As part of this year’s Move into Literacy project and in honour of Children’s Book Day, The Learning Exchange is holding an exciting FREE virtual event on Sunday, April 2, 2023 10:30-11:15 a.m. EDT with author and illustrator Barbara Reid!
❤️ New since February 2022! I LOVE YOU MORE by Emil Sher, illustrated by Barbara Reid
Barbara Reid is a picture book illustrator and author whose award winning artwork is created with plasticine. Barbara will share the process of illustrating I Love You More. She will give a hands-on demonstration with tips and techniques for creating a clay picture, followed by a Question & Answer period. Space is limited! Register today. SUGGESTION: For the session have some assorted colours of clay and a paper plate to follow the demonstration. A package of coloured clay can be purchased at your local Dollar Store for a few dollars.
The Learning Exchange Storytime Readers, Enza and Vidya, are visiting daycares in the Laval area starting May 30th to have an interactive “Under the Sea” themed reading and Rainbow Fish sing-along with the children. Students of Souvenir Elementary School will have interactive reading visits featuring stories geared to each grade level.
Thanks to project funding from #RLPRE and book donations from #FirstBookCanada, each child will receive family literacy information to bring home to the family and a new Scholastic or First Book Canada book.
As well, we have 200 Kindergarten Kits made up of books, wonderful resources and materials for families with children starting Kindergarten in September 2022.
Teaching colours is best done through playful everyday life experiences. Try these links to a variety of fun, science ideas for teaching children to identify and learn about colours.
TLE is proud to announce visiting author: Jessica Scott Kerrin who will be presenting Senses via Zoom during Canadian Children’s Book Week on May 1st 10AM-11AM EDT. Jessica’s jam-packed presentation to young writers is a behind-the-scenes look at the everyday experiences that she writes stories about. She includes props, audience participation, and video clips sure to keep students engaged and glued to their seats.
Canadian Book Week Author Visit
For grades K-3: SENSES. My picture book, The Better Tree Fort, features a father/son relationship. I also share an interest in birding with the characters in this story. I will include a fun mini-lesson about local bird songs during my presentation that encourages young writers to use all their senses.
Canadian Children’s Book Week connects Canadian authors and illustrators with participants across Canada. Tour participants speak to their audiences about the pleasures of reading and the delights of Canadian children’s books through their presentations and workshops. Meeting authors, illustrators and storytellers can be a turning point in a child’s life, inspiring a lifelong love of reading.
Welcome to TLE’s Storytime featured story Aaron Slater, Illustrator by Andrea Beaty and illustrated by David Roberts
Featured Story: Aaron Slater, Illustrator
Aaron Slater loves listening to stories and dreams of one day writing them himself. But when it comes to reading, the letters just look like squiggles to him, and it soon becomes clear he struggles more than his peers. When his teacher asks each child in the class to write a story, Aaron can’t get a single word down. He is sure his dream of being a storyteller is out of reach . . . until inspiration strikes, and Aaron finds a way to spin a tale in a way that is uniquely his.
Coloring is an excellent way to practice mindfulness and focus for all ages, but especially for younger kids. It takes something they already do and introduces ways to be more aware of their emotions.
Materialsneeded
Paper
Crayons, coloured pencils, paint or markers
Craft Idea:
Since Aaron Slater drew his own story, let’s do the same. Using crayons, colored pencils, or paint, create your own “true story” about anything you want. Like Aaron, use visuals versus words to tell the story. When you’re finished, share it with a friend or family member.
More Stories
Reading and storytelling with babies and children promotes brain development and imagination, develops language and emotions, and strengthens relationships.
Dyslexia is a learning disability in reading. People with dyslexia have trouble reading at a good pace and without mistakes. They may also have a hard time with reading comprehension, spelling, and writing. People with dyslexia don’t outgrow it. But there are teaching approaches and strategies that can help improve reading skills and manage challenges.
TLE’s Sunday Gummy Bear Family Reading Club was a great success.
Sunday mornings, families joined Enza from The Learning Exchange for stories, songs, craft time and parent resources that engaged both adult and child with fun interactive stories!
Family Reading ClubStories
If you missed Gummy Bear, you can still visit our Family Literacy Resource section for a reading video of the featured stories. You can also find related activities and great resources for each of the stories.
See the completelist of craft items we used for each story. NOTE: Each story has an easy paper craft activity which only requires paper and something to colour with such as crayons or markers.
Children received a Gummy Bear Club membership certificate, Gummy Bear jellies, a children’s book, craft supplies for weekly crafts, and Gummy Bear ears to wear for each Sunday morning reading!
Gummy Bear ears made by Party Ears, one of TLE’s literacy supporters
Lois Peterson’s book SHELTER – HOMELESSNESS IN OUR COMMUNITY was used to explore where and how people get their ideas and opinions, and how to figure out what facts are true. Lois visited students at CDC Vimont via Zoom on Monday, May 2nd for a truly insightful and thought-provoking presentation!
