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Out
and About on the 'Net
There is SO much available on the Internet
nowadays!
Sometimes it's fun just to "look around"
at different websites, especially on a rainy day.
You might find a new idea to explore or an old interest to revitalize!

But don't forget... for most days it's
best to:
turn OFF the computer and go do some real exploring OUTSIDE!!!
June 2010
full
article - Barnacle News pg 18
Worm Composting
“Wiggly, squiggly, jiggly, do,
Be careful with your shovel or you’ll cut him in two!"
As anyone who gardens with children knows, it’s always exciting to find a worm! Did you realize that there are over 2,500 kinds of worms? In an acre of favourable land, there might be a million earthworms. The longest worm ever found was in South Africa and was 6.7 meters (22 ft)! One type of Australian worm is 3.7 meters (12 ft) long and weighs 680 grams (1.5 lbs)!
Worms are a very important part of our ecosystem! They eat organic matter, like plants, and decaying animals. They help bring air and water into the soil. The castings they leave behind are a valuable fertilizer. You can buy commercial worm composters or you can make one yourself out of a big plastic bin. You can find great directions for this at the “Adventures of Herman” website: http://urbanext.illinois.edu/worms/neighborhood/index.html I bought my bin at the “West Coast Women’s Show” from http://www.compostculture.com/. (Yes, I did buy some “ladies’ stuff too!).
This is my first year with a worm composter at school, and the class and I are quite enjoying it! We keep it right in the classroom and love to check under the apple cores for “worm parties”! We haven’t harvested our nutritious soil yet, but we have been collecting “worm tea” to feed our classroom plants!
“He likes to eat dead leaves, he likes to take them out of sight, He takes them in his tunnel, that’s his dinner tonight.
'cause he’s an Earthworm! Earthworm!”
My favourite website has to be:
The Autobiography of Squirmin’ Herman the Worm
http://urbanext.illinois.edu/worms/index.html
Worm Composting Canada
http://www.wormcomposting.ca/
Yucky Worm World
http://yucky.discovery.com/noflash/worm/
City Farmer Worm Glossary (really!!!)
http://www.cityfarmer.org/wormgloss82.html
Herman the Worm song. Illustrations by grade 4s
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=799932996794633719#
Just “google” worm composting and you will find LOTS
of little videos on how to do it!
May 2010
full
article - Barnacle News pg 21
Bird Houses
Over the years I have received numerous bird houses as “teacher thank you” presents. While endearing and delightful, most are not really suitable habitats for nesting birds. Which begs the question… what DOES make a proper bird house?
Some components are common to all birdhouses. It should be weatherproof, sturdy, and well-ventilated with a sloped roof and drainage holes in the floor. There should be easy
access for annual cleaning. Other components are specific to the type of bird. Chickadees, titmice, bluebirds, nuthatches, and swallows are backyard birds likely to use a bird house. Starlings and house sparrows are known as predatory species to be avoided! Size of floor and walls, diameter of entry hole, height of placement, and general habitat area are all important. Clean untreated wood is the obvious, natural choice. Any decorative paints should be non-toxic and of inconspicuous colors. An outside perch is unnecessary and invites unwanted visitors. The bird house should not be set up until just before the breeding time, to avoid unwanted species moving in. Furthermore, the
location should discourage predators such as raccoons, cats, squirrels and rats.
There are many websites to give directions on the actual specifications. Choose your desired species, determine the best location, and then… have fun building!
Royal BC Museum
http://www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/School_Programs/songbirds/activities/pdf/activity-5.pdf
Various designs plus specifications for different species
http://www.natureskills.com/how_to_build_a_bird_house.html
Backyard Bird Center (Newport Village) gives friendly advice!
Looking at commercial birdhouses can give some good ideas.
http://www.backyardbird.ca/birdhouses.html
Bird House designs for different species
http://www.life123.com/sports/bird-watching/bird-houses/bird-house-designs.shtml
A milk carton birdhouse for young children to make
http://www.ehow.com/how_4882487_build-birdhouse-kids.html
A video on building a bird house from 1 plank in one day!
http://www.5min.com/Video/How-to-Build-a-Birdhouse-12353
Driftwood Bay Birdhouses
So beautiful! (I received one for my birthday!)
http://www.driftwoodbay.com/
April 2010
full
article - Barnacle News pg 22
Anti-Bullying Day
Pink Shirt (Anti-Bullying) Day is April 14/10. You may be aware of the occasion, but did you know it began in 2007, in Nova Scotia, Canada?
The International STAND UP to Bullying Day is actually a bi-annual event (February and November) with 25 countries participating. The official date is usually the last Wednesday in February, but it was postponed this year due to the Olympics being hosted in Canada.
Want to get involved with your own pink shirt? They cost $5, proceeds going to Boys and Girls Clubs, and will be available online or through sponsors such as London Drugs.
CBC News article
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/nova-scotia/story/2007/09/18/pink-tshirts-students.html
Pink Shirt Day
http://www.pinkshirtday.ca
Christy Clark website
http://www.christyclark.ca/pink-shirt-day/wearpink/
http://www.christyclark.ca/category/pink-shirt-day/
International STAND UP to Bullying Day
http://www.standupday.com/
Bullying.org - A fabulous Canadian, and international website, created in Feb. 2000 to promote “Where you are NOT alone”.
http://www.bullying.org/
Pacer Center Kids Against Bullying
http://www.pacerkidsagainstbullying.org/
PS... Don't forget that April 22nd is EARTH DAY! Show your support!
http://www.earthday.ca
http://earthday.org
March 2010
full
article - Barnacle News pg 22
World Math Day
World Math Day arrives on March 3rd this year, so if you haven’t been practicing already, sign up ASAP! (It lasts 48 hours, because of time differences.) This year, PARENTS are invited to join too!!! Maybe they realized that too many parents were sneaking on their kids’ accounts after bedtime!
You’ll be surprised if you check back to my March 2009 post… this year we are trying to beat almost 2 million
students in 204 countries answering 452,681,681 right answers.
World Math Day website
http://www.worldmathday.com
Johnny’s Math Page
http://jmathpage.com/JIMSNumberpage.html
Carole Saundry has some great math activities.
http://mindfull.wordpress.com/about/
A list of great math websites from the “Virtual Teacher”
http://www.virtualteacher.com.au/maths.html
February 2010
full
article - Barnacle News pg 23
There is plenty of excitement about Olympics 2010 being in Vancouver and lots of great online information.
Here are some of the many links you will find interesting.
http://www.vancouver2010.com
http://www.olympic.ca/en/
http://www.olympicschool.ca
http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/2010wintergames/index.html
(note: Vancouver Sun link is often slow to open, but it’s worth it.)
