This month in the library we're working toward celebrating Hindu Heritage Month and creating awareness surrounding violence and bullying.

Our library has a brand new Non-Fiction section! We've organized the Non-Fiction section to be subject based for topics related to the science and social studies curriculum, it's also organized around student interests. There's much more display room. Coming soon....A Canada section! Please  find a time to book a  library orientation part deux so we can go over how to "find" books (rather than check them out!) and we will go deeper into both online research tools and in person resources. 
Please continue to use the DDSB Indigenous Education resource site throughout the year, especially when working with students during Treaty Week (look for the quicklink dropdown at the top of the page). In addition, I am excited to share our newly bought "Take Action" materials to assist with teaching both language expectations AND social studies curriculum.  

Ideas for partnering with the Library (me!): Be a Tree centers (sorry I'd meant to start last month), Intro to We Video (there's a newer primary friendly version available), picture books and community circles around poverty an how we can help others, as well as 2SLGBTQ+ inclusive books available ALL YEAR LONG!  STEM activities around DDSB 2023-2024 events. 

This month's resources posted below - just scroll down! This site is continuously updated, so please feel free to share information with me!

*Please visit the library for book displays this month to aid with November observances!

 This month in the library we're doing everything from celebrating Islamic Heritage Month to the International Day of the Girl Child!

Our library continues to undergo changes! By now you have seen first hand how we've genrefied the fiction sections of the library for picture books, fiction and YA Fiction. Now, we're genrefying Non-Fiction - so be prepared for another (quick) orientation about that, coming soon!! Thank you for booking and completing your class orientations last month, if you haven't come yet - please book a spot asap on the library booking system found at the top of the page AND at the bottom of my emails in the signature section.  

Thanks for coming by to see Indigenous Resources this past week. I was excited to see so many classes using the resources that were posted. Please continue to use the DDSB Indigenous Education resource site throughout the year, and I look forward to sharing our new Self-Selected Reading Texts with you that were provided for us at a recent workshop I attended!

Ideas for partnering with the Library (me!): Be a Tree centers, Intro to We Video (there's a newer primary friendly version available), picture books and community circles around poverty an how we can help others, as well as 2SLGBTQ+ inclusive books available ALL YEAR LONG!  STEM activities around DDSB 2023-2024 events. 

This month's resources posted below - just scroll down! This site is continuously updated, so please feel free to share information with me!

*Please visit the library for book displays this month to aid with October observances!

 This month in the library we're doing everything from remembering Orange Shirt Day to  celebrating International Dot Day with a community art project!

Our library is undergoing some changes! We have  been busy weeding, reorganizing and genrefying. Here are some things you should know:

-The library will officially open during the third week of school with library orientations which will include some games and activities for students. 

-I will send out an invitation for a "Books and Bagels" lunch and Learn (yesss bagels) to teachers to show resources, discuss scheduling and ideas for partnering and library (my) support. Please put September 14th in your calendars! 

Ideas for partnering with the Library (me!): New Language Curriculum centers, intro to We Video (there's a newer primary friendly version available), International Dot Day community art project!

This month's resources posted below - just scroll down! This site is continuously updated, so please feel free to share information with me!

*Please visit the library for book displays this month to aid with Sept observances!

This month in the library we're celebrating Indigenous Heritage AND PRIDE Month

Can you hear the beach waves? We're almost at the summer break, the final leg of the school year race. This is a great time of year to sit back and look at everything we've done together as a school.
I will be closing the library down starting June 14th to weed, organize and bring all of the books back home. Thanks in advance for your support. Please feel free to use our air conditionned space by booking in advance on the booking spreadsheet. 

I'd like to highlight the Heart Garden resource which commemorates Residential School Survivors AND the teaching posters that board so carefully put together for you to use (see below in "This Month's Resources"). Please also have a look at the Pride Month resources posted this month, and free free to scroll this page since I have posted different 2SLGBTQ+ resourcecs every month.

Ideas for partnering: Indigenous Heritage Month Calls to Action, Soundtrap, MakeDo, WeVideo (greenscreen!!), Microbits, VEX and more!

*Please visit the library for book displays this month to aid with June observances!

This month in the library we're celebrating Asian and South Asian Heritage Month

We've been doing a lot of experimenting with Microbits over the past few weeks. If you haven't checked out the microbits resources online, please have a look in this month's resources.

I'd like to highlight Children's Mental Health Week and the resources to support it. What is really  neat about the TDSB resources is that it has a plan for the whole year. 

