Author: Brenda MacNaughton

When we drive by a school and see a person in a bright vest with a stop sign in hand, we look out for children being helped to cross the road. Although the main role of crossing guard is safety, I have been lucky to know crossing guards who make students more comfortable with their friendly and caring manner. A warm greeting in the morning can help a student feel welcome and reduce their anxiety about going to school. I appreciate the important role of crossing guards in our communities!

I was excited to have the book, A Practical Present for Philippa Pheasant by Briony May Smith, recommended to me because it features a crossing guard who wants to help forest animals cross the road safely. Published in 2022 by Walker Books in London, England, this story is targeted at grades K-3, although I will always advocate to read more picture books to older students, including this one!

Pre-reading Discussion

Ask the students if they have had experience with a crossing guard. Do they think crossing guards are important community helpers? Why or why not?

Vocabulary

Given that this book was written in England, some terms will need explaining. 

Lollipop Person – crossing guard (the lollipop refers to the hand help stop sign)

Zebra Crossing – the common term for a crosswalk in the United Kingdom

Torches – the term for flashlights in the United Kingdom.

Other words that may need explaining: peculiar, triumph, fowl, distraught, ordeal, roused, preening, and nocturnal.

During Reading

When the mayor is introduced, we may need to guide younger students to understand his role and that he is jealous of the attention Phillipa is getting. When he decides to award a present to Philippa, we can ask, “I wonder if our crossing guard has ever had a present?”

After Reading

The Ontario transportation council recognizes School Crossing Guard Appreciation Week June 1-5, 2026. Some municipalities and school boards also recognize March 23rd as an appreciation day for school Crossing Guards. Teachers, we can show appreciation any day of the school year so here are some suggestions and cross-curricular activities. 

Writing Thank You Letters: Depending on your grade level this could be shared writing or completed in partners or independently. Have the class brainstorm what it’s like for crossing guards to be out in all kinds of weather, meeting different people, and stopping all those vehicles. We can thank them for their kindness, bravery, and perseverance. For older students this could include making a slide deck with photographs of the crossing guard at work.

 Drama: Creating a Crossing Guard Skit: Invite the crossing guard to see your class perform skits that they have created about the job. The skits could each have a different plot such as close calls with drivers who are not paying attention until the whistle blows, children who are rescued when they fall down, or short conversations while waiting for traffic that help students have a good day at school.

Visual Art: Create a wordless picture book with student drawings of the crossing guard at work. Encourage a variety of styles of pictures in different weather and clothing. Some pictures could be close up portraits while others could be the landscape of the street featuring the crossing guard.

Media: The National Film Board produced a vignette called Crossing Guards in 1978. I recommend showing it to the class to compare the job to the current day. Do they see similarities? Differences?

Social Studies: Grade 1, The Local Community: In a class discussion, review the role of a crossing guard and how this position is helpful in the community. What would happen if crossing guards did not exist?

No Crossing Guard at the school? We can show appreciation to custodians, secretaries, educational assistants, and DECEs. 

Happy Reading and Happy Celebrating!

Brenda

The night sky is mesmerizing. We gaze up into the vast darkness seeing the moon and stars but we can also look for planet parades, meteor showers, the Aurora Borealis and even see the space station circling around the earth. Canadians have had a significant role in space exploration since the 1950’s. This influence continues with astronaut Jeremy Hansen from the London/Ingersoll area. Jeremy’s path to becoming an astronaut is outlined in an article by CTV news which includes photos of him in childhood showing his interest in space. His dreams of becoming a pilot and exploring space started early, when he was in elementary school.  His childhood treehouse included buttons and knobs imitating a rocket ship and this idea was included in an illustrated e-book called, Explorers Club: To the Moon!  from the Canadian Space Agency. The book also features Canadian female astronaut, Jenni Gibbons, who is a  backup astronaut and capcom on the Artemis II mission. 

The Canadian Space Agency website has a section devoted to education with cross-curricular ideas for elementary classrooms where students are learning about space and the contributions of Canadians to space exploration. There are experiments to encourage students to think about how to survive in space. We can also learn about astronauts at NASA who are working on the Artemis mission, including Jeremy Hansen and Jenni Gibbons. 

