OISE Book Display- Fall Festivals

Posted on October 9, 2015 by Aneta Kwak

As the days get colder and leaves change color, we welcome Fall at OISE Library, and the festivals celebrated during the month of October.

The second weekend of October marks Thanksgiving and we have lots of stories for a variety of age groups that will bring the celebration to the classroom.

Thanks giving day in canada“Thanksgiving Day in Canada” by Krys Val Lewicki, illustrated by Ana Auml, follows Irene and her family as they celebrate Thanksgiving. Irene’s grandparents explain the history of thanksgiving in Canada and describe how thanksgiving was celebrated by their family. This book is a great way to show students the importance of giving thanks and sharing during the Thanksgiving holiday, and throughout the rest of the year.

franlkinkWe also have fun thanksgiving stories found in the Children’s Literature Collection at OISE, like the popular Franklin series. In “Franklin’s Thanksgiving”, based on characters created by Paulette Bourgeois and Brenda Clark, Franklin looks forward to his grandparents coming over for Thanksgiving. When his grandparents are unable to make it, the turtle family brings the whole neighborhood together for a Thanksgiving celebration. This book is recommended for ages 4-7.

In “International Fall Festivals”, Marilynn G. Barr takes you on a journey from continent to continent to celebrate fall. At each stop, we have a map, regional legends and folk tales, a description of the regional fall festivals, as well as fun activities and crafts to bring the celebrations to life. This book is a great way to show students international fall festivities.

At the end of the month we have the celebration students of all ages are the most excited about; Halloween!

lets celebrateStart off your Halloween celebrations with “Let’s Celebrate Halloween” by Peter and Connie Roop, illustrated by Katy Keck Arnsrteen. This book gives a history of Halloween and an explanation for all the activities and symbols connected with the festival. With this book, your students will know why we have witches on Halloween, and why we trick or treat in costumes. Filled with lots of illustrations, this book is a great way to teach you students about Halloween.

craftsCrafts are a fun and engaging way to bring Halloween to your classroom. In “Crafts for Halloween” by Kathy Ross, illustrated by Sharon Lane Holm, we have lots of easy to make crafts for Halloween. Each craft features a list of items needed to make the craft and detailed instructions with images! From sock pumpkins to floating ghosts to spider webs and many more, your students will have a blast making these festive crafts.

newberyOne thing we can’t forget on Halloween is scary stories! We have lots of books filled with scary stories that you can share with your students.  Selected by Matrin H. Greenberg and Charles G. Waugh, “A Newbery Halloween” features twelve scary stories by Newbery Award-winning authors. These stories of ghosts, witches and pranksters will bring chills, thrills and laughter to your classroom.

Another book filled with fun Halloween stories and poems is “A Hallowe’en Acorn” by Eileen Colwell. This book is a collection of traditional stories from around the world, like the tale of Baba Yaga in Russian folklore, as well as stories from Scotland and Ireland.

We have lots of books and other resources at OISE Library that are sure to bring these celebrations to life in your classrooms, like the films “Thanksgiving” and “Halloween”.

All of the books in the current display, found on the Ground floor of OISE Library are available to check out. Simply speak with the Circulation staff at the Service Desk and they’ll help you out!

Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving and Halloween!

Posted in Library Resources, Seasonal Display, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Posted on September 29, 2015 by Patricia Serafini

We have received news that the Kurzweil 3000 server for the St. George Campus is down.  Hopefully access will be restored soon.

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Circular 14 Now Online!

Posted on September 29, 2015 by Jillian Harkness

The OISE library is excited to announce a key new onlineC14 1917 resource from the Ontario Historical Education Collection. Our collection of Circular 14, the list of authorized textbooks for the Province of Ontario maintained by the Ontario Department of Education and later the Ministry of Education, is now available online and fully searchable through the Internet Archive. This collection, which runs from 1887 to 1996, is an authoritative primary source and a valuable resource for researching historical education, including educational publishing and policy, as well as curriculum materials evaluation and development.

Throughout most of the 20th century, Circular 14 listed the textbooks reviewed and authorized for use in Ontario elementary and secondary classrooms. This authorized textbook list was introduced by Egerton Ryerson in 1846 with the aim of providing textbooks with Canadian content, achieving greater consistency across schools, and managing the costs of textbooks. Prior to being released as Circular 14, this list was included in the Department of Education’s report to the Ontario legislature, and later in the departmental publication Education Journal. Up until 1950, the list included books that had been authorized by the Department through a contractual agreement with the publisher, and were often authored by staff at the Department. As a result of the 1950 Royal Commission on Education in Ontario, the textbook review procedures were adjusted to allow any book to be submitted by a publisher for department approval, and only those approved would be added to the list. This newer system added significantly more books to the list, and provided more freedom of choice to teachers and school boards.