Great job with STEM night everyone, it was a real hit and a credit to the school!! In line with STEM, students built and painted the rainbow bench in the office to kick start Ontario Skills. Have a look and maybe take your class to see it in line with using some of the ideas and activities below on May 15th to start a discussion around the quote on the bench - what's the quote, you say? Come have a look!! 

Ideas for partnering: Soundtrap, MakeDo, WeVideo (greenscreen!!), Microbits, Graphic Novel Lit Circles AND primary lit circle books JUST IN!! Just ask me!! 

*Please visit the library for book displays this month to aid with May observances!

This month in the library we're celebrating National Poetry Month

This year's theme for National Poetry Month according to the League of Canadian Poets is "Joy" and poses the question: What does Joy mean to you?"  Check out newly revised Read Write Think website for teachers to get free poetry lesson plans. 

Share your poems on the library windows using window markers! I'm happy to partner with you on this!

*Please visit the library for book displays this month to aid with April observances!

Reminders:
*I'm continuing to pump up our makerspace area in the library with invitations to work with robotics, makey-makey, MakeDo and Green Screen for you and your class. Did you know that we have students trained on this? Ask  me how they could work with you and your class!

*There's lots of buddy project opportunities available with our Blue Spruce reading program. Don't have a buddy class? Just ask and you will receive! Buddies are also great when using makerspace too! I can hook you up! 

This month in the library we're celebrating Spring comming and Forest of Reading Centers!!

*I'm continuing to pump up our makerspace area in the library with invitations to work with robotics, makey-makey, MakeDo and Green Screen for you and your class. Did you know that we have students trained on this? Ask  me how they could work with you and your class!

*There's lots of buddy project opportunities available with our Blue Spruce reading program. Don't have a buddy class? Just ask and you will receive! Buddies are also great when using makerspace too! I can hook you up! 

**Some big learning opportunities this month are Ramadan, Bangladeshi Heritage Month (daily slide deck posted in resources) and Hellenic Heritage Month. Suggested resources are visiting the Canadian Museum of History - there's some amazing learning here!  AND learning about Greek Inventions here through the Museum of Greek Technology! Please visit the virtual resources below AND  the library for hands on resources! Please feel free to let me know if you need anything! 

PD Opoportunity: This month’s focus at Ontario Tech Outreach  (CWonder Academy) is all about TinkerCAD (https://www.tinkercad.com/), which is an online 3D design and coding tool. Note that TinkerCAD is free and TAP approved for use with students in the DDSB. It is a great tool to engage students in math, science, coding and the engineering design process.  Click to register!

We are continuing to paint our rainbow bench and will be looking for students and teachers to help out with this OUTDOOR project!  

This month in the library we're in the thick of Ontario Skills STEM (Vex and MakeDo) challenges AND continue to support Forest of Reading!

*Please have a look at the interactive African Heritage Month board in the library - feel free to share ideas and activities to be added! Use it as whole class activities or as centers. I have posted a Passport AND reflection blackline master for photocopying. The refelections can be used as a community circle following activities! Feel free to come by the library to investigate or join us Feb 1st in the library at 12:15pm for a brief information session.
*Just a reminder the library has a  ton of  makerspace, robotics and coding resources for you and your class. Don't know where to start? Just ask me and I can help you!  NEW to the library are  Makey-Makey Kits AND Microbits Kits!! Don't forget our VEX kits, green screen and lego wall is ready for you to play with!
*This month we are painting our rainbow bench and will be looking for students and teachers to help out with this project! Thank you Mr. A for donating so much time to this important cause!  
**Have a great Febrary, knowing that March Break is around the corner!

This month in the library we're gearing up for Ontario Skills STEM (Vex and MakeDo) challenges AND Forest of Reading activities...

Thanks for your interest last staff meeting in Forest of Reading (teacher info posted in D2L) - if you'd like to help, please let me know asap. Also, if I haven't already spoken with your class, please sign your class up for a Forest of Reading Presentation as soon as possible for grades 3-8!

Please make sure you are paying attention to emails from Student Success if you signed up for Ontario Skills Challenge in November. You should have received a shared folder and some instructions - No? Well, then they're coming soon! I've posted the MakeDo shared folder in resources below, for convenience. If you didn't sign up, and are interested - that's ok, you can still follow along. I will work to find a date for us to meet together divisionally to plan and map it out.