Another source of inspiration is former Canadian astronaut, Chris Hadfield who created fascinating videos while on board the International Space Station.  Students sent in questions and he demonstrated how to brush your teeth in space or wringing out a cloth in space. 

The excitement and curiosity about exploring space and living in a no-gravity environment  makes learning very engaging. The Artemis II mission involves taking their spacecraft, Integrity, around the moon and back to earth as part of their ten day mission. The astronauts are trained to test this new type of space vehicle as part of the overall Artemis plan which includes landing on the moon in the next phase. 

The mission is worthy of research and debate with our older students. There are important questions to address:

-How is  the Artemis Mission valuable to Canadians?

-What views do Indigenous Peoples have on space exploration?

-How does the Artemis program and the Canadarm 3 inspire STEM education?

-What is the Lunar Gateway project and how are Canadians involved?

-How will the Artemis program influence our society?

For younger students, I highly recommend reading The Darkest Dark by Chris Hadfield. He recalls his experience of watching the lunar landing as a child in 1969 and how it inspired his career as an astronaut. Jump ahead to today and we can wonder how our students will be influenced by the Artemis program, which includes doing research on the moon’s surface and having the Gateway station orbiting the moon to support this research. 

Since the science curriculum supports learning about the impact of Canadian scientists on the world, I plan to include information about the Artemis mission in my teaching. There have been many brilliant Canadians leading the way in space research and we have the opportunity to nurture that love of learning in our students. I remember seeing the first female Canadian astronaut, Roberta Bondar, after her space mission. As a woman, I was energized by her accomplishments, commitment, intelligence, and humour. 

I can’t help but ponder the Artemis mission and its implications for the future. 

Brenda

 

When a book begins with a map I get very excited. When a book begins with a map AND has interactive flaps to lift, I’m all in! These illustrative choices make “Mouse’s Wood” a beautiful book to enjoy just for the sake of the creative style but the story also can be a springboard into the curriculum. Alice Melvin created a whimsical woodland where Mouse is found visiting various friends such as squirrels and hedgehogs who live in different micro-environments of the forest. Among them are cherry trees, a strawberry patch and the river bank.

 As Melvin says on her website:

“Mouse’s Wood is my love letter to woods and nature.  The book follows Mouse on a woodland walk through the changing seasons.” https://alicemelvin.com/mouses-wood/

This story can help children see the natural world in a way that feels peaceful and respectful. Isn’t this perspective needed amongst all the negative messages kids get about the environment? The story can be read at any time of the year, since all seasons and months are represented. The book is ideal for kindergarten as well as grades one and two but there are many students over 8 years old who would love to have this book shared in their class or recommended for a small group or reading buddy situation.  Here are some cross curricular follow up activities and theme ideas to go with Mouse’s Wood.

Activity 1: Illustrated Map Primary/Junior

After reading Mouse’s Wood, students create an illustrated map of their neighbourhood or a fictional location. An illustrated map gives the students poetic licence to enhance their favourite areas with illustrations, graphic designs, logos, etc. If you want to follow the model in Mouse’s Wood, encourage them to show details about the location in a particular season. For example, do the plants have buds, blooms, or fruit?

Activity 2: Observing Animal Habitats Primary/Junior

Mouse’s Wood is set in England so some of the plants and animals featured are different from the ones we find in Ontario. As a class, create a chart listing animals in the story and discover more about their habitats. What types of plants and animals live there? 

Compare those habitats to animals in Ontario. Consider including porcupines, skunks, beavers, or study some less common animals like shrews, bats, or voles.

Activity 3: Making Flip Art Illustrations Primary/Junior

Having students analyse the illustrations and develop their own flip art illustrations just takes paper, scissors, glue, pencil and the courage to experiment. These illustrations could be subject based for a science, social studies or health topic. Another suggestion is to turn these illustrations into greeting cards that students can use as thank you cards.  The idea of opening a door or window and seeing what is inside a room piques the reader’s curiosity. One of the illustrations in the book flips up to show the underwater world of the river in the wood. I’ve included a picture of another type of 3-D flip art that students have enjoyed making.

