Author: Brenda MacNaughton

Democracy works best when people are informed and motivated to participate in the electoral process. As an educator I have the responsibility of informing my students about the workings of a democracy. I believe students are more likely to participate in a democracy if they can understand it and are willing to have their voices heard by voting, volunteering or working during elect

Apathy, on the other hand, is the enemy of democracy. When a population is not engaged in the electoral process, they are putting their democracy in danger. I want my students to see what can happen when countries are not democracies. And I want them to see how they can participate in the democratic process.

This may seem a heavy topic for students in elementary school, but Elections Canada has prepared age appropriate materials that are available to order online at no cost. These materials give lesson plans and activities to help young children understand democracy.

For students in kindergarten to grade 3, there is a kit called Choosing a Mascot. In this case, there are five choices of mascots that a school has proposed and students would create a campaign for a mascot and see it through to voting day. The kit includes a teacher’s guide, ballot box, voting screen, and posters.

The other kit available is an Election Simulation Toolkit which is based on the big idea: “Our democracy depends on each of us taking part in federal elections. There are many ways to do this. Here are a few of them: vote for a candidate, join a political party, work as an election officer, run as a candidate, volunteer to help a campaign”.

Ontario has experienced a provincial and a federal election this year. I think students of all ages in the elementary and secondary panels would be interested in learning more about the process and how to maintain a healthy democracy.

You may be wondering which part of the curriculum the electoral process would fit into if it’s not specifically in your social studies curriculum. I see potential for the language curriculum and the math curriculum to be integrated into this learning. There is an opportunity for students to write and reflect on the electoral process and on the candidates. There is also an opportunity in math to look at statistics and analyze how many electors have voted in previous Canadian elections. In mathematics, we can analyze data from previous elections and display data in graphs. And we can also look at the percentage of people who have come out to vote in various elections. On the Elections Canada website, you can also see the number of votes for different candidates in previous elections, including the results in your own riding.

Please use this link to place your order for free materials from Elections Canada.

https://electionsanddemocracy.ca/

Happy Voting!

Brenda

 

 

 

Community services often rely on volunteers. Teachers tend to have a fantastic set of skills to pitch in and help. I’ve had a few different volunteer jobs over the years and I’ve also had times when there was absolutely no time to volunteer for my community.

Volunteering can be something where working with children is all fun and games. There are local organizations in my community that work with children with all kinds of needs. I’ve seen people volunteering with kids who need help downhill skiing. There are volunteers who help students learn musical instruments or singing. There are volunteers who take kids on nature walks and other outdoor pursuits. Of course there are also opportunities to coach various sports or artistic endeavors. But teachers do not have to volunteer with children. Our skills transfer to all kinds of folks.

At times in my life when I couldn’t volunteer on a regular basis, I would sometimes clean up garbage around local parks. Just taking a few minutes to help can make a big difference. I would notice the litter when taking our dog or children to the local park or beach. Some of those volunteer efforts gave the whole family a chance to pitch in.

Working with adults has volunteer possibilities as well. I play a little bit of guitar, just enough to sound impressive to kindergarten children, but I’ve decided to work on it a little more and play during a sing-along time with a local group of adults. Some of the folks in this group have issues with their health and/or have very little income. They attend this group to have a sense of community, share some snacks, sing some songs, and play a game of bingo where everyone gets a prize. It’s a wonderful place to make friends.

Maintaining the work/life balance can be tricky and sometimes volunteering needs to take a backseat. A break from volunteering had to occur whenever I needed to focus on my physical or mental health. There were also times when my commitments to family and work outweighed my ability to volunteer.

I’m at a stage in life that gives me more time for volunteering than I’ve ever had before and I’m grateful for the opportunities. There are so many ways to volunteer and help our communities be wonderful places to live. Hospitals, nursing homes, arts classes and recreation programs are just a few places where we can meet like-minded people. We can’t always give our time but let’s keep an open mind for the right time to lend a hand.

