Barbara Reid, Alan Convery (TD), Jo Ellen Bogart, Charlotte Teeple (Exec, Dir. CCBC); image: Joyce Grant This month, every grade-one child in Canada will receive a free book. That’s every grade-one child, including those home-schooled, or in any school in the country, private or public. What’s the catch? There is […]
Tag: events
Happy Family Literacy Day, Canada!
Today is Family Literacy Day. It’s a great day to… click on “15-minute ideas” or “Games” or “Crafts” in our tags and find a wonderful activity you can do with your kids that will help to get them reading. At our school, a parent contacted the local library, which is […]
Munsch’s next book
Remember the Scholastic poll we told you about awhile ago?
The one where kids could vote for one of three plots–in effect, choosing what Robert Munsch’s next book will be?
Well, more than 170,000 kids voted and their verdict is in!
Mother-Son book club
My friend Joulie is a supermom. That needs to be said right off the bat. There is no way to live up to the things that Joulie does with her kids. And for the kids at the school. And for the neighbourhood kids. Luckily, I don’t have to be as good […]
Munsch-mania!
What rock star had people at the Living Arts Centre in Mississauga, Ontario lined up two-deep, for blocks? Robert Munsch, children’s literature rock star! Robert Munsch did two shows today at the Living Arts Centre, and in-between he signed books and had his picture taken with star-struck youngsters (and their […]
Bubblegum writing
Another tip from Lori Jamison, speaking at the recent Reading for the Love of It conference. When she’s trying to get young children to sound out words, she calls it “bubblegum writing.” She tells them to pretend the word they want to write–let’s say, “camping”–is a piece of bubblegum. With […]
Early writers – adding detail
Yes, Lori Jamison’s workshop was packed. And for good reason. Here’s another excellent tip she shared. When her kindergarteners were starting to write sentences (towards the end of JK or in SK), they would write this way: “I like my cat.” And that would be it. I’m finished, teacher! How […]
Plastic plate as whiteboard
Here’s another great idea from Lori Jamison’s workshop. A cheap, plastic plate can be used as a mini-whiteboard for kids. They’re durable, easy to store and inexpensive. And best of all, dry erase marker wipes right off! Kids can practise their writing on them, wipe off what they’ve done, and […]
Lessons from a kindergarten teacher
This is a kindergarten teacher – and a teacher of teachers. Lori Jamison introduced a roomful of kindergarten teachers at the recent Reading for the Love of it conference to a handful of “mini-lessons” to get kids reading. Her first point was, “what do we want kindergarteners to know about […]
Family Literacy Day – Jan. 27
Today is Family Literacy Day. This is the day! It’s the day you and your kid: 1) Read together. 2) Talk about your favourite book. 3) Listen to a book on tape. 4) Write each other a letter, which you drop in the mail for each other. Surprise! 5) Vote […]