Theme Suggestions

Mice in Children’s Literature

Students are often interested in comparing picture books. There are thousands of choices of picture books with mice as characters. We can read these other books and ask questions about the art and the story, looking for contrasts with Mouse’s Wood. I immediately think of the series by Laura Joffe Numeroff and illustrated by Felicia Bond,  If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. Another favourite is the outstanding Canadian book, Subway Mouse, with plasticine art by Barbara Reid. Jan Brett has detailed illustrations for Town Mouse Country Mouse. Also, the Mouse King in the Nutcracker ballet gives us a chance to explore characters in dance as well as literature.   

Months and Seasons

One way to start the new year in January is to review the upcoming months and seasons. To reinforce these concepts, younger students will also enjoy Hap-Pea All Year by Keith Baker. The illustrations in this book are bright and colourful and the little peas do a wonderful job showing activities common at various times of the year. The style of illustrations is quite different from Mouse’s Wood and will make an excellent discussion topic. For an Indigenous perspective, try Kaitlin Curtis’ three books: Winter’s Gifts, Spring’s Miracles and Summer’s Magic. I referred to Winter’s Gifts in my December 2025 post about the winter solstice.

…

If this is the start of a new year for you, I hope it is a wonderful one full of many delightful books that entertain and educate.

Happy Reading!

Brenda

On a family visit to the zoo the Stewart children, Imogen and Arthur, catch the eye of a small penguin. He seems to be trying to communicate with the children. As they prepare to leave, their mother says “And you, Mr. Penguin, you must come and stay with us whenever you like.” No one expects that he would soon arrive on their doorstep!

The themes of family, friendship, welcoming strangers, and helping friends are built into this tale of mystery and adventure. Einstein is a brilliant penguin who enjoys messy meals and sneaking into Arthur’s backpack to spend time at school. There are many humorous scenes as their beloved feathered friend gets into a bit of mischief trying to find his friend. We see the siblings form a tighter bond and they begin to show each other more respect as the story goes on.  Both of them feel they don’t fit in but Einstein helps them have more confidence. 

The story is set in during early winter so a read aloud in December or January would be very relatable. That said, it really could be read at any time of the year. In the end, the children in the story grapple with the idea of saying goodbye but they realize Einstein isn’t suited to living in a townhouse.

I love that the chapters are short enough that you just need 10-15 minutes to read each one aloud.  Perfect for transitions from recess or at a time when the students have been out of the room for another subject. I remember my grade 2 teacher often read at the end of the day and we gathered together on the carpet. There is something about coming together for a read aloud that builds community as we share laughter, curiosity, fear, and sometimes even tears.  No tears for Einstein though, just giggles and surprises!

Einstein the Penguin can ignite our own excitement about writing and telling stories.  What type of animal could students imagine arriving at their door?  Would the animal stay at their house? What kind of adventure would they have?

Learning about penguins is a natural extension of this story. There are a few varieties of penguins mentioned in the book and students will be curious to learn about them. Einstein is a little penguin (also known as fairy penguins) and his friend Isaac is a rockhopper penguin like the one voiced by Robin Williams in the animated film, Happy Feet.

Einstein the Penguin has a mystery to solve and a villain in pursuit. Your students could very well get hooked on mystery stories at a young age. Setting up a mystery in the classroom makes for a very exciting hook in a lesson plan. Something as simple as a scavenger hunt can be a time for students to show teamwork and leadership. 

Students could also compare Einstein to Tacky the Penguin. As you may know Tacky is my favourite read aloud for primary grades so I wrote this blog all about it. Einstein and Tacky have similar traits of being dedicated friends and free-spirited creative thinkers.  I think your students will love them both.

Happy Reading!

Brenda

Einstein the Penguin was written by Iona Rangeley and illustrated by David Tazzyman. It was published in 2021 by Harper Collins.

The children of Ontario get a chance every year to vote for their favourite Canadian picture book from the Ontario Library Association’s list of nominees. Some of my most beloved books are from this category and as a teacher I’ve used them countless times. The two books featured in this blog both demonstrate the fantastic imaginations of writers and illustrators. Plus, these books both feature humour as a literary device to make these stories unforgettable.