Canadian Book Week Author Visit
Homelessness is a huge problem in North America – and all over the world. But who is homeless? Why? What is being done to address the situation? What can I do? These questions and many more are addressed in this book for readers aged nine to 12, and the adults in their lives.
Participants learned about ways to interpret facts, and explore different opinions that might arise from them.
We discovered how Lois used her own writing to convey how her own values and opinions are represented in her fiction and discussed how interests and values might drive reading choices.
Outcomes
Participants gained some specific tools for evaluating information and now have a greater understanding about how our views of the world arise from what we know and what we feel is important.
About Book Week: May 1-7, 2022
Canadian Children’s Book Week connects Canadian authors and illustrators with participants across Canada. Tour participants speak to their audiences about the pleasures of reading and the delights of Canadian children’s books through their presentations and workshops. Meeting authors, illustrators and storytellers can be a turning point in an individual’s life, inspiring a lifelong love of reading.
Books introduce children to the exciting world of stories and help them learn to express their own thoughts and emotions. Find favourites on these free online story sites.
Welcome to TLE’s Storytime featured story EVERYBODY! by Elise Gravel
Featured Story: EVERYBODY!
From beloved children’s author Elise Gravel comes a reassuring picture book, perfect for trying times. Explore themes of empathy and unity with Elise Gravel’s signature quirky monsters!
EVERYBODY has strengths, flaws, feelings, ideas and needs. EVERYBODY! Everybody is unique and different. But we are all more similar than we think. Just like you: Everybody has fears. Everybody has moments of joy . . . and moments of sadness. Everybody makes mistakes . . . and can fix them. And, just like you, everybody needs to feel safe and valued.
Here is an easy paper craft activity to do after reading the book EVERYBODY!
Materialsneeded
Paper
Crayons, coloured pencils or markers
Craft Ideas:
EVERYBODY has emotions. Choose an emotion and draw a picture to go with that emotion.
Make and draw your own version of the book. What would your hopes and feelings look like?
Tell a story using Emojis. 🤪😃☺️😭🥰😳😌😩😎😴😇😉
More Stories
Reading and storytelling with babies and children promotes brain development and imagination, develops language and emotions, and strengthens relationships.
Create a courage heart with ideas of courage that can be used when children are faced with situations in which they need to be brave.
Materials
markers
glue
scissors
yarn
Paper + hole puncher (2 paper hearts)
assorted decorative pieces: pom poms, stickers, jewels, etc.
tissue paper
stamper
courage cards
Directions
NOTE: You can decorate the hearts before they are sewn together or sew and then decorate. If you are going to use lots of glue, it is best to sew the hearts first.
Take the long piece of yarn and thread it through the plastic needle. Pull through eye until the piece is doubled over and equal in length. Tie the ends into a knot.
Place the two hearts over each other so the holes line up.
Starting at the top hole, leave approximately 12 inches of yarn hanging out (see picture below). This will be used as the other half of the bow once the hearts are sewn together.
Thread the needle through the holes in the two hearts. Pull the needle in, out and around the hearts. Don’t connect the hearts at the top. You should have approximately 12″ of thread left on each side.
Decorate the heart (you can also do this BEFORE sewing them together):
Use the markers, stamp, pom poms and sticky buttons to decorate
Tear or cut pieces of tissue paper and scrunch into pieces to glue on the heart
Cut the shapes from the Courage Paper.
Draw or write down words or pictures that made you think of ways you could be brave. Invite other members of the family to include words or pictures. Place into your heart.
Tie the remaining yarn into a bow over the middle of the heart. See example below.
Hang on a door handle, bulletin board or wall.
As a family, revisit the words and pictures. Discuss and have fun!
Related Stories Online
Plucky Irene, a dressmaker’s daughter, braves a fierce snowstorm to deliver a new gown to the duchess in time for the ball.
Cooking with your kids can help boost their development:
Increases language development
Enhances fine motor skills
Improves reading development
Introduces children to science and math skills
Let the kids decorate their food with sunny egg faces. Cut templates for the faces out of a simple omelette using round cookie cutter, then animate using olives for eyes, shredded cheese for hair, and cherry tomatoes for noses and smiles. ~ eggs.ca
Song: ALL ABOUT COURAGE Educational Content: This song encourages students to show courage, by being brave and trying new things. Some examples include: getting through your first dance recital, trying out for a t-ball team, reading a book independently, singing a solo, going on a scary ride, going down the highest slide, raising your hand to answer a question in class, standing up to a bully, saving someone in danger, trying a new vegetable, etc. ~ HARRYKINDERGARTENMUSIC.COM
