Scholastic Book Fair

 Our Scholastic Book Fair is a big deal! 

Did you know that it is a fundraiser for our library? Yes! The more we sell, the more credit we get to buy new books for our collection.

Set Up : Monday, November 25 afternoon

Class Previews : Tuesday / Wednesday, November 26 / 27

Sales : Thursday, November 28 : Period 3 + Lunch + Period 4 AND during evening conferences

Take Down : Friday, November 29 morning

Help! 

We need volunteers to make the book fair a success! If you are able to help out during any time listed above, please contact Mrs. James in the office. Thank you!

Thank you for supporting our library by shopping at the Book Fair!

Métis Week

Métis Week is an annual event planned by the Métis Nation of Alberta and sees a range of interesting commemorative events take place across Alberta. This year, Métis Week is November 10-16. 

Who are the Métis?

Métis are people of mixed European and Indigenous ancestry. There are Métis communities across Canada. 

The Métis have deep historical roots in the Red River area, as early as the 1700s. Their traditional homelands encompass the three Prairie provinces, northwestern Ontario, northeastern British Columbia, the Northwest Territories, northern Montana, and North Dakota. They are the descendants of Indigenous women (typically Cree, Salteaux, and Dene) and European fur traders (typically French, Scottish, and Irish). (https://learningbird.com/celebrating-metis-week-in-your-classroom/)

Want to learn more?

Michif

Michif (mi-CHIF) is the language spoken by the Métis. The Michif language is a combination of French nouns and Cree verbs and is spoken by Métis in the provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, and in the South Slave Region of the Northwest Territories. Depending on the region, the language spoken may be Michif-Anishnaabe or Michif-Cree. The highest numbers of Michif speakers are found in the Prairies. Many Métis people also speak Cree, which is more widely spoken than Michif. (https://albertametis.com/culture/language/)

Want to learn more?

Symbols of Métis Culture

The Métis developed a distinct culture celebrated for its dances, jigs, fiddle music, and colourful, embroidered clothing and sashes. The advanced design of Métis Red River Carts was famous at the time. Métis were exceptional bison hunters. (https://learningbird.com/celebrating-metis-week-in-your-classroom/)

The Métis sash is a colourful finger-woven belt that is usually three-meters long. It is sometimes referred to as L’Assomption sash or Ceinture Fléchée (arrow sash).

Want to learn more?

Learning Commons

Come up to the Learning Commons and borrow a book from our display.

I Read Canadian Day

Today is I Read Canadian Day!

 I Read Canadian Day is a national celebration of Canadian books for young people, with the goal of elevating the genre and celebrating the breadth and diversity of these books.

Who's your favourite Canadian author? 

Is it Gordon Korman? Did you know he wrote his first book called This Can't Be Happneing at MacDonald Hall when he was in Grade 7? We have lots of Gordon Korman books in our collection.

Come up to the Learning Commons and borrow a book from our display? It highlights just some of the Canadian authors we have in our collection. 

Happy reading!

Indigenous Veterans Day and Remembrance Day

On November 8th we honour Indigenous Veterans Day and on November 11th we honour Remembrance Day. 

This is a time of reflection and gratitude for the sacrifices made by military members and their families, past and present. 

At Willow Park, we will be honour these days on Thursday, November 7th. 

Indigenous Veterans

First Nations, Inuit and Métis people in Canada have a long and proud tradition of military service to our country.

To learn more, click 👇

Heritage Minutes

To watch these short and informative Canadian videos, click 👇

Remembrance Day Quiz

Take this quiz to test your knowledge by clicking 👇

Learning Commons

Visit the Learning Commons to borrow a book from our display.

October Books For You

October is a busy month in the Learning Commons!

We have three book displays set up for you!

Latin American and Hispanic Canadian Heritage Month

Want to learn more?

Come up to the Learning Commons to borrow a book!

Islamic Heritage Month

Want to learn more? 

Come up to the Learning Commons to borrow a book!

Women's History Month

Want to learn more?

Come to the Learning Commons to borrow a book!

These books will scare the pants off you!

Are you prepared to be scared? 

Visit the Learning Commons and check out a book from our spooky books display. These books will scare the pants off you!

We have books for all grade levels just waiting to give you chills!

Orange Shirt Day and National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

Monday, September 30th is Orange Shirt Day and National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in Canada. We are wearing our orange shirts today at Willow Park School to honour this important day in Canada. 

What is Reconciliation?

From CBC Kids

What is Orange Shirt Day?

From CBC Kids

Orange Shirt Day Discussion : Reconciliation in the Classroom

From CBC Kids

What does it mean to be an ally to Indigenous Peoples?

From CBC Kids

Want to read a book with Indigenous characters or written by an Indigenous author?

In the Learning Commons

Happy September!

A new school year always feels so exciting! There is so much potential and optimism!

The Learning Commons was painted over the summer! It is looking fresh and clean!

We are busy putting more than 50 bookcases back into place against the walls. We need to hang our big art and make our bulletin board. We need to tidy our shelves and display some books. I need to get ready to welcome each class in to the Learning Commons for orientation in a couple of weeks. 