The Boy Who Loved Bananas by George Elliott; illustrated by Andrej Krystoforski
2006 Winner of the Blue Spruce Award

Matthew loves the monkeys at the Metro Zoo so he decides to be like them and only eat bananas. Suddenly he feels an itchy sensation and he turns into a monkey. His parents try all kinds of interventions but everyone says Matthew will stop being a monkey when he wants to stop. He gets up to many types of mischief while he is a monkey, including influencing all the kids at school to eat bananas. The principal joins the trend too! The story ends with Matthew switching to peanuts and he is pictured sitting at his desk in his classroom as an elephant!

This book is a terrific story starter for shared, partner or independent writing. To analyse the writing style we realize that the story can be broken down into parts:
*The main character is introduced and is shown to love the animal he is going to turn into;
*The reader must suspend their disbelief and accept that the main character “transmogrifies” into an animal;
*The main character visits many practitioners but cannot be cured;
*The parents learn to accept their child the way he is;
*Just when we think he will become human again, the main character changes into something else that he likes.

Using The Boy Who Loved Bananas as an example we can emphasize that there is no harmful violence in the story. The type of humour is quite silly and uses exaggeration such as Matthew climbing the flag pole or the principal eating bananas under his desk. When students are creating their own story, they can also use exaggeration to add humour to their ideas.

It is possible to go a step further and have students add detailed illustrations to their work. Look carefully through the original book and notice how the other characters’ facial expressions show their reaction to what is happening.
Having students create books with illustrations is a terrific project. It helps them understand the publishing process and they end up with a wonderful creation. The stories could be put on display in the class library so that they can read each other’s work. I have found that when we send these books home, many families treasure a book created by their child.


If Kids Ruled the World by Linda Bailey; illustrated by David Huyck
2016 Winner of the Blue Spruce Award

Similarly, If Kids Ruled the World asks us to suspend our disbelief and imagine the world with children in charge. The story stresses the fun and silly antics that would occur in this situation and as you can imagine, kids absolutely love it. The illustrations add a tremendous amount of humour to the story as we see multiple characters on each page acting out everything from unusual pets like giraffes and ostriches to bubble fun in a swimming pool to a trampoline sidewalk.
This story would make a wonderful lead up to an art lesson where each student illustrates their answer to the question: What funny things could happen if kids ruled the world? Assembling all their work into one class book makes a very popular item in the class library.

Both of these books can be adapted easily for K-3. Depending on your students, you could use these stories with older students too. I have had success partnering with older students to create picture books as an assignment. These books are perfect examples to demonstrate how to use your imagination and humour to create a hilarious and unforgettable story.

Happy Reading, Writing and Drawing!
Brenda

Part 1: Winter’s Gifts: An Indigenous Celebration of Nature by Kaitlin Curtice illustrated by Gloria Felix

A citizen of the Potawatomi nation, Kaitlin Curtice has created a beautiful story explaining the importance of loving the earth at the winter solstice. I have read this book to classes from kindergarten to grade 3, using the story to expose children to Indigenous perspectives and to better understand the solstice and the significance it holds.

Before Reading – Minds On

Have students think about the late sunrises and early sunsets that have been happening. How has this natural change impacted their lives? Have their routines changed?  Review the concept of the winter solstice, helping them understand that the daylight hours decrease until December 21st , then there will be increasingly more daylight each day until we reach summer solstice. I like to demonstrate using students to play the role of sun and earth and show that earth orbits the sun and has a tilt that causes the changes in how much sunlight we receive.

During Reading

During the read aloud I will stop and ask questions about what they have noticed about the change in seasons. We might discuss how our clothing changes to warmer jackets, boots, mittens and hats or we might focus more on animal behaviour and how the animals we see are adapting to the season. The story focuses on winter being a time of rest, do the students agree or disagree? Can they explain their thinking? There is also an opportunity to review the Potawatomi perspective in the story about sun, moon and earth who are described as grandfather, grandmother and mother. 

After Reading

Depending on the age and stage of the class, I will make a t-chart with the words Goodbye and Hello as headings.  Under “Goodbye” we list the activities, weather, clothing, etc, that end in the season of fall/autumn. Similarly, under the heading “Hello” we list what is expected in winter.  With older students, this could be completed independently. Now students can take those ideas and create a Goodbye Fall, Hello Winter poem with artwork to accompany their poem. 

