Goodreads author reading and conversation

Marina Endicott did a presentation about how to get your work published at the Ermineskin Elementary school on March 28, 1 pm. Her advice was to start writing for magazines and enter your work for writing contests.  Marina Endicott was born in Golden, BC, and grew up with three sisters and a brother, mostly in Nova Scotia and Toronto. She worked as an actor and director before going to England, where she began to write fiction. After London she went west to Saskatoon, where she was dramaturge at the Saskatchewan Playwrights Centre for many years before going farther west to Mayerthorpe, Alberta; she now lives in Edmonton. Her first novel, Open Arms, was short-listed for the Amazon/Books In Canada First Novel award in 2002. Her second,Good to a Fault, was a finalist for the 2008 Giller Prize and won the 2009 Commonwealth Writers Prize for Best Book, Canada/Caribbean region. The Little Shadows, her latest book, longlisted for the 2011 Giller Prize, was a finalist for this year's Governor General's Award and will be published in the UK and Australia in spring 2012. She is at work on a new novel, Hughtopia.

The event was organized by ABC Life Literacy to celebrate, 'I am Still Learning' week.'   Colleen McGinnis from Caelin Artworks came to listen to the author.

Pictures are posted on the following page.  http://authorreadingsinschools.blogspot.ca

April 26: Poem in your pocket day. http://librarypathwaysandfootprints.blogspot.ca/2011/04/april-poetry-month-bulletin-board-we.html

Good Reads writer Marina Endicott suggested various ways in which a writers could get their work published

Read more at http://authorreadingsinschools.blogspot.ca/

Poetry contest and awards

Pat Lowther Memorial Award

Gerald Lampert Memorial Award

Jessamy Stursberg Poetry Contest for Canadian Youth

Read more at  http://poets.ca/wordpress/contests-awards

April is Poetry month

2012 Theme:  Balance

April 15 – 21: Young Poets Week

April 26: Poem in Your Pocket day

Read more at http://librarypathwaysandfootprints.blogspot.ca/2011/04/april-poetry-month-bulletin-board-we.html

ABC Life Literacy and Good Reads presents, 'An afternoon with Ms. Marina Endicott.' 

The event is hosted to celebrate 'I am still learning' and 'Career Week'.

March 28, 1 pm: Come and meet an author and learn how to get your book published. Marina Endicott was born in Golden, BC, and grew up with three sisters and a brother, mostly in Nova Scotia and Toronto. She worked as an actor and director before going to England, where she began to write fiction. After London she went west to Saskatoon, where she was dramaturge at the Saskatchewan Playwrights Centre for many years before going farther west to Mayerthorpe, Alberta; she now lives in Edmonton. Her first novel, Open Arms, was short-listed for the Amazon/Books In Canada First Novel award in 2002. Her second,Good to a Fault, was a finalist for the 2008 Giller Prize and won the 2009 Commonwealth Writers Prize for Best Book, Canada/Caribbean region. The Little Shadows, her latest book, longlisted for the 2011 Giller Prize, was a finalist for this year's Governor General's Award and will be published in the UK and Australia in spring 2012. She is at work on a new novel, Hughtopia.


http://librarypathwaysandfootprints.blogspot.com

Librarians report for the month of March

Dear Parents and Grandparents,

We made rainbows, leaf friends, fairy paths (okra printing) and color monsters. We chatted about healthy foods and food labels. I also shared information about my identify and roots from India. Please ask your children 'What do the lions stand for in the Asoka Chakra and the Indian Emblem.' We celebrated Dr. Seuss birthday by reading books about Dr. Seuss and the books written by Dr.Seuss. Students received pencils, stickers, bookmarks and coloring sheets. We celebrated World Storytelling Day and this year's theme was trees and we spoke about different types of trees.

When the students come to the library; I usually keep some a variety of books to read to them or to do a book talk. The program is created based on the 'reading motivation' of our students. For example; Week 1 for Kindergarten to Grade 2 students, the theme was elephants and then we read some nonfiction and fiction books about elephants.

·       What is an elephant? by John Crossingham and Bobbie Kalman

·       The enormous elephant show by Liza Charlesworth

·       A nose like a hose by Jenny Samuels

·       Babar and the ghost by Laurent de Brunhoff

·       Horton hears a who! By Dr. Seuss

·       Horton hatches the egg by Dr. Seuss

·       The elephants and the shirt maker by Liza Charlesworth (a funny fairy tale)

·       Trunk tales by Dee Reid

·       The Tusk Fairy by Nicola Smee

Library skills are built in the content we read and discuss. We also discussed measurement. How would you measure an elephant? An elephant's trunk is 2 meters long. Watch our Grade 2 students conducting St. Patrick's Day research at the library.  http://schoollibraryservices.blogspot.ca/2012/03/facts-about-ireland-research-at-library.html

Here below are the various ways in which we will celebrate and welcome the month of April.

