Great New Database for Elementary Students

I have been using the Beta release of the new DK Find Out database for a few months now.  The students love it!  The interface is intuitive, the graphics and images engaging and the information accessible for elementary students.  Links from general information pages take students to more specific information.  The format is perfect for inquiry!  We have been using it on the SmartBoard as an 'open' activity for inquiry projects with primary students to peek their interest in a topic and as an part of a 'question' exercise to get students asking deeper questions.  Then classroom teachers can make the site available in the classroom for individual or group research.  The pages include photos, diagrams, videos, and even Q&A pages with video questions from children and answers from experts. If this site included some read aloud features to further support struggling readers, it would be perfect! So far we have explored space and ocean creatures.  There are so many other features to explore.  I am looking forward to finding out what else this site offers. 

New Nature Resources in May

My most recent order included these primary research books from Seedlings (thanks again to the Times Colonist Raise-a-Reader grant).

 

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The photos are beautiful!  The books include table of contents, index, glossary and labelled diagrams and the text is very simple.  Although these books will not provide answers to in depth "I wonder" questions, they are great for fostering independence for early primary researchers.  The grade ones and twos at my school are already using them for animal research and to help create simple posters or reports to share with their classes.

Pink Shirt Day Feb. 25, 2015.

As Pink Shirt Day approaches, I have been thinking about resources to really touch and inspire students.  I returned to one of my favourites from last year: Each Kindness.  I also updated my Pink Shirt Day Glogster which includes videos, testimonials from children's authors, and a touching flash mob in a Vancouver mall.

7 Sacred Teachings

Image from Winnipeg School Division

Our school is involved in a project to teach students about the 7 Sacred Teachings basic to many North American First Nations' cultures. Karen Whetung-Bermeo, of the Ojibwa Nation, has been visiting our classrooms to tell stories and facilitate activities around each of the 7 Sacred Teachings: Respect, Honesty, Courage, Wisdom, Humility, Truth and Love.  I have found it difficult to find a lot of age appropriate resources to follow up on these lessons in our classrooms.  I did find two excellent resources, though.  If you know of others, please comment below.

Seven Gifts for Cedar by Cherie Dimaline available from Ningwakwe Learning Press (or our library).

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The Vision Seeker by James Whetung

Family Literacy Day 2015: Literacy is Not Just Reading

Tuesday, January 27th will be Family Literacy Day.  The role of parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, siblings - families - is integral to developing not only children's technical reading and writing abilities, but their ability to interpret, analyze, create and appreciate communication of all types.  Literacy is not only reading and writing, but talking, listening, viewing and creating.  In the 21st century we have created many distinctions within literacy - visual literacy, digital literacy, social literacy, and, finally, transliteracy.  Transliteracy includes all forms of communication.  In order to be critical, creative, contributing citizens our children need to be transliterate.  Families provide children with experiences that help them not only to gain communication skills, but to develop the sense of joy that comes with competence and, later, mastery.  ABC Life Literacy Canada  has some great ideas for adding a little fun to your usual family literacy activities: 15 Minutes of Fun, and Family Literacy Fun booklet full of activities to download.  Here is a video from ABC Life Literacy Canada to give you some inspiration too - literacy is not just reading!