Part 2: Follow Up – Goodbye Autumn, Hello Winter by Kenard Pak

The children in this story greet natural features such as wind, leaves, snow and birds. The children say hello to them and they get a reply explaining what that particular feature is doing in the season of autumn.  It is critical to pay attention to the illustrations in this story because they are telling a story of their own. On each page, the children are walking through different environments: fields, forests, a farm, and a town. The signs of winter begin to show as the book progresses, ending with the children back in the field from the first autumn illustration in the book but now it is a winter scene. 

The watercolour illustrations inspire students to create detailed sketches and paintings showing the change in seasons.  The subject of their art could be the same focus as their Goodbye Autumn, Hello Winter poem. There are hints in this book that it is set at the time of the winter solstice and there are references to decorations and gift shopping that leave us wondering what they are celebrating.

Since I am new to using watercolour paints, I use tutorials from Andrea Nelson to help me learn. I have included a recent fall painting as an example.  I believe our students could create something similar.

I hope your students enjoy the chance to write and paint about this season change. 

Brenda

Looking for new Canadian books for your literacy program? The Ontario Library Association has the Forest of Reading program which lists their top ten books published every year in Canada. Students vote for their favourite book and they make great choices! Each age grouping is named after a tree found in Ontario. This blog features some of my favourite winners from the Blue Spruce program. Many schools run the program and you can find the books in your school library or your local public library.

Are You a Cheeseburger?  By Monica Arnaldo Blue Spruce Winner of 2022

It’s easy to bring Science, Art, Drama, and Writing to life with plenty of laughs as Grub the raccoon finds a seed named  Seed in the trash and they become friends.  Grub hopes that Seed will grow cheeseburgers so he plants and tends Seed with care. The pair become friends as they see the world from different angles above and below ground, giving us a chance to talk about different viewpoints.

 Before reading this book I like to check students’ background knowledge and show photos of raccoons.  We can all share what we already know about these “trash pandas” and find answers to our questions. I also like to have seeds on hand for students to examine. This story gives an opportunity for outdoor experiential education where we can look for seeds on plants growing outside and learn about the various ways seeds travel.

The idea of growing a cheeseburger is also a wonderful jumping off point for creating art. Students could draw cartoon style trees that can grow pizza, fries, chocolate cake or whatever they can imagine. There is a nice music tie-in with the song, “On Top of Spaghetti”, which has a meatball that gets accidentally planted and grows into a meatball tree. 

Give this book a try, your students will be very happy!

Harley the Hero by Peggy Collins

Blue Spruce Winner 2023

Any story about a heroic dog will be a class favourite. Harley is an exceptional service dog who works with an elementary teacher. Harley saves the day in more ways than one by making the classroom a very special place every day and taking care of the teacher and a frightened student when the fire alarm goes off.

Based on a real dog named Stanley and an Ontario elementary teacher, this book gives us the opportunity to understand more about invisible disabilities like PTSD and how helpful service dogs are. Students will benefit from learning the protocols for how to treat a working service dog as they are becoming more and more common and students may be able to share experiences they have had with service dog encounters in public.

A natural extension of this story is to research and write about pets and to collect stories of the benefits that pets have on people’s lives.  On the flip side, students also enjoy sharing ideas about animals that would not make good pets. Once their imaginations are engaged it’s time to have them demonstrate their thinking by creating an ideal pet. They can write, draw, build or dramatize their ideas. This kind of open-ended task gives students a chance to express themselves in their preferred format and they can have the freedom to explain what makes their ideal pet in writing or by sharing orally with the class.

Happy Reading!

Brenda

As November 11th approaches I’m sharing some Canadian resources I have used successfully with elementary students. Let’s note that 2025 marks the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.  Although we have not yet achieved world peace, there have been many examples of diplomacy in the decades since WWII ended. Our acts of Remembrance demonstrate the strong desire to build a war-free future and to honour the freedom granted to us by those who helped defeat facism.

A Bear in War by Stephanie Innes and Harry Endrulat, illustrated by Brian Deines 

(Silver Birch Express Honour Book 2010)

During World War One, a young girl slips her teddy bear into a care package for her father, a medic posted to the trenches of France. Although her father dies in the battle of Passchendaele, his belongings are shipped back to his family, along with the toy bear, which today sits in the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa. Source

I find this book can be used effectively in both primary and junior grades. The small stuffed bear featured in this book is on display at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa and there is a section of their website dedicated to the story of Teddy including a short video created in 2021. 

