FernFolio » Primary Literacy Activities

Guji Guji

fernfolio — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 12:51:32 +0000

After reading this lovely story, students in the primary division played with Audacity to create the opposing voices of Guji Guji’s duck siblings and the crocodiles who come to tempt him over to the dark side. Here is my offering!
Guji Guji
FernFolio Editor

Get Caught Reading – Another Year

fernfolio — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 21:36:06 +0000

Last week I held end-of-year celebrations for the members of the Reading Hall of Fame, all 163 of them. After the Hall of Fame closed for the year, on May 29th, I spent the better part of a week checking a bin full of reading logs that students had submitted at the last minute, and taking photos of the last new members.
Though typing up the final lists of Reading Hall of Fame members never takes more than a couple of hours, double checking the lists and verifying the levels which students have achieved always takes several days. Then there is making and delivery of invitation, the printing of certificates, each with the student’s name and reading level indicated, and the reserving of the school auditorium.
Arranging ice cream sundaes for both Hall of Famers and the numerous volunteers that help out is always a big undertaking. Oh, buying bowls and napkins and spoons and sauces and sprinkles is easy enough, but trying to find space in the school’s freezers for ice cream for so many people is a daunting task. So once again this year, I held three celebrations, one for Primaries, one for Juniors and the last for Intermediates, on three consecutive days.
Primary students filed into the auditorium on Monday afternoon, and, listened while I stood on my soapbox and talked about reading. I then read them The Book Woman, by Heather Henson, in which a young boy discovers the magic and power of reading thanks to the persistence of the travelling librarian who, rain or shine, rides the long trail to his family’s farm every two weeks to bring them library books. After certificates were formally presented to 72 Grade 1, 2 and 3 students, they, and the 10 Junior students who had volunteered to help out, and I, ate ice cream with chocolate and caramel sauce.
On the following afternoon, it was the turn of the Junior students, 70 of them, which is a new record for the Junior division. Though the efforts and accomplishments of every reader are celebrated in the Library, it was particularly thrilling to present certificates to each of the students in the Junior LD class. Once again, I talked about the importance of reading and urged students to climb into some books this summer. At this celebration, I chose to read a story, by Ted Arnold, entitled Reading Can be Dangerous, out of Guys Write for Guys Read, edited by Jon Scieszka, in which Ted tells about the time when, engrossed in a James Bond novel, he accidentally backhanded the family cockatoo and decorated the entire kitchen with tomato sauce.
The Intermediate celebration was more low key. At the suggestion of my principal, I created and laminated bookmarks for the Intermediate readers. Rather than a formal presentation in the auditorium, I invited the 20-odd Intermediate Hall of Famers to the Library where they and I talked about books and ate dishes of ice cream. As I have in the past, I was astonished by the ability of Grade 7 and 8s to consume food!
So the Get Caught Reading Program has ended for another year, with 126 book prize winners and a large green garbage bag worth of reading tickets, a bulletin board of smiling faces, a collection of nearly empty squeeze bottles of chocolate and caramel sauce, an absolutely wonderful collection of handmade reading logs of every shape and size, and the knowledge that, among them, these 163 students read over 17, 000 books this year.
FernFolio Editor

Our Mattlands!

fernfolio — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 00:03:34 +0000

After reading Mattland, students in Grades 1, 2 and 3 created their own imaginary lands using Smart Notebook 10. Here are just a few of their efforts!

Northern Lights The Soccer Trails by Michael Arvaarluk Kusugak and Vladyana Krykorka