Happy Volunteering,

(When the time is right)

Brenda

 

 

 

 

 

 

Have you ever participated in an ETFO retreat or Summer Academy? I recently attended the annual Women’s Retreat for  ETFO members in my local.  I was happily surprised that Occasional Teachers were welcome to join so I could share a cabin with a couple of colleagues who are full time teachers.  The organizers put together a terrific event and the resort had great accommodations, amenities and food!

We were lucky to have Dr. Dawn Lavell Harvard of Wiikwemkoong First Nation, and director of the First Peoples House of Learning at Trent University, as the guest speaker after dinner on the Friday night. What a gifted and brilliant woman to help us better understand the struggle for Indigenous women’s rights, particularly First Nation women who lost their homes, families and status if they married someone other than a First Nations person. That was not changed until 2019. She also addressed Red Dress Day, the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2 Spirit. She spoke of all the women in her family who were teachers and that this audience of women teachers was the best place to make an impact on the future. It was an inspiring talk and I highly recommend to all our readers to go and see her speak or at least watch videos or listen to podcasts she has recorded. 

The evening included group games, a campfire and karaoke.  We played a game of reverse charades where the entire team acts out a word and only one member has to guess. I’ve played a similar game in the classroom called Hot Seat. Yes it was silly and there was plenty of laughter.  A few ”minute to win it” challenges also took place involving cotton balls being thrown into hoops and objects being blown across the floor with straws. 100% harmless fun!

On Saturday we attended three workshops with women from all different walks of life.  Mine involved writing, sound bathing and wood burning art. All good for the soul! At lunch we took time to do some echo singing. During the break I had a quick dip in the lake (less than a minute) and a sauna while others chose to hike or relax by the water.

If your area doesn’t have any retreats being offered, watch for the happenings at the main office in Toronto. They offer affordable events to all members throughout the year and make them accessible no matter where you are coming from. There is funding to help with travel and accommodations. I plan to attend the professional learning for occasional teachers because it will address concerns that I deal with regularly such as classroom management techniques and instructional strategies.

Looking through the catalogue of ETFO Summer Academy offerings has me very excited. There are dozens of 3 day workshops on a wide range of curriculum areas begin offered across the province in various locations in the GTA and beyond. You will find professional learning from Waterloo to Ottawa, Niagara on the Lake to Barrie and Peterborough. Plenty of virtual workshops are also available. I’m particularly interested in art and drama workshops that I think will help me as an occasional teacher.

To register for ETFO events, create an account at https://www.etfo.ca/ under the Events tab.

If staying withing your local suits you better, there are numerous important committees that help each local thrive.  We can learn more about our collective agreement, health and safety, political action, social justice and professional learning just to name a few. Being involved in the local union helps us build professional knowledge and expertise in our profession.  I greatly appreciate the efforts of my local and hope you all get the chance to Ignite and Refresh yourselves like we did!

 

Oh the joy of sunny, warm spring days!

It’s not too late to get some seeds started. Flowers, vegetables and even grass can be easy to get growing in the classroom. Growing seeds is such a valuable life skill and a way to get those children who have an affinity for the natural world excited to learn.

Growing seeds can be intimidating when time and resources are scarce, plus the soil can get everywhere! For a no-mess growing activity I recommend bean seeds, paper towel (school paper towel will do) and clear jars or cups. It’s so simple to soak the bean seeds overnight and pop a few in a jar. Squish in some wet paper towel and prop the seeds around the side of the jar. Let the magic begin! Keep the paper towel damp and watch the sprouts get their roots, stem and leaves. I prefer bush beans over pole beans because they can be put in the school garden or taken home to plant without worrying about supporting the plant with a pole.

