Grade 2 and 3

October 9-13th

"Your voice can inspire, heal, and transform. Your voice can change the world. Are you ready to say something?"

Peter H Reynolds's book Say Something is a powerful book that highlights the fact that we all have the ability to have a positive impact on the world through our words, actions, and creativity. The bold illustrations and expertly chosen words inspire us to think about the effect that we can have on the world.

Learning ultimately supports the well-being of the self, the family, the community, the land, the spirits, and the ancestors.

First Peoples Principles of Learning

We talked about how we can learn from each other and as part of a classroom community, school community, our Golden community, and that we are citizens of the world. Our words and actions contribute to these communities. We teach and learn from each other.

Say Something!

October 2 - 6th

Learning involves generational roles and responsibilities.

This week we read Sofia Valdez Future Prez by Andrea Beaty.

Andrea Beaty writes about the grade 2 students in Ms. Lila Greer's grade 2 class in her amazing Questioneers series. Beaty's books are truly engaging and inspiring. I encourage you to check out her website here.

In this story, Sofia Valdez works to create a park in her community. She realizes that as a kid she can't do it alone but figures out how to inspire others to help her.

Class discussion centered around how when we see a problem we can instigate change and solve it. We may not be able to solve it alone but with help, we can accomplish great things. We also talked about how in our school Grades 2 and 3 are the oldest and therefore have leadership responsibilities within our school.

September 25-29 2023

Every Child Matters!

My orange shirt

was taken away

at a lonely place

where I had to stay.

On this week of National Truth and Reconciliation Day and Orange Shirt Day we looked at two books to gently talk about the importance of identity and the consequences of the way that identity was taken away from Indigenous children and families at residential schools.

The first book we looked at was Phyllis Webstad's book With Our Orange Hearts. In this short rhyming book Phyllis shares how sharing her story has helped her heal. Through this healing, Phyllis regained this sense of identity. She never got her orange shirt back but she has reclaimed it as a part of her identity as her story has become a symbol of Truth and reconciliation.

We discussed how many aspects of identity were taken away when children were put in residential schools. Phylis having her shirt taken away and her hair cut was only the first way in which the schools eroded her identity. We talked about reconciliation and working towards helping indigenous people reclaim these lost pieces of their identities.

The second book was Still This Love Goes On by Buffy Sainte- Marie a popular Cree singer and activist. In this book, Julie Flett beautifully illustrates Buffy Sainte-Marie's song. Students listened to the song while looking at the illustrations. the students were encouraged to notice connection to the land, community, and culture as part of Buffy Sainte-Marie's identity.

Students were then asked to reflect upon their own identity and how Orange Shirt Day and learning about reconciliation helps to build identity for all indigenous people.

You are Stardust. Blue book cover with paper children in shapes

Week 2: September 18-22 2023

You, me, birds flying through the rainforest.

We are all connected.

We are all Nature.

We are all Stardust.

This week is Science Literacy Week. This week serves to highlight the many resources that we as Canadians have available to us to learn about science and the world around us. Wednesday September 20th is National Science Reading Day. You are encouraged to pick up a book that highlights science and read it with your child.

This week in library we shared You are Stardust by Elin Kelsey. In this engaging book the author highlights amazing facts about us as humans and similarities that connect us to the wider world.

You are encouraged to check out the website for this book to learn more about the science in this book. Elin Kelsey has written an excellent essay to explain the points in her book.

https://owlkidsbooks.com/youarestardust

Our library discussions this week centered around how our connection with the world is part of our identity. We connected this to Learning requires exploration of one's identity from the The First Peoples Principal of Learning. We also talked about how non fiction books can help us understand ourselves and our world.

Title page of Oliver Jeffers a Child of books small blue girl sitting on a giant red book

Week 1: September 11-15 2023

This week the Grade two's and three's were read A child of books by Oliver Jeffers and Sam Winston. This is an absolutely beautiful book that explores the magic of books through beautiful illustrations created from the words of many classic children's books, poems and songs.

" This is our world, we've made from stories"

Through discussion I linked this to the first People's Principle of Learning

"Learning requires exploration of one's identity."

students were re-introduced the idea that books can be like windows into another's life or perspective, or mirror's that reflect back aspects of our selves.

This summer a Instagram post lead me to reconsider my definition of fiction. I used to teach that fiction was books that are not real. The new definition I have is that fiction allows us to learn from imagination. A part of the magic of books is their ability to influence our perspective on the world and both fiction and non-fiction lead to learning and growth.

Jeffers and Winston capture the magic that books add to childhood.

As you read with your child you may want to talk with them about how the books you are reading are reflecting their identity or showing them a new perspective. How are the books we read shaping who we are.

January

In January Grade 2 and 3 classes will be asked to reflect on their experience with school, what they like about school and what they would like to see changed.

Our first week back we read My Teacher is a Monster. This is a wonderful, fun, and clever book about looking at things and people with a different perspective.

The week of January 18-20 We shared portions of A School like Mine . We talked about different schools that our students had attended and then read about a few students that went to school in different countries.

For our last week in January ( 25-27) we will be reading Malala’s Magic Pencil. We will talk about Malala Yousafzai and how she demonstrates the BC core competencies.

If you would like to continue these discussions at home you may want to check out these 5 Cool Schools from around the world by CBC or this video by Reuters about Schools around the world.

You may want to start a discussion by asking your child what they like or appreciate about school, and what they would like to change if they could.