee and no obligation to purchase anything.

Educators may wish to use one or both of these contests as a project in coordination with their English curriculum or students may enter on their own (though school information must be provided so we can verify they are a student and keep the contest fair). Information packages, including entry forms, are sent to schools across the country in September. Educators may directly request a copy of this information package or a complimentary copy of one of our collections from a previous contest by emailing or calling us to provide the information to the left.

The top group of entrants in each contest (45% or less) will be published in an inexpensive, soft-cover, keepsake collection to be released in early June of each year. Schools that send in at least five entries will automatically receive one free copy of any collection containing their student(s) work. We gave away more than $10,000 worth of these books to schools in our last contest!



http://www.polarexpressions.ca/StudentContests.html



Wednesday 29 May 2013

Mother daughter reading together and learning at the library on May 17




Kids Write Club (KWC) literacy program

The Kids Write Club (KWC) literacy program was created by entrepreneur and author Helen Georgaklis to encourage children to find their voice through writing. Its mission is to get as many children putting fingers to pen at an early age. Successfully integrated at Gerald McShane Elementary, it helped children deal with issues such as bullying. "Kids can't say some things, but can write about them," says GeorgakIis. "The KWC literacy program increases literacy rates, helps children identify conflicts and challenges, and find solutions. I wanted to introduce it to young patients in a hospital setting because it is also very therapeutic." www.kidswriteclub.com

The Kids Write Club (KWC) literacy program, a subsidiary of the 99 Series, was piloted at The MontrealChildren's Hospital. Claudia has written a story of inspiration, courage and determination. The proceeds from the book will go to Claudia's tribute fund at the MontrealChildren's Hospital Foundation for the hematology/oncology department to help other young patients.

Saturday 25 May 2013

Quizdini's can be used to design multiple choice questions

Quizdini's goal is simple: to help you teach and your students learn! Quizdini allows teachers to create and customize material for their students.

We are committed to providing you a simple, easy-to-use, cost-effective system (powered by YOUR DONATIONS) that helps you help your students.

Join Quizdini today and help us fill out the map!

Friday 24 May 2013

Graphic Novels and Comics by Aboriginal peoples

Graphic Novels and Comics by Aboriginal peoples

Posted on September 18, 2007 by rdbreu

Increasingly, we're seeing graphic novels and comics authored by Aboriginal writers and illustrators. As a fan of graphic novels in general (and an avid reader of comics as a kid), I am super happy to see this growing body of work. 

Interested in acquiring these for your libraries or just because you want to support Aboriginal writers and illustrators? If so, here are some places to start.

The Healthy Aboriginal Network 

Birchbark Comics (Canada)

Little Spirit Bear Productions (Canada)

http://prairielibrarian.wordpress.com/2007/09/18/graphic-novels-and-comics-by-aboriginal-peoples/

Sunday 12 May 2013

Educators valued school libraries

A recent study of school libraries in New Jersey revealed that educators valued school libraries and teacher-librarians because they:
  • place learning of all kinds, not just information literacy, as central to their mission;
  • help teachers to push the boundaries, to take risks and innovate;
  • shape school culture (e.g., enhance collaboration);
  • offer choice of resources in a diversity of textual formats (e.g., support reading education and inquiry projects for diverse students);
  • offer access to technology and digital resources (e.g., support 24/7 learning);
  • bring people together, colleague-to-colleague and student-to-student.[4]

Well-staffed, Well-stocked, Well-used

In and of itself, a school library is not sufficient for supporting and bringing about improvements in teaching and learning. Collaboration is crucial for sustaining educational change and improvement in schools, and the modern school library functions as both a catalyst and a support for change.
 
 

Thursday 9 May 2013

Aboriginal populations surge in Canada

Aboriginal peoples are gaining ground in Canada's population, but they are losing their languages.

And their family structure is dramatically different than other Canadian families, with less than half of children living with both their parents.