Perhaps your students do not have access to an inground garden but they could manage a container garden. In this case put a bit of potting soil in a cup or container, add the seeds and cover with the recommended amount of soil. Some easy to grow flowers are marigolds, nasturtiums, sunflowers, and morning glories. Vegetables for small containers include lettuce and radishes but I’m also partial to herbs like basil and thyme in containers.

The wonderful thing about seeds is how easily we can access them! It’s fun to try an experiment using seeds from peppers or squash. How about planting a strawberry or a potato?

Finally, there is an adorable grass head project that has been very successful and so simple! Decorate a plastic cup by drawing a face with permanent marker. Googly eyes make it extra silly. Fill the cup with the soil and sprinkle grass seed on top. Add water and your silly face will have a full head of green hair in no time. Students love to give their grass head a haircut.

We all rely on the plants of the world for their gifts. We can reciprocate this gift by caring and nurturing their seeds to grow another generation of seeds.

My local public library has a seed library where we can sign out seeds in the spring and return a new generation of seeds in the fall. Maybe our schools could start similar projects?

I wish everyone a wonderful growing season ahead!

Brenda

 

This year I have been a supply teacher in a particular class a few times so I have built a rapport with the students. On one visit, a student I’ll call Jenna opened up about how she was feeling. Recently her family’s apartment, along with several others, was destroyed by a fire. Jenna went to stay with extended family while her mother stayed in a local hotel and worked with relief agencies to find new housing and get reestablished. They lost absolutely everything they owned in the fire.

The family was relieved to move into a new apartment fairly quickly but Jenna was having difficulty adjusting.

On the day I was supply teaching in her class, 7 year old Jenna got overwhelmed several times and was not able to self-regulate. She was tired from the long walk from her new apartment. She was hungry. She missed her favourite stuffed animal. She had no paper at home to draw pictures because all of mommy’s paper got burned in the fire. Her classmates and I listened and consoled her in these moments but she summed it all up by tearfully saying:

“I’ve learned that sometimes life gives you changes and you have to get used to a new situation very fast. Like what the fire did to me and my family.”

Wise words from the heart of a seven year old. Jenna has had to deal with an enormous change in a short amount of time. She is grieving the loss of her home and belongings but also has feelings of relief that her family members survived and they were able to reunite in their new home. It’s quite an emotional roller coaster to ride. No wonder she was experiencing difficulty with self-regulation.

This experience got me thinking more deeply about trauma informed practices in classrooms. Every child has a story and some of those stories include trauma. We see different types of trauma such as losing a home, the unexpected death of a loved one, a car accident, bullying, and many more, including traumas we will never know about. It’s in everyone’s best interest to have safe learning environments where children know they are protected from physical and emotional harm. A classroom teacher will not know all the details about everyone in their class but they can work to ensure the classroom is a safe place for all.

The students aren’t the only ones who are impacted by life’s tragic moments. It’s very important that teachers recognize those times when they need to seek out their peers or professionals to help them through difficult times. We can’t serve from an empty cup, and neither can our students.

Take care,

Brenda

What do science and art have in common? Plenty! The achievement chart for the Ontario grade 1-8 Science curriculum is very similar to the achievement chart for the Arts. Both of these areas of the curriculum allow for curiosity and experimentation. Planning summative assessments that use critical and creative thinking are a fantastic way to bring these subjects together in a way that makes learning feel like a celebration.

When integrating science and art there is also a great opportunity to explore the worldview of Indigenous peoples and learn about two-eyed seeing. We can invite a guest to share arts and crafts and explore the relationship between science and art. For example, I have a beautiful talking stick created with guidance from a Métis artist. During the process she taught us about the important role of water and the gifts of the earth. On another occasion, my students painted stones that were added to a memorial at a First Nation school with teachings about mother earth and the impact of residential schools on generations of Indigenous children.

Here are some suggestions for science lessons using different mediums in art.