Meet the mascots
http://www.vancouver2010.com/mascot
Play some games with the mascots
http://www.vancouver2010.com/mascot/en/games.php
A clever little game including national flags, nutrition, exercise equipment, and then a race!
http://www.olympicschool.ca/default.aspx?PageID=1061&LangID=en
Vancouver Sun Posters outlining the Olympic sports
http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/2010wintergames/Deconstructing+Games+Collect+2010+events+pages+here/2405443/story.html
Check out the “Sport Explainers” on the right side of each sport, which show great animations explaining each Olympic sport
http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/2010wintergames/index.html
December 09
full
article - Barnacle News pg 22
"Advent Calendars"
Kids Craft Weekly
http://www.kidscraftweekly.com/advent_challenge_issue.html
More ideas for filling your advent calendar with “things to do” http://jordanferney.blogspot.com/2007/11/advent-calendar-ideas.html
Here are some creative ideas for making a home advent calendar.
http://belladia.typepad.com/crafty_crow/2008/11/advent-calendar.html
There are SO many advent calendar ideas and online activities! Doing a search is quite overwhelming, but check these out:
Yahoo Advent calendars http://ca.dir.yahoo.com/Society_and_Culture/Religion_and_Spirituality/Faiths_and_Practices/Christianity/Holidays_and_Observances/Advent/Calendars/
Google images of different advent calendars
http://images.google.ca/images?hl=en&source=hp&q=advent+calendar&um=1&ie=UTF8&ei=tCkMS9DvHIj8tQOA0LmeAw&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=5&ved=0CDIQsAQwBA
Surprise your friends (grandparents?) with a personalized Online Advent Calendar. Choose your photos, messages, the number of windows and the date and send it for free!
http://www.advientos.com/?gclid=CO3G85OCmp4CFShGagodAgtOmg
Billy Bear’s Advent Calendar , for early learners, has a Christmas Surprise each day with free Clipart, Games to play online and a few to print... and PC Programs to download. http://www.billybear4kids.com/holidays/christmas/advent/2000/advent.html
The Cat Who Laughed is most unusual! Artist Penelope Schenk creates sequential picture-stories for her advent calendars... and her one-line captions have translations in French, Dutch, Italian and more! She has 11 previous calendars to enjoy as well.
http://www.catwholaughed.com/
Smile-a-day shows a new Christmas carol each day with the tune in midi music playing.
http://www.smile-a-day.com/advent-calendar.shtml
Woodlands School –UK Christmas around the world calendar.
http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/teacher/christmas.html#advent
St. Margaret Mary Advent Calendar - Follows the traditional custom of opening a new "door" each day, with a new image and verse from the Bible for reflection.
http://www.smmp.com/Advent/Advent.php
November 09
full
article - Barnacle News pg 22
"Batty about Bats"
B.C. has about 17 species of bats, the most in Canada! All
the species are protected by the provincial Wildlife Act. Some bats can
live up to 30 years. They carry ticks and fleas like other mammals, but
they groom themselves as often as a cat does. They can catch rabies, but
they die quickly, and as a result no one in BC has ever contracted rabies
from them. (Note: never touch any sick animal!) They provide a real service
in helping to control the insect population; a single little brown bat
may eat 600 insects an hour! Bats are nocturnal and use echolocation to
capture their prey. They are not blind, and they do not get caught in
people's hair, although they may seem to swoop over your head
in
order to scoop up the insects that your body warmth is attracting!
When we begin a study of bats in the classroom, the students are always
amazing that there are so many different species. While most eat insects,
a few eat fish or meat and some even are fruit-eaters. Students are also
surprised to hear that the vampire bat is actually very small (only 9cm
long, weighing 2 oz.). It sneaks up on its victims by running along the
ground, and it makes such a tiny cut that the animal doesn't even feel
it. We are still happy to know they don't live here!
There are many wonderful books and websites devoted to bats. Be sure
to look for "Merlin Tuttle", founder of Bat Conservation International,
and fondly known as the true "Batman"!
Bat Patrol-with info. on Merlin Tuttle too
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0204/feature7/online_extra.html
Bats4Kids
http://www.bats4kids.org/
Bats: Why Should You Care?
http://www.cccoe.k12.ca.us/bats/
Bat Conservation International
http://www.batcon.org/
October 09
full
article - Barnacle News pg 19
"BTS... with the Douglas Squirrel"
In case you didn't know, the Douglas Squirrel (Tamiasciurus
douglasii) is one of our B.C. native squirrels, living along the Pacific
Coast. It has a reddish-brown or grayish-brown back, and a rusty orange
underside. The
winter coat is grayer overall. They weigh 140g-310g and are about 33cm
(including the tail). They live mainly in coniferous forests, building
a nest in the tree. In winter they nest in tree holes or underground.
The bulk of their diet is the seeds of coniferous trees. They are aggressive
against the larger Eastern Grey Squirrels, (which can be gray or black).
Those squirrels were introduced to Stanley Park in 1909 and are now very
common. A very distinct feature of the Douglas Squirrel is its loud "chatter",
which is almost bird-like and definitely reminiscent of "scolding"!
A great audio clip
http://www.bmn.bc.ca/gallery.aspx?gallery=Birds&photo=17-Douglas_Squirrel
General information
http://www.wildlifenorthamerica.com/Mammal/Douglas-Squirrel/Tamiasciurus/douglasii.html
General information, including tracks and audio
http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Douglas_Squirrel#encyclopedia
April 09
full
article - Barnacle News pg 19
"Earth Day"
Earth Day in Canada is celebrated on April 22nd. It reminds
us to appreciate the natural beauty of our world and to be mindful of
the impact that humankind has on nature. At school we encourage our students
to consider how even their smallest actions may have positive or negative
consequences. Turning off the tap while brushing your teeth is as important
as picking up garbage!
Earth Day actually has two observances. In 1969, at a UNESCO conference,
peace activist John McConnell proposed a special day to foster worldwide
participation in working for peace, justice and the care of the earth.
The Spring Equinox (March 20-21) date was chosen for its meaning in many
cultures. U. N. Secretary General U Thant, Margaret Mead, John Gardner
and other concerned world leaders showed their support. The second Earth
Day, founded by U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson in 1970, was planned as an
environmental "teach in". The date of April 22 was chosen as
a "convenient date" which would maximize student and community
participation. Twenty million Americans participated and it is now celebrated
in 175 countries.
Earth Day Canada-April 22
http://www.earthday.ca/pub/index.php
Earth Day April 22
http://www.earthday.net/earthday2009
Earth Hour March 28
http://www.earthhour.org/home/
Earth Day March 20-21
http://www.earthsite.org/
The Care of the Earth by John McConnell
http://www.earthsite.org/77.htm
Celebrate the beauty of SPRING with the eagle webcams!!!
http://www.hancockwildlife.org/
and other webcams too!
http://www.thewebbroadcastingcorporation.com/
March 09
full
article - Barnacle News pg 18
"World Math Day" - March 4
There is an exciting online Math opportunity for students
but the "big day" is March 4th, so check it out asap!!!
Students race one another to correctly answer age-level questions. Competitors
are from all around the world, and the race is "live" !!! You
see where your opponents are from, and as you madly type in your answers,
you watch as the bar graph shows the number of correct answers growing.
Watch out though
3 strikes and you are eliminated from that game!
The idea behind this Math competition began in 2007 with students around
the world breaking a world record by
answering 10,000,000 questions in 48 hours! World Math Day was born, and
in the next round, 287,000 students from 98 countries participated and
they correctly answered 38,904,275 questions. The competition is 48 hours
because it lasts as long as it is March 4 "somewhere in the world".
(In my part of the world- Vancouver, BC, Canada, that's Tuesday March
3 at about 3 am right through Wednesday March 4).
Last year 1 million students from 150 countries and 20,000 schools answered
182,455,169 correct questions! Now that's great enthusiasm for Math! Practice
sessions are as much fun as the actual competition, so check it out yourself!
World Math Day website
http://www.worldmathday.com
National Library of Virtual Manipulatives
There are lots of great online math activities here.
(You can play online, you don't have to download.)
http://nlvm.usu.edu/
Carole Saundry is a private consultant working with teachers around
British Columbia (and beyond!) in the area of numeracy. Her blog has some
great math activities.
http://mindfull.wordpress.com/about/
A list of great math websites from the "Virtual Teacher"
http://www.virtualteacher.com.au/maths.html
Feb. 09
full
article - Barnacle News pg 17
"Snowflakes"
I must admit that the entrancement of a "White Christmas" is
rather behind me (is it Spring yet?), but February often reserves a few
last wintery blasts for us. With that in mind, a "Snow Science"
unit is an interesting one for all ages. If you're lucky to have some
free time when it's actually snowing, take a black piece of paper (which
was kept cold in the freezer), a magnifying glass, and check out snowflakes
yourself first hand!
The making of snowflakes is a lot more complex than one might realize.
They are not just a special kind of frozen rain, they are actually made
from water vapour. Different shapes and patterns in the flakes are created
by the growing crystal "arms" encountering different temperatures
within the cloud. The variations are almost infinite, which is why virtually
no two snowflakes are identical. Most snowflakes are actually not perfectly
symmetrical, although they sure do look like it! About 80 different types
of snowflakes have been categorized, including such surprising shapes
as needles, plates, columns, and capped columns!
There are several excellent websites to investigate, but one, called
"Snowdays", involves making your own snowflake online and then
posting it in a simulated sky. You get to see the snowflakes posted by
other people all around the world! You can even do a search by name or
location. With the count now reaching almost 8,000,000 it would seem that
we aren't the only ones fascinated by snowflakes!
You can get excellent "snowflake information"
from
http://www.snowcrystals.com
Beautiful photographs of snowflakes in galleries I, II, III
http://www.its.caltech.edu/~atomic/snowcrystals/photos/photos.htm
Step by step directions for a 6-sided cutout paper snowflake
http://highhopes.com/snowflakes.html
Snowdays- add your online snowflake
http://www.popularfront.com/snowdays/
Make your own snowflake and convert it to 3-D
http://www.zefrank.com/snowflake/
Dec. 08
"Traveling Buddies"
What do a moose, a beaver, a wolf, and a boy who is 1/2 inch thick have
in common? In our classroom, the answer is: they are all part of the "Traveling
Buddy" program!
If you haven't heard of this activity, it is a variation of the traditional
"pen pal" exchange of letters. In this case, the students send
a mascot, such as a stuffed teddy bear, to a class in another location.
This little visitor is given the "royal treatment"! It participates
in daily classroom activities, is shown around the school, taken to student
homes, and invited to special events and field trips. (What an incentive
for the reluctant reader
you get to read with a stuffie!) Photos
are taken of the visitor enjoying new friends, journal entries are made,
the children write letters and draw pictures, and the teacher organizes
special extras such as stickers, books, local calendars and so on. The
students at both ends of the exchange have the chance to compare their
respective locations as well participate in other educational activities.
After a set time, a tearful "good-bye party" is held, and the
little mascot travels back home with a box of goodies for the class.
Every year my class is amazed to hear about how a little
STUFFIE can become a world traveler, and it makes them even more enthusiastic
to learn more about the world. We use this in our Social Studies, weather
studies, animal
studies, and as an inspiration for reading, writing, and yes, even sometimes
for "arithmetic"! This year Wilbur Wombat AND a Flat Stanley
are visiting! There never seems to be enough time to keep up with the
online photos, but check out my websites to get a taste of this wonderful
activity!
The CanOz Connection-photos and more!
http://www.teacherwebshelf.com/canozconnection/
Monty Moose has his own website now!
http://www.montymoose.com
Flat Stanley- There is a world-wide following now!
http://www.flatstanley.com/
Suggestions for starting your own project!
http://www.teacherwebshelf.com/canozconnection/teacherideas.html
July 08
"Prevent mush-brain in just minutes a day!"
With all the cool rainy days we had in June, many parents are relieved
to be able to just scoot the kiddos outside for the first days of summer
holidays! Thinking ahead to September (good heavens!) , however, many
parents would like to help their children keep up their hard-earned school
skills. Teachers will also appreciate greeting new students who have not
been on "mental shutdown" for two months!
So
what can keep those brain cells snapping along? Here are some
ideas (from Owl Canadian Family).
* Sign up for educational summer camps. There are camps for every interest:
computers, science, math, environment, mini-universities (SFU offers several
options).
* Bake, garden, sew
and do MATH! Have a look at the Crazy4Math.com
website for wonderful ways to see the world through "Math Coloured
Glasses"
* Read, Read, Read! Join the local library summer reading program and
look for special book talks. Take time to read WITH your child, checking
for comprehension, or asking thought provoking questions as you go along.
* Explore the Internet! If your child has a question, don't supply the
answer
say "Let's Google It and find out."
You can always trust that several interesting side topics will
appear along the way! Explore one of the fantastic new children's CDs-there
are simulation worlds, brainteasers for logical solutions, machine contraptions
to build, photo safaris and much more!
* Keep travel logs Add in maps, geography, money, local wildlife, costumes.
Work on those writing skills-make an advertisement to show off the special
features If you're not traveling, then make up a fantasy vacation or a
"Nature Guide" to your own back yard!
* Play games! Games such as Monopoly, Scrabble, chess, Boggle work on
mathematics, word skills, and problem-solving without even seeming like
learning.
* Join an arts 'n crafts program or sign out an art project book at the
library. Work together with your child to do the planning. Finish off
the project with an "art show" for the family, or digital photos
for the grandparents!
* Visit local museums, Science World, farmer's markets
but don't
stop there
read up on your visit ahead of time on the Internet and
then do some follow-up activities too!
Take the time to have some CREATIVE FUN
* Get creative with your suggestions and take the time to get those projects
started by being part of the initial "supply gathering": Create
a summer foods cookbook, design a line of summer clothing (make mini samples
too), make your own bubble wands out of telephone wire, build a miniature
fort and then make to-scale drawings of it, design summer stationery,
use toothpicks and gumdrops to make a model, plan a theme movie night
for some friends, decorate rocks, design summer kites, create a treasure
map or board game!