fernfolio — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 19:23:59 +0000

When Kataujaq was small, she loved her mother. She loved sniffing her, because that is the way that the Inuit kiss, and hugging her. In the spring, she loved holding onto her mother while they travelled across the melting sea ice in a canoe tied to the dogsled, slipping precariously from ice to open water and back again, while her father ran along and called to the dogs. In the summer she loved picking flowers and finding rocks for her mother, which her mother loved and kept on the windowsill. In the fall, she loved picking berries with her mother and watching as she juggled and sang.
But then a big sickness comes, and Kataujaq’s mother goes away in an aeroplane and never returns home. No one tells the little girl what has happened. Kataujaq picks flowers for her grandmother, but it’s not the same. She thinks about her mother when she picks berries in the fall, or finds a pretty rock for the windowsill. And she cries for her mother at night.
In the early winter, the people of Kataujaq’s village go out onto the sea ice and play soccer under the stars for hours. Sometimes the Northern Lights come out, and then her grandmother comes down to the sea ice to watch. She tells Kataujaq that the Northern Lights are the spirits of the dead come out to play soccer in their new home in the sky, and that, when they play they are filled with joy, just as they were when they were mortal.
Kataujaq looks up and can see her mother up among the Northern Lights, smiling down at her as she turns to chase the ball, and the girl is happy to know her mother has not gone away after all.
Northern Lights The Soccer Trails is another wonderful story by Michael Kusugak that celebrates the Inuit belief that these magical lights are the souls of the dead playing their game of soccer in the heavens. A lovely book to share with someone grieving the loss of a loved one, it won the Ontario Arts Council’s Ruth Swartz Award.
FernFolio Editor

Tiktala

fernfolio — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 00:49:52 +0000

Children in the Primary grades have listened to the story of Tiktala, the young Inuit girl who dreams of being a soapstone carver so that she can become famous and admired and wealthy, but who, after months spent living in the body of a harp seal, discovers a new and vital artistic and spiritual purpose for her chosen art. They have created images in artPad of the creatures whose forms they would like to inhabit. Here are but a few of those images.
FernFolio Editor

Tiktala by Margaret Shaw-MacKinnon and László Gál

fernfolio — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 12:45:17 +0000

A young girl named Tiktala wants to become a soapstone carver so that she can become rich and famous, but is told by a village elder that she must go in search of a spirit helper. Transformed into a harp seal, she meets Tulimak, a seal who hates humans, who has been chosen to help her. Together they must travel to the summer fishing grounds, before setting out for the great meeting place, where seals meet to have their pups. On the journey Tiktala learns the beauty of the sea and its many creatures, and of harp seals, awkward on land but swift and sleek in water. When she risks her life to save that of a seal pup, Tiktala discovers her connection to the animals of the north, and welcomes her carver spirit.
Margaret Shaw-MacKinnon’s lovely story of Tiktala’s rediscovery of her traditional Inuit beliefs is accompanied by the hauntingly beautiful paintings of László Gál.
FernFolio Editor

Jeffrey and the Sloth

fernfolio — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 22:51:26 +0000

After we read Jeffrey and the Sloth, children in the Primary Division tried their hands and doodling. They went to ArtPad, a website that allows you to paint virtual pictures, and created some wonderful paintings. I wouldn’t mind have many of these pieces on my walls! Simply click on the image to enlarge it.
FernFolio Editor

Poems by Children in Grades 1, 2 and 3

fernfolio — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 00:30:16 +0000

Flowers
Pretty flowers
look good in the sun.
They are also gentle.
Flowers are nice too.
Beautiful flowers are sweet.
Flowers smell so sweet.
Pretty flowers are so neat.
They are good too.
I love FLOWERS!
by I and A Grade 3
AnWaIs3.mp3

FRIENDS ARE FRIENDS
Friends are nice and kind
nice to me and you
Good friends are
Generous friends play with me
Friends are graceful and kind
Friends like to talk
Friends like to walk and talk
Friends are nice and kind
Friends have fun together
Friends like to be with each other
Friends like to be kind nice and generous
Friends always will like each other
Friends love to have fun and play games
By C Grade 3
ChAn3.mp3

FRIENDS
SOME FRIENDS CAN BE GENEROUS,
SOME FRIENDS CAN BE BULLIES.
BUT MOST FRIENDS ARE KIND IN THEIR OWN WAY.
THEY CAN BE FEMALE OR MALE ,
AND COME IN ALL DIFFERENT SIZES.
MOST OF THEM HAVE POWERFUL FEELINGS.
IT IS GOOD TO SHARE THINGS WITH FRIENDS.
DIFFERENT FRIENDS COME FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD!
ALL FRIENDS HAVE DIFFERENT RELIGIONS.
BY L,V AND E Grade 3
ElTrLyHoVaJa3.mp3