Draw, Sketch, Paint

Whether it’s pencil, charcoal, watercolour, acrylic or pastels, there are opportunities in every science unit to create scenes and/or diagrams of the subjects we study. Painting trees in every season, making a pastel scene of a habitat with animal silhouettes cut out and glued on top, or doing a star filled sky with planets and comets. These materials are the most common in our schools and you just need some paper or sketchbooks to get started. One of my favourite things about sketching is you can easily do this outside!

Sculpt

One memorable lesson I’ve done a few times is to create sculptures using cardboard in grade 3 science. We used plenty of masking tape and learned about creating a sturdy, solid base. Then students were able to paint their creations as well. Castles, towers, hockey arenas and more have been created this way. We have also used plasticine in a CD case, with inspiration for author/illustrator Barbara Reid to do studies of natural phenomena like clouds, flowers and planets. Sculpting with air-dry modelling clay is another wonderful medium to use. Creating a diorama can use a variety of materials together to demonstrate learning. Using natural materials to create designs and models gives us more reasons to get those kids outside to build a positive relationship with the environment.

Digital Art

Going back quite a few years we got permission to use Minecraft education and grade 7 students created a digital model of the school yard with the design of the new outdoor classroom included. The students did an amazing job and added in all kinds of details of wildlife, plants and playground equipment. We have used more basic software like Paint and Kidpix (that should be nostalgic for you teachers who were in elementary school in the early 2000’s!). Whatever drawing software is available, there will be students who absolutely love it.

Photography

This is another favourite medium for getting kids outdoors to make scientific observations. Whether you are comparing types of leaves, soil, rocks or habitats, a picture is worth a thousand words. Based on some past experiences, I do recommend putting some limits on the number of photos allowed! Putting the photos into a slide deck makes it easy to share the work with each other.

Multimedia and more

Combining mediums to create brings so much fun and higher order thinking into play. Could we create art that also incorporates electrical circuits? Could we paint paper mache planets in a solar system model? How about a mural or a collage that explores the impact humans are having on the natural environment?

Famous Artists who Study Science

We are not alone integrating science and art. Our students may be interested in learning about artists who also contributed to the world of science including: Leonardo Da Vinci, Beatrix Potter, James Audubon, and Frederick Banting.

Make a Day of It!

If our schedule allows, it’s always exciting to dedicate a day to a culminating task and have it completed in time for an art/science show for other students to view. We can integrate more learning by writing advertisements for the show and consider adding peer evaluation to the assessment.

Happy Creating!

Brenda

*Photo credits: B. MacNaughton

Covering two subjects in one lesson, it’s a teacher’s dream! Integrated lesson planning, also called cross-curricular lesson planning, is a wonderful way to combine creativity and content. For some students with diverse learning needs, using drama as a way to help them master new information is especially helpful. I still remember a high school science lesson about acid rain and a student doing a presentation had created a life sized raindrop costume by spray painting blue foam. Decades later I still think about that. Here are a few of my favorite examples of integrating drama expectations with content from other subjects.

The News Report

Whether it’s science, social studies, or health, creating a news report or interview demonstrates the students’ understanding of the course content. For example, I have had students create questions and responses for an interview with an expert on a planet (grade 6 science), a cultural celebration (grade 2 social studies), or the dangers of smoking, (grade 3 health). Working in groups of 2-4, students would play the role of interviewer or expert.  Some groups perform for the class and some have a smaller audience. We have had instances where their work was polished enough to perform for other classes as well.

The Narrated Scene

This integrated lesson plan can be done with the entire class. Have a student (or a teacher) read out a script and all students perform all parts.  This is a fantastic body movement activity and can be used to break up a content heavy lesson. For example, in grade one science we can act out different animal activities during the day compared to night time. In grade 4 social studies we can role play how humans or animals use the natural environment in different parts of Canada.

Charades

This versatile role-playing game is a handy one to have on hand! It can be especially good for learning new vocabulary and content. Have some words in a hat, for example: deposition, sublimation, evaporation from grade 5 science. Call up one student to act out that word or phrase and students who guess the correct answer can go next or choose who goes next.