I am also busy helping students with their passwords. I am labelling chromebooks and we are assembling technology carts. The Learning Commons a busy place!

So please be patient as we work hard to get everything ready for you to visit. I am anxious to have students borrow books but we need time to get the space set up and organised. 

I look forward to seeing your smiling faces soon!

Happy Summer!

Hey Library Friends,

I can't believe it is the end of school already! It's been a fantastic year in the Learning Commons at Willow. I have enjoyed seeing you, chatting about books, helping you find books, and assisting with your technology. Thank you for visiting and making my day better. 

What are your plans for the summer? I hope you are active and creative. I hope you play games with family or friends. I hope you relax and have fun in the sun. And I hope you read in whatever format you prefer . . . paper book, ebook, or audiobook! 

Looking for books over the summer? You can visit the Calgary Public Library!

Looking for other ideas?

• Visit the Calgary Public Library digital library
• It's full of fun apps to explore
• Look here to see some of my favourites (must be logged in to Chrome with your educbe account to view)

Keep track of the number of books you read and listen to over the summer so you can add B E A D S to the bottle in the Learning Commons in September!

I look forward to seeing your lovely face back at Willow Park in the Fall!

Have a fabulous summer!

Mrs. Dickson in the Learning Commons

Today is Earth Day!

 Today is Earth Day! 

From National Geographic Kids (https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/celebrations/article/earth-day)

Our planet is an amazing place, but it needs our help to thrive! That’s why each year on April 22, more than a billion people celebrate Earth Day to protect the planet from things like pollution and deforestation. By taking part in activities like picking up litter and planting trees, we’re making our world a happier, healthier place to live. 

Click 👇

For more information, click 👇

Autism Awareness Month

April is Autism Awareness Month!

What is Autism?

Autism is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects communication and behaviour in different ways. Autism is different from person to person. 

What causes Autism?

Doctors aren't sure what causes autism. It is a difference in the way a person's brain develops and works. 

Who has Autism?

Did you know that one in 66 children has autism? 

What does Autism look like?

Each child with autism is unique and has their own strengths, gifts, and support needs.

You probably know some kids who have autism!

Want more information?

Look here for more information. Click 👇

Want even more informaiton? 

Click 👇

Learning Commons

Come up to the Learning Commons and borrow a book from our display!

April is Poetry Month

April is Poetry Month!

Poetry comes in so many different shapes and forms. 

• Haiku
• Sonnet
• Acrostic
• Elogy
• Ode
• Concrete
• Ballad
• Free form
• and more!

Books in Verse

We have gathered all of our Books in Verse for you to browse!

Come up to the Learning Commons and borrow a book from our display!

Mrs. Dickson's Library Poem

Roses are red,

Violets are blue.

Return or renew

When your book's overdue!

Eclipse on Monday, April 8th

There is a total solar eclipse happening on Monday, April 8th! A total solar eclipse in any particular location happens only once every 400 years! It's a pretty big deal that Eastern Canada will see the total eclipse! 

Calgary will experience a partial eclipse. The next Total Solar Eclipse that we will see in Western Canada will be in August 2044! That's twenty years from now! How old will you be then?

Safety First

NASA says:

Partial or annular solar eclipses are different from total solar eclipses – there is no period of totality when the Moon completely blocks the Sun's bright face. Therefore, during partial or annular solar eclipses, it is never safe to look directly at the eclipse without proper eye protection.

When watching a partial or annular solar eclipse directly with your eyes, you must look through safe solar viewing glasses (“eclipse glasses”) or a safe handheld solar viewer at all times. Eclipse glasses are NOT regular sunglasses; regular sunglasses, no matter how dark, are not safe for viewing the Sun. Safe solar viewers are thousands of times darker and ought to comply with the ISO 12312-2 international standard. NASA does not approve any particular brand of solar viewers.

Always inspect your eclipse glasses or handheld viewer before use; if torn, scratched, or otherwise damaged, discard the device. Always supervise children using solar viewers.

Do NOT look at the Sun through a camera lens, telescope, binoculars, or any other optical device while wearing eclipse glasses or using a handheld solar viewer — the concentrated solar rays will burn through the filter and cause serious eye injury.

If you don’t have eclipse glasses or a handheld solar viewer, you can use an indirect viewing method, which does not involve looking directly at the Sun. One way is to use a pinhole projector, which has a small opening (for example, a hole punched in an index card) and projects an image of the Sun onto a nearby surface. With the Sun at your back, you can then safely view the projected image. Do NOT look at the Sun through the pinhole!

More information : https://science.nasa.gov/eclipses/safety/

Total Solar Eclipse

From Nasa https://science.nasa.gov/eclipses/future-eclipses/eclipse-2024/ 

On April 8, 2024, a total solar eclipse will cross North America, passing over Mexico, the United States, and Canada. A total solar eclipse happens when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, completely blocking the face of the Sun. The sky will darken as if it were dawn or dusk.

Your experience of the eclipse will depend on where you are on the planet. The zone of totality ranges from Canada to Mexico. If you live in Montreal or anywhere along the eclipse’s path, you will experience a total eclipse. The further you are from the path of totality, the smaller the shadow that will block out the sun.

Map of 25 Most Populous Cities in the Path of the Solar Eclipse

From https://skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-news/where-to-see-the-two-great-north-american-eclipses/ 

Calgary's Partial Eclipse

On Monday, April 8th between 11:48 am and 1:38 pm, the partial solar eclipse will be visible in Calgary.

Click 👇  From https://eclipse2024.org/eclipse-simulator/2024/51?elevation=1052 

Slide the Time dot across (at the bottom) to see what the eclipse will look like as it passes over Calgary.

Slide Show

Check out this slide show about the eclipse. (Tricia MacKinnon, Learning Commons Librarian, CCSD)

Learning Commons

Come on up to the Learning Commons and borrow a book from our display!

Trans Day of Visibility

Trans Day of Visibility is March 31st! 

This is a day to celebrate and honour transgender people and increase visibility and awareness of the transgender community's struggles and triumphs. We welcome and value all transgender students and staff members at Willow Park School. 

What is Gender Identity?

Gender identity describes a person’s internal and individual experience of gender. A person’s gender identity may be the same as or different from their assigned sex at birth. It can be a person’s sense of being a woman, man, both, neither or anywhere along the gender spectrum. 

For example, people whose gender identities match the sex they were assigned at birth are cisgender. People whose gender identities are different than the sex they were assigned at birth may use the word transgender (trans) or another term they feel more aligned with.

For more information, click 👇

Pronouns Matter

Pronouns are the words that replace people's names. Each person may like to be addressed with pronouns (ex. they, he, she, etc.) that reflect their gender identity. If you are unsure of a person's pronouns, it is okay to ask them what they prefer. 

For more information, click 👇

What is Gender Expression?

Everyone has a gender expression. This is how they outwardly express their gender to the world. It may mean expressing yourself as feminine, masculine, both, neither, or something else. A person's name, pronouns, titles, etc. are also parts of gender expression.

Learning Commons

Come up to the Learning Commons and borrow a book to learn more about the transgender experience. 

Neurodiversity Celebration Week

What is Neurodiversity Celebration Week?

Neurodiversity Celebration Week is a worldwide initiative that challenges stereotypes and misconceptions about neurological differences. It aims to transform how neurodivergent individuals are perceived and supported by providing schools, universities, and organisations with the opportunity to recognise the many talents and advantages of being neurodivergent, while creating more inclusive and equitable cultures that celebrate differences and empower every individual. (https://www.neurodiversityweek.com/)

ADHD

Did you know that attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common neurodevelopmental conditions among young people? Gymnast Simone Biles, singer-songwriter Scott Helman and YouTuber Jessica McCabe are all living with it and finding ways to thrive. (https://kidshelpphone.ca/get-info/many-people-live-with-adhd-here-are-some-things-to-know/)

Click 👇

Click 👇

Autism

Autism is a neurodevelopmental condition (i.e. uniqueness in how the brain develops and functions) that some people are born with. It can affect things like your communication and behaviour in different ways. It’s important to remember that autism can be very different from person to person. It can be a piece of your identity, just like any other part of what makes you, you! (https://kidshelpphone.ca/get-info/what-is-autism/)

Click 👇

Click 👇

Dyslexia

Dyslexia is a specific learning disability in reading. Kids with dyslexia have trouble reading accurately and fluently. They may also have trouble with reading comprehension, spelling and writing. (https://dyslexiacanada.org/en/dyslexia-basics)

Click 👇

Dyspraxia

Dyspraxia is a condition that causes children to appear clumsy and uncoordinated compared to other kids their age. They frequently drop things, break things, or bump into things.

Some kids with dyspraxia have trouble with fine motor skills, like using a pencil or eating with a spoon. Others struggle with gross motor skills, like catching a ball or riding a bike. Some have issues with both kinds of motor skills.

In kids with dyspraxia, there’s nothing wrong with their muscles. Instead, their problems with coordination happen because their brains have a hard time telling their bodies what to do. (https://childmind.org/guide/quick-guide-to-dyspraxia/)

Click 👇

Tourette Syndrome

Tourette’s disorder is a neurological disorder that causes children to make movements and sounds they cannot control. These are called tics. Tics happen suddenly and quickly. Kids with Tourette’s disorder have both motor tics (movements) and vocal tics (sounds). (Tourette’s disorder is a neurological disorder that causes children to make movements and sounds they cannot control. These are called tics. Tics happen suddenly and quickly. Kids with Tourette’s disorder have both motor tics (movements) and vocal tics (sounds). (https://childmind.org/guide/quick-guide-to-tourettes-disorder/)

Click 👇

Want to learn more?

Click 👇

Learning Commons

Come up to the Learning Commons and borrow a book featuring a character who is neurodivergent!