Looking for a book to read over the holidays? Come on up to the Learning Commons and check out a wintery book!
Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow!
Wishing you a restful and fun holiday! Enjoy time with family and friends!
Read lots! Remember how many books you read over the holidays so you can add beads to the bottle when we get back to school.
We've read so many books already this year that I had to get more beads and a second bottle to fill!
Happy Holidays!
It's Canada Learning To Code Week!
Canada Learning Code Week is an annual call to action for people in Canada to teach or learn to code. It's about using technology to create amazing things together in a fun, easy and engaging way. (Canada Learning Code)
For some fun and engaging activities that will help you learn how to code, click 👇
Happy coding! 💻
🥳 For the first time in three years, the Scholastic Book Fair is back in the Learning Commons! 🌟
📚 The Scholastic Book Fair is an important fundraiser that provides new books for the library. So thank you in advance for your support! 💜
In-Person Book Fair
👀 We are excited to see classes visit for Previews on Monday and Tuesday.
🛒 We will be open for Sales on Wednesday and Thursday during Period 3, lunch time, and Period 4.
💳 Payment can be made with cash, debit, credit card, Apple pay, or Android Pay.
📢 Please note : There is NO obligation to shop at the book fair.
Virtual Book Fair
📅 Starts today!
💻 Link : https://virtualbookfairs.scholastic.ca/pages/5171364
This is Métis Week and today is Louis Riel Day!
Each year on November 16, people across Canada pay tribute to the Right Honourable Louis Riel by holding a commemorative ceremony on this date. In Alberta, the week surrounding November 16 is known as Métis Week.
To learn more, click 👇
For more information and activities, click 👇
Friday, November 11th is Remembrance Day.
We will be honouring Remembrance Day on Thursday, November 10th at Willow Park School.
November is a good time to reflect on our history.
We have a great collection of fiction and non-fiction books on display in the Learning Commons to honour Remembrance Day.
Online resources
Indignous Veterans : Indigenous Veteran's Day is on November 8th. The First Nations, Inuit, and Métis of Canada have a long and proud tradition of military service to our country. See here for more information.
Historica Canada : Heritage Minutes are a collection of 60 second short films, each depicting an important person, event, or story in Canadian History. Watch here. Go to "By Category" and choose "Military" for relevant videos.
Poppy Stories : The Canadian Legion has added a new dimension to wearing a poppy. Go to poppystories.ca on your cell phone. Scan your poppy. Yes, your poppy. A story of a Canadian soldier will appear on your phone. Do it again to get another story.
For more resources, please see my slide 👇
November 2nd is I READ CANADIAN Day!
I READ CANADIAN Day is a national day of celebration of Canadian books for young people. This is a day dedicated to reading Canadian and will empower families, schools, libraries, and organizations to host local activities and events within the week.
Goal : The purpose of this event is to raise awareness of Canadian books and celebrate the richness, diversity, and breadth of Canadian literature.
Action : We challenge the nation to Read Canadian for 15 minutes and to share their experiences at their library, in their school, with their families and friends, or on social media. Young people are encouraged to read, or be read to, a Canadian book of their choice.
Sign up your readers here!
Sign up for free livestreamed events here!
Come on up to the Learning Commons and choose a book by a Canadian author! This display is a small sample of what we have in our collection!
Happy reading!
Media Litercy Week is an annual event promoting digital media literacy across Canada, taking place each October. Schools, libraries, museums and community groups organize events and activities throughout the week. Media Literacy Week 2022 takes place October 24 to 28. 👇
October is Women's History Month in Canada!
Government of Canada
From early trailblazers to today's powerful agents of change, from the long journey for women's suffrage towards equality of rights and opportunities for all, women have and continue to blaze a trail to create a better, more equal world for everyone.
Heritage Minutes
Have a look at these short video clips that highlight important women in Canada's history.
The Canadian Encyclopedia
Take the Women in Canadian History quiz. These questions are baed on the real citizenship test taken by newcomers on the path to citizenship.
The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch
For many readers, The Paper Bag Princess with its strong female character NOT needing the prince, nor his approval, was revolutionary. Watch Robert Munsch perform The Paper Bag Princess.
Come on up to the Learning Commons and borrow a book from our display!
Happy reading!
Looking for more?
Check out the links on my slides! Great for students, families, and teachers!
👻 Looking for more spoooooky stuff to do? Check out these links!
How to draw a haunted house
Nat Geo Kids Halloween Hangout
More How to Draw Halloween Stuff
CBC Kids All About Halloween
CBC Kids Halloween Games
👻 Have some spoooooky fun! 👻
👻 October is the Spooooookiest Month! 👻
Are you prepared to be scared?
Come on up to the Learning Commons and check out one of our creepy books . . . if you dare . . .
Two Sentence Horror Stories
Do you have a spooky, creepy, scary story just waiting to burst out? Can you give us goosebumps with just two sentences?
Try writing a Two Sentence Horror Story and hand it in to Mrs. Dickson in the Learning Commons. Include your name and homeroom. Stories will be displayed anonymously.
October is Islamic Heritage Month in Canada!
This month recognizes the significant role that Muslim communities play in Canadian society and hightlights their extraordinary contributions.
Canadians have an opportunity this month to learn more about the history of Islam in Canada and recognize the many achievements of Muslim Canadians in the arts, sports, academics, sciences, literature, and their communities. It is also a time to acknowledge the ongoing challenges and barriers that Muslim Canadians face.
Canadian Encyclopedia : What is Islam?
CBC Kids : What is Ramadan?
CBC Kids : Islamophobia in Canada
Come up to the Learning Commons and borrow a book from our Islamic Heritage Month display!
Come on up to the Learning Commons to see the colourful skateboard decks painted by artist Harvey Nichol.
Harvey is a first-generation immigrant and multidisciplinary artist who is currently pursuing a BFA at Alberta University of the Arts, majoring in Sculpture and minoring in Printmaking.
His work embodies elements of various art movements such as neo-expressionism, social realism (in the Philippines), street and folk art which he married to create his version, which he coined as "Street Folk Expressionist Art."
Harvey moves between different art-making practices such as painting, sculptures, clothing design and storytelling. Inspired by his life experience as an immigrant, becoming homeless as a youth, and living through the foster system, he channels all of this through visual auto ethnography (self-reflection exploring personal experience and connecting it to wider cultural, political, and social meanings and understandings) along with elements of folklore and mythologies and socio-political commentary on today's world.
"I painted in black and white for the first few years of my time here in Canada; the melancholy feel that my paintings expressed was coherent with my feelings of depression and of being different; it was about my identity and where I fit in this country. The melting-pot that is Canada, made fitting in or sticking with traditions a choice that I had not anticipated being difficult before I moved."
Tomorrow we wear ORANGE to honour Orange Shirt Day and National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in Canada.
September is such a great month! The weather is getting crisp and a new school year begins. There are so many possibilities to make this a great year!
Great news for visiting the Learning Commons . . . the beanbags are back in business! Yay! 🥳
Reminders for how to use beanbags
Other Learning Commons Reminders
Please use a browsing stick to keep our books in order on the shelves!
Add a bead to the bottle each time you finish a book!
Put the foam squares back on the table so they don't get stepped on!
Bring your student card to use the Self Check Out!
Check out the new books on display!
Can't wait to see you in the Learning Commons!