more digital storytelling

The late primary classes (divisions 6, 7, 8 and 9) have been doing digital storytelling projects this term with a focus on place-based learning and an understanding of the role animals play in aboriginal culture. Some of the classes had specifically studied the wetlands, birds or animal habitats or living things and part of the criteria for the project was to include some of their scientific understanding of the animals or their habitat in their stories. The other content criteria was to include something the students had learned about aboriginal culture or to tell their story with a focus on first peoples principles or perspectives.

The students learned how to use the following apps: SonicPics, Haiku Deck and PixnTell. Each of these apps allows the students to take photographs and then either add captions or add their own audio narration for the story.

We read several books about animals in aboriginal culture and the students used these stories as models for their own stories. Some classes used the app Popplet to plan their stories by using a web.

After choosing their characters and setting and developing a basic plot line, the students set up their "photo shoots" where they created their settings for their stories and took photographs of their animals in these different settings.

The students then loaded their photos to the app they chose for their final project and then added captions or did the audio narration of their stories.

The students worked in partners, groups of three or by themselves by choice. Here is an example of a project created by three students from division 6, explaining the important roles animals play in aboriginal culture:

Last week, some of the students shared their story projects up on the big screen for their classes to see.

~Ms Novakowski

place-based learning

Some of our primary classes (divisions 7, 9, 10 and 11) have participated in a focus on place-based learning this term with visits to our local pond, park and learning about the Mighty Fraser River which is just a short walk away from our school.

Division 9 used Google Earth on the iPads to find a map of Richmond and see how the Fraser River branches out around it as it heads to the Pacific Ocean. The students were excited to see the Olympic Oval and bridge on their iPads and to find our school!

We used a felt board story to learn about the history of the Mighty Fraser River and all the changes that have taken place in this area over the last few hundred years.

Some of the classes have participated in the WE CAN SEE project which involves early primary classes from all across North America sharing what they can see in their particular place in the world during different seasons. Divisions 10 and 11 posted a short video about what they could see and hear in the spring in our school park and Division 9 took the digital cameras out and about to our park and to the local pond to take pictures of what they could see in spring and then we made a video with those photographs! The We Can See blog can be viewed HERE.

I have also shared some of my photographs of my walks along the Mighty Fraser River and shared stories of salmonberry picking and watching a great blue heron guard his or her territory along the banks of the river.

Division 9 did a digital storytelling project this term and the setting the students used for their stories was the river.

I have shared my understanding of the Musqueam culture, our local aboriginal community which is a living, thriving culture. More information about the Musqueam First Nation can be found HERE. Musqueam means "people of the river grass" and the students learned about how the Fraser River was and still is important fishing grounds for the Musqueam and how hundreds of years ago, the Musqueam peoples would have canoed over to this place where we now live and pick berries and crabapples to dry and preserve for the winter months. The students were fascinated to learn about salmonberries and to know that these berries have been growing along the Fraser River for thousands of years.

One of the goals of place-based learning is for students to feel connected to the land and the place where they live. I hope the students have a broader understanding of the history and richness of this place where we now go to school and live.

~Ms Novakowski

guest speakers from our local aboriginal community

The intermediate students have had the honour to have visitors from our local aboriginal community. Rhiannon Bennett and Karen Campbell of the Musqueam First Nation shared their personal stories with divisions 1, 2 and 3. Rhiannon spoke about how her family had been affected by residential schools and shared how the Musqueam are working to revitalize their culture and language. She shared some of the Musqueam language books and shared the community plan the Musqueam is developing for self-sustainability.

Rhiannon's stories had a significant impact on our students and the students from division 3 wrote very reflective pieces about the experience.

This past week, a local aboriginal elder, Roberta Price, shared her story with the students from divisions 4 and 5. She shared the effects of both residential schooling and foster care on her family. Her personal experiences with the loss of her culture and language deeply touched the students and many of them asked her poignant and heart-felt questions. Roberta commented afterwards that she felt truly honoured by the genuine questions that students asked in such a respectful way.

We are very thankful that these special guests gave their time to share their stories with the Blair students to enhance our learning about residential schooling and issues affecting our local aboriginal community.
~Ms Novakowski

Elephant and Piggie books

The three kindergarten classes have been enjoying listening to the Elephant and Piggie books by Mo Willems. Gerald the Elephant and his friend Piggie have all sorts of adventures and get into interesting situations. The text of the books is all in speech bubbles and the students love reading along!

After reading the books, the students have enjoyed creating their own Elephant and Piggie stories, sometimes making little mini-books, drawing or using Skitch or DoodleBuddy on the iPads.

Division 12:

Division 11:

Division 10:

The Elephant and Piggie books would be great books for our young students to search for at the Richmond Public Library this summer!

~Ms Novakowski

author visit: Nicola Campbell

On Thursday, the Blair Library was fortunate to have Nicola Campbell, an award-winning BC author visit all the primary classes. Nicola is the author of Grandpa's Girls, one of this year's titles nominated for the Chocolate Lily Picture Book Award. She has also written two other award-winning books for children: Shi-shi-etko and Shin-chi's Canoe. Both of these books are based on her family's experiences in Indian Residential Schools.

Nicola spoke to all of the primary classes about her experience as an author and shared with us that she is the girl with the red pants in the book Grandpa's Girls and that the story is actually more factual than fiction and is based on her experiences growing up. Nicola shared how her aunt, also a published author, inspired her to tell important stories about her culture. She also read her first book, Shi-shi-etko to all the classes and followed up with Shin-chi's Canoe with some of the classes. Nicola is a masterful storyteller and the students were mesmerized by the way she used her arms and hands to gesture as she read her stories. 

The students had many questions for her and Nicola patiently answered as many as she could in the time she had. She told the students that she knew she wanted to be a writer by the time she was eight years old and that she also really loved to read when she was a child.

Nicola was kind enough to stay into the lunch hour and speak to a small group of intermediate students who were both interested in the writing process and about residential schools. The intermediate classes has already been read Shi-shi-etko and will be watching a short film that was made based on the book.

Nicola graciously signed our copies of her books and two new copies I acquired for her visit. It is always a special experience to have a published author visit the Blair Library and it has an honour to host Nicola Campbell.

~Ms Novakowski

Fatty Legs novel study

This week, all the intermediate classes finished reading the novel Fatty Legs by Christy Jordan-Fenton and Margaret Pokiak-Fenton. Many of the students are now reading the sequel and the picture book version of the novel. The novel study has raised even more questions about residential schools for the students and we have three guest speakers scheduled in the next few weeks to help address some of the students' questions.
We used an online application called TodaysMeet for students to post their comments and questions as I read the novel to the classes. Using the iPads the students scanned a QR code to link to the secure site and were each able to post from their iPads and see the ongoing conversation on both the iPads and the big screen.

Some insightful comments and questions posted to TodaysMeet included:


Why are the "swan" and the "raven" so different??
Will Oleman be ok?Will she try to escape?
Why is the Raven making Olemaun read when she knows Olemaun cannot read?
We take our life for granted. The kids in residential schools had to work so hard yet we go home and just do the dishes, etc
How will this traumatic event affect her when she is older???
Separating kids from there parents that long is wrong
Religions differ and the people inside religions differ even further
This book is making me cry a bit in the inside
That school is like child labour with learning
If you we're ulaman and you had the chance to ran away would you run away or stay at the school


Two students from division 1 created a podcast reviewing this novel:

listen to ‘Fatty Legs by Margaret Pokiak-Fenton ’ on Audioboo

~Ms Novakowski

Canadian Childrens Book Week

Last week was Canadian Childrens' Book Week. We celebrated at Blair with bookmarks and reading books by Canadian authors all week in the library. We also added some new Canadian books to our collection from this year's book week theme of "All the Bookshelf's a Stage".

Happy Canadian reading!

~Ms Novakowski