The easter bunny
He’s fluffy and furry,
He’s happy when he comes
The Easter Bunny is thankful
And playful
The easter bunny is happy.
I like eggs and chocolate Easter Bunny
when everybody is thankful
by M and C Grade 3
MaDoCaMc3.mp3

Friends
Friends are kind, friends play games.
Graceful playful lots of FUN!!!!!!!!!
Stick together be together together!
Caring different fun.
Partners all the time.
Always remember each other
always standing
side by side!
Also friendly and nice.
Generous and different friends
We’re always together and active playing.
ALWAYS FRIENDS!!!!!!!!!!
by K and S Grade 3
SH,KT3.mp3

Animals
cat
dog
duck
cow
horse
dog food
cat food
by C and P Grade 1
caesph1.mp3

The leaves are on the tree.
The tree is warm.
Warm turns cool.
The fall is cold.
The rain is wet.
The rain is cold.
Light rain.
Wet leaves rain down.
by J and G Grade 1
jatrgawa1.mp3

It is raining.
In the middle of the night
it started to rain.
there was Rain clouds
It stopped raining
and the sun came out.
K, K, G, C, L and H Grade 1
kkgclh1.mp3

Falling fish
play
in the rain storm.
Flying fish
swim
wiggle
in the
rain.
They get
soaked!
by M and N Grade 1
niomaf1.mp3

super
spectacular
junk food
made out of milk
salty
yummy
cheesy
delicious
orangey
crunchy
Hallowe’en candy
by S and O Grade 1
niomaf1.mp3

The Scientist
A long time ago I saw a scientist.
He was freaky!
I decided to be a scientist, too!
I went home and told my big brother.
The next day I started working on my potion.
I put in ketchup and mustard and vinegar,
I put in dirt, too.
I dipped my hand in and it turned blue.
It zoomed and it woomed,
It hopped and popped,
And when my hand came out,
It was plopped!
by T and V Grade 1
thbvili1.mp3

BLACK HALL.
DARK MASTER.
BLOODY, HEARTSICK
BEWARE OF BLACK SKULL
DANGER!
BEWARE OF YOUR DARK NIGHTMARES
INSANE GHOST-HAUNTED HOUSE
WEREWOLVES!
BEWARE OF YOUR BODY PARTS
SIGNS OF DEATH.
BY J AND B GRADE 2
betrjekr2.mp3

Apples, apples crunchy and red,
Shiny and round in my head.
Apples, apples in my head,
Apples apples big and red,
Green and red.
Big and tasty apples,
And lovely apples.
C and K Grade 2
chkk2.mp3

My fish is funny and silly.
Well, he once woke me
in the middle of the night.
Then he made me bump
my head.
Ow!!!
by E and J Grade 2
erhjo2.mp3

There’s a monster under my bed!
I think it will tear me to shreds!
It looks very scary and very hairy…
There’s a monster under my bed.
It has sharp teeth,
and very big heaps
and I think it’s a freak!
There’s a monster under my bed!
by T, L and L Grade 2
tahlijlap2.mp3

Animals
Here are some of the animals -
dog, cat, lion, weasel,
hare, elk, zebra, buffalo,
fish, cheetah, bee, catfish, cow,
eggfish, mole, mouse, badger,
gibbon, camel, snail, platypus,
white sharks, stinkbug, jaguar,
big horn sheep, hawk, fur seal,
woodchuck, whale, turtle,
muskox, bunny, prairie dog,
and those are all the animals.
The end.
By S, M, M Grade 2
mmmgsp2.mp3

Beware the Pits of Adventure!
Beware of the spells,
and the pits and giants!
The scary quest is on!
It is gloomy and freaky,
I just can not stand it.
It is too freaky,
I am too scared!
It is too destroying,
I am angry.
The scary stuff is on for me.
by V Grade 2
VH2.mp3

