Word is Up

As participants in the Language and Literacy Program at the University of British Columbia, we became particularly enthusiastic about the course "Using Canadian Children's Literature in the Classroom", taught by Patricia Weaver. Earlier seeds were nurtured by Alison Acheson's guidance and encouragement as the "Writing for Children" workshop instructor at UBC's Creative Writing Program. This website is a reflection of that collaborative passion.

Our mission is to help people —particularly students, teachers and librarians— extend their knowledge of Canadian writers and their work by:

• Exposing you, the visitor, to Canadian literature, focusing first on the local writing scene in British Columbia and then becoming acquainted with authors from other regions of Canada.
• Allowing you to work with cross-curricular activities that cover the learning objectives of subjects such as English plus Health and Career Education.
• Offering you the opportunity to make personal connections with authors, illustrators and educators.
• Helping you broaden your knowledge of Canadian writers through book recommendations, author interviews, etc.

We've designed some neat stuff (or at least we think it's neat) with you in mind, such as Ogilvie Kidd's magnetic verse and its corresponding, extra-bonus-point earning activity. You can also talk about your favorite books and see what other students are saying about them in our Books section.

Keep checking this section, as we'll continue to add more and more material that is at once fun and educational. If you have any comments or suggestions, we'll be happy to hear from you. If you'd like your teacher or librarian to use some of these activities in your classroom, tell her to contact us.

Case Studies

In this area, you'll find educational models and case studies, along with an array of other teaching and learning tools that appeal to a wide audience. The resources found here can be used, updated and expanded by you, our colleague. As educators, we believe it is important to actively participate in creating at least part of the support material we employ.

This month, we take off on this collaborative effort with a case study for an author visit.