The rest are in single-parent homes, living with relatives or step-parents, or in foster homes. Indeed, half the foster children in Canada under the age of 14 are aboriginal, according to the National Household Survey.

The survey is Statistics Canada's replacement for the long-form census, which was cancelled in 2010 by the federal Conservatives.

The agency has warned that the voluntary responses to the new survey may under-represent Aboriginal Peoples. Plus, comparisons with the past are problematic, since previous questionnaires were mandatory.

And a variety of reserves refused to participate or simply couldn't participate at all, compounding the data quality issues.

Still, Statcan has adjusted for those problems, and the survey clearly portrays a population that is youthful and growing quickly across the country -- a pattern that could vindicate the focus of federal, provincial and aboriginal leaders on education and skills.

Children under 14 make up 28 per cent of the aboriginal population, compared to just 16.5 per cent of the non-aboriginal population, the National Household Survey shows.

But other research suggests fewer than half of those children will graduate from high school.

And even as the aboriginal population soared by 20 per cent over the past five years to 1.4 million, just 17 per cent of aboriginal people said they could speak in an aboriginal language, down from the 21 per cent recorded in the 2006 census.

There are signs, however, that schooling in traditional languages helps. In 2011, 240,815 aboriginal people said they could speak an aboriginal language, but only 202,495 said it was their mother tongue.

"This implies that a number of aboriginal people have acquired an aboriginal language as a second language," the Statistics Canada documents say.

The survey does not show how bad overcrowding is -- even though federal statisticians have a lot of related information. The 2011 census measured the number of people per household, and the NHS also tracked the relationship between aboriginal children and their primary caregivers.

Overcrowding was the reason behind the state of emergency in Attawapiskat, Ont., 18 months ago. The 2006 census showed a decline in overcrowding, but no progress on replacing dilapidated housing.

More 2011 data on overcrowding in reserves may come this summer, said senior census analyst Jane Badets.

Ontario recorded the largest aboriginal population. By proportion, Nunavut and the Northwest Territories had the largest share of aboriginal peoples.

Among First Nations people, nearly half live on a reserve or settlement. Beyond reserves, status First Nations people tended to live in Winnipeg, Edmonton or Vancouver as well as other cities.

Non-status Indians accounted for a quarter of the First Nations population in Canada, concentrated in Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal and Ottawa.

Monday 6 May 2013

APA Style Workshop

APA Style Workshop

Summary:

This workshop provides an overview of APA (American Psychological Association) style and where to find help with different APA resources. It provides an annotated list of links to all of our APA materials and an APA overview. It is an excellent place to start to learn about APA format.

Contributors:Kristen Seas, Allen Brizee
Last Edited: 2012-07-03 05:47:29

Welcome to the OWL Workshop on APA Style! This workshop will introduce you to important aspects of using the American Psychological Association (APA) Style to write and format research papers. You should begin with the introductory material, which covers what APA Style is, why it is used, and who should apply it to their work. Then you are invited to work through the OWL's handouts on APA Formatting and Writing Style, as well as APA Citations and Reference Lists.

NOTE: This workshop should answer most of your basic questions about using APA Style. However, if you are writing a complex document such as a thesis or lengthy manuscript, or if you have detailed questions, you should consult The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (6th edition), which you can usually find at your local library or in many bookstores.

The APA also has a website that allows you to order the book online and read some of their frequently asked questions about APA style. Purdue's OWL also has a list of Additional Resources covering APA style that you can consult.

What is APA Style?

APA Style establishes standards of written communication concerning:

  • the organization of content
  • writing style
  • citing references
  • and how to prepare a manuscript for publication in certain disciplines.
 

Get To Know contest invites youth aged 19 and under

Webinar Series#2 From STEM to STEAM: A Scientific RationaleApril 17, 2013News

On Tuesday, April 30th, Get to Know will be hosting the next in our series of monthly webinars to share great ideas, activities, and resources for using the creative arts, technology, and outdoor activity to connect youth with nature. This month we feature renowned speakers Dr. Mark Holder, Dr. Pat Winter and Marcia Klein. These experts in their fields will be discussing STEM to STEAM: A Scientific Rationale.

Read more …

Connect. Create. Celebrate

The Get To Know contest invites youth aged 19 and under to get outside and create original works of art, writing, photography, videography and music inspired by nature. The deadline for entries is August 1, 2013.

 

http://www.get-to-know.org/

 

National Youth Arts Week is May 1-7

Why is National Youth Arts Week important?

We know that the primary source of optimism and hope for our nation's future is our youth. We also know that community based creative activities represent one of the oldest and most universally appealing opportunities for youth engagement available to Canada's young people.

This is why the Arts Network for Children and Youth believes that every youth, regardless of their gender, ethnicity, geographic location or socio economic status should have equal access to creative activities, both in and outside of school.

Art, in its widest definition, encompasses a diverse spectrum of youth engagement opportunities, from carpentry to community gardening, culinary arts to theatre. By meeting youth where they are and encouraging them to focus on their strengths and capitalize on their interests and skill sets through creative pursuits, we ensure their freedom to explore pathways away from detrimental behavior and toward the development of self esteem, leadership, civic engagement and healthy life choices.

National Youth Arts Week is an opportunity for youth across the country to engage in creative expression, to feel valued, and to have their voices heard on the national stage. It is an opportunity to demonstrate the power of youth to transform their lives through art, and in turn transform our country, and indeed the world.
 

Come and make bird houses on May 17

Have you ever wanted to make a bird house, but didn't know where to start?

Come and attend a workshop on constructing bird houses on Friday, May 17th, 2013 from 11 am to 1 pm at Maskwacis Cultural College. Along with building and creating your very own bird house; participants will also be provided with information on local birds from the Plains Cree perspective. Elder Jerry Saddleback will be present to guide us.

Lessons are available in Woodlands, Swampy or Plains Cree and have an audio option. The lessons are divided into thematic vocabulary sections and designed for teachers of elementary school students. http://www.giftoflanguageandculture.ca/flash_activities_page/fla/Gr1-birds-loader.swf

We have many blueprints for birdhouses. Make and then color a bird house. Register now and for more information contact Willis Littlepoplar at the Maskwacis College Library.


 

Wednesday 1 May 2013

Indspire blogs

Coding the Text – The first part of an Action Phase Strategy

Crissa Hill
April 19, 2013—I have been most often frustrated as an educator when I have assigned reading to a class and have shown up the next day, ready to engage in the material... More

Concept attainment: An activating strategy

Crissa Hill
April 11, 2013—Concept attainment games are excellent at activating students’ minds and orienting them toward learning. Why? Because everything they can tangibly experience is a concept. In fact, concepts are the building... More

Making it happen: cultural awareness in education

Sharon Meyer (Laflamme)
April 11, 2013—When I was a young educator teaching in a Catholic School I was expected to teach about the Byzantine Ukrainian rites. OMG! It was a personal challenge but, rather than... More

Creating Structure

Crissa Hill
March 28, 2013—In the classroom, the choices we make about how to introduce and teach a topic greatly influence the outcome. We all remember lessons that seemed to work flawlessly and others... More

The Instructional Journey

Crissa Hill
March 13, 2013—Differentiation operates with an understanding that although a group of students may be in front of us learning about the same topic at the same time, they do not all... More

Honoring murdered and missing Aboriginal women in the classroom

Sherryl Maglione
March 12, 2013—For example, the students will read about the Helen Betty Osborne story by reading the non-fiction text, Conspiracy of Silence, (McLelland & Stewart, 1989) written by Lisa Priest. They will... More

Medicine Wheel Teachings in the Saskatchewan Curriculum

Sharon Meyer (Laflamme)
March 11, 2013—In my current position I am often invited into the classroom to assist, teach, or model knowledge about First Nation Worldview. There are many models, images, and teachings of the... More