MAY/JUNE 2012 $3.85
E D U C AT I O N F O R T O D AY A N D T O M O R R O W - L’ E D U C AT I O N - AU J O R D ’ H U I E T D E M A I N
CURRICULA: CANADA’S CAPITAL CAPITALTREASURES TREASURES CANADA’S LESTRÉSORS TRÉSORS DE DE LA LA LES CAPITALE DU DU CANADA CANADA CAPITALE
FEATURES:
Behind The The Scenes Scenes of of Behind The Shadowed Shadowed Road Road The
COLUMNS:
Our Reveals Reveals Now Now Are Are Ended Ended Our
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FEATURES
COLUMNS
Behind the Scenes of The Shadowed Road .................................................................................. 13
Futures Our reveals now are ended ....................7
Wili Liberman
Richard Worzel
Web Stuff.................................................... 25 Field Trips What’s on Reptiles and Amphibians ..................... 33
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DEPARTMENTS CURRICULA CANADA’S CAPITAL TREASURES LES TRÉSORS DE LA CAPITALE DU CANADA ............................................... 19, 27 AD INDEX ............................................................ 34
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NOTES
O
ver the past twenty years we’ve seen a
such a sanguine guy, he felt passionately, as
great deal of change and also, perhaps,
do I, about education and publicly funded
not enough change in the educational
education, in particular. As a futurist, he
landscape. Back then, publishing a magazine
explored trends in society and specifically,
involved a different kind of process. We
how those trends would affect how we
worked mechanically. The Internet remained
educate our kids. He kept at it doggedly, never
in the domain of universities and the military
flagging for all those years.
industrial complex, out of which it grew.
It is with great regret that our journey
Computers were clunky and awkward and
together has now come to an end. Richard
software came in primitive forms. No one
has written himself out of the picture. He
had email. We actually wrote letters by hand.
has said all he is going to say on the topic of
I wrote stories and columns using an old IBM
education within these pages. And in keeping
Selectric typewriter—state of the art for its
with the times, his last column that appears
day. I became very adept at using self-correct
in this issue, can be read in the digital version
tape and whiteout after revising a piece.
of TEACH. He says farewell on the undulating
One of the first writers I contacted in the
wave of the future. It’s been a great run and I
early days of TEACH happened to be a guy
will remember his cogent contributions with
who called himself a futurist—whatever
fond gratitude.
that was—and his name was and is, Richard
There is more to be said about the content
Worzel. Little did either of us know at the time,
of this issue, however. I have written a piece
we’d still be collaborating two decades on.
about my travels to Ethiopia to shoot some
Richard had a fresh eye and no loyalties that
video for the TEACH online, digital project, The
dampened his perspective. He wrote honestly
Shadowed Road (www.theshadowedroad.
and at times, provocatively because, even for
com). It was an extraordinary experience and
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a privilege to explore such a vibrant culture. In CURRICULA, we continue on with the
Publisher / Editor: Wili Liberman
Canada’s Capitals Treasures series of lesson
Assistant Editor: Lisa Tran
plans. This lesson plan explores the historic
Editorial Intern: Christie Belfiore
monument dedicated to Maurice “The Rocket” Richard, one of Canada’s greatest hockey players. This is the close of the current academic
Contributing Writers: Richard Worzel Art Direction: Vinicio Scarci Design / Production: Studio Productions
year. We wish you all a healthy and safe
Circulation: Susan Holden
summer season and we’ll see you in the fall.
Editorial Advisory Board: John Fielding Professor of Education, Queen’s University (retired)
Wili Liberman, Editor
John Myers Curriculum Instructor, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education/ University of Toronto Rose Dotten Directory of Library and Information Services, University of Toronto Schools (Retired) www.teachmag.com TEACH is published by 1454119 Ontario Ltd. Printed in Canada. All rights reserved. Subscriptions are available at a cost of $18.95 plus $1.14 GST including postage and handling by writing our office, 87 Barford Rd Toronto, ON, M9W 4H8 E-mail: info@teachmag.com T: (416) 537-2103, F: (416) 537-3491. Unsolicited articles, photographs and artwork submitted are welcome but TEACH cannot accept responsibility for their return. Contents of this publication may be reproduced for teachers‘ use in individual classrooms without permission. Others may not reproduce contents in any way unless given express consent by TEACH. Although every precaution is taken to ensure accuracy, TEACH, or any of its affiliates, cannot assume responsibility for the content, errors or opinions expressed in the articles or advertisements and hereby disclaim any liability to any party for any damages whatsoever. Canadian publication mail sales product agreement No. 195855. ISSN No. 1198-7707.
MAY/JUNE 2012 TEACH / LE PROF - 6
FUTURES Richard Worzel, C.F.A.