Curriculum Expectations, Learning Goals, and Success Criteria 

For grades 1-8 in Ontario there is a drama expectation about role-play so each of these activities can give you information about a student’s ability to perform this expectation. In fact, this is such a key component to drama that it could be posted as a learning goal throughout the year. The success criteria would be written in grade appropriate language. Role play is a beautiful way to have students see the perspective of someone they might not have understood otherwise. It’s a demonstration of the kind of empathy we appreciate in our classrooms and society.

I have more to say about integrated lesson planning so come back to Heart and Art for more helpful tips.

Signed, that teacher who takes your class for prep and sometimes brings them back buzzing with excitement. Sorry!

Brenda

 

The School of Education at Trent University has an Indigenous, Environmental and Sustainability Education course for all teacher candidates.  I joined the course as a marker/grader in the fall of 2024 and found myself learning alongside the students, wishing that a course like this had been part of my B.Ed in the 1990s.

In the course syllabus Dr Rachael Nichols writes, “The Ontario curriculum requires that all teachers, in all grades and all subjects, infuse environmental and Indigenous education in their teaching.”

As educators we have the responsibility to prepare ourselves to teach about these issues and one of the easiest and most accessible ways to learn is through film. I’d like to present some of the recommended films for the IESE course with hopes that you will watch them and take time to reflect on their teachings.

Cottagers and Indians

Drew Haydon Taylor is from Curve Lake First Nation near Peterborough. In his CBC documentary, Cottagers and Indians, he shares the perspectives of people using the lake for conflicting reasons.  Manoomin, commonly called wild rice, is grown and harvested on lakes but it negatively impacts the lives of those using the lakes for recreational pursuits. The film demonstrates how complex issues can be. It’s very thought provoking for settlers like me who were taught history through a biased lens.

There’s Something in the Water

This documentary explains the injustices felt by African Canadians and First Nations in Nova Scotia where water has been polluted. The stories are somber and scary but the courageous women who speak for their communities need us to listen.

For Love

This film tells the stories of intergenerational trauma, neglect and abuse caused by residential schools but it also leaves you feeling hopeful for the future. More Indigenous children are learning about their culture and elders are bravely stepping forward to help them.  As an uninvited guest on Turtle Island it is my responsibility to listen to these stories and take action going forward.

I’m grateful that these films were recommended to me and I hope you will find them helpful as well. I’m curious to know if you have any other films or books that would help me learn. Please leave a comment with your thoughts.

Brenda

 

The current parade of planets in the night sky has me thinking about the engaging ways to use this event in the classroom. After all, with the early sunsets and late sunrises in this season, even our youngest students will be awake as darkness descends and the planets become visible.

This January through March several planets in our solar system will be visible, almost looking aligned, along the ecliptic. What’s the ecliptic? It represents the plane of the solar system in which the planets orbit around the Sun. (NASA)

Many students are curious about the night sky and have ideas about what is happening out there, especially after the solar eclipse that impacted us last year. It’s a wonderful topic to let their imaginations soar with stories, songs and images.

Language 

*Use space related ideas as writing prompts such as what might exist in the solar system or even the galaxy. What would a planet need to be more ideal planet than Earth?

*Create poetry written from the perspective of each planet.

*Read aloud fiction and non-fiction fiction that encourages students to consider their role in the solar system. This is a great opportunity to read astronaut Chris Hadfield’s book, The Darkest Dark.

*Study Indigenous stories such as the Sky Woman creation story. Michelle Corneau wrote about it in “Strong Stories Kanyen’keha:ka: Creation Story Sky Woman”. It is also told in Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer.

*Share facts and ask further questions about the night sky.

 

Math

Our concept of time comes from mathematical calculations relating to the earth’s orbit of the sun and the daily rotation of Earth.

