Author Archives: lehnertk

Apr 11 – Apr 15 Read-a-Louds

Posted on April 11, 2011 | Leave a comment

With Earth Day coming up (April 22), this week we will read a story about recycling. Classes will be reading Michael Recycle Meets Litterbug Doug by Ellie Bethel. Litterbug Doug lives on the edge of town in his self-made garbage dump that is host to old TVs, tires, bottles and cans. Michael Recycle arrives on the scene and teaches Doug a thing or two about recycling. The grade 7s will then take 5 lessons from the text and create Earth Day bumper stickers.

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Reader’s Response

Posted on April 7, 2011 | Leave a comment

Divisions 2 and 3 read Good Night, Commander by Ahmad Akbarpour this week and the students were asked to create a Word-List Poem based on the characteristics and feelings of the main character. The poems were powerful! Here are a few:

Imaginative
Brave
Unafraid
Sad
Angry
Proud
Commander 

Bravery
Playtime
Fake war
Big imagination
Young
Boy
Commander

Aware
Legless
Imaginative
Upset
Strong
Loving
Commander

Miserable
Disabled
Brave
Proud
Childish
Imaginative
Commander

Handicapped
Young
Imaginative
Avenging
Upset
Loved
Commander

Threatened
Tortured
Unlucky
Strong
Brave
Young
Commander

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April Library Happenings

Posted on April 4, 2011 | Leave a comment

This month will be quite busy in the Library! Division 1 (gr.7) will be conducting research on famous French-Canadians.

Division 10 (gr.3/4) will be writing Haiku poems in honour of National Poetry Month; Ms. L. and Mr. S. will be collaborating on a project inspired by the book Guyku: a year of haiku for boys by Bob Raczka and Peter H. Reynolds. Of course, we have created “Galku” for our aspiring female haiku writers! Stay tuned for more details…

Division 14 (gr.2) will be learning how to research and take notes about a favourite animal. We’ll be using books and the laptops for conducting research.

Aboriginal Circle will be held in the Library on Monday, April 11th.

Thank you to students Emily, Joanna and Katherine, for decorating the Library for Easter. It looks fantastic!

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Apr 4 – Apr 8 Read-a-Louds

Posted on April 4, 2011 | Leave a comment

Do boogers and slime catch your attention? Well then I have the perfect book for you! This week we’ll be reading Richard Was A Picker by Carolyn Beck. Richard picks his nose constantly, and one day, he gets his finger stuck! Richard turns into a giant booger-ball! How does he get himself out of this mess? You’ll have to wait and see!

For the grade 7’s this week, we will be reading Good Night, Commander by Ahmad Akbarpour, translated from Farsi. It is a sombre tale from Iran, set during the Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988). It tells of an Iranian child dealing with the loss of his mother, and a new physical handicap; he lost his leg in the war, presumably due to a land mine. He acts out a battle scene in his bedroom with his toy soldiers, while showing the picture of his mother that he is brave and will avenge her death. It is a powerful story about innocent people caught in a war.

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Mar 28 – Apr 1 Read-a-Louds

Posted on April 4, 2011 | Leave a comment

Kids and adults alike love stories by Robert Munsch! This week, all classes will be reading Moose!, the newest story by Munsch. During the reading, I will be asking for “audience participation” to make the story more fun. Check out Robert Munsch’s website for fun and games based on some of his better-known characters.

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Mar 14 – 18 Read-a-Louds

Posted on April 4, 2011 | Leave a comment

This week we will be reading a folktale from Iran, called The Secret Message by Mina Javaherbin. The first day of Spring, March 21st, is also time for the Persian New Year, or No-Rooz/Nowruz. Persian people celebrate the New Year with food, family, and festivities. No-Rooz Mobarak! (Happy New Year!)

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Mar 7 – Mar 11 Read-a-Louds

Posted on March 9, 2011 | Leave a comment

For this week, all classes will be reading The Sandwich Swap by Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah of Jordan. This is a story about 2 girls who both eat the same sandwich for lunch every day – Lily eats peanut butter and jam sandwiches, and Salma eats hummus sandwiches. One day, Lily decides to tell Salma that her sandwich looks “yucky”, and thus begins a tale of tolerance and celebrating diversity.

Have you ever tried hummus? It’s a very tasty dip/spread made of chickpeas. Many middle eastern countries, such as Israel, Egypt, Lebanon and Syria eat it regularly. For a kid-friendly recipe to make hummus, click here.

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Feb 28 – Mar 4 Read-a-Louds

Posted on March 1, 2011 | Leave a comment

This week, all classes (except Kindergarten) will be reading a book called What If Everybody Did That? by Ellen Javernick. It is a fun book that shows what can happen if people break the rules, especially if you think that it won’t hurt if it’s only you. Scenarios include what if everybody splashed “a little” in the neighbourhood pool – there would be no water left! Also, what if everybody threw “just one” soda can out the window – we would have an environmental disaster with pop cans everywhere! The main message in the story is that there are consequences to thoughtless behaviors.

The Kindergarteners will be reading Pete the Cat by Eric Litwin. This is a humorous story about colours and not getting upset when something goes wrong. There is also a song that goes with the book at HarperCollins Children’s books.

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Feb 21 – Feb 25 Read-a-Louds

Posted on February 21, 2011 | Leave a comment

This week is Anti-Bullying week, and Wed. Feb. 23rd is “Pink Shirt Day“. The Kindergarteners and Grade 1 students will be reading Howard P. Wigglebottom Learns About Bullies by Howard Binkow. Check out Howard’s web page on bullying. Grades 2 and up will be reading Zero by Kathryn Otoshi, a story about self esteem and being yourself. Another powerful story by Kathryn Otoshi is One, where the colour red bullies all the other colours. Don’t forget to wear PINK on Wednesday!

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Feb 14 – Feb 18 Read-a-Louds

Posted on February 21, 2011 | Leave a comment

This week, the primary grades will be reading “A String of Hearts” by Laura Elliott, a Valentines Day story. The intermediates are reading “Buzaak Chinie (The Porcelain Goat): A Traditional Afghanistan Folk Tale”. I chose a story from the Middle East as a “tie-in” to events occuring in several Middle Eastern countries, such as Egypt, Tunisia, and Yemen. We will look at a map of the Middle East, and locate Afghanistan. We will also discuss similarities and differences between Western folk tales and Middle Eastern folk tales.

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