Literacy at Home
First Nation, Métis and Inuit Storytelling - K to Grade 8
Questions to ask after listening to these stories:
What is this story about?
Why are you interested in watching and listening to it?
What sounds and images were used to tell the story?
How does the storyteller use their voice to add to the story?
What does the storyteller want us to know or think?
Indigenous Canada - A Story to Tell
A Promise is a Promise - The Official website of Robert Munsch
The History of the Métis Jig Dance - Alberta Culture and Tourism
The Legend of the Northern Lights
CBC Parents: 17 Beautiful Indigenous Comic Books and Video Games for Kids (free access as indicated)
Kindergarten
Parents, please keep in mind that play and Inquiry are at the heart of learning for your 4 and 5 year old child! Your child’s questions, curiosities and interests as the natural next step in learning should be the priority in their learning at home and at school.
Cuddle up and read. Quiet times together are opportunities to bond and read. Put some excitement into your voice. As you go, explain any new words or ideas. Talk about the pictures.
Talk to your children about what they are doing, For example, if your child is looking at art in a picture book or creating artwork, ask about the different colours, textures and shapes of the materials. For example, ask “What does this painting make you think of?” or “I wonder what will happen if we mix the red and blue paint together?”
Sing/play music with your child. Click here for a refresher on some fun songs, chants, rhymes
Share stories about your family’s heritage (Draw/paint a picture of your family)
Make puppets together (brown paper bags, popsicle sticks, straws)
Primary - Grades 1 to 3
Create a daily reading time. Set aside a special time each day when you can give your full attention to reading with your child.
Find out what your child is passionate about and learn as much as you can about this topic.
Read a story together. Have your child draw a picture of their favourite part of the story. Write about his/her favourite part and why.
Read and write greeting cards, thank you notes or letters (printing, cursive handwriting or using a keyboard are all fine), email and text messages.
Junior - Grades 4 to 6
Questions to ask your child after reading:
What is this book about? Why are you interested in reading it?
What does the author of this news article want us to know or think?
Does the writer want us to believe something?
How has the author used words and images to communicate the message?
(Epic are offering a 30 day trial, when you click signup there is a Families button offering free access for 30 days)
Intermediate - Grades 7 to 8
French - Grades 1 to 8
French at Home
Although French may not be your first, second or even third language, we encourage you to learn alongside your child. Use a dictionary or wordreference.com or google translate on your device to help you with translations. Note that the activities below can apply to all levels of student French proficiency.
Label items around the house - compare the French label to the English label or look at the French label only and try to guess what the word is in English
Numbers: count items in the house (eg: windows, apples…), practice saying your phone number in French, Bingo (can be played using numbers, fruits, letters…)
Colours: find something that is red in the house, blue in the backyard, how many purple items can we find in the kitchen, in the fridge…
Weather: talk about the weather today
Calendar: what day of the week is it, month, year, birthdays, special days, holidays…
Shapes and sizes: draw a monster using shapes only and label each shape
Call a friend: play a game of dice (roll one or several dice, add them up and whoever has the highest number gets a point)
Text a friend and use only French text lingo
Make a thank you card to say MERCI to the nurses and doctors, truckers and grocery clerks… who are working
Plant some seeds: label the parts of the plant as it grows
Listen to French radio or French cartoons
Read a book or have someone read it to you
Say a prayer
Watch French Netflix and add subtitles if needed
Practice reading simple texts here
Take virtual tours of famous French monuments and regions (Eiffel Tower, Louvre, Palace of Versailles/northern Ontario, Quebec, France)
Bake something using only a French recipe
Watch a short tutorial video in French and try to follow the instructions (examples)
Rosetta Stone (currently free)
Visit the Ontario Ministry of Education for: