Category Archives: Digital Resources

Activity, Books, Digital Resources, Storyteller, Video

Earth Day 2025

Earth Day 2025:  Our Power, Our Planet

“Tuesday, April 22, 2025 is the 55th anniversary of Earth Day. We invite everyone to support Earth Day’s 2025 theme: OUR POWER, OUR PLANET™.

There are many ways you can get involved and make a difference for our planet on Earth Day and every day. Join millions worldwide in Earth Day 2025 activities. Attend a local event or plan and register your own. Below you’ll find resources such as Quizzes, Fact Sheets, Articles and More to help you celebrate Earth Day this year in your community, at home, at work and at school.”

Events, toolkit and resources can be found here:

Earth Day Stories:

TumbleBook Library: (access via Learn75, no password required)

What happens when one small boy picks up one small piece of litter? He doesn’t know it, but his tiny act has big consequences. From the miniscule to the universal, What Matters sensitively explores nature’s connections and traces the ripple effects of one child’s good deed to show how we can all make a big difference.

You Are Stardust begins by introducing the idea that every tiny atom in our bodies came from a star that exploded long before we were born. From its opening pages, the book suggests that we are intimately connected to the natural world; it compares the way we learn to speak to the way baby birds learn to sing, and the growth of human bodies to the growth of forests. This innovative picture book aims to reintroduce children to their innate relationship with the world around them by sharing many of the surprising ways that we are all connected to the natural world.

Wild Ideas looks deep into the forests, skies and oceans to explore how animals solve problems. Whether it’s weaving a safe place to rest and reflect, blowing a fine net of bubbles to trap fish, or leaping boldly into a new situation, the animals featured (including the orangutan, humpback whale and gibbon) can teach us a lot about creative problem solving tools and strategies. Wild Ideas encourages an inquiry-based approach to learning, inviting readers to indulge their sense of wonder and curiosity by observing the natural world, engaging with big ideas and asking questions.

Articles  and Activity Ideas from CBC Kids:

Activity, Digital Resources, Event

National Poetry Month: April 2025

From the League of Canadian Poets:

“Celebrate National Poetry Month 2025 using the theme FAMILY in its many forms: found and chosen family, birth family, and family that defies categorization.

This April, turn to poetry to celebrate, cherish, mourn, critique, and explore the myriad bonds that family forms in our lives. Parents, pets, friendships, soulmates, siblings, plants, and beyond: the League invites you to examine the shape of family in your life now, to witness the intergenerational impact of ancestors, and to consider the role of family in generations to come. “

  1. Selections from: Tea and Bannock Stories: First Nations Community of Poetic Voices (Simon Fraser University, First Nations Studies. Compiled by annie ross, Brandon Bob, Eve Chuang and the Chuang Family, Steve Davis, Robert Pictou)

 

2. Selections from Poetry Foundation: Poetry for Children

Ideas for Teachers: (from the League of Canadian Poets)

Poetry Play Stations

Poetry play stations use different techniques to encourage young readers to craft poems. Here are some great stations to include:

Erasure poetry: Using a page of existing text, use a black marker to complete cross out sections of the text — the words or phrases that remain can be strung together to form an original poem! Part of the beauty of erasure poem is how the entire page looks when completed, blacked-out sections and all.  Try it with a newspaper article!

Found poetry: Found poetry is very similar to erasure poetry — well, erasure poetry is a kind of found poetry — but with a little more freedom. Again using an existing text, participants select words or phrases from the text that they think will make a great poem: using the found words and phrases, they can play with line breaks, stanzas, and other ways of construction an original poem from the found text!

Book spine poetry: This is a great poetic experiment that takes over Twitter every April — using as few as three or as many as… well, as many as you can stack, create a poem using the titles of books as they appear on the spines. These make excellent photos and are great for sharing!

Magnet poetry: A classic! Choosing words from a pile of individual words to string together an original poem. This could be from a magnetic poetry set, but you could also simply prepare an assortment of words for participants to choose from.” (Source: League of Canadian Poets)

Additional Resources:

“Every National Poetry Month we present Dear Poet, a multimedia education project that invites young people in grades five through twelve to write letters in response to poems written and read by award-winning poets.”

Digital Resources, Event

Family Literacy Week 2025

2025 Family Literacy Theme:

Learn to be Green, Together
FamilLit_2025

“Being green means taking care of the Earth by using and buying less, recycling and saving energy. Children learn by watching adults use reusable items, turn off lights and recycle. Starting young helps children grow up knowing how to protect our planet. This backgrounder includes information about the benefits of being green, as well as ideas for how families can create fun environmentally-friendly activities together.

This backgrounder is intended to be used with the age-specific activity sheets:

(From Decoda Literacy Solutions, 2024)

Early Learning Families: Check out the Early Learning Page on Curriculum Connections for creative family activities developed by MPSD’s StrongStart Team

Digital Resources, Event, Media, Video

National Indigenous Peoples Month 2024

Local Kwantlen Elders: (Part 1 & 2)

Virtual Ways to Participate:

Government of Canada Learning Resources 

NationalIndigenousMonth_2024

NationalIndigenousMonth_2024_1

Educator Guides:

  • NIMMIWG –Their Voices Will Guide Us:  Student & Youth Engagement Guide (Early Learning – Gr.12) (p.1 to p. 19 for K to 5)
  • Walking Together: First Nations, Metis and Inuit Perspectives in Curriculum  The digital resource Walking Together: First Nations, Métis and Inuit Perspectives in Curriculum was designed to help teachers understand the holistic nature of First Nations, Métis and Inuit ways of knowing; to provide opportunity for Inuit, First Nations and Métis peoples to share their perspectives on topics important to them; and to demonstrate First Nations, Métis and Inuit perspectives in teaching and learning experiences.
  • The Secret Life of the North (CBC):How has the North been impacted by forces of colonization and why have many Canadians not known about the history, geography, and society of the Inuit? This episode explores the history and geography of the North; examines the distinct culture, language and politics of the Inuit; and recognizes the impacts of colonization on the Inuit. Possible teaching connections include Geography, History, Social Studies, Indigenous Studies, Civics, and Anthropology.
Activity, Digital Resources, Event

National Poetry Month: April 2024

NationalPoetry_2024

From the League of Canadian Poets:

Celebrate National Poetry Month 2024 with the theme of WEATHER. Through sun, snow, rain, wind, fog, and many other iterations, we find the captivating presence of weather. With poetic flair, weather dictates the rhythms of our lives from coast to coast.

This April 2024, we invite poets and poetry lovers to delve into the experiences, feelings, and inspiration that weather offers. Whether the serenity of a snowfall, exhilaration of a summer downpour, or the familiar whispers of a gentle breeze, the League of Canadian Poets invites you to explore WEATHER this National Poetry Month – April 2024.

  1. Selections from: Tea and Bannock Stories: First Nations Community of Poetic Voices (Simon Fraser University, First Nations Studies. Compiled by annie ross, Brandon Bob, Eve Chuang and the Chuang Family, Steve Davis, Robert Pictou)

 

2. Selections from Poetry Foundation: Poetry for Children

Ideas for Teachers: (from the League of Canadian Poets)

Poetry Play Stations

Poetry play stations use different techniques to encourage young readers to craft poems. Here are some great stations to include:

Erasure poetry: Using a page of existing text, use a black marker to complete cross out sections of the text — the words or phrases that remain can be strung together to form an original poem! Part of the beauty of erasure poem is how the entire page looks when completed, blacked-out sections and all.  Try it with a newspaper article!

Found poetry: Found poetry is very similar to erasure poetry — well, erasure poetry is a kind of found poetry — but with a little more freedom. Again using an existing text, participants select words or phrases from the text that they think will make a great poem: using the found words and phrases, they can play with line breaks, stanzas, and other ways of construction an original poem from the found text!

Book spine poetry: This is a great poetic experiment that takes over Twitter every April — using as few as three or as many as… well, as many as you can stack, create a poem using the titles of books as they appear on the spines. These make excellent photos and are great for sharing!

Magnet poetry: A classic! Choosing words from a pile of individual words to string together an original poem. This could be from a magnetic poetry set, but you could also simply prepare an assortment of words for participants to choose from.” (Source: League of Canadian Poets)

Digital Resources, Event, Video

Black History Month

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February is Black History Month! 

“Every February, people across Canada participate in Black History Month events and festivities that honour the legacy of Black people in Canada and their communities.

No matter where you live, we invite all Canadians to learn more about these communities, and how they continue to help shape Canadian history.” (Source: Government of Canada)

Digital Resources: 

Books: (Recommended by ARC Vancouver)

“The Other Side” by Jacqueline Woodson

“Let’s Talk About Race” by Julius Lester

“The Colors of Us” by Karen Katz

“Martin’s Big Words” by Doreen Rappaport

“The Day You Begin” by Jacqueline Woodson

“I Am Enough” by Grace Byers

“Last Stop on Market Street” by Matt de la Peña

“Each Kindness” by Jacqueline Woodson

“Ruby Bridges Goes to School” by Ruby Bridges

Also by ARC Vancouver: Art and craft projects that promote unity and diversity:

  • Unity Handprints: Have students create handprints using different skin tone colors to symbolize diversity. Arrange them together to form a unity collage.
  • Unity Tree: Create a tree with a trunk and branches on a large piece of paper. Each student can add their handprints as leaves, representing their unique identity while being part of the same tree.
  • Unity Quilt: Let each student decorate a fabric square with drawings or messages of unity and diversity. Stitch these squares together to create a classroom quilt. To encourage students to express their thoughts and feelings about Black Shirt Day, inspire them to write poetry, create artwork, and write short essays or stories that reflect their understanding of unity, diversity, and anti-racism

Videos:

KN Explains: Black History Month (CBC Curio)

To celebrate Black History Month, we take a look at the long and storied history of Black British Columbians. Fran Morrison takes us from the earliest Black settlers to the enduring Black community of the present day. (Royal BC Museum)
Activity, Digital Resources, Event

National Poetry Month 2023

Poetry_2023

From the League of Canadian Poets:

The League of Canadian Poets invites you to celebrate the 25th National Poetry Month this April 2023 with the theme of joy. 

What will you read this National Poetry Month?  Will you start your own poetry writing project? Will you write your first poem?

What does JOY mean to you?

  1. Selections from: Tea and Bannock Stories: First Nations Community of Poetic Voices (Simon Fraser University, First Nations Studies. Compiled by annie ross, Brandon Bob, Eve Chuang and the Chuang Family, Steve Davis, Robert Pictou)

 

2. Selections from Poetry Foundation: Poetry for Children

Ideas for Teachers: (from the League of Canadian Poets)

Poetry Play Stations

Poetry play stations use different techniques to encourage young readers to craft poems. Here are some great stations to include:

Erasure poetry: Using a page of existing text, use a black marker to complete cross out sections of the text — the words or phrases that remain can be strung together to form an original poem! Part of the beauty of erasure poem is how the entire page looks when completed, blacked-out sections and all.  Try it with a newspaper article!

Found poetry: Found poetry is very similar to erasure poetry — well, erasure poetry is a kind of found poetry — but with a little more freedom. Again using an existing text, participants select words or phrases from the text that they think will make a great poem: using the found words and phrases, they can play with line breaks, stanzas, and other ways of construction an original poem from the found text!

Book spine poetry: This is a great poetic experiment that takes over Twitter every April — using as few as three or as many as… well, as many as you can stack, create a poem using the titles of books as they appear on the spines. These make excellent photos and are great for sharing!

Magnet poetry: A classic! Choosing words from a pile of individual words to string together an original poem. This could be from a magnetic poetry set, but you could also simply prepare an assortment of words for participants to choose from.” (Source: League of Canadian Poets)

Digital Resources, Event

Family Literacy Week 2023

2023 Family Literacy Theme:

Make it count!FamilyLit_2023

Play . Sort . Measure.

“Numeracy is everywhere. Children start using math the moment they start exploring the world. Sorting, counting and measuring are ways of playing with math. Talking about math with children helps build a positive attitude towards math. Math talk helps your child connect math with daily activities.”

Recommended Resource: Math in Mission Website

Additional Resources: Make it Count Activities

Additional Resources

Joyful Literacy Family Literacy Activities:

(developed by Dr. Janet Mort)

Early Learning Families: Check out the Early Learning Page on Curriculum Connections for creative family activities developed by MPSD’s StrongStart Team

Digital Resources, Event, Media

Veterans’ Week 2022

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Here are some resources that connect with the theme of Remembrance:

Veterans Affairs Canada – Veterans’ Week Poster:

VeteransWeek2021

“This special commemorative poster features a Royal Canadian Air Force pilot settling into the cockpit of a CF-18 jet fighter at an airbase in Eastern Europe in September 2018. The Canadian Armed Forces have deployed to the region for years as part of Operation REASSURANCE to support our North Atlantic Treaty Organization allies.

This Veterans’ Week, how will you remember the generations of brave Canadians who have put their lives on the line in the cause of peace and freedom?”  (Veterans Affairs Canada)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RrtGg3KnR4?rel=0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2Z6RSKbrw0?rel=0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7jla_6CD3A?rel=0

Additional Resources:

national-aboriginal-monument

  • Interactive Activity: (Ages 10+)

Over the Top: An Interactive Adventure

“An activity created by the Canadian War Museum to help students understand the First World War from a soldier’s perspective. The activity’s interactive nature and its animation-based format will appeal to younger students. Includes a glossary of terms. (Recommended for ages 10 and up.)”

Activity, Digital Resources, Event

National Poetry Month 2022

Poetry_2022_2

From the League of Canadian Poets:

The League of Canadian Poets invites you to celebrate the 24nd National Poetry Month this April 2022 with the theme of intimacy. 

This National Poetry Month, we invite you to celebrate with the theme of INTIMACY.

We crave it. We fear it. We are ready to build walls against it and dive headfirst into its open arms. Intimacy is the closeness we feel with those who love us, given freely through warm hugs. It’s a shared laugh or glance between strangers, a moment of comfort in an anonymous world.

What will you read this National Poetry Month?  Will you start your own poetry writing project? Will you write your first poem?

  1. Selections from: Tea and Bannock Stories: First Nations Community of Poetic Voices (Simon Fraser University, First Nations Studies. Compiled by annie ross, Brandon Bob, Eve Chuang and the Chuang Family, Steve Davis, Robert Pictou)

 

2. Selections from Poetry Foundation: Poetry for Children

Ideas for Teachers: (from the League of Canadian Poets)

Poetry Play Stations

Poetry play stations use different techniques to encourage young readers to craft poems. Here are some great stations to include:

Erasure poetry: Using a page of existing text, use a black marker to complete cross out sections of the text — the words or phrases that remain can be strung together to form an original poem! Part of the beauty of erasure poem is how the entire page looks when completed, blacked-out sections and all.  Try it with a newspaper article!

Found poetry: Found poetry is very similar to erasure poetry — well, erasure poetry is a kind of found poetry — but with a little more freedom. Again using an existing text, participants select words or phrases from the text that they think will make a great poem: using the found words and phrases, they can play with line breaks, stanzas, and other ways of construction an original poem from the found text!

Book spine poetry: This is a great poetic experiment that takes over Twitter every April — using as few as three or as many as… well, as many as you can stack, create a poem using the titles of books as they appear on the spines. These make excellent photos and are great for sharing!

Magnet poetry: A classic! Choosing words from a pile of individual words to string together an original poem. This could be from a magnetic poetry set, but you could also simply prepare an assortment of words for participants to choose from.” (Source: League of Canadian Poets)

Digital Resources, Event

Family Literacy Day 2022

Family Literacy Day 2022 Theme:

Learning in the Great Outdoors

“Spending time in nature provides many benefits, not just for bodies, but for minds too. This year, get outside and exercise both your mind and body together as a family. You can make outdoor time fun family learning time all while enjoying the wonders of Canada’s Great Outdoors!”

Celebrate Family Literacy Day 2021 Virtually with Honorary Chair Barbara Reid!

Barbara Reid

Join us online on Wednesday January 27, 2021 at 1:30 Pacific Time for a special event with author and illustrator Barbara Reid.

Barbara will be doing a demonstration on how to use clay to create a picture. She will share unique techniques you can use to make different things. The event will end with a Q&A.

This event is ideal for children in grades 1 to 6. To register, please click here. Spaces are limited, so be sure to register as soon as possible to secure your spot.

Looking for additional ways to  participate in Family Literacy Day? Here are some ideas for inspiration:

FamilyLit_2022_2

FamilyLit_2022_3

Download and share these resources  from ABC Life Literacy Learn at Play, Everyday Activities (English and French):

Additional Resources:

GumbootWinter_2022

Joyful Literacy Family Literacy Activities:

(developed by Dr. Janet Mort)

Early Learning Families: Check out the Early Learning Page on Curriculum Connections for creative family activities developed by MPSD’s StrongStart Team

Digital Resources, Event, Media

Veterans’ Week 2021

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Here are some resources that connect with the theme of Remembrance:

Veterans Affairs Canada – Veterans’ Week Poster:

VeteransWeek2021

“Service, Courage and Sacrifice. At home, around the world and across generations.

Canadian military members have a long tradition of defending peace and helping others. This year’s Veterans’ Week poster reflects several milestones that illustrate this proud legacy of service. From left to right:

A Canadian soldier during a reconnaissance patrol in Afghanistan’s Kandahar Province. This year marks the 10th  anniversary of the end of Canada’s combat mission in the country in 2011.

A Canadian peacekeeper on patrol in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula. This year marks the 65th anniversary of the beginning of the first large-scale United Nations peacekeeping mission there in 1956.

A Canadian soldier carrying a sandbag to help fight rising floodwaters. Canadian Armed Forces members often help here at home, like 25 years ago during the devastating Saguenay floods in Quebec in 1996.

A Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry soldier helping a wounded comrade get to an aid station near the Kapyong Valley. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the Korean War’s Battle of Kapyong in 1951.

A Canadian aviator at an airbase in Qatar during the Gulf War. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the end of this tense conflict in the Persian Gulf region in 1991.

A Canadian signaler using a spotting scope in the hills of Hong Kong. This year marks the 80th anniversary of the Second World War’s Defence of Hong Kong in 1941.

A pair of Canadian soldiers training near the Somme Valley in France during the First World War. This year marks the 105th anniversary of the Battles of the Somme and Beaumont-Hamel in 1916.

This Veterans’ Week, how will you remember all those who have served and sacrificed in uniform over the years?” (Veterans Affairs Canada)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RrtGg3KnR4?rel=0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2Z6RSKbrw0?rel=0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7jla_6CD3A?rel=0

Additional Resources:

national-aboriginal-monument

  • Interactive Activity: (Ages 10+)

Over the Top: An Interactive Adventure

“An activity created by the Canadian War Museum to help students understand the First World War from a soldier’s perspective. The activity’s interactive nature and its animation-based format will appeal to younger students. Includes a glossary of terms. (Recommended for ages 10 and up.)”

Activity, Digital Resources

Literacy games and Events

Want to practice this summer?

SUMMER READING CLUBS

Crack the Case! Be a super sleuth this summer when you join FVRL’s 2021 Summer Reading Club. There is a club for everyone!

  • Read To Me (0 to Preschool) Share stories, record reading, enter to win prizes and get a medal.
  • Kids (grades K to 6) Record your reading, check out our virtual performers, enter to win prizes, and earn a medal.
  • Teens (grades 7 to 12) Read. Record. Repeat. It begins when you download an SRC reading record. Read every day for a chance to win fantastic prizes!
  • Adults Download a reading record and mark your reading for a chance to win prizes every week all summer. The more you read, the more chances to win!

How do I join? Sign up starts June 1 and continues throughout the summer. Sign up and reading records can be found here.

How does it work? You and your family members can sign up online and download a reading record! Mark, colour, or sticker your reading record for each day that you read for 15 minutes or more! You can read anywhere. For every seven days that you read, you can enter to win a prize!

Summer Reading Club and COVID-19

We want everyone to stay safe and have fun this summer! To ensure physical distancing, all reading records and contests are available online. We encourage you to participate in Summer Reading Club online if possible. If you need a paper reading record, please contact your local FVRL library to arrange for a contactless pickup. If you need assistance to enter the weekly prize draw, please contact your local FVRL library and a staff member will be happy to help.

Offline Literacy Activities:

(inspired by Ann George as part of  the Joyful Literacy initiative developed by Dr. Janet Mort)

  • Play “I Spy”. (I spy with my little eye a letter that is in your name or I spy with my little eye the letter “c” on the cereal box or I spy with my little eye something that makes the “ssss” sound from the letter “s”.
  • Using objects found in nature (sticks, leaves, rocks etc.), write your name, some words, a message or poem and take a picture.
  • Make up a letter dance and some music to go with it.
  • Search for letters older newspapers/magazines and circle the letters.
  • Look for the letters of the alphabet in around the house or in nature. Take pictures of them to create your name.
  • Make a list of 26 things in your house, one for each letter of the alphabet – a/apple, b/book, c/cat etc.
  • Collect little things that you see throughout your house. Try to collect one thing for every letter of the alphabet (e.g. A – ant, B – beach glass, K – kite string, Y – yellow dandelion).

(developed by Dr. Janet Mort)

Online Literacy Games :

Halq’eméylem:

English Alphabet Games:

https://www.activityvillage.co.uk/alphabet-games

English Sight Words:

www.education.com/games/sight-words

English Letter Games:

http://www.abcya.com/

English Sounds, Rhyming:

http://getreadytoread.org/skill-building-activities/online-games 

English Alphabet and Phonics:

http://www.starfall.com/ (free limited use of site, paid member = full use of site)

Activity, Digital Resources, Event

National Poetry Month 2021

NationalPoetry2021

From the League of Canadian Poets:

The League of Canadian Poets invites you to celebrate the 23nd National Poetry Month this April 2021 with the theme of resilience. 

“What does it mean to be resilient? We meet resilience in every corner we’ve been backed into, every hardship that we endure. Resilience is geographical, spiritual, historical. It’s the fight against climate change, the inner battle with mental health, the outcry for human rights and an end to systemic racism. Resilience is the backbone of generations of trauma, the silence at the dinner table, the bow to culture’s violin. Resilience is the courage to start each day anew. This NPM 2021, we celebrate, reflect on and respect the resilience that has made us who we are.”

  1. Selections from: Tea and Bannock Stories: First Nations Community of Poetic Voices (Simon Fraser University, First Nations Studies. Compiled by annie ross, Brandon Bob, Eve Chuang and the Chuang Family, Steve Davis, Robert Pictou)

 

2. Selections from Poetry Foundation: Poetry for Children

Ideas for Teachers: (from the League of Canadian Poets)

Poetry Play Stations

Poetry play stations use different techniques to encourage young readers to craft poems. Here are some great stations to include:

Erasure poetry: Using a page of existing text, use a black marker to complete cross out sections of the text — the words or phrases that remain can be strung together to form an original poem! Part of the beauty of erasure poem is how the entire page looks when completed, blacked-out sections and all.  Try it with a newspaper article!

Found poetry: Found poetry is very similar to erasure poetry — well, erasure poetry is a kind of found poetry — but with a little more freedom. Again using an existing text, participants select words or phrases from the text that they think will make a great poem: using the found words and phrases, they can play with line breaks, stanzas, and other ways of construction an original poem from the found text!

Book spine poetry: This is a great poetic experiment that takes over Twitter every April — using as few as three or as many as… well, as many as you can stack, create a poem using the titles of books as they appear on the spines. These make excellent photos and are great for sharing!