National Geographic-kids' boredom busters
http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/
Free ideas to explore your child's creativity
http://www.creativekidsathome.com/summerkidsactivities.html
Summer fun for parents, kids, (and teachers)
http://www.fvsd.ab.ca/stm/end_of_the_year_and_summer_activ.htm
Ideas, a little reading and links to crafts
http://www.kidsturncentral.com/summer/summerfun.htm
Education World-links to Summer Reading Lists
http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/curr244.shtml
June 08
"Gardening with Children"
Finally! The glorious weather demanded that I take my class out to our
school garden areas to clean up weed-choked planters, do battle with the
villainous Morning Glory, cheer on the earthworms, and explore the wonders
of the miniature habitats. The children were SO excited when I handed
out the garden gloves! By now everyone has had a turn being the weekly
Classroom Horticulturist and has taken home a small coleus cutting, rooted
at school. Our four gigantic Amaryllis have all gone to seed (of COURSE
we didn't cut off the dying blooms!) The Mother's Day basil went home
after we taste-tested our own dressing. Our Heinz Tomatosphere seeds (sent
to us by the Canadian Space Agency) seem to be thriving under our grow
lights. The sun and fresh air are begging us for outdoor activities!
Gardening with children can be a most enjoyable and educational activity.
You might misconstrue it as a "garden disaster", so it's wise
to plan ahead! I found an excellent website www.kidsgardening.org with
a "Parent Primer" for getting started, but there are many others
as well.
Kids gardening: helping young minds grow
(National Gardening Association)
http://www.kidsgardening.org/family.asp
Gardening with Children
Lots of great ideas, projects, and suggestions for parents
http://www.colostate.edu/Dept/CoopExt/4dmg/Children/children.htm
Earth Easy Gardening with Children
http://www.eartheasy.com/grow_gardening_children.htm
The Great Plant Escape
Online activity for Gr. 4-5 students involving plant science.
http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/gpe/tg/index.html
My First Garden
Online activities teaching Gr. 3-4 about the basics of gardening.
http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/firstgarden/
The Adventures of Herman the Worm
Here's where to find out about our favourite garden friend!
http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/worms/
May 08
"Loving and Losing Your Pet"
This article is dedicated to the "best dog
in the world",
our dear Dexter Dog, March 24 1993 to February 12, 2008.
The loss of a pet is the anguish of losing a family member. A Google
search on the internet for "children +pets +death", yielded
over 850,000 hits. There are so many of us trying to cope with this heartache
but sharing of the grief is a big support.
Although there are common stages of mourning, they do not necessarily
occur in any order. The simple act of talking about and through these
feelings can be of immense benefit.
* Denial: Emotions can be overwhelming with the initial shock of the situation.
This is actually a coping mechanism.
* Anger: As the pain intensifies, it is common to feel angry at everyone.
Feelings of guilt may be intermingled.
* Bargaining: We try to think of any way we possibly could "try something
new" or "promise to be better" in exchange for our loved
one's health.
* Depression: Sadness and helplessness is one of the longest stages of
mourning.
*Acceptance: With acceptance can come healing, and the ability to remember
"the good times" with joy.
Children need time to mourn their pets in their own way, but parents
should role model by sharing their feelings as well. If a pet is sick
or dying, it is important to give the child time to say goodbye. Having
a special ceremony, collecting
photos, drawing pictures, or writing stories are some positive ways to
honour the memories. Immediately replacing a pet is not a good idea, as
children feel you are trying to erase that special love for the old pet.
Don't forget that other pets in the family will also feel the loss and
the tension. Take time to give them extra TLC as well.
The age of the child will affect their reaction to the loss of a family
pet. The most important point is to be honest and to use proper language.
Do not tell the child that the pet has "run away", "gone
to sleep", or "been taken by God". All these can cause
confusion, and more distress in the long run. Help your children deal
with the reality of death by working through the grief, not by burying
it.
* Small children may not understand "death", but they will certainly
feel the tension throughout the home. They will need reassurance that
it is nothing they have done.
* Children around age 6 may worry that death might be contagious or that
other family members will now die too. They may need to discuss their
feelings many times.
* Older children may have trouble concentrating in school or have trouble
sleeping. Try to keep to regular routines.
* Adolescents may keep their grief more private, like adults, but they
are also experiencing deep emotions.
It is important to note that there are special considerations for seniors
as well as for children. Seniors are all too aware of the passing of those
around them. They keenly feel the loss of what may be their closest friend
and so need a lot of extra support. Thoughts of a new pet are shadowed
with the fact that it may well outlive them, and so special arrangements
will have to be made.
and so, it is a sad time around our house
still.
Our little "urn" came home on Valentine's Day
a fitting time for one so loved.
Some helpful books to read to your children:
The Tenth Good Thing about Barney by Judith Viorst
A boy remembers his funny, wonderful cat.
Jasper's Day by Marjorie Blain Parker
A family gives their dying dog a special day before euthanization.
Lifetimes: The Beautiful Way to Explain Death to Children
By Brian Mellonie- death shown as a part of the cycle of life
Good Bye Mousie by Robie H. Harris
for 3-5 year olds. A boy lovingly buries his pet in a special box.
Murphy and Kate by Ellen Howard
For 7-12 year olds. A girl and her dog of 14 years.
Information for this article was collected in part from the links
below:
10 top children's picture books
http://childrensbooks.about.com/od/themesubjectbooksby/tp/petdeath.htm
American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
http://www.aacap.org/cs/root/facts_for_families/when_a_pet_dies
Explaining Pet Loss to Children
http://www.griefhealing.com/article10.htm
Coping with the Loss of a Pet
http://www.homevet.com/bonding/loss.html
University of Florida-Veterinary Medical Center
http://www.ufvmc.com/childrenandloss.aspx
February 08
"February-Fast and Furious"
http://www.teacherwebshelf.com/holidaylinks/links/links-winter/links-winter.htm
It is quite amazing how the subdued back-to-school January activities
start to gain momentum until they are rolling out at breakneck speeds.
Frenetic February is what I would call it! Not all the celebrations are
worthy of concentrated study, of course, but they still add their own
flare to the curriculum.
GroundHog Day
February 2nd: The observation of Groundhog day is rooted in a very old
English tradition of noting the weather on "Candlemas Day" (when
clergy would bless and hand out candles). The Germans adapted this weather
forecasting by bringing in the notion of watching to see if a hedgehog
could see his shadow. Settlers in North America used this idea, but with
a groundhog popping out his head to see his shadow (which would mean 6
more weeks of winter).
If Candlemas be fair and bright, Come, winter, have another flight.
If Candlemas brings cold and rain, Go, winter, and come not again.