Science

*Explore the slogan “There is no Planet B” in relation to the curriculum expectations for your current science unit.

Social Studies

*What is it about the night sky that brings us together? All societies have been impacted by the night sky through navigation, science, exploration, myths, storytelling and the arts. Look at the far reach of van Gogh’s Starry Night painting! How does the night sky relate to your current social studies topic?

Physical Education 

Planet themed movement games can include the ideas or orbiting, gravitational pull, and space exploration.

The Arts

Create a Planet Parade! There are so many ways to dramatize, paint, sculpt, and sing together plus there are amazing music pieces to enjoy and use to choreograph dance/movement. Immediately I hear 2001: Space Odyssey, the Star Wars theme, and the Star Trek Next Generation narration, “to boldly go where no one has gone before!”

Planet Parade: When To See It In January 2025

Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, Venus, Neptune, and Saturn will be visible together in January 2025, with Jan. 21 being a good time to look in the evening. (University of Guelph News)

Fostering students’ curiousity about the solar system and the galaxy gives teachers the opportunity to reinforce that our beautiful home planet is unique. Listening to Indigenous peoples we must take care of Earth as if she were our mother. I hope the parade of planets inspires you and your students to explore and create together.

Keep looking up!

Brenda

P.S. Students may also be interested to hear about Canada’s involvement in the 2026 Artemis II mission to orbit the moon. Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen will be on board. (Canada Space Agency)

From puppy love to mountain hikes, 2024 was my first full calendar year as a semi-retired occasional teacher. It’s been an incredible time of learning and adventure.

We adopted a puppy from the Northumberland Humane Society in December of 2023. We named him Obi-won but he has proven many times over that he could be known as Chewy! It turns out his mysterious mix of breeds is highly active with both hunting and herding instincts. It’s no wonder we met our 2024 goal of 1000 km of hiking and walking by October! We are very grateful that Obi has brought our family so much joy and love. He’s come a long way from the floppy-eared pup that was rescued from a parking lot with his mom and eight litter mates last October. Raising Obi has taught me patience in a new way and I’ve come to realize that his mistakes are usually because he’s trying but can’t read my mind. The parallels between raising a puppy and teaching children have brought me many smiles this year. Plus, if I’m in a new classroom and need to bond quickly with the students I just need to mention an Obi story and we have an immediate ice-breaker! In one small school there is a student who approaches me every time I’m there and asks me about Obi. She got a pup around the same time and we compare the latest stories like pups seeking sticks twice their size or the chaos of the zoomies.

 

One of Obi’s many nicknames is “Adventure Dog” because we have traveled around Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick with him. We just love to hike and explore together. We experienced a terrific storm while camping at Point Pelee in March and beautiful sunsets at a friend’s cottage in Sauble Beach. We hope to get Obi as excited about canoeing as he is about hiking. We had to do a few camping trips without Obi because there was paddling involved. We missed him but we’re in awe of the incredible beauty of the more remote parts of Lake Superior Provincial Park and Temagami. I also did a mother-daughter canoe trip for the first time and it was magical!

Ken and I are both uninvited guests on Turtle Island so throughout our travels we learned about the Indigenous peoples of the territory we were on. I got to experience the Curve Lake Pow Wow and participate in a full moon ceremony at Trent University.  We were able to pay our  respects at memorials of residential schools in Robinson Huron Treaty Territory near Spanish, Ontario and in Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc Territory at Kamloops, British Columbia. We have much to learn by listening, reading and joining in when invited to do so.

 

 

The trip to B.C. included hikes and exploring Yoho, Glacier, Revelstoke and Banff National parks. There is nothing like the mountains for stunning views and the freshest air!

 

 

At times in my full-time teaching career I could not picture myself supply teaching but I’m very happy with my decision to do daily OT work. The work-life balance is working really well for us right now.2

024 I thank you for your gifts. I wish all our readers at Heart and Art a wonderful 2025! Brenda