Social Studies Spotlights - September

READING THEMES

Quarter 1

Continuing from last year, there will be a variety of featured reading themes each month with complementary displays at the library entrance and inside the library -- as well as digital collections of films, podcasts, CBC and NFB documentaries and films accessible through the library web site.

Themes for quarter 1;

• Sept. 27-Oct. 1:  Truth & Reconciliation Week
• October:  Women's History Month
• November 5-11: Veteran's Week 

The digital collections can be accessed in two ways:

 1.  Go to the Reading Calendar link of the library web page and click on the theme the poster and QR code embedded in the Reading Calendar.  For example, click on any one of the Truth and Reconciliation links and you'll see a poster with QR code to scan.

OR

2.  Go to the New Books and Special Collections tab (beneath Quick Links on the library web page) and select a theme.  For example,  click "Truth and Reconciliation"  -- and you will see a list of books, audio and video resources.  The latter are curated by Wendy from our CBC Curio and National Film board subscriptions.     You will find additional audio and video resources when you create a log in to CBC and NFB from the Special Subscriptions page on the library web site.

You are welcome to suggested additional themes for the school year -- and to suggest
resources you'd like to see added to our powerful Special Collections tool.

GRAPHIC NOVELS TO SUPPORT CONTENT AREAS 

Over the past few years, the library, with Brian Bradley's suggestions, has purchased a collection of graphic novels that support History 12.  Although called "novels", these titles are illustrated non-fiction that provide a narrative around a key event of twentieth century history.  There are also  graphic novels that support Canadian history: Louis Riel: A Comic-Strip Biography,  Escape to Gold Mountain, a Graphic History of the Chinese in North America, The Annotated Northwest Passage, This Place:  150 Years Retold, Direct Action Gets the Goods:  A Graphic History of the Strike in Canada, Betty:  The Helen Betty Osborne Story.

If you'd like the library to look for and purchase additional graphic novels that support other content areas in the Social Studies curriculum, please ask!   Brian will be able to tell you more about the impacts the graphic novel unit  had upon his students.

ADDITIONAL A-V & ONLINE CURRICULAR RESOURCES FOR TRUTH & RECONCILIATION WEEK

Beyond the resources that were outlined in the September Staff Spotlights, here are a few additional resources:

Broadcast NCTR are partnering with APTN, CBC/Radio-Canada, Insight Productions, and the Ministry of Canadian Heritage to produce a new broadcast special, National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, on September 30th. Airing at 8:00pm in most regions, this one-hour, commercial-free special honors the stories and perspectives of Indigenous Peoples affected by the tragedies of the residential school system in Canada, with musical tributes and ceremonies in Indigenous communities across the land. APTN and CBC will also be broadcasting other content throughout the day that supports truth and reconciliation education, including documentaries and feature films. You can find their full broadcast schedules for the day below.

APTN Schedule CBC Schedule

REEL CANADA Indigenous Film Programme AN Indigenous Film Programme is available for your classroom use. The newly updated Indigenous Film Catalogue includes over 90 films (features, documentaries and shorts)  by Indigenous filmmakers from diverse nations across Canada, that are available for educators to borrow. These films reflect a broad spectrum of Indigenous experiences and provide an opportunity for dialogue, cross-cultural exchange, and greater understanding. View Catalogue Order a Film Educational Resources If you’re looking for more information about teaching truth and reconciliation to your students, you can access REEL CANADA’s resources, compiled as a part of our Black & Indigenous Realities series, here, or any of these resources, recommended by the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation.