the planning department: Oh Canada!

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This is the fourth in a series of “the planning department” articles. In the first three articles Brenda gave a framework and some strategies for planning literature based themes. These are available at www.PacificEdgePublishing.com. See “Canadian Teacher Magazine,” “Back Issues,” for a downloadable PDF file.

The last decade in the Canadian publishing industry has been noteable for anyone with an interest in children’s literature. Dozens of authors have presented us with books of amazing diversity from every corner of the country. As teachers, we recognize that one of the most effective ways to engage and focus our students’ interest is through a good story. Literature based thematic units have now become one of the most powerful teaching strategies available to us. Regardless of the topic, or the age group we work with, we have an incredible range of Canadian fiction and non-fiction books to choose from.
In the next three issues of Canadian Teacher I am going to highlight a few of the books, resources, and literacy strategies from the theme we call “Oh, Canada!’

So Many Good Books, How Do You Choose?
The “Oh, Canada!” theme, in its current form, is eight weeks long. Each week we focus on one Canadian symbol, animal and geographic feature. These items are linked to form a week long mini theme (e.g. loonie, loon, lake and river systems).
We sort through our book collection and choose a picture book that is the best fit for the learning outcomes that week. As part of the weekly study, the students are encouraged to notice the literary style of the author and the techniques used by the illustrator. With a continually expanding bibliography of colourful, well written and relevant titles to choose from, the trickiest part is deciding which books to keep and which ones to delete for each school year. While many of the books we use are old favourites, we are constantly trying out new titles!

Why Use Picture Books?
Stop! Before you intermediate and secondary teachers move on to the next article (because you think picture books are not for you) I would like you to consider the following: Picture books are usually written in very clear and engaging language. The illustrations serve to enhance the meaning of the story. Complex issues are often addressed in a thoughtful and appealing manner. Flags, by Maxine Trottier, is an example of one of these books. Told from the point of view of a young child, the complicated story of relocating Japanese families during World War II unfolds. Another benefit of using picture books is that your search for appropriate resources is simplified because only one copy of the title is needed. It can be read aloud to the class in a few minutes, leaving time for the students to respond to the book in a variety of ways.

How Do You Launch this Theme?
The ideal book for getting a class started on a study of Canada is “Hold On, McGinty!” by Nancy Hartry. It can be used as springboard to teach learning outcomes right across the curriculum from Math to Geography.

Each morning, for over sixty years, McGinty fished off the coast of Newfoundland in his little dory, Heart’s Content. One evening he returned empty handed. With the cod stocks depleted, McGinty was convinced by his granddaughter to move to the East coast of Vancouver Island. McGinty left his home and loaded the dory onto a train. This is just the beginning of an unusual and eventful voyage across the country. As the dory (and the stowaway, McGinty) roll along the tracks, the students are treated to an introduction to the vast landscapes that make up their country.

Other titles to consider are “O Canada” by Ted Harrison and “My Home Bay” by Anne Laurel Carter.

Some Literacy Strategies That Work With This Book

Before Reading

Concealed Object
Goal: To encourage the students to make connections, ask questions and make predictions.

Process:
Choose one object that is connected to the story and conceal it from the students.

Ask the students to guess what the object is by asking you questions. Some guidlines that work are:
1. Each student is permitted a question before a guess is made.
2. When a question is asked the answer can only be “yes” or “no.”

When the object has been identified, explain that it is connected to the story you are about to read. Encourage the students to make some predictions about the connection and then to listen for evidence to support their predictions.

Concealed Picture
Goal: To encourage the students to make connections, ask questions and to make predictions.

Process:
Choose a picture from the story or use the one on the cover.

Hold the picture where you can see it, but conceal it from the students.

Give a verbal description of the picture. Ask the students to make a clear mental image from the description that you are giving.

When you are finished describing the picture, invite the students to ask you any questions that they may have.

Show the picture to the children (from the book or on an overhead).

Ask the children to explain how their mental image was different from the picture.

Ask them to predict what the story might be about.

Have them listen to the story to provide evidence to support their predictions.

During Reading

Predictions
Goal: To encourage the students to think critically and to make predictions.

Process:
Read the story orally.

Pause occasionally to ask the students what they think will happen next in the story. Read to confirm.

Map It
Goal: To have the students make connections to their prior knowledge about the Geography of Canada.

Process:
Have a large wall map and a globe available as you read the story orally.

Read through the story.

Pause frequently to locate Mc Ginty’s route on the wall map.

After Reading

Venn Diagram
Goal: To make connections.

Process:
Supply each student with a blank Venn diagram.

Draw a Venn diagram on the chalkboard.

Compare and contrast two aspects of the story such as: fishing on the east and west coast, salmon and cod, granddaughter and grandfather, rowing a dory and riding the train, etc.

As you work together to fill in the chalkboard diagram, the students can complete their own diagrams at their desks.

Mapping
Goal: To introduce the students to the political and geographical regions of Canada.

Process:
Supply the students with a map of Canada in a good atlas.

Supply the students with a blackline map of Canada that is labelled with the provinces and territories.

Re-read the story. Trace McGinty’s route on the map in the atlas.

Have the students draw the route on their blackline map.

Crossing the Curriculum

Mapping
When McGinty spun the globe around and measured the distance from St. John’s, Newfoundland, to Victoria, British Columbia he covered the space with the span of his hand. But in reality, ten provinces is a vast distance. Discussing the distances between cities and provinces could lead into lessons on the use of scale on a map.

Math
McGinty passed through several time zones on his trip across Canada. A discussion of time zones could provide you with some interesing problem solving activities. For example:
If Mc Ginty’s granddaughter phoned him at 3 p.m. in British Columbia, what time would it be in Newfoundland?

Science
Reading about Mc Ginty fishing for the Pacific Salmon and the Atlantic Cod provides you with an opportunity for fact finding and sorting activities. Short written reports, Venn diagrams, picture making activities, posters, etc. are some of the possible outcomes of researching these two fish.

Brenda Boreham has been teaching in BC schools for over 25 years using an integrated approach in her classroom. She has written several teachers’ guides and presents popular workshops at District Pro D days.