Over its long Circular 14run, Circular 14 sometimes met with criticism; teachers and school boards complained of its restrictions and found ways to circumvent it. In the Canadian publishing community, some felt the approval process influenced the textbook market unfairly and authors at times asserted that the Ministry requested overly-conservative edits. Various public interest groups also made claims that many of the approved textbooks contained out-dated or biased representations of race and gender. To address these issues, several research studies and committees were formed throughout the 1960s and 70s in order to critically examine these themes in Ontario textbooks. This work culminated in the 1980 Ministry publication of Race, Religion and Culture in Ontario School Materials: Suggestions for Authors and Publishers to encourage more critically aware learning materials. Circular 14 remained the official textbook list for public education in Ontario well into the 1990s; the final circular was published in 1996. Soon after, the Ministry began transitioning in preparation for the switch to a four year secondary school program, which occurred in 1999. The approved textbook list for Ontario schools is known today as the Trillium List.

As a permanent record of the evolution of learning materials in Ontario, Circular 14 is a unique primary source. Historical researchers have recognized Circular 14 as an incredible lens for studying how a variety of historic, cultural, and political themes were addressed in the educational system. These have included race, gender, French-English relations, the representation of war and peace, the notion of “official” knowledge or histories, multiculturalism, indigenous representation, and the relationship of science to technology. Book and print culture historians have also used Circular 14 as a source for investigations of Canadian publishing history and the economics of educational publishing. There is certainly much more work to be done, and we hope the availability of this valuable online resource will serve the research community well.

References and Further Reading:

Clark, P. & Knights, W. (2011). “Gringo Operations”: Nationalism and Capital in Canadian Educational Publishing, 1970-81. Journal of Canadian Studies/Revue d’études canadiennes 45(2), 123-161. University of Toronto Press.

Clark, P. (2008). “Reckless extravagance and utter incompetence”: George Ross and the Toronto textbook ring, 1883-1907. Papers of the Bibliographical Society of Canada, 46(2), 185-236.

Cook, S. A. (2008). From ‘evil influence’ to social facilitator: Representations of youth smoking, drinking, and citizenship in canadian health textbooks, 1890–1960. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 40(6), 771-802.

Fraser J. (1979) The Circular 14 story: Approved textbooks in Ontario. Orbit 10(4), 8-9

Igartua, J. E.(2008). The Genealogy of Stereotypes: French Canadians in Two English-language Canadian History Textbooks. Journal of Canadian Studies/Revue d’études canadiennes 42(3), 106-132. University of Toronto Press.

Ontario. (1980). Race, religion, and culture in Ontario school materials: Suggestions for authors and publishers. Toronto: Ministry of Education.

Ontario., & Crothers, T. W. (1907). Report of Text Book Commission, 1907. Toronto: Printed by L.K. Cameron, Printer to the King.

Nelson, G. W. C., & Ontario. (1970). A review of all textbooks listed in Circular 14 for the purpose of identifying bias or prejudice towards ethnic groups with particular reference to Indians. Toronto: Ontario Ministry of Education.

Montgomery, K. (2006). Racialized hegemony and nationalist mythologies: Representations of war and peace in high school history textbooks, 1945–2005. Journal of Peace Education, 3(1), 19-37.

Parvin, V. E. (1965). Authorization of textbooks for the schools of Ontario, 1846-1950. Toronto: Published in association with the Canadian Textbook Publishers’ Institute by University of Toronto Press.

Royal Commission on Education in Ontario., & Hope, J. A. (1950). Report. Toronto: Printer to the King.

Royal Commision on Book Publishing (1973). Canadian publishers & Canadian publishing. Toronto: Ministry of the Attorney General.

Yeow, T. C. (2013). Through the “Western” Gaze: Chinese history in Ontario High School World History Syllabus and textbooks, 1947-ca. 1980s. History of Education Review, 42(2), 199-211.

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

OISE Book Display: Teach Science!

Posted on September 21, 2015 by Robyn Lewis

It’s Science Literacy Week from September 21-27! This year’s theme is Exploration & Innovation and you’ll find a whole host of inspiring events throughout U of T libraries. At OISE, you’ll find teaching science resources, activity kits, and a hands on interactive display of our Curriculum Resources. In addition, this month’s book display features some of the fantastic science resources you’ll find in the OISE library.

In Science Stories, Clyde Freeman Herreid, Nancy A. Schiller, and Ky F. Herreid breathe life into scientific methods and provide a look at scientists in action. Case studies deepen understanding, sharpen critical-thinking skills, and help students see how science relates to their lives. The studies are organized into different categories, including historical cases, and media and ethics in the scientific process. Each case includes classroom discussion questions, and teaching notes, as well as helpful references. Science Stories is sure to make science enlightening for both students and teachers.

Hands-On Science Mysteries, Grades 3-6 by James Robert Taris and Louis James Taris, connects science to real-world situations by investigating actual mysteries and phenomena, such as the strange heads on Easter Island, the ghost ship Mary Celeste , and the Dancing Stones of Death Valley. The studies are created to encourage the development of science inquiry, where students will observe, take notes, make diagrams, interpret data, and arrive at solutions, and include extensions for further investigation.

In Incredible Edible Science by  Liz Plaster and Rick Krustchinsky find over 160 hands-on, food-based science activities with a strong literacy connection. The book provides everything needed to teach important science process skills in a safe, developmentally appropriate way. Incredible Edible Science received the Learning Magazine 2011 Teachers’ Choice Award and it’s approach to students’ learning is sure to satisfy their scientific curiosity.

Developing visual literacy in science, K-8 /More than 50 percent of science lessons in today’s elementary textbooks use visual information to help demonstrate concepts. Developing Visual Literacy in Science, K-8 by Jo Anne Vasquez, Michael W. Comer and Frank H. Troutman help educators to teach their students to develop skills in interpreting photographs, charts, diagrams, figures, labels, and graphic symbols. Visual literacy in science is especially relevant for students who pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and math.

Hands-on engineering : real-world projects for the classroom /With its varied and engaging activities, Hands-On Engineering by Beth Andrews prompts students to understand and apply the methodologies of design and engineering as they create innovative solutions to challenges. Each challenge requires students to think analytically, assess new situations, and solve a hands-on, real-world problem. As students design their own boats, skyscrapers, wheelbarrows, hammocks, and more, they will need perseverance, imagination, and teamwork.

In addition, try reading some of these Juvenile Fiction stories to help scientifically inspire your students from a young age.

In GGeorge and the big bang /eorge and the Big Bang by Lucy and Stephen Hawking, George hopes to escape his problems by heading to Switzerland to help his friend’s father do an experiment on the origins of the universe, but his problems find him as he faces a mysterious message from his nemesis. The book is targeted toward children ages 12 and up, and includes kid-friendly scientific essays on the the latest theories about the origin of the universe.

Primates : the fearless science of Jane Goodall, Dian Fossey, and Birut Galdikas /

The graphic novel, Primates: the fearless science of Jane Goodall, Dian Fossey, and Birut Galdikas, by Jim Ottaviani and Maris Wicks delves into the lives of three great primatologists of the 1960s. Ottaviani looks at the groundbreaking discoveries of these three influential women. The illustrations by Wicks delightfully move along the women’s narratives, and the whole book is a fantastic look overview of the some of the greatest stories in animal research.

All of these titles are available to borrow from the OISE Display Case found on the Ground Floor of the OISE Library. In addition, be sure to check out our display of activity kits from our Curriculum Resources Collection, all to do with science!

Posted in Library Resources, Seasonal Display | Leave a comment

Featured Activity Kit: Double-Sided Magnetic Human Body

Posted on September 18, 2015 by Jillian Harkness

Did you know the human nose and brain can remember 50,000 different scents? Or that a newborn baby has well over 300 bones at birth? Share these fascinating facts about the human body and skeleton through an interactive classroom activity using the Double-Sided Magnetic Human Body. This activity kit includes 17 pieces that assemble to create a skeleton over 3 feet tall. Easily attach the magnets to a white board for simple display in the classroom. One side of the set displays the human skeletal system and the other shows all the major organs and muscle groups.

Show your students how the skeleton and organs support each other by removing pieces of the body or displaying different sides of the system. The resource sheet will help you to label the different parts of body with your students–focus on the major groups with younger learners and label in more detail with the older ones. The resource sheet also gives more ideas for activities, such as assigning a body part to each student and letting them assemble it in a group activity. Finally, the kit also includes lots of fun facts to share during your lessons to inspire even more interest in the wonders of the human body!

The Double-Sided Magnetic Human Body is now on display on the library ground floor coffee table, near the circulation desk. You can also view an image of this kit, and other activity kits, in the OISE Library K-12 Manipulatives Database.

Posted in Featured activity kit, Uncategorized | Leave a comment