GroundHog Day-Wiarton Willie & Punxsutawney Phil
http://www.southbrucepeninsula.com/index.cfm?member=willie
http://www.groundhog.org/
http://www.groundhogs.com/
Chinese New Year
February 7-Year 4706 of the Chinese Calendar
This year marks the Year of the Rat , one of the 12 animals of the Chinese
Zodiac. The Chinese calendar follows the lunar cycle. The New Year activities
begin on the darkest day and often last 15 days, until the moon is at
its brightest.
http://members.aol.com/Donnclass/Chinalife.html
http://www.infoplease.com/spot/chinesenewyear1.html
Valentine's Day
February 14th-ahhh, the day of love and caring! History has several possible
origins of this special day
The Romans, among others, had ancient
celebrations related to spring and fertility. The Christians had at least
two saints named Valentine. Early English records indicate that birds
were thought to choose their mates on February 14.
Whatever the origin, however, it is a wonderful time to focus on kindness
and caring, compliments and good will.
http://www.annieshomepage.com/valhistory.html
http://www.factmonster.com/spot/valentines-day.html
Canada Flag Day
February 15 is National Flag of Canada Day. It marks the day in 1965 when
our red and white maple leaf flag was first raised over Parliament Hill
in Ottawa, and indeed, hundreds of communities across Canada. This is
a perfect opportunity to celebrate our flag and what it stands for - a
country and a citizenship that are the envy of the world. (quote from
Heritage Canada website)
http://www.pch.gc.ca/special/flag-drapeau/index_e.cfm
http://www.craigmarlatt.com/canada/index.html#home
100th Day of School
February 20th (at my particular school this year)
What a wonderful excuse to have a "100 Day Party", complete
with many, MANY counting and math activities! This celebration has really
grown over the years and elementary teachers have a grand time sneaking
in oodles of math in the guise of celebrating 100 days of school!
http://users.aol.com/a100thday/ideas.html
http://www.siec.k12.in.us/west/proj/100th/act.htm
December 07
Christmas - Dec 25
One of my favourite seasons
at school is Christmas! There is so excitement in the air... the first
report cards have been distributed, holidays are on the horizon, and,
with a bit of directed teaching, learning about the spirit of giving encourages
sharing and caring throughout the classroom!
Learning about Christmas traditions around the world can be a great
way to bring multi-cultural studies, geography, art, music, and language
together. Instead of the popularized "chocolate advent calendar",
every day in December my class learns something about a different country's
Christmas tradition and decorates a tiny flag to adorn their personal
"Christmas Advent Tree". By the holidays arrive, they have more
than 20 "tidbits of learning" on their tree!
Some of the origins of traditions are fairly common knowledge
for example, do you know where the first "true" Christmas tree
supposedly originated? (Germany) The first Christmas card? (England) The
carol "Silent Night" ? (Austria) Traditions, such as who the
"gift giver" is on Christmas, vary from country to country.
(Please note that not all of the following information is 100% "factual"!)
A "Santa Claus" type figure is very popular and has various
names such as Sinterklaas (Netherlands), Heiliger Nikolaus (Austria),
le pere noel (France). There are also some quite different gift givers
though: Christkind is reportedly a sprite-like child (Germany), Strega
Buffana is a good witch (Italy), and other countries have devils, angels,
or elfs helping out! There are some interesting superstitions too, for
instance, in Greece the Christmas table is lifted three times before eating,
in Norway a rice pudding is left out for the barn elf, in Poland hay is
put under the Christmas tablecloth.
There are many children's books available on "Christmas
Around the World". (An internet search at Chapter's Books yielded
38 hits!) There are also many internet sites devoted to this topic, so
if you can't find a particular country at one site, then do try some of
the others. A fun way to get started exploring this topic is to try one
of the Internet "Scavenger Hunts" I have listed.
So
enjoy the merriment of the season and do have a Merry Christmas
and a Happy New Year!
Nollaig Shona Dhuit (Irish)
Nolllaig chridheil agus Bliadhna mhath ur! (Scots Gaelic)
Veseloho Vam Rizdva I Shchastlyvoho Novoho Roku!
(Ukranian)
Bill Egan's Christmas Around
the World
Lots of countries and a quite lovely presentation of the info.
http://christmas-world.freeservers.com//index.html
Christmas Traditions Around the World (Santa's Net)
...lots of countries, some with a whole page of info.
http://www.santas.net/aroundtheworld.htm
Christmas Around the World (The-North-Pole)
...about 30 countries listed, varied amounts of info.
http://www.the-north-pole.com/around/
Christmas Around the World (Kaboose )
...includes some recipes
http://holidays.kaboose.com/xmas-around.html
How to say Merry Christmas in 350 languages!
... a little info on the languages included too
http://www.flw.com/merry.htm
Christmas Around the World
Internet Scavenger Hunt for kids!
http://www.henry.k12.ga.us/PGES/xmas_around.htm
B.C. School District #71 Christmas Links
more Internet Scavenger Hunts for kids!
http://sd71.bc.ca/Sd71/Edulinks/xmas/around.htm
http://sd71.bc.ca/Sd71/Edulinks/xmas/around2.htm
http://sd71.bc.ca/Sd71/Edulinks/xmas/around3.htm
http://sd71.bc.ca/Sd71/Edulinks/xmas/around4.htm
see the rest of my Christmas
& other Winter links at:
http://www.teacherwebshelf.com/holidaylinks/links/links-winter/links-winter.htm
November 07
Canadian Remembrance Day
- Nov. 11
Veterans' Week (November 5 to 11 in Canada) is a time for us
to remember and show our respect for those who served Canada in times
of war, military conflict and peace. As stated in the VAC website, "Taking
part in remembrance events develops a deeper understanding of the sacrifices
and achievements of those who have served and continue to serve our country."
We are so fortunate that the children in our classrooms here do not generally
have first hand knowledge of war. The VAC website has many excellent resources,
and last year added a "Kids Zone". One of the features is "Animal
Heroes", a section devoted to highlighting the roles that animals
have played in war efforts. There is even a photo is of John McCrae on
his horse, Bonfire!
Listen to an audio clip of Charlotte Diamond's "Leave the world
a little better"
http://www.charlottediamond.com/music/charlottes_world.htm
VAC - Kids Zone information including "Animal Heros"
http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/youth/sub.cfm?source=activities/kidszone
2000 Memories - Jason and the Memory Box
http://user1291600.sites.myregisteredsite.com/library/id72.html
Created in 2001, The Memory Project is the Dominion Institute's flagship
educational programme, designed to connect veterans and students online
and in classrooms across the country.
http://www.thememoryproject.com/index.asp
The Memory Project Digital Archive, an online database that houses the
oral histories and artifacts of more than 1000 Canadian veterans, complements
the Speakers' Bureau.
http://www.thememoryproject.com/digital-archive/index.cfm
August 07
Ladybug Luck
I was enjoying my school's inner courtyard the other day (even summer
holidays aren't safe from extra clean-up jobs at school!) when I felt
a little tickle on my arm. It turned out to be a ladybug larva, which
reminded me (once again!) how taking just a little extra time so often
rewards one with a delightful surprise. I think every child can easily
identify a ladybug (Eric Carle's book "The Grouchy Ladybug"
is such a favourite!), but would you know what the eggs or larvae look
like?
