JOIN US FOR SOME, OR ALL OF THE FOLLOWING EVENTS HAPPENING ALL DAY, AT LUNCH, AND AFTER SCHOOL. CHECK OUT THE SCHEDULES BELOW FOR EVENT DETAILS!!!!
Author: Ms. Haigh
Sudoku in the Library
T
here’s a new interactive display in the library where you can test your numeracy skills; it’s a giant Sudoku board! The board will change weekly so you can give it a try more than once. We just ask that you return the yellow number to the storage area after you’re done so that other students can give it a try. Not sure how to play? Check out this site for instructions.
LITERACY WEEK: April 17-21
Literacy Week at Alpha is back. To promote a love of reading and learning we will have fun activities running each day, at lunch and after school.
Daily Activites: Worksheets with daily tasks can be picked up in the library or can be printed from the library blog. Completed worksheets need to be returned to the library by 3:15pm that day for a prize!
WEDNESDAY will be the exception. It’s Dress Like a Book Character Day. Come dressed as a character from any book, comic or manga and show your costume to Ms. Haigh that day for a prize.
Lunch time: Bring some friends and come by the library at lunch to play some games and to hear some local guest speakers. There will be prizes!
After school: To test whether or not the movie version of books are better or worse, come to the library after school every day but Wednesday this week to catch a movie. All films were books first. Movies will start promptly at 3:15pm.
If you have any questions or would like more details, please see Ms.Haigh in the library.
Valentine’s Day
Looking for something to read in February? Why not pick a novel full of love and romance in honour of Valentine’s Day? Come check out our display of recommended romantic reads in the library.
February Is Black History Month
“February is Black History Month and it gives British Columbians an opportunity to honour, celebrate and reflect on the stories, experiences and accomplishments of Black Canadians. This year, Canada marks the 28th official Black History Month, and this year’s theme is “Ours to Tell.” Sharing the many stories of success, sacrifice, resilience, triumph and community will hopefully help inspire our students and communities to work together to build a more equitable society that is inclusive and leaves no one behind.”
– Beth Applewhite, District Principal, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.
To help staff and students better recognize and celebrate Black History Month in Canada, our wonderful Alpha CARES team has generated a handout with excellent links and information.
CTV also has a great article that highlights Priceville, which was a thriving Black community in Ontario. In the article, there is a great audio clip on writer Tanya Hayles, who discusses why it’s important for Canadians to celebrate Black Excellence throughout the year.
Additional Resources:
- List of Famous Black Canadians
- Vancouver Black Library
- Black Strathcona Tours
- Periodic Tale of Black Canadian History
- Black History Month: Canadian Pioneers
- Looking at the Legacy of Joe Fortes
- Africville: A Community Destroyed
- CBC Short: Harry Jerome
- A Place to Belong: Hogan’s Alley
- The Story of Viola Desmond
- Rosemary Brown: Canada’s First Black MLA
- Remembering Canada’s All Black Batalian
- International Decade for People of African Decent
- Government of Canada: Black History Month
- Canadian Encyclopedia: Black History
- Black Scientists in Canada
- Remembering Black Loyalist and Communities
Mystery in the Library
To celebrate Halloween we have brought back the annual Library Mystery. This year a precious Macaw has been stolen and you need to figure out which of the three suspects committed the crime. Spend time pouring over the clues to figure out how the person did it and why. This event will run until the end of the school day on Halloween.
Truth and Reconciliation Day
September 30th has been declared Truth and Reconciliation Day annually in Canada, in recognition of the harm the residential school system did to children’s sense of self-esteem and well being, and as an affirmation of our commitment to ensure that everyone around us matters. It is a day to listen, learn, and celebrate Indigenous cultures, strength, and resiliency. This year we are celebrating it on September 29th, in schools.
For additional information check out some of the following sites:
- A History of Residential Schools in Canada
- Where are the Children – Healing the impacts of Residential Schools
- UBC – The Residential School System
- Do You Live Near a Residential School? CBC
- 3-minute video with an interview with Phyllis Webstad.
- Heritage Minute: The Chanie Wenjack Story
- Historica: Intergenerational Trauma
- Editorial + Podcast: Kamloops 21 – What’s Happened Since?
- Wawahte – Stories from Residential Schools
- Video by Justice Murray Sinclair called “What is Reconciliation”
- Spoken word poem about Decolonization and Reconciliation
- TED talk by Kevin Lamoureux on Reconciliation
- On Reconciliation – Short Esssay by Richard Wagamese
- The National Centre for Truth & Reconciliation (NCTR) has a free educational program (September 26th to 30th ) that is open available now for you to register to join. This year’s theme is “Remembering the Children”
Library Volunteers
Thank you to everyone who applied to be a library volunteer! Unfortunately there are only 21 spots and we had over 60 applicants. If you were not selected, don’t be discouraged. Please apply again next year.
If you are on the schedule, please check in with Ms. Haigh or Ms. Saul to confirm that you are available for the shift you were given. Volunteering will begin on Monday September 26th.
Welcome back!
Welcome back! We hope the summer treated you well and that you’re ready for another year of learning, collaborating and READING!
The library is up and running and ready for students to come by. Please remember, that before you can sign out any books, you must make sure you have returned all overdue materials.
Free E-Books for the Summer
If you’re looking for something to read over the summer months while the school and Alpha’s library are closed, you can visit Tumble Books for access to lots of titles specifically for Teens. The collection includes Graphic Novels, Novels and Shakespeare.
To access the collection visit: https://www.teenbookcloud.com/autologin.aspx?u=burnabyschools&p=trial
Username: burnabyschoolsPassword: trial
This access will be available until August 15th 2022. Happy reading!