Tackle Football
people excited
strong players
lots of energy
sweating in the rain
they push
and
cheerleaders wave pompoms
the team huddles and
HUT!
helmets get hit off
drinking water
each quarter fans scream when they get a touch down
fans cheer at the final whistle
it was a great game!
A and K Grade 3
atks3.mp3

Halloween
Skeletons, skeletons,
you can see,
they are hanging
from a tree.
Darkness, darkness
everywhere,
Ghosts are smiling
to give us a scare.
Kids with candy,
they look like the
candy man.
Little kids in their beds,
Wily ghosts in their heads.
That’s the end of our Hallowe’en
We’ll see you next year!
By R and M Grade3
ryvmai3.mp3

Flowers
Flowers are nice with the smells and the fragrances
Flowers gracefully sway in the wind.
The lights from the sun are bright.
The lights help the flowers grow big and tall.
Flowers have a smell like no other smell.
Flowers grow with light and water.
Flowers are like friends,
so close when they sway.
They are all different.
There are many kinds of
flowers like roses, sunflowers,
tulips and more,
all with a different smell.
I love flowers.
by S Grade 3
sm3.mp3

I saw a black cat,
it was scary, too!
I ran out the door
and then went to the park.
The cat and his friends
came along.
Then, to my surprise,
They went down the slide!
M and S Grade 1
masam1.mp3

Bullies
Bullies are evil.
Some bullies are very mean.
Bullies are
name callers.
Bullies are
not
good friends.
Bullies are not
kind
people!
by E, J, G and C Grade 3
evsajagrgrlecufa3.mp3

Swimming
Swimming is so fun.
Wet noodles float in the water.
The lifeguard blows the whistle.
Graceful and enjoyable swimming
in the pool.
The water is hot and smooth.
by N and D Grade 3
noaddeba3.mp3

Little sisters are funny.
They are helpful, boring,
little and cute.
Some are jokers
or wacky
or friendly.
Little sisters are nice,
sometimes,
and mean,
sometimes.
Sometimes little sisters are crazy, embarrassing,
cheering
and not magic!
I like little sisters because
they are cuddly,
important and
reminding.
by B Grade 3
bel3.mp3

My Family!
Family is welcoming to a house,
Happy moments together,
Friendly people, helpful when I need help,
Reminding when I forget things,
And my family is funny and cheering when I am sad,
And very loving and caring and fun, giving things to me,
And annoying and crazy and wild and very awesome and
cuddly and kind and nice and in all different colours and very thanking and huggable and kissable and sharing and very very important and mean sometimes and
sometimes embarrassing and beautiful and some are crafty and
cute and I LOVE my family !
by D Grade 3
dala3.mp3

KITTENS!
Kittens are……
awesome pets that are fuzzy and so much fun!
They have cold noses, sharp teeth and big eyes.
They have big ears and they are squishy!
They HATE WATER and they have a long tail.
They are wonderful, lovable and cuddly.
They are furry,fluffy, cozy, cute and make a great pillow.
Kittens are the best pet!
by E and LH Grade 3
eglh3.mp3

what dogs are……
dogs are pets
they are great pillows
they have cold noses and floppy ears
they are very playful
they are all different colors
but the thing is,
you can never leave them because
wonderful, soft and
awesome
they are the two a’s,
adorable and active
they have rough tongues
THEY ARE SO CUTE
by J Grade 3
jatr3.mp3

Pets
They make you happy and mad sometimes.
They are messy and hard to clean up.
They are hard work.
They are nice and friendly,
Sometimes loving and cute.
And mostly noisy.
They are fuzzy and fluffy,
Also cozy and cuddly.
They can be crazy, lazy and also funny.
by R and S Grade 3
raesseph3.mp3

rabbits
rabbits are wonderful
rabbits are pets
rabbits are amazing
rabbits are nice
rabbits are cute
rabbits are adorable
rabbits have little eyes
rabbits are lovable
rabbits are friendly
rabbits have a pink nose
rabbits are huggable
rabbits are kissable
rabbits are joyful
rabbits are cuddly
life is a beauty
it is hard work to take care of
rabbits are so beautiful
and we should be caring
rabbits are so cool
rabbits are wild animals
rabbits are marvelous
some rabbits are colourful
by T Grade 3
tedu3.mp3

Fall
Fall is fun.
Hallowe’en is fun.
In Hallowe’en,
There are zombies,
Draculas and witches.
Hallowe’en is a spirit.
You get candy at Hallowe’en.
by J, C and N Grade 2
jaclni2.mp3

Flowers
Blooming shivering shining
galloping flowers
Circling around and around,
sitting on trees
sitting on grass!
by A Grade 2
ak2.mp3

Pandas
Pandas are animals that live
in the mountains.
They are black and white.
Pandas are big and fat because all
they do all day is eat bamboo.
Pandas are also cute and furry.
That is why they are my
favourite animals.
by G Grade 2
gwel2.mp3

Kids
Kids are hyper.
Kids likes movies.
kids draw with markers
fun games we play.
Happy birthday parties
candy we eat.
Spelling in kindergarten and
school we hate!
by Tand H Grade 2
tchs2.mp3

RECESS
Girls play in the school yard at recess.
Boys play with toys,
and
kids are happy,
and
kids are loud at recess.
by LB and N Grades 1 and 2
lbnf12.mp3

Dangerous ocean
Jellyfish and octopi swimming
Pirates after treasure
Sandy ocean floor
Scuba diver and fishermen’s ships
Splashing starfish and fish
by M Grade 2
mamo2.mp3

Rain
Lots of wet trees on the mucky land,
Lightning striking down,
Freezing robins in the trees
Water flooding the grounds,
M , N and F Grades 1 and 2
frnlmd12.mp3

Rain
Wet
Splashy
Soggy
Sopping
Drippy
Puddly
Icy
Cold!
by P Grade 1
pdds1.mp3

Adventures and dragons,
Maps and wands,
Guardians and castles,
Monsters and spells,
It is exciting and fun!
Fighting weapons,
Staffs and pets,
Rogues and mages
and warriors,
I love adventure quest.
by Q and T Grades 2 and 1
tmqf12.mp3

Birds
Birds are colourful, sealable, killable, eatable and noisy.
Some birds are flying.
Some birds are friendly.
Some birds can swim.
All birds are feathery.
Birds are everywhere, anywhere and hearable.
By B Grade 3
bana3.mp3

My cat
My cat is cool, small, fast, nice,
cute, smart, active, happy, furry, funny, young.
My cat is a girl.
She is black with white spots.
I like to make things for my cat.
She eats dog food, but drinks from her bowl
because she is so young.
by C Grade 3
caso3.mp3

Calvin and Hobbs
They like baseball and football.
Their comics are wicked!
He hates his dad, hates the doctor,
hates girls, hates school, and hates dinner.
His comics are the best, and he hates baths.
He has a large vocabulary
and has a big imagination!!!!!!!!!!!!!
BY M AND E Grade 3
mideelga3.mp3

Today we have a test!
We do not like tests.
Sometimes we even have mean teachers!
After we take home homework!
School is so out of style!
We like some school subjects,
but not a lot of them.
School is okay (sometimes).
by J and D Grade 3
dabajabe3.mp3

Shoes
Shoes are bad,
gross on
the bottom.
and not magic.
Good for mud,
wacky, some times,
cool, not tasty.
But they are disgusting.
Don’t forget,
there dirty,
and, for the last, t
mean and
stinky.
By J Grade 3
juwa3.mp3

The History of Rag Dolls
Rag dolls are so cute.
They are made out of cloth and buttons.
But here’s the thing, they don’t sit still!
When you’ve had them a long time, they get very dusty.
They are made out of rags.
They are made in all different sizes.
They are very colorful, squishy, wonderful and cuddly.
They are an awesome toy.
They are cuddly, floppy, adorable and handmade.
by LF GRADE 3
lefo3.mp3

Xan
Xan is a freak.
He is annoying.
Xan is funny.
He is playful.
He is bullied
Xan is nice.
He is forgetful and small.
He does the opposite.
He is an alien stickman
I like Xan!
by S Grade 3
silo3.mp3