This touching story stresses the importance of mail to the soldiers. Our students can write letters today to veterans in their community. Our local branch of the Royal Canadian Legion is helpful in collecting and distributing letters. Giving students an authentic writing task will can be very motivating. I like to set up the lesson by reading the story A Bear in War and then offering writing prompts for students to write to those who have served in the armed forces.  Depending on the age and stage of the class, there could be some students who write in partners or small groups. For the youngest students I often model our shared writing on chart paper before they begin.

The Vimy Oaks by Linda Bailey, illustrated by Brian Dienes 

(Silver Birch Express Shortlist 2018)

Canadian Leslie Miller was at Vimy Ridge in World War I and he sent home acorns from some trees he admired there. The acorns that were planted grew into oak trees that are still alive in Scarborough, Ontario on the former site of Miller’s farm. This book helps us tie history and science together along with the poetic writing style from Miller’s journals and letters.  It is wonderful to study oak trees in the fall as the different varieties show their colours. I recommend this read aloud for grades 2 and up. There is also more information at this government of Canada link.

Government of Canada Resources for Veteran’s Week

It is best to order these resources well in advance of Remembrance Day.  There are materials including bookmarks, cards, posters, and publications with lesson plan ideas for elementary grades.

https://veterans.gc.ca/en/remembrance/classroom-materials

Books of Remembrance

The peace tower in Ottawa is an iconic Canadian symbol but my students are usually not aware of the special room that holds the Books of Remembrance. Each day a page is turned as Canadians remember those who have given the supreme sacrifice for their country.

Silver Cross Mothers

I find this particular topic very emotional and is suited to grade 7 and up. It is important to know your students before beginning a lesson.  Every year one mother is selected to represent all mothers and lay a wreath at the Remembrance Day service in Ottawa.  She is called the Silver Cross mother and she will have lost a son or daughter who died while in service in the Canadian Armed Forces. Learn more here.

Liberation 80

My mother had clear memories of the 1945 Victory in Europe celebrations and how people poured into the streets of Liverpool where she was a student, singing and all night. To commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of WWII there is information available from the government of Canada, including a selection of video clips where veterans recall the end of the war.

Lesson Plans from Veteran’s Affairs Canada

Here you can find over 130 lesson plans regarding Remembrance in Canada, provided by Veterans Affairs Canada.  There is a search tool that can help you find lessons by age and topic.  For example, here is a lesson for primary grades on Flowers of Friendship, explaining Canada’s role in the liberation of the Netherlands and the annual gift of tulips sent to Canada.

Thank you for helping your students understand Remembrance Day.

Brenda

I’ve been reading “Tacky the Penguin” at the beginning of the school year for decades. This story goes from uproarious laughter to fear and tension and ends with our unlikely hero, Tacky, saving the day. This picture book can be read over and over with the same results, children will ask for it again and again.  It’s perfect for early in the year when students are trying to fit in with a new crowd of classmates and need the reminder that it is not just ok to be yourself, we need you to be yourself, not a copy of someone else. The writing style of Helen Lester and the playful illustrations by Lynn Munsinger allow for plenty of dramatic gestures, voices and rhythms. Readers immediately identify with Tacky, who is constantly left out by his snooty companions. He is different, an odd bird. Don’t we all feel that way at times?

Dramatic Gestures

As the story opens, the companions (Goodly, Lovely, Neatly, Angel, and Perfect) greet each other quietly and politely. At this point I pause, put the book down and reach out to shake the hands of  a few of the students and calmly say things like, “Good Day”,  “Lovely to see you”, “How good of you to be here”. Then I slap my own leg to imitate Tacky’s greeting which is a loud “What’s Happening”.

We might also take time to imitate the penguins marching neatly in a row compared to Tacky’s random movements, followed by graceful dives and splashy cannonballs. These actions come into play later in the story as Tacky uses his actions to defeat the hunters.

Rhythm

When the hunters arrive they have stomping feet and on one of my readings I realized that if I kept stomping at the right tempo I could read the entire hunter section to the beat. Genius! Students join in and stomp along with me as we meet and defeat the terrifying hunters.