Magnet poetry: A classic! Choosing words from a pile of individual words to string together an original poem. This could be from a magnetic poetry set, but you could also simply prepare an assortment of words for participants to choose from.” (Source: League of Canadian Poets)

Digital Resources, Event

Family Literacy Day 2021

Family Literacy Day 2021 Theme: Travel the World Together!

“Use your imagination to go exploring and travel the world together as a family – you never know what you’ll learn! Plan your dream trip, learn about another culture and open your mind to the world.”

Celebrate Family Literacy Day 2021 Virtually with Honorary Chair Barbara Reid!

Barbara Reid

Join us online on Wednesday January 27, 2021 from 4:30-5:00pm ET for a special event with author and illustrator Barbara Reid.

Barbara will be doing a demonstration on how to use clay to create a picture. She will share unique techniques you can use to make different things. The event will end with a Q&A.

This event is ideal for children in grades 1 to 6. To register, please click here. Spaces are limited, so be sure to register as soon as possible to secure your spot.

Looking for additional ways to  participate in Family Literacy Day? Here are some ideas for inspiration:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0SF5XG1AkA?rel=0

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0m4XUOHlp3E?rel=0

Resources:

Joyful Literacy Family Literacy Activities:

(developed by Dr. Janet Mort)

Kindergarten Families: Check out our post from September for creative family activities developed by MPSD’s StrongStart Team

Digital Resources, Event, Media

Veterans Week 2020

Leave a comment
Here are some resources that connect with the theme of Remembrance:

https://youtu.be/2Lf9J3trfB4?rel=0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RrtGg3KnR4?rel=0

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2Z6RSKbrw0?rel=0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7jla_6CD3A?rel=0

Additional Resources:

national-aboriginal-monument

  • Interactive Activity: (Ages 10+)

Over the Top: An Interactive Adventure

“An activity created by the Canadian War Museum to help students understand the First World War from a soldier’s perspective. The activity’s interactive nature and its animation-based format will appeal to younger students. Includes a glossary of terms. (Recommended for ages 10 and up.)”

Additional Resources:

Activity, Digital Resources, Event

Dot Day 2020

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No matter what, we’re determined to celebrate #InternationalDotDay in 2020. When the going gets tough, the creative get going. Join us!

Make your mark this school year!  September 15th-ish is International Dot Day!  Join the celebration of creativity, courage and collaboration! Based on the story “The Dot” by Peter H. Reynolds, this is a great way to start the year by celebrating the creative talents of children.

Watch the videos below to see examples of students collaborating creatively and get inspired to create:

http://animoto.com/play/CTF6JLGlvmRFNqnyN6sgmA?utm_source=thedotclub.org&utm_medium=player&utm_campaign=player

http://youtu.be/CseZabRV-Mw?rel=0

 Resources:

International Dot Day website: Get Inspired

Multi-language Dot Day Posters

Poster Gallery:  (many themes, including A Thinking Journey & Think Globally)

Peter H. Reynolds Website

Fablevision Creative Learning Website

Digital Resources, Event, Media, Video

National Indigenous History Month

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Local Kwantlen Elders: (Part 1 & 2)

Virtual Ways to Participate:

  • Fry Bread Friday Videos:

Educator Guides:

  • NIMMIWG –Their Voices Will Guide Us:  Student & Youth Engagement Guide (Early Learning – Gr.12) (p.1 to p. 19 for K to 5)
  • Walking Together: First Nations, Metis and Inuit Perspectives in Curriculum  The digital resource Walking Together: First Nations, Métis and Inuit Perspectives in Curriculum was designed to help teachers understand the holistic nature of First Nations, Métis and Inuit ways of knowing; to provide opportunity for Inuit, First Nations and Métis peoples to share their perspectives on topics important to them; and to demonstrate First Nations, Métis and Inuit perspectives in teaching and learning experiences.
  • The Secret Life of the North (CBC):How has the North been impacted by forces of colonization and why have many Canadians not known about the history, geography, and society of the Inuit? This episode explores the history and geography of the North; examines the distinct culture, language and politics of the Inuit; and recognizes the impacts of colonization on the Inuit.Possible teaching connections include Geography, History, Social Studies, Indigenous Studies, Civics, and Anthropology.
Activity, Digital Resources, Event

National Poetry Month 2020

 

From the League of Canadian Poets:

“We hope that this theme will inspire conversations, poems, and dialogues about the many ways poetry is expressed and honoured around the world, as well as the cultural impacts of poetry in different regions. We encourage poets from around the world to speak and write about what poetry means for their life experiences, perspectives and identity as well as the roots of poetry in their culture or country.

“What will you read this National Poetry Month? Will you start your own poetry writing project? Will you write your first poem? Will you share your poetry on stage for the first time?

  1. Tumblebooks has some fun poetry video books to read online:  (username: tumble735, password: books)

Cat Named HaikuA Cat Named Haiku: Haiku is a form of Japanese poetry. Haiku is also a little cat who can’t seem to stay out of trouble. “A Cat Named Haiku” tells the story of the day in the life of a mischievous little cat, as he learns a valuable lesson on love told completely in haiku. After disobeying his owner, Haiku discovers at the end of the day even if someone is mad at you it doesn’t mean they don’t still love you. From climbing the curtains to trying to eat the pet goldfish, all of Haiku’s antics are chronicled in the three line poetry of his namesake in this 40 page children’s book intended for ages 6 and up.

Ook the BookOok the Book

Ook the Book seems like it’s been around forever, dog-eared from decades of readings and rereadings. It could be the jaunty Seussian rhythms at play, but it has a classic quirkiness all its own–a blend of Calef Brown’s Polkabats and Octopus Slacks and the good Dr. Seuss’s The Cat in the Hat. With poem titles from “Ug the Bug” to “Eep the Sheep,” you can see that the rhyme is not exactly subtle. Therein lies its charm. While its simple rhymes make it perfect for building early reading skills, Shannon McNeill’s action-packed illustrations (awash in a delicious color palette) give readers of all ages plenty to snicker over. In “Ake the Snake,” for example, the snake has a cake, because he can bake. The snake, coiled by the lake (sporting a cupcake chef’s hat) is surrounded by baking ingredients and two tiny green traumatized bugs, who have indeed tried to take the snake cake, and therefore are being flung screaming into the lake, much to the dismay of another bug hiding behind a sack of what might be flour. We think it’s gutsy to write a poem as simple as “I am At, / At the cat. / Do you see Pat? / He is my rat. / I sat on Pat, / so he is flat.” And we like it. (Pat the flat rat doesn’t look too happy about it, however.) A wonderful primer for wee ones just starting to have fun with words. (Ages 2 to 5) –Karin Snelson —

2. Selections from: Tea and Bannock Stories: First Nations Community of Poetic Voices (Simon Fraser University, First Nations Studies. Compiled by annie ross, Brandon Bob, Eve Chuang and the Chuang Family, Steve Davis, Robert Pictou)

 

3. Selections from Poetry Foundation: Poetry for Children

Ideas for Teachers: (from the League of Canadian Poets)

Poetry Play Stations

Poetry play stations use different techniques to encourage young readers to craft poems. Here are some great stations to include:

Erasure poetry: Using a page of existing text, use a black marker to complete cross out sections of the text — the words or phrases that remain can be strung together to form an original poem! Part of the beauty of erasure poem is how the entire page looks when completed, blacked-out sections and all.  Try it with a newspaper article!

Found poetry: Found poetry is very similar to erasure poetry — well, erasure poetry is a kind of found poetry — but with a little more freedom. Again using an existing text, participants select words or phrases from the text that they think will make a great poem: using the found words and phrases, they can play with line breaks, stanzas, and other ways of construction an original poem from the found text!

Book spine poetry: This is a great poetic experiment that takes over Twitter every April — using as few as three or as many as… well, as many as you can stack, create a poem using the titles of books as they appear on the spines. These make excellent photos and are great for sharing!

Magnet poetry: A classic! Choosing words from a pile of individual words to string together an original poem. This could be from a magnetic poetry set, but you could also simply prepare an assortment of words for participants to choose from.” (Source: League of Canadian Poets)