My first experience came from a student bringing in a leaf and telling
me that she had ladybug eggs. I'd never seen them before, but I thought
"there's one way to find out!" That was the start of my wonderful
foray into raising ladybugs in the classroom!
Does a ladybug really signify "Good Luck"? Well, this gardener
feels lucky to have them on watch!
Enchanted Learning has some good basic information for students.
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/insects/Ladybug.shtml
The Ladybug Lady has a first hand love of ladybugs and photos too!
http://www.ladybuglady.com/
This is a great classroom resource.
http://www.geocities.com/sseagraves/schoolyardscience.htm
There are great photos and a chart to aid in identification.
http://www.discoverlife.org/mp/20q?guide=Ladybug
Here are tons of ladybug links for the enthusiast!
http://webtech.kennesaw.edu/jcheek3/ladybugs.htm
May 07
Hummingbirds
The hummingbird is a well-known bird but many children only recognize
the name from seeing a movie or animation. I promised my class that after
Spring Break we would learn about hummers and even see them outside our
window!
The most common hummingbird in our area is the Rufous Hummingbird. The
males generally arrive first, and have rusty brown backs and flame red
gorgets (neck feathers). The females (and young) have green backs. Males
often exhibit an "O" or "J"-shaped display. Females
build a nest with plant down and spiderwebs, decorated with lichens, mosses,
and bark.
Allen's Hummingbird look very similar to the Rufous, but they have bronze-green
backs. Males exhibit the "J" shaped flight, with a sharp explosive
sound.
Anna's Hummingbird (common on Van. Island) is a husky, 4 inch bird which
often stays within the general breeding range in both summer and winter.
The males' crown and gorget are a rose-red.
Watch some wonderful video clips of hummingbirds
http://www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0701/feature4/multimedia.html
Hummingbird Journey North (includes a great kids section!)
http://www.learner.org/jnorth/humm/index.html
A website dedicated to the conservation of hummingbirds
http://www.hummingbirdsociety.org/
A great source of information on hummers
http://www.hummingbirds.net/
Our local bird center
http://www.backyardbird.ca
April 07
Teacher "Fun Time"
Even teachers have a "fun side" when they get home... so this
article is entitled: "B.C. HotRod is a Winner in Toronto"!
Warmer days are just around the corner, and chances are
it won't be too long before you hear the sound of a few rumbling engines
now and again. You may not have realized it, but there are many who have
succumbed to the lure of owning a "Hotrod". These beautiful
vehicles may take their lines from days gone past, but they are all modern
when it comes to power and shine!
This year is the 75th anniversary of the 1932 Ford, and my husband and
I decided to celebrate the completion of our 1932 3-window Ford coupe
by having it transported to the prestigious "Performance World Car
Show" in Toronto. This is the largest indoor car show in Canada!
It was very exciting to be among so many cars. The years and makes were
vastly different, but every one was polished to the nines!
"Peter's Coupe" showed off how great a B.C. contender can
be, and we came home with 6 different awards! We really thought we would
get the Long Distance Award too, but who would have guessed that someone
from FRANCE would be there!
It was an exciting trip but it wasn't that hard to leave -16 degrees C
and several feet of snow to come home to daffodils and crocuses! If you'd
like to see more photos, check out www.peterscoupe.com
!
March 07
Bird Watching
Sometimes all we need to enrich our lives is just to take the time to
stop and look. If you haven't had taken the time lately to explore the
world of our local birds, just think about this article as you take your
next walk. If you already enjoy this pastime, think about sharing your
knowledge! February 16 to 19th was the Great Backyard Bird Count
did you participate? Why not join eBird, it's a free online bird tracker!
Getting Started
So
how does a "non birder" start to recognize different
birds? Interesting birds can land in front of you and then disappear in
seconds. Furthermore, the "bird book" is usually at home, not
in your pocket!
Here are some tips for things to take note of.
Size: Think about the relative size compared to a common bird such
as a sparrow, robin or crow
Colour: Notice the colour of the body, but also the head, breast,
legs, beak if possible
Shape: Is it long and slender or plump? Is there a crest or tuft
on the head? Is the tail forked or rounded? Is the beak thin or wide?
Field Marks: Look for eye stripes or eye rings, bars on the wings
or tail
Movement: Is the flight path straight or wavy? Does it flick its
tail?
Song: Can you notice any details of the song?
What if you'd like to attract just a few birds to your yard for fun?
Containers can be made from recycled milk cartons and so on, but the easiest
feeder is simply a large tree cone (pine cone, spruce cone etc) covered
in a layer of peanut butter, rolled in bird seed, and hung from a tree.
If you have peanut allergies, use 2 rounded Tbsp lard/Crisco mixed with
1 Tbsp molasses. Squirrels can be a nuisance, so try to hang the cone
away from other branches. Remember as well
the month of May generally
marks the return of the bears and they love bird feeders too!
Kids-print out a fact page on the chickadee and a picture to colour!
http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc/kids/images/bkcchi_coloringpage.pdf
Novice and experienced birders can both enjoy adding their bird sightings
online to eBird
http://ebird.org/content/
Cornell University "All About Birds" has a wonderful online
guide to birds
http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/
Birding software-I highly recommend the Thayer "Birds of BC"
program
http://www.onlinenaturemall.com/birdsoftware/
November 06 - Time to
curl up with a good book!
Canadian Children's Book Week arrives!
If you live in the Northern Hemisphere, November is often a time when
the weather begins to encourage more time spent indoors. The Canadian
Childrens Book Centre (CCBC) was founded in 1976 to promote, support
and encourage the reading, writing and illustrating of Canadian books
for children and teens. The TD Canadian Children's Book Week is an important
bilingual, national event celebrating Canadian children's books and the
importance of reading.
How about looking for some "award winning" books to round out
your reading?
http://www.bookcentre.ca/awards/index.shtml
Perhaps you have a favourite Canadian author or illustrator. Maybe you
wonder who the Canadian authors are!
http://www.bookcentre.ca/authors/author_pages.shtml
Did you even know that Book Week was coming?
http://www.bookweek.ca/
Links to November special events online: Canadian Remembrance Day
& Children's Book Week
http://www.teacherwebshelf.com/holidaylinks/links/links-fall/links-fall.htm
October 06 - Fall arrives
It's hard to believe how fast we get back into school routines!
Ready, Set, Learn! Parents of preschoolers, however, may
appreciate a little help getting started off on the right foot.
This booklet was designed to assist parents in helping their preschooler
get ready for school by offering tips for supporting a child's learning
in key areas of development. http://www.gov.bc.ca/bcgov/content/docs/@2R11d_0YQtuW/new_ready_set_learn.pdf
Links to October Holidays online: Thanksgiving and Hallowe'en
http://www.teacherwebshelf.com/holidaylinks/links/links-fall/links-fall.htm
September 06 - BTS time
is here!
Whether you embrace it or try to ignore it, it's BTS time once again!