There are few 2023 resources for Lunar New year - Year of the Rabbit 🐰. Would anyone like to partner with me to create an infographic as a class for the rest of the school? 🤞

If you didn't get a chance to check out the teacher PD offered at Ontario Tech last month, I have included their teacher resource page. Please check it out!

Please find resources for this month below, incluing a slide deck of Tools To Support Policy Implementation for Teachers which is very informative! 

As we head into a whole new year, I'm excited to share a few resources and partnering activities with you and your class this month!

Thank you for everything you have done to support our Scholastic Book Fair this  month! From  keeping a watchful eye on kids in the hall and helping them take care of their money and offers of help at lunchtime and open house during the  first week of December. 

This month  we will be kicking off  Forest of Reading so that it can start right away in  January.  If you missed the staff meeting, I have put  together below a FAQ video for you  so that  everyone's in the loop. We need volunteers to read the books and talk with kids who've read the books and stamp their passports. Please let me know if you are ready and willing!

Looking for some STEM PD? Look no further, Ontario Tech has  put out three workshops outlined in their newsletter which is posted in the resource links below. These include Minecraft Education, Microbits and  Scratch courses. 

I will continue to work with you in order to implement shared reading using Sankofa Black Excellence Texts - it's been an amazing journey planning and implementing this top notch resource with you.  The connections between shared reading strategies and EQAO strategies will pay off!    I will continue to meet with teachers regarding primary shared reading strategies using Flyleaf Publishing Free e-book library which includes teacher resources. 

Please find resources for this month below, incluing a slide deck of Tools To Support Policy Implementation for Teachers which is very informative! 

Another busy month ahead and now we're heading straight into holiday season planning soon. I'm excited to share a few resources and partnering activities with you and your class this month!

If you didn't have a chance last month, please have a look at the Educator's LLC Orientation which highlights many Fox resources, how you AND your students can access the library (and what is availble for you to use) as well as board resources. This is also posted in D2L but you can pick it up here, as well. Please make sure you understand how to use the Technology Approval App in DDSB Teacher Campus and I am happy to give you a walk through.

I'm looking forward to partnering with you with the Sankofa resources for grades 4-8 (lessons posted in D2L's content section) and with some primary shared reading strategies using Flyleaf Publishing Free e-book library which includes teacher  resources. 

Last month was too busy to get this started so I'm going to try again...I'm working on getting a school challenge together this month - A STEM challenge....to design a rainbow bench for the office. Saty tuned for this partnering project which I very much look forward to!

Please find resources for this month below, incluing a slide deck of Tools To Support Policy Implementation for Teachers which is very informative! 

Now that the rush for "Back to School!" is over, we're getting down to business! I'm excited to share a few resources and partnering activities with you and your class this month!

Our first Books and Bagels Lunch and Learn..yes there WILL be bagels...is on Oct 6th at 12pm in the library for teachers! During this 20min lunch and learn, I will be showcasing online and in person resources and demonstrating how the library can support you and your students this year. Come learn how the library can work for you! 

One particular highlight is the Neurodiversity Education and Nerurodivergent Acceptance Month daily announcements deck - which can be used for community circles in classrooms to promote discussion. Please come and check out books from the library displays to support this important topic and all the other observances this month, including International Day of the Girl Child and International Day for the Eradication of Poverty - don't forget to invite me to those Unlearn discussions!

A school challenge this month wil be a STEM challenge....to design a rainbow bench for the office. More info to follow along with centers in the library to support this initiaive. Most creative and effective design will be used to build the bench for all to see and use! This is a great partnering project!

Please find resources for this month below, and feel free to share resources with me to post as well! I am looking forward to planning and co-teaching with you!

There's aways such a rush for "Back to School!" I'm excited to share a few resources and partnering activities with you and your class this month!

Come and check out our book display about belonging and contributing in the library! One book I picked up this summer is called "The New Kid Welcome" by author Suzanne Slade which is about how we greet and get to know new people - the book has a cute and engaging twist in the middle. I have a few ideas including..... creating a cartoon of how to welcome someone you don't know in 5 easy steps (procedural writing...). This could be a fun way to start a partnering activity with me this month!! Just ask!

I will be officially opening the library with a Books and Bagels Lunch and Learn..yes there WILL be bagels...on Sept 29th for teachers! During this 20min lunch and learn, I will be showcasing online and in person resources and demonstrating how the library can support you and your students this year. I hope to see you there! 

Please find resources for this month below, and feel free to share resources with me to post as well! I am looking forward to planning and co-teaching with you!