By Carol Koechlin
Canadian School Libraries is proud to share our second Canadian book project. Teaching Through Books is just as exciting as The Great Canadian Book Project. Again we are able to present a rich collection of videos and lesson plans for educators to help them engage learners in important topics through the exploration of excellent current Canadian books. We now have nearly fifty lessons and hundreds of books featured between the two projects. Canadian School Libraries thank our partners at TEACH Magazine for their support in creating these amazing resources, with funding from the Canada Book Fund.
Teaching Through Books addresses diversity and inclusion, explored through eight important themes:
Ableism. Ableism refers to the attitude and underlying social prejudice of assuming that all individuals can, or should, be able to do things in the same way. Ableism undermines and harms people living with diverse abilities and disabilities, and impacts society as a whole by continuing harmful stereotypes and over-generalizations that devalue and perpetuate discrimination.
Allyship. In learning about ideas of allyship, students are able to connect to their own identity and the identities of others. Reading and exploring texts that focus on the lived experiences of a broader global community can help students to better understand their learning community, and by focusing on the theme of allyship, we can work to intentionally build a more inclusive society.
Anti-Racism. Anti-racism is the practice of actively identifying and opposing racism by challenging the systems, structures, policies, and practices that uphold the power of some and systematically deny it from others.
Indigenous Voices. Exploring, sharing, and discussing stories about the lives, joys, and experiences of Indigenous peoples is important as it relates to the land we now call Canada and our moral imperative to move forward with the Calls to Action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. As readers connect with stories by Indigenous storytellers, they are also working to connect to the land on which they live, work, and play.
Intersectionality. Intersectionality describes a conceptual understanding that various aspects of a person’s identity can create internal and external tensions, resulting in positions of advantage or disadvantage.
Islamophobia. Islamophobia is a growing issue in Canada and other countries, resulting in hurt and harm to members of the Muslim community. Learning about Islam and Muslim culture can help break down stigma and stereotyping against Muslim people and stop anti-Muslim hate.
Mental Health. Stigma around mental health continues to prevent those who are trying to cope from getting the help that they need. In addition, there are many barriers to accessing services that deal with mental health issues. Identifying mental health issues and having knowledge of resources and supports can help address this serious and growing problem among young people today.
Poverty. Poverty refers to a lack of money to acquire basic needs such as food, clothing, and shelter. It is something that affects many families in Canada. Poverty can create cyclical inequities in all aspects of life, including health care, education, where you live, and how you feel about yourself.
Themes are introduced by informative short videos where members of the CSL writing team – teacher-librarians and other educators from across the country, profile the highlights of each theme. The videos also introduce many of the featured books, and make connections to learning opportunities. Each theme is supported by a document containing 3 separate lessons designed for students in Elementary (K-4), Middle School (5-8), High School (9-12). Creative learning provocations engage students in rich reading activities, extensions for making and tinkering, and culminating ideas for reflection and making connections.They also suggest more great Canadian books and further resources to assist educators continue their work in further teaching with these themes. Each theme document is also available in PDF format to make saving, sharing and printing easy.
We have been able to enrich this second project by featuring many Canadian books available in French and in English. French titles are marked with an *. We hope this addition will be helpful to educators who seek ways to provide French language learners with joyful authentic experiences through story.
We would also like to call attention to the learning goals for lessons. Because of our desire to offer the best possible books and lessons to address diversity and inclusion issues we looked to the work of Dr. Gholdy Muhammad to help focus learning.
Dr Gholdy Muhammad has developed an equity framework for learning called, Historically Responsive Literacy Framework. Using this framework goals are set for: Identity, Skills, Intellectualism, Criticality and Joy. Together these goals ensure that students are making deep connections and being introspective at the same time.
The framework was designed with Black students in mind, but it will benefit all students. Muhammad explains it this way: “If we start with Blackness (which we have not traditionally done in schooling) or the group of people who have uniquely survived the harshest oppressions in this country, then we begin to understand ways to get literacy education right for all.” (Gonzalez, J., 2020. Historically Responsive Literacy: A More Complete Education for All Students. Cult of Pedagogy.)