Our brains have enjoyed relaxing in the blissful days of summer, so here
are some websites to fire up the neurons and sharpen those skills!
For the preschoolers & Kindergarteners raring to go!
http://www.juliasrainbowcorner.com/html/funandgames.html
Easy activities with audio clues for alphabet letters, numbers, shapes,
animals
http://www.starfall.com/n/magic/trick1/load.htm?f
Magic Hat Trick: silly words are introduced with rhymes and animations.
Say the word, follow along, and then click on the hat to see what happens!
Primary level refreshers
http://www.primarygames.com/
Lots of games and activities in all curriculum areas from Language Arts
to Math
http://www.starfall.com/
Primarily designed as learn-to-read online activities for first grade,
it is also useful for pre-school, kindergarten and second grade.
http://www.theschoolbell.com/Links/math/number_families/main/games_online.html
This is a good site for Primary online math activities.
http://www.noggin.com/games/zoolane/storymaker/
Reluctant readers are enticed by participating in an interactive storymaker,
where they create an audio-enhanced and animated story through selection.
Elementary and up
http://www.sadlier-oxford.com/phonics/student.cfm
Phonics and Word Study activities are clearly designated for PreK through
sixth grade. The online learning games range from memory picture matching
and alphabet practice, to long vowels and contractions, and a variety
of challenges to hone spelling and reading skills.
http://www.coolmath4kids.com/
Cool Math 4 Kids is for "ages 13 to 100"
Lots of games
and puzzles in math, and science too!
http://www.aplusmath.com/
A+ Math Play number skill games, test your skills with timers!, print
your own flashcards
Take the challenge!
http://matti.usu.edu/nlvm/nav/vlibrary.html
National Library of Virtual Manipulatives for Interactive Mathematics
Wonderful online activities to teach mathematical concepts from K - 12.
http://www.teachersfirst.com/tchr-subj-date.cfm?subject=mindstretchers
For those who simply want a challenge
these are activities, puzzles,
and logic-based sites designed to bolster higher-order thinking skills!
June 06 - Summer is here!|
Considerations for Online Summer Activities
A few pertinent internet safety points
http://www.geocities.com/rod_oickle/safeparents.html
Cyberbullying
what is it, and what can you do? Some important information:
http://www.cyberbullying.ca/
http://www.bullying.org/
CBC News Online
. Focus on Cyber-Bullying
http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/bullying/cyber_bullying.html
Safe blogging information for teens, parents, teachers, adult bloggers
http://www.blogsafety.com/
Podcasting in Education
find out about this new buzzword
http://chatt.hdsb.ca/~magps/boylit/Podcasting%20in%20Education
April/May 06 - Spring
is here!|
April 17 is Easter Monday. The weekend is a great time to try out some
different family crafts and activities.
Here's a wonderful website on the art of Psyanky, including directions!
http://www.learnpysanky.com/
Kate's "Eggs-ellent Easter" website has lots of information
and fun crafts.
http://www.kate.net/holidays/easter/ltraditions.html
Celebrate Easter: crafts, recipes, traditions
http://www.celebrate-easter.com/
Earth Day
a time for the World to celebrate our planet! Be sure
to get outside and enjoy our beautiful earth! See if there is something
you can do this year to help!
On a different note
did you realize that there are TWO different
dates and TWO different founders associated with "Earth Day"?
While April 22nd is the date that most North Americans are familiar with,
it seems that the rest of the world may not be in accord!
John McConnell, the founder of the first Earth Day "Nature's Day",
March 21, 1970
http://www.themesh.com/jc2.html
The Official Earth Day site
http://www.earthsite.org/
Senator Gaylord Nelson, founder of the first Earth Day in America, April
22, 1970
http://earthday.wilderness.org/history/history.pdf
Earth Day Canada
http://www.earthday.ca/pub/home.php
February/March 06 - The last days of
Winter!
February 2nd is Groundhog Day! 2006 marks the 50th anniversary of the
Wiarton Willie Festival
and if you didn't know
that happens
to be our Canadian Groundhog center! If you want more rodent rapture,
then Education World has a veritable "Groundhog burrow" full
of activities for you at http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/lesson048.shtml
!
February 14th is Valentine's Day! Find out more about its history, symbols
and explore some new recipes or poetry!
http://techdirect.com/valentine/index.html
100th Day of School! This will depend upon your school, but it should
be sometime at the end of February or early March for elementary schools
this year! Do you know when YOUR school celebrates?
http://users.aol.com/a100thday/
March 17th is St. Patrick's Day! Wear the green
and find out WHY
at http://theholidayspot.com/patrick/celebration.htm
September/October/05 -
Ministry of Education & BCTF webpages... links for parents!
This month it seems important to provide some links with
respect to the current BC teachers contract negotiations. On September
27 a limited job action begins, but the initial stage will not disrupt
either students' learning nor the voluntary extra-curricular activities
provided by teachers. All teachers hope that further action will be unnecessary.
As the BCTF president, Jenny Sims, points out
"teachers are
also mothers, fathers, and grandparents whose children are in the education
system. Teachers are taking a stand for our students, our profession and
for public education."
September 23 was a district-wide Professional Development Day for teachers,
an important time for teachers to revitalize their enthusiasm for their
own learning and staying on top of advances in educational methods. I
include some links from the BC Ministry of Education website to highlight
how far beyond the "three R's" modern education has come.
Ministry of Education Curriculum: http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/irp/curric/
Ministry of Education IRPs Index Page: http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/irp/irp.htm
Ministry of Education Performance Standards: The BC Performance Standards
have been developed for voluntary use in BC schools. They describe the
professional judgments of a significant number of BC educators about standards
and expectations. http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/perf_stands/
ICT: The Information Technology resource documents serve to assist schools
and districts with requirements for school and district technology plans.
K-7 http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/irp/resdocs/itk7.pdf
Grades 5-10: http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/perf_stands/icti/
As a elementary teacher myself, I can speak to some of the deleterious
changes I have seen in my own school over the past few years. In my opinion,
the most serious of these is the reduction of specialty teachers. This
includes resource room, learning assistance and ESL teachers, the teacher
librarian, the music specialist and the Special Educational Assistants.
In my school we haven't had a specialist for P.E. in years! I am seeing
considerably more needy children in my classroom with each new year, and
yet all these specialist times are being drastically reduced. There are
so many children who could show wonderful gains from a little extra small
group work or 1:1 time with a specialist, but I am told that we only have
enough resource time for the neediest of children. Our school prides itself
on an excellent "early intervention" program for behaviour concerns,
but our resource room counselor can only juggle so many other duties.
"Literacy" is a keynote for government advertising, and yet
our teacher librarian divides her 3 days a week among 340 students. The
SEAs who work with special needs children requiring 1:1 care have to take
turns doubling up the children in order to get their much needed lunch
breaks. These conditions all impact the students learning
from the
bright, enthusiastic children who deserve teacher attention for advanced
projects to the shy little quiet ones who can so easily disappear into
the crowd. The supposed increased funding for students being reported
by the government is an illusion created by their earlier disastrous cuts
to educational services.