April: School Library Month. The theme is "You Belong @ your library", Poetry month, Easter, Rocky Mountain Book Award announced

April 1: International Edible Book Festival (April 1st is the birthday of French gastronome Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin (1755 - 1826), famous for his book "Physiologie du goût".)

April 9: Battle of Vimy Ridge anniversary

April 12: National Drop Everything and Read (D.E.A.R.) Day

April 12: Support Teen Literature Day

April 14: Titanic's 100^th anniversary

April 15-21: Volunteer Week. Recognizing our school library volunteers

April 22: Earth day

April 23: UNESCOs World Book and Copyright day

April 26: Poem in Your Pocket day

April 23-May 2: "Read Globally, Act Locally" 

April 30: World Book Day (ALSC)

Read more at http://schoollibraryservices.blogspot.ca   The students of Grade 3A achieved their reading goals and received books as rewards. And, thank you so much for dropping in the library during the Celebration of Learning.  We would like to invite you to come, meet an author Marina Endicott and learn how to get your book published on Wednesday, March 28, 1 pm. Marina Endicott was born in Golden, BC, and grew up with three sisters and a brother, mostly in Nova Scotia and Toronto. She worked as an actor and director before going to England, where she began to write fiction. After London she went west to Saskatoon, where she was dramaturge at the Saskatchewan Playwrights Centre for many years before going farther west to Mayerthorpe, Alberta; she now lives in Edmonton. Her first novel, Open Arms, was short-listed for the Amazon/Books In Canada First Novel award in 2002. Her second,Good to a Fault, was a finalist for the 2008 Giller Prize and won the 2009 Commonwealth Writers Prize for Best Book, Canada/Caribbean region. The Little Shadows, her latest book, longlisted for the 2011 Giller Prize, was a finalist for this year's Governor General's Award and will be published in the UK and Australia in spring 2012. She is at work on a new novel, Hughtopia.

Please come in for a chat at our school library.

Manisha Khetarpal

Librarian

·       Do you want to be my friend by Eric Carle

Celebrate April

April 2012: School Library Month. The theme is "You Belong @ your library"

http://www.ala.org/aasl/aaslissues/toolkits/slroleinreading

April: Poetry Month

April 1: International Edible Book Festival (April 1st is the birthday of French gastronome Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin (1755 - 1826), famous for his book "Physiologie du goût". )

April: Rocky Mountain Book Award announced

April: Easter 

April 9: Battle of Vimy Ridge anniversary

April: American Association of School Libraries School. Library Month

April 12: National Drop Everything and Read (D.E.A.R.) Day (USA)

April 12: Support Teen Literature Day (YALSA)

April 14: Titanic's 100^th anniversary http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/story/2011/12/27/ns-titanic-halifax-anniversary-events.html

 

April 15 – 21: Volunteer Week   http://volunteeralberta.ab.ca/programs-and-services/programs/national-volunteer-week

Celebrating our school library volunteers

 

April 22: Earth day   http://www.earthday.ca/pub

The Hometown Heroes Award Program : is recognizing everyday heroes for their extra-ordinary superpowers in creating greener communities across Canada. Nominations can
be made for individuals, groups and small businesses. Heroes must be nominated by March 30, 2012.

To apply for the scholarship or nominate yourself, a friend, group or small business from your community for the Hometown Heroes Award Program, please visit www.earthday.ca.

April 23: UNESCOs World Book and Copyright day

April 26: Poem in Your Pocket day

April 30:  Children's Book Day (ALSC)

April 23rd - May 21st "Read Globally, Act Locally" 
(A Global Literacy Project, Inc. Initiative)World Book Day was designated by UNESCO as a worldwide celebration of books and reading, and is marked in over 100 countries around the globe.
A main aim of World Book Day is to encourage children to explore the pleasures of books and reading by providing them with the opportunity to have a book of their own. For international information about World Book Day, please click here and here.

Every April/May, the Global Literacy Project mobilizes students, teachers and parents to read stories from around the world. They're then encouraged to use these stories as a way to reflect upon how actions in their local community can lead to positive change at the global level. "Read Globally, Act Locally" global citizenship commendations recognize outstanding students who advocate for the UN's "Education for All" goals by making presentations to community leaders.

