Canadian School Libraries is very pleased to announce the launch of The Great Canadian Book Project. This wonderful collection of videos and lesson plans positions Canadian books for young people as valuable tools for teachers to engage with students. Canadian School Libraries partnered with TEACH Magazine and Bibliovideo to create this amazing resource, with funding from the Canada Book Fund.
The project introduces students from Kindergarten right through to Grade 12 to a wide range of Canadian-authored books related to three themes: Student Well-Being, Indigenous Voices, and Global Issues. There are 8 wonderful short videos where members of the CSL writing team – teacher-librarians and other educators from across the country, introduce the books. The videos also introduce the themes, and make connections to learning opportunities.
Each of the 23 lesson plans identify a learning focus and featured books. Creative learning provocations engage students in rich reading activities, extensions for making and tinkering, and culminating ideas for reflection and making connections.
All of the lessons suggest a range of adaptations for different learning environments. They also suggest more books based on the lesson’s theme.
Not only does this project serve to introduce a wide range of Canadian books, it highlights the role of school libraries in bringing those books to teachers and students, with great collections and co-teaching opportunities.
Canadian School Libraries assembled a wonderful team of writers from across the country. Carol Koechlin coordinated and coached the writers as the project progressed. She worked with Melanie Mulcaster to design a wonderful lesson plan template, based on Melanie’s existing model (CSL Journal, Spring 2019) that ensured a consistent approach while accommodating the creativity of each of the writers. The project team included:
Lead Writers and Steering Committee Members:
Kate Johnson-McGregor, Teacher-librarian (Secondary), Grand Erie DSB, ON
Beth Lyons, Teacher-librarian (Elementary), Peel DSB, ON
Melanie Mulcaster, Instructional Coordinator – Library, Peel DSB, ON
Rebeca Rubio, Coordinator – Libraries & Information Services, Richmond School District No.38, BC
Contributing Writers:
Derek Acorn, Teacher-librarian (Elementary), Louis Riel SD, MB
Monica Berra, Principal, Strategic Plan & Data Management Prince George SD57, BC
Jessica Eguia, K-7 Curriculum Implementation Consultant, SD38, BC
Carlo Fusco, Teacher-librarian (Secondary), Waterloo Region DSB, ON
Rabia Khokhar, Teacher (Elementary), Toronto DSB & equity consultant at Rabia Teaches
Kim Kirk, Indigenous Education Leader, Rainy River DSB, ON
Peggy Lunn, Teacher-librarian (Elementary), SD73, BC
Jonelle St. Aubyn, Teacher-librarian (Secondary), Peel DSB, ON
Canadian School Libraries:
Anita Brooks Kirkland: Project Coordinator
Carol Koechlin: Writing Coordinator
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.
- Many of the lessons adapt very well to on-line learning.
- 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.