Why are B.C. teachers taking a strike vote?
http://www.bctf.ca/Bargain/negotiations2004/TeachersTakeAStand/WhyStrikeVote.html
Teacher-librarians are needed more than ever: The B.C. government has
said it wants to "make B.C. the best educated, most literate jurisdiction
on the continent." Teacher-librarians have a key role to play in
our schools if we are to achieve a more literate population.
http://www.bctf.ca/NoteFromTeachers/Archive/2005-06/2005-09-20.html
What is inclusion? Inclusion is the philosophy that nearly every student
should participate in all academic and social aspects of the school and,
whenever possible, should be integrated into a regular classroom. The
support the teacher needs in order to make inclusion effective for everyone
may be an educational assistant, special resources, and/or help from a
specialist teacher.
http://www.bctf.ca/publications/NoteFromTeachers/archive/2005-06/2005-09-19.html
Teachers are looking for a negotiated agreement: Teachers are determined
to achieve improvements for their students and a fair and reasonable salary
increase for themselves. Teachers want a negotiated settlement. Teachers
are calling on the government to meet with the BCTF to develop a mutually
agreed upon process that will lead to a negotiated settlement.
http://www.bctf.ca/publications/NoteFromTeachers/archive/2005-06/2005-09-14.html
July/August/05 - Summer
Activities
Crazy 4 Math: This website encourages children to think
mathematically and keep up their math skills during the summer. It promotes
math as part of many family activities and provides a FREE list of great
ideas for kids, families and teachers to access on the internet. There's
even a contest... get your ideas/ poster/ photos in before July 15.
http://www.crazy4math.com
Scholastic Books - Summer Reading Counts: "Consider
your child's favourite stories perhaps old classics, or something
new read during the past school year. Notice the themes that emerge, and
plan a related trip. This is a fun way to support your child's curiosity
about the subjects she loves most." This website gives some great
ideas for bringing together books and summer activities! Also featured
are articles for parents encouraging good readers.
http://www.scholastic.ca/summerreadingcounts/daytrips.htm
Gateway to the Summer Games: Learn about the Athens 2004
games. "The first Olympic Games were held in Greece more than two
thousand years ago. When the Modern Games were revived in 1896, founder
Pierre de Coubertin again chose Athens as the host city. In 2004, the
games returned to their birthplace for a third time. Learn about the geography,
history, people, and languages of Athens and Greece, or explore with Virtual
Tours."
http://www2.edgate.com/summergames/
Review all the Olympic Games from 1896!
http://www.olympic.org/uk/games/index_uk.asp
HARRY POTTER: A much-anticipated Harry Potter sequel is
on its way this summer. Get into the mood!
The official movie site of Harry Potter.
http://harrypotter.warnerbros.com/
The official JK Rowling site.
http://www.jkrowling.com/
The Harry Potter Lexicon: This site is a wealth of information about
various subjects in the Harry Potter books.
http://www.hp-lexicon.org/
Spectrum website.
http://incwell.com/HarryPotter/RealFantasy.html
Scholastic Books website.
http://www.scholastic.com/harrypotter/home.asp
J.K.Rowling Teacher Resource File
http://falcon.jmu.edu/~ramseyil/rowling.htm
June/05 - Here's an eclectic
assortment of diversions!
Are you tired of the Star Wars hype? Try this clever animated spoof with
a message
Organic vegetables have the power!!!
http://www.storewars.org/flash/index.html
Would you like some new paper-and-pencil games while waiting for summer
to arrive?
Here are seventeen deceptively simple games that really stretch the brain.
http://www.cs.uidaho.edu/~casey931/conway/games.html
NASA's Future Flight Design website teaches kids all about flight concepts
using a very interactive, Flash-based interface. Kids look for workable
solutions to problem-based learning scenarios.
http://futureflight.arc.nasa.gov/map.html
Architect Studio 3D is an online interactive tool which allows users
to design and build a virtual home, with the assistance of a virtual Frank
Lloyd Wright!
http://www.architectstudio3D.org
May/ 05 - Let's look at
some Science websites this time
VIRTUAL BODY:
http://www.medtropolis.com/VBody.asp
Take a fascinating look inside all the many coordinated parts of the human
body in this online exhibit. Interactive features let students control
their online journey, learning more about key features as their interest
dictates.
SCIENCE ANIMATIONS:
http://science.nhmccd.edu/biol/animatio.htm
This site has collected numerous interactive tutorials, animations, and
movies on science topics across the board.
WHAT'S IT LIKE WHERE YOU LIVE:
http://mbgnet.mobot.org/
This site has information about Earth's biomes and freshwater/ marine
ecosystems.
A VIRTUAL JOURNAL INTO THE UNIVERSE:
http://library.thinkquest.org/28327/?tqskip1=1
Here's a great research site for those studying The Solar System. (Note:
Flash needed)
NOVA SCIENCENOW (GR. 9-12)
http://www.pbs.org/nova/sciencenow
The "NOVA scienceNOW" website is newly designed. The site features
streaming video of each hour-long broadcast episode, in-depth interactive
scientist profiles, downloadable podcasts, a blog of dispatches from the
production team in the field, viewer forums, educator materials, and much
more, all in a variety of engaging formats.
Odds 'n Sods - March/05
Internet Safety is always a concern these days. An interesting
website is the Web Wise Kids. http://www.webwisekids.com/
Excerpt: "Web Wise Kids are a non-profit organization dedicated to
ensuring child internet safety by giving tips and advice to parents and
children on how to protect themselves from online predators."
Even if you didn't participate in the "The Great Backyard Bird Count"
on February 18-21, you may still be wondering how to differentiate between
some of those tricky species that frequent our neighbourhood. Learn the
difference between types of woodpeckers, various chickadees, sharp-shinned
and Cooper's hawks, and get ready for your own bird count! http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc/
A great website to explore bird sounds as well as photos, descriptions,
and "cool facts" is the Cornell University of Ornithology "All
About Birds" website.
http://www.birds.cornell.edu/programs/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/
If you are really looking for something different on the 'Net, why not
explore "table manners" around the world! The flash animated
quiz takes about 5 minutes to complete.
http://fekids.com/img/kln/flash/DontGrossOutTheWorld.swf
Odds 'n Sods - February/05
http://reachtheworld.org/
Sail with the crew of Makulu II! This ocean expedition invites students
to learn from the discoveries of her crew. You can trace the route and
read the Ships Logs for up-to-date information about life aboard ship.
This article was written for Canadian Living Magazine's website on the
best all-round websites for homework help. Pete MacKay, one of the authors,
is creator of <http://www.theteacherlist.ca>.
http://www.canadianliving.ca/CanadianLiving/client/en/today/DetailNewsPrint.asp?idNews=3137
Tsunami websites. Here are a few of the student-level websites available.
http://www2.sd43.bc.ca/Nestor/links/edutopics/forcesofnature/tsunami.htm
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