Grade 7 - LITERACY CHOICE ACTIVITIES

Essential Question : How can multiple perspectives help solve real-world problems?

Learning Intention: I know I’m on track with my literacy learning when I can recognize that considering the ideas, values, and beliefs of others provides a more accurate view of the world around me.

Ways of Seeing

When we think about the world around us, there are issues that we all face as we work towards sustainable development. Sustainability is about finding balance with nature and the inhabitants of the world so we can continue to live without damaging the resources we rely on. Many of the common issues we face deal with the environment - such as climate change, water quality, and managing natural resources. Being able to see problems from multiple perspectives is key to finding solutions.

To help us understand how we can see the world through multiple perspectives, consider the Mi’kmaw concept Etuaptmumk - or Two-Eyed Seeing. Etuaptmumk focuses on learning through the strength of Mi’kmaw knowledge and ways of knowing through one eye, and Western knowledge and ways of knowing through the other eye. This helps us understand our connection to the environment and our community by giving us a broader perspective of the world.

So, for example, the way we look at a calendar. From one eye, we can see the year divided into 12 months based on phases of the moon and the revolution of the earth around the sun. From the other eye we can see the year divided into patterns from nature that occur every season. The Mi’kmaw calendar would recognize Pnatmuiku’s (Birds Laying Eggs Time) around April or Wikewiku’s (Animal Fattening Time) around October. Both eyes see patterns in the world around us, and in this example, give us a better understanding of the seasons and time.

Can you reflect on your own experience to help bring a new perspective? Use the example of the calendar and divide the year into 12 distinct time periods that reflect your experience and observations. Write a brief description of each period and provide a visual representation.

Public Service Announcement

Countries around the world have committed to making the world a better place through the United Nations and sustainable development goals. The United Nations has 17 goals that it calls “Goals to Transform our World”. Here are a few examples of the 17 goals - No Poverty; Zero Hunger; Clean Water and Sanitation; Affordable and Clean Energy; Climate Action; Protecting Life Below Water; and Protecting Life on Land.

Think about your community and which of the examples listed above require more attention to promote the idea of sustainability. Think about the audience that you need to target and how best to design a message that would appeal to their perspective. One of the most effective ways to communicate an idea and raise awareness is through video and social media.

So, imagine you are developing a public service announcement - which is like a commercial that sells an idea to benefit public wellness. Design a proposal for a public service announcement that focuses on sustainable development in your community. Create a storyboard, which is like a comic, that describes: the visuals on the screen; the type of music is playing; what the characters are saying; what the narrator is saying; or word on the screen. It doesn’t have to be long (think of the length of a television commercial), so make your message count.

Think to the Future

Sustainability is about preparing for the future. The traditional Mi’kmaw concept of Netukulimk teaches us to focus on the well-being of the individual and community without threatening the integrity of our environment, so future generations can prosper. So, if you were provided with the ability to reimagine your community under the concept of Netukulimk, how would you design it?

Communicate your idea for a sustainable community in a poster or pamphlet. Imagine that someone new to the area is looking for a place to live and you are highlighting the sustainability benefits. Focus on using images and words that promote the benefits of your design and use the sustainability goals from previous activities to generate your ideas.

Reflect on the essential question:

When we are trying to solve the problem of sustainable development, sometimes it is useful to imagine what life would be like if a resource was no longer available. Using fictional writing to inspire change in the real world is common in literature. Sometimes, if we can imagine an extreme view of the future, it encourages the audience to appreciate what they have and reconsider their choices in the present.

Outline the plot of a short story that focuses on the idea of the world suddenly without a particular resource. What if there were no animals? What if there were no trees? Be creative and focus on any perspective or tone in your outline that you think would be engaging for your audience.

Grade 8 - LITERACY CHOICE ACTIVITIES

Essential Question: I may know my lifestyle impacts my daily life, but what about things like the landscape and our economy?

Learning Intention:I know I’m on track with my literacy learning, when I can: recognize the impacts of landscape, economy, and individual lifestyle on my life.

Reminder: We can learn about the past through conversations with others - talk to an elder, a family member, friend, or community member.

LIFESTYLE

EDUCATION IS EVERYWHERE

Education is often narrowly viewed as what is learned at school, but learning comes in many forms. For example, traditional education among most Indigenous peoples happens through storytelling. Some elders and knowledge keepers provide oral teachings, and stories are told to share ideas and express emotion. It is also common to learn from your family and community.

Create a chart like the one here and record examples of your learning.

REFLECTION

How has life changed for Nova Scotians over time? Thinking about the people and places in a community you are familiar with, write a reflection that includes information about how some of the following have changed over time:

• language, culture, landscape, technology, clothing, music, art, politics, lifestyle, architecture

You could add drawings, images or symbols to your written piece.

COMPARE & REFLECT

Create a Venn diagram to compare and contrast two time periods, for example, 1970’s versus present day. Fill the venn diagram with examples of how elements of culture like music, fashion, art, films, and sports have changed or stayed the same from past to present.

Reflection:

Write your thoughts on the similarities and differences. Consider the biggest changes and whether you prefer the past or the present.

LANDSCAPE

TOWN OR COUNTRY

Globally, people have been moving from rural (country) areas to more urban (city) areas. However, others choose a rural landscape as home. What factors do you think influence people to make these moves? Think about, or talk with someone about, the differences of living in a RURAL area versus an URBAN area. You might consider housing, transportation, employment, goods (clothing, food, toys) and services (hair salons/barbers, mail delivery, car repair). Write a story about a family who is moving from a rural area to an urban area OR from urban to rural. Include the reasons WHY.