These activities often utilize stories written by students and volunteers from our various participating clusters. We encourage schools to invite local political representatives to see and hear about how literacy has the power to connect people from around the planet!

 

1S meeting film makers Zoe and Bailey

Grade 5 learning about filmmaking

Spiders

Poem: Spin, Spider, Spin


Spin, spider, spin!
Spin your web round and wide
Spin your silky web with pride
Greet the guests who come inside.
Spin, spider, spin!

by Meish Goldish



Story: Tiger's Soup

Activity: Print Spiderweb Wheel Pattern from 'Perfect Poems for teaching phonics: delightful poems, lively lessons, and reproducible activities that teach key phonic skills and concepts by Ellermeyer, Deborah


Connections: Greek, African, and American Indian

Greek connection: Arachnid comes from a Greek weaving story of Arachne; how the greek doddess Athena converted Arachne into a spider

African tales: Anansi

American Indian Significance: In many American Indian stories spiders is a wise female, creative and has patience

Legend: Spider a strong symbol of the Osage people

Many years ago the Osage chief was looking for a symbol for a tribe. One day he saw tracks of the deer and he was following the deer and was fascinated by the animals speed. On the way he met a spider and chatted with the spider and told him he was looking for a symbol for his tribe.  The spider told him and convinced the chief to make Spider the symbol because spiders spin webs and make everything come to them. And taught the chief that his people could follow the same strategy.


Books

Black widow spiders by Megan Kopp
Bugs and spiders  by Barbara Taylor
Spiders by Donna Cochrane
I love spiders by John Parker
Eency Weency Spider
Spiders creepy creatures by Monica Hughes
Bugs and spiders by Dee Philips
Jumping spider by David Schwartz
Spiders by Nic Bishop
100 facts Spiders by Miles Kelly
Web weavers and other spiders by Bobbie Kalman
Spiders are animals by Judith Holloway
How and why spiders spin silk by Elaine Pascoe
Amazing world of spiders by Janet Craig

Zoe Slusar and Bailey Kerluke, of Untitled Productions (www.untitledonline.ca)

Zoe Slusar and Bailey Kerluke, of Untitled Productions (www.untitledonline.ca) are young independent filmmakers who have been working at producing our own film projects since High school.  They enjoy the creative freedom of writing, directing, acting in, filming, editing and producing their own films. In recent years they have won multiple 1st place awards, awards for Best Young Director's, and  have  had films screen internationally including New Jersey USA, Dublin, Ireland and Toronto Canada.   They toured with Prairie Tales throughout Alberta Art Days last Fall and loved interacting with youth about  the  joy and possibilities of film! As I mentioned to Mani the workshop that we have designed for younger ages is called 'Fun & Basic Pre Production for Kids & Short Film!'


In this workshop they will first talk about our experience as filmmakers; and aim to encourage the children and tell them how we discovered the world of  film and how they have been able to create a career for themselves in film.  Then, we move into covering the basic pillars of pre-production for
a short film. This includes brainstorming ideas, highlighting the importance of writing a script, picking characters, choosing locations, creating lists of props, and finally story-boarding. This workshop is a fun way to prepare the young participants for going out and making their  own films. It gives them interactive instructions on how to plan and consider all the necessary components of creating a short film.


Their aim with this workshop is to have a positive influence in encouraging creativity within the students by sharing with them all the possibilities of film making. Zoe and Bailey hope that the leave the workshop  feeling inspired about their own story that they can tell through  film.

Learning with art Grade 6M

http://learningwithartinschools.blogspot.ca/2012/03/grade-6m-with-their-mixed-media-artwork_18.html

http://learningwithartinschools.blogspot.ca/2012/03/grade-6m-with-their-mixed-media-artwork.html

Grade 3A receiving free books as rewards for team work

We challenged the 3A class for the AR goal. Teacher Ms. Allison and her assistant Mr. Wildcat worked together with their team of students. All students were winners and achieved their AR reading goal and received free books as rewards.

Students reading with students

Parents drop in the library during the Celebration of Learning

Drumming practice at the library during recess

World Storytelling Day is on March 20 and the theme this year is trees

---

From: Betty Soosay
To: Manisha Khetarpal
Sent: Thu, 15 Mar 2012 09:57:34 -0600
Subject: Re: Hi

Thanks for the message it's good to know things like that and I will use the National Storytelling Telling Day to it's full .