Historically Responsive Literacy Framework by Dr. Gholdy Mohammad
| Learning Pursuits | Teacher Planning Questions |
| Identity | How does the curriculum (including texts and exercises) help students to learn something about themselves and/or about others? |
| Skills | How does the curriculum (including texts and exercises) respond to or build students’ skills and standards? |
| Intellect | How does the curriculum (including texts and exercises) respond to or build students’ knowledge and mental powers? What are they becoming smarter about? |
| Criticality | How does the curriculum (including texts and exercises) engage students’ thinking about power and equity and the disruption of oppression? |
| Joy | How does the curriculum (including texts and exercises) impart happiness in learning something new? |
How to Make the Most of This New CSL Resource
These lessons and videos were prepared by our team of school library professionals to promote the use of excellent Canadian authored children’s books as catalysts for teaching a range of often difficult topics. School library professionals already do an exemplary job of introducing books to their students and promoting independent selection and the reading habit. No one else in the school takes on this important challenge with quite the same love and creativity. Face-to-face and virtual book read-alouds, book talks, book tastings, and displays are very important and should not change. However what these lessons and videos do is offer further opportunities for teaching and learning.
- Use the videos as inspiration for co-planning a new lesson /unit, especially a difficult topic.
- Use the lessons as they are or as models for co-planning/teaching and assessing..
- Make your own copy of Melanie Mulcaster’s planning guide template for designing new inquiry lessons, sparking Genius Hour activities, focusing a Maker activity, creating an arts extension etc.
- Share the dual French/English titles and lessons with French language teachers.
- Use the featured books and further recommended titles to inform new resource purchases.
- Make use of the lists in the lessons of additional Canadian books on this theme to expand differentiated learning opportunities.
- Print off a lesson of interest to share with a staff member.
- Share videos with new teachers in their orientation to the library learning commons.
- Use the videos and lessons in professional learning courses you lead.
This was truly a team effort. We wish to formally acknowledge the expertise and enthusiasm of each and every educator who helped create this valuable resource.
Lead Writers:
Beth Lyons, Teacher-Librarian (Elementary), Peel DSB, ON
Melanie Mulcaster, TVO Instructional Liaison, Peel DSB, ON
Rebeca Rubio, Coordinator – Libraries & Information Services, Richmond School District No.38, BC
Jonelle St. Aubyn, Teacher-Librarian (Secondary), Peel DSB, ON
Contributing Writers:
Derek Acorn, Teacher-Librarian (Elementary), Louis Riel SD, MB
Lila Armstrong,Teacher-Librarian (Secondary), Commox Valley Schools, SD No 71, BC
Leah Crowell, Teacher & Teacher-Librarian (Secondary), Waterloo Region DSB, ON
Kelly Johnson,Teacher-Librarian (Elementary) Richmond School District No.38, BC
Rabia Khokhar, Teacher (Elementary), Toronto DSB & Equity Consultant, ON
Alanna King, TVO Instructional Liaison, ON
Andrea LaPointe, Teacher-Librarian Helping Teacher, Surrey School District No.36, BC
Renée Shah Singh, Teacher-Librarian (Elementary),Peel DSB, ON
Canadian School Libraries:
Anita Brooks Kirkland: Project Coordinator
Carol Koechlin: Writing Coordinator
Carol Koechlin is an experienced educator who has contributed to the field of information literacy and school librarianship writing professional books, articles for professional journals, facilitating on-line courses, and presenting workshops in Canada, United States and Australia. Working with Dr. David V.Loertscher, the team has developed foundations for the transformation of school libraries and computer labs into a Physical and Virtual participatory Learning Commons. Carol is a founding member of Treasure Mountain Canada (TMC) and has co-chaired TMC Symposiums since 2010. Carol was a contributing writer for Together for Learning: School Libraries and the Emergence of the Learning Commons and writing coordinator for Leading Learning: Standards Of Practice For School Library Learning Commons in Canada. She is currently a director of Canadian School Libraries (CSL). Carol’s favourite saying, “Empower students to own the question.”