Voices

It is key to get Tacky’s singing in an off-key, dreadful voice.  I add in sound effects to imitate his accordion and then blare out “How many toes does a fish have?”. In contrast, the companions need to sing “Sunrise on the Iceberg” in a refined, melodic way. The Hunters have a growling, mean voice since they are talking about catching the penguins and want to “march ‘em with a switch”. Students join in with a “Grrrrrr”.

Each time the story is read, the students become more familiar with the ideas of inclusion and acceptance.  They see the importance of owning your individuality and using your strengths to help others. Plus Tacky the Penguin brings joy to the faces of children who have just come in from a recess where they felt alone.

Follow Up Activities

-a little research on penguins for science class;

-creating new lyrics for the songs in the book for your writing period;

-adding rhythm instruments for music time;

-act out the story for drama or create the illustrations as tableaux;

-add some math and learn about the fraction in Tacky’s marching sequence;

-vocabulary to discuss:  odd, companion, graceful, tacky, switch (as a noun), clasped:

-have a Tacky day and encourage students to wear something they love.

Tacky the Penguin was first published in 1988 and is still going strong with several follow up stories that feature this funny and lovable character. I hope you get a copy and have as much fun as I do!

Happy Reading!

Brenda

Our classrooms today have a strong emphasis on feeling safe and welcome in September.  I remember feeling intimidated and overwhelmed on the first day of school. However, when I compare my childhood experience to the stories told by residential school survivors I am deeply saddened and want to support Indigenous Peoples by sharing the truth about residential schools. I am an Irish-Canadian so I read books written by Indigenous authors to give authentic voice to this topic.  Here are some suggestions of books that can be read in September to prepare students for the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on September 30th, also known as Orange Shirt Day.

Phyllis Webstad

There are several excellent books by Phyllis Webstad, who is the founder of the Orange Shirt movement. Her 2018 book, “The Orange Shirt Story” has details about her experiences in residential school and the painful separation from her grandmother. This book is better suited to students who are in grade 3 and up. Her 2019 version of this story is intended for younger readers and is entitled “Phyllis’s Orange Shirt”. 

In 2022 Phyllis created “With Our Orange Hearts” with illustrator Emily Kewageshig. Written in rhyming couplets this book explains why September 30th is known as Orange Shirt Day and the meaning behind the phrase, “Every Child Matters”. It is appropriate for all ages and has familiar symbols in the artwork that create interesting discussions in class.  There are many hearts and butterflies throughout the story as well as an eagle, feathers, stars, the sun, a rainbow and children in a circle. The art supports the story beautifully. Teachers using this book could then integrate this read aloud with art appreciation and explore other work by Emily Kewageshig on her website.  

“Every Child Matters” was published in 2023 with illustrations by Karlene Harvey. It reviews Phyllis’s experience as a child at residential school in more detail than the 2022 book and has an afterward which can help teachers develop a better understanding of the history. The artist has included Indigenous cultural symbols such as medicine wheels, smudging, lacrosse and fishing. I love rich illustrations which go beyond the words to help readers better understand the story. 

“I am Not a Number” by Jenny Kay Dupuis and Kathy Kacer

I would only use this book with students in junior or intermediate grades. When sharing stories like this one, it is important to be aware of our students.  There may be students in the class who are related to residential school survivors. There may be students who have been through traumatic experiences that could be triggered by the situations described in residential schools.

For suggestions on how to use this book check out the review in ETFO Voice https://etfovoice.ca/node/1347 .

“Stolen Words” by Melanie Florence

The grandfather in this book was forbidden to use his first language when he went to residential school. It is a moving story as the granddaughter listens to what happened to him and then brings home a dictionary so they can learn the Cree language together.   I use this book annually in my primary classes but can be used with any age group. There is an underlying message of hope, as there is in Phyllis Webstad’s books.  It promotes the idea that by listening and understanding we can make positive change for the future.  

ETFO Resources

https://etfovoice.ca/feature/teaching-and-learning-about-truth-and-reconciliation-our-youngest-learners

https://etfofnmi.ca/

https://etfofnmi.ca/truth-and-reconciliation/

https://etfofnmi.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/EWS_Healing-Conversations_Final_2024.pdf