OUR ENVIRONMENT

Make a list of ways humans have positively and negatively impacted the environment over time. For example: Working to protect endangered species (positive impact), and deforestation (negative impact).

Create an informational pamphlet to outline human impact on the environment including these sections:

1. An engaging front cover

2. Positive impacts

3. Negative impacts

4. Ways a grade 8 student could positively impact the environment in their community

Use text features to make the pamphlet interesting and easy to read (font, colour, graphics, headings, sub-titles, bolded words, charts).

ACTION PLAN

There are many ways we can help look after the environment. Make a list of the ways people in your community can take action to help the environment. Create an action plan chart that outlines ways we can look after the environment.

ECONOMY

RESPONSE

Due to COVID-19, many businesses have boomed while others have been forced to close. Some have shifted gears to try and keep up. How does a worldwide phenomenon like Covid-19 empower or disempower businesses or entrepreneurs? Write your thoughts as a response.

Optional: Connect with a local business by phone, email, or social media. Ask if they are willing to share how they have been impacted by COVID-19 and social distancing requirements. Include this information in your response.

INTERVIEW

Interview someone who is at least 15 years older than you (can be done by phone, email or in-person respecting physical distancing)

Create a list of questions to ask about how the nature of work has changed from their youth to the present.

Things to consider: wages, types of jobs, technology, education, working hours

Record their responses.

What did you learn from this person’s experience?

ADVERTISEMENT

In 2017 the tourism revenue for Nova Scotia was 2.6 billion dollars. Due to travel restrictions during COVID-19, there will be a significant decrease in revenue from tourism. How could you promote travel and tourism in our province post-COVID-19?

Create an advertisement promoting your community or the whole province of Nova Scotia. What important features do advertisements have? What key information should you include? Consider tourist attractions, beaches, restaurants, historical sites, places to stay, national parks, or sporting events.

Use text features (font, colour, bold, italics, graphics, images) to enhance the advertisement.

REFLECTION

REFLECTION on the essential question:

Your reflection should discuss how the activities you chose helped you to understand how landscape, economy, and lifestyle impact your life. It should also include how learning about these three sectors can impact your future environmental, economic, and lifestyle decisions.

Grade 9 - LITERACY CHOICE ACTIVITIES

Essential Question: What value does media provide beyond entertainment?

INTRODUCTION:

The term media refers to communication channels intended to share information and express opinions. In popular culture media channels often include social media apps, newspapers, magazines, television, radio, billboards, video games,clothing brands, the internet, books and more. When we consider how people originally “spread the word”, storytelling and oral language were the foundational forms of media. Storytelling is universal and occurs in every culture and from every age. It exists to entertain, to inform, and to promote cultural traditions and values. This is why storytelling remains such a critical form of communication and knowledge transfer for Indigenous people whose media roots are found in the sharing of stories and legends rather than the use of posters and newspapers. Although storytelling may have changed over millennia, media has the potential to reach around the world, bringing us closer together as a global society.

Learning Intention: I know I’m on track with my literacy learning, when I can: critically examine and create forms of media using skills in reading, writing and speaking and listening.

MIND MAP

Create a mind map or vocabulary tree of words related to a media source (see Introduction above for examples). Place the Name of your media in the middle. Make 3 Branches: Verbs (action words), Nouns (person, place or thing) and Adjectives (descriptive words). Each branch will have words relating to and describing your media.

THINKING IN METAPHORS

Part A:

1. Select a media source (see Introduction above for examples).

2. Choose a metaphor for your choice of media. A metaphor is a figure of speech that makes an implied or hidden comparison between two things that are unrelated.

3. Compile words and images related to your metaphor to develop a metaphor collage (see example).

4. Be creative in the materials you use for your collage. You can use graffiti art or word art, draw, trace or cut out pictures, use craft supplies, etc.

Part B:

Explain your choice of images and words and how they metaphorically relate to the media. Use a chart similar to the example.

Part C:

Using your metaphors and some components of spoken poems (below), create a spoken word poem related to your chosen media. Orally present it to someone.

Components of Spoken Poems:

* Concrete Language - Use words and phrases that will give vivid images, sounds, actions and other sensations.

* Repetition -Include effective repetition

* Rhyme - Consider enhancing your poem with rhyme

* Attitude - Fill the poem with your passion

* Performance - Practice performing your poem, and revise as needed. Present orally.

EXAMINING BIAS

Some level of bias exists in everything we read, hear or watch. Examine how media portrays characters by reflecting on who is represented, who is under-represented and who is not represented. You might consider: race, ethnicity, nationality, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ability/disability, body shape, religion, socio-economic status.

Choose three different examples of media and create a chart of your findings.

I HAVE A GREAT IDEA FOR...

Have you ever had a great idea for a new video game? A clothing brand? An ad poster? (or use any media example from the introduction for inspiration). Imagine a company has asked you to develop your idea.

To prepare you will need to:

1. Write an outline of your idea: What is the general idea? Who is your audience? What makes your idea interesting or original?

2. Think of ways you could promote your new idea then choose and develop one powerful advertisement to launch it. Consider using buzz words, jingles, memes.

3. Create a design, logo or illustration for your idea that would be included in your marketing campaign.

THE POWER OF STORYTELLING

Indigenous peoples used the power of voice to ensure that communities had the information they needed to thrive, stay safe and learn about the world around them. Think of stories and legends as the original media.

1. Create your own story - either oral or written. You might consider a story that gives an explanation of a moral (ex. do not cheat); the origin of a custom (ex. taking shoes off in the house); or the origin of a natural phenomenon (ex. tides, climate change, pollution). Share your story with someone.

2. Choose a different form of media to retell your story. Transform your story into a song, instagram posts, a sequence of tweets, poster, cartoon or a media form of your choice.