---

From: Manisha Khetarpal
To: Betty Soosay
Sent: Tue, 13 Mar 2012 15:54:54 -0600
Subject: Hi

FYI

March 20: World Storytelling day http://librarypathwaysandfootprints.blogspot.com/2012/03/world-storytelling-day.html

Our library is one of the 'learning place' in our school and is more than books.
http://schoollibraryservices.blogspot.com/2012/03/i-will-read-to-you-and-students-read.html

Mancala Board Game played in Africa teaches maths and numeracy skills

1.    The Mancala 'board' is made up of two rows of six holes, or pits, each. If you don't have a Mancala board handy, an empty egg carton is perfect.

2.    Three pieces -- marbles or stones -- are placed in each of the 12 holes. The color of the pieces is irrelevant.

3.    Each player has a 'store' to the right side of the Mancala board. Cereal bowls work well. for this purpose.

4.    The game begins with one player picking up all of the pieces in any one of the holes on his side.

5.    Moving counter-clockwise, the player deposits one of the stones in each hole until the stones run out.

6.    If you run into your own store, deposit one piece in it. If you run into your opponent's store, skip it.

7.    If the last piece you drop is in your own store, you get a free turn.

8.    If the last piece you drop is in an empty hole on your side, you capture that piece and any pieces in the hole directly opposite.

9.    Always place all captured pieces in your store.

10. The game ends when all six spaces on one side of the Mancala board are empty.

11. The player who still has pieces on his side of the board when the game ends captures all of those pieces.

12. Count all the pieces in each store. The winner is the player with the most pieces.

Tips:

1.    Planning ahead is essential to victory in board games like Mancala. Try to plan two or three moves into the future.

What You Need

• Mancala board (Egg cartoon with 12 holes)
  
• Seeds or pebbles (24)
  
• 36 markers

Research at the library by Grade 2 students: Facts about Ireland

Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe.

It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth.

To its east is the larger island of Great Britain, from which it is separated by the Irish Sea.

Irish blessing

May you always have....
Walls for the winds
A roof for the rain
Tea beside the fire
Laughter to cheer you
Those you love near you
And all your heart might desire

I will read to you and the students read aloud to other students (Grade 1)

Book: Three Little Kittens. IJ is the leader for the Accelerated Reading program.

The book, 'Red is best' by Kathy Stinson read by Julie Grade 1 class.

Parents and community navigators are welcome to read to our students

Read to puppets at recess

March is nutritional literacy month and see our students learning about the food pyramid

Portion Sizes

Food Groups

Food groups matching game.

Debriefing after the library class Grade 5

http://learningwithartinschools.blogspot.com/2012/03/learning-about-india-and-then.html

Learning with Art

Clover leaf friends and Okra printing Grade 1
http://learningwithartinschools.blogspot.ca/2012/03/red-is-best-book-st-patricks-leaf.html
http://learningwithartinschools.blogspot.ca/2012/03/leaf-friends-and-fairy-path.html

Rainbows Grade 1
http://learningwithartinschools.blogspot.com/2012/03/making-rainbows-after-reading-don.html

Leaf Friends and Art shapes Grade 1 (Blow painting)
http://learningwithartinschools.blogspot.com/2012/03/blowing-monsters-and-art-shapes.html

http://learningwithartinschools.blogspot.com/2012/03/making-green-leaf-friends-grade-1-class.html

Around the world game for UNESCOs International Mother Language day Feb 21

Around the World with Words – Game Cards

Words in the english language which were borrowed from other languages.

KAYAK

Language: Native American

Meaning: a type of canoe with a small opening in the top

Read more at
http://languagecoffeehouse2012.blogspot.com/

http://libraryclassfnstudentsjan2012.blogspot.com/2012/02/name-some-words-borrowed-from-other.html

Dr. Seuss Birthday celebration

March 1 Dr. Seuss Birthday celebration

We gave away 73 pencils, 92 books, 36 coloring sheets, and 32 fragrance stickers to our students.  The  'Celebrating Writers' program was a lead-in event to March as a Career Awareness month.Teachers explained to their students what an author does and what an illustrator does and the process of how a book is made.  Tx for joining in the celebration.

March 7 is Read Aloud Day
http://librarypathwaysandfootprints.blogspot.com/2012/02/march-7-is-world-read-aloud-day.html

March 3 was a training day at the Ermineskin Elementary School

Mr. Wilson Okeymaw shared with us the protocol for a 'Feast Ceremony.'  Mrs. Chris Zarski, Principal of Clear Vista School did a presentation about, 'Foldables: How to use Paper as a Manipulative and Teaching Tool.'