Our Reveals Now Are Ended S
ometime in mid-1992, I was approached by someone who had read a column I’d written about the future of education for the Globe & Mail. His name was Wili Liber-
plimentary or not, I found their comments instructive. I have also ended each and every column with an offer to speak—for free—to high school students, and have had a num-
man, and he wanted me to write a regular column on the future of education for a new magazine he was going to call (appropriately enough) Teach. He said he couldn’t pay me, but the magazine could give me a quarter-page ad in each issue. I didn’t quite know what I would do with such an ad, but was intrigued about writing such a column. As I said then, and have frequently repeated, I don’t think you can be a futurist and not be interested in education. For almost 20 years since then, I’ve written
ber of memorable experiences as a result, some times with entire high schools, speaking to a thousand kids or more, and sometimes with a small, individual class of twenty. More recently, the feedback has tapered off, and the invitations to come and speak have completely dried up. I’m not sure if that’s because of me, the subject matter, if readers are less engaged or busier, or if people have generally become more like sightseers and less like participants. Perhaps it’s all of the above. What’s more frustrating is that the things
five columns a year, often hurriedly between consulting and speaking events for paying corporate clients, and have found the experience intriguing, satisfying, and intensely frustrating. It has caused me to think about the future of education, the future of kids and teachers, the future of parents and parenting, and the future of our society. It’s been frustrating because I used to get regular feedback from readers, teachers, parents, even some students, and whether they were com-
I’ve been saying, and especially the things I’ve been warning about, have been happening with dreary regularity. I guess that means that not enough people have been reading what I’ve been writing, or else the people that need to read it, haven’t, or the people who read it either didn’t care or couldn’t do anything about it. That’s intensely frustrating. So as my valedictory, I’m going to review the major developments I’ve focused on over the past twenty years, and offer some final
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FUTURES thoughts on what’s ahead. First and perhaps most importantly, is that the issues of the elderly are going to crowd out the issues of the young. I’ve been saying and writing about this since the late 1970’s, and the time has finally come: the recent cuts in education funding are—unfortunately— proving me right. This need not be a disaster if the spending per student remains steady, or even rises, and if school boards close redundant schools, but neither of these is a given. In particular, communities become enamoured by having a local school and fight closures even when it’s the best thing to do for their school system. And if we cut education budgets per student, or spend the money poorly, then we, as a society, are eating our seed corn, and we will starve. What’s more, we will deserve to starve. As I’ve said to many audiences, in many circumstances,
on many occasions, if we get education right, then we have a chance to solve all the other problems. If we get it wrong, then we have no chance and no future. The next common theme in my writing has been that the status of teachers in our society has been consistently eroded away. This is partly a tribute to the success of their efforts. A century ago, teachers were among the most educated members of their communities and looked up to accordingly. But they have been so successful at raising the level of educational attainment in society that now society looks down on teachers. And since everybody’s been to school, everybody thinks they know what goes on there, that it’s not that hard, and that anyone could do it. Ironically, this comes at a time when education is becoming ever-more important. All you have to do is look at the rising
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FUTURES income disparities between those who have only a high school diploma, those with a university degree, and those with post-graduate qualifications to see the importance of this trend. One of the conse-
“ Bureaucrats, often with no teaching experience, are increasingly giving instructions that dictate what all teachers should teach, and how they should teach it, every single
teachers’ abilities and their students’ needs, must accept accountability, up to and including being fired if they’re not good at teaching. Seniority is a lousy way to run an education system. I have generally
quences of this is the avoided talking about day of the school year. ” very strong movement teachers’ unions, but towards micromanthe various times that agement in the classI’ve been interviewed room. Bureaucrats, ofin the media in parten with no teaching experience, are increasallel with a teachers’ union representative, ingly giving instructions that dictate what all I’ve been embarrassed at how reactionary, teachers should teach, and how they should petty, and narrowly selfish they have been. teach it, every single day of the school year. Indeed, along with incompetent bureauThis is completely backwards, as the Edmoncrats and politicians (which are most, but ton model has clearly demonstrated. Minisnot all of them), I believe that most (but not tries of education should set standards, proall) teachers’ unions are among the biggest vide relevant research and support materials stumbling blocks to improving education in to indicate what has been shown to work as this country. best practices, here and abroad, and then A recurrent theme in my early columns was get out of the way to let teachers do what the fiction of “computer literacy.” I recently works best for their individual students. The went back and reread a lot of my early colteachers should be held accountable for umns and find it amusing—now—that it achieving specific results, but bureaucrats was necessary to say that computers could and politicians should keep their interfering be valuable in education and that the Interpaws off of what goes on in the classroom. net was a very powerful tool that was here Likewise, teachers, being given the freeto stay. It seems—now—to be incongruous dom to teach students according to the that anyone could have thought otherwise, 9 - MAY/JUNE 2012 TEACH / LE PROF
FUTURES but I can assure you, in the 1990s I was often considered a wild-eyed, technological nut. While I thought (and still think) that it was and is inevitable that computers and technology would come to the classroom, I also thought that, as computer people say, “to err is human; to really screw things up takes a computer.” Much of the money spent on putting computers into the classroom was wasted because the provinces and school
with grades and grading so that there are no more “grade 3 math” classes; only “Johnny Smith math” class, “Jenny Chen math” class, and so on. Yet, the education establishment, all of it, from governments down to classroom teachers and parents, continues to cling to the industrial era, mass-production, drill-and-kill, one-size-fits-all model of education. It’s a horrendous waste of human and computer potential.
boards who spent it didn’t know what they were doing, or what could be done with a computer that couldn’t be done with books and paper. Despite this, computers, the Internet, and technology are really just getting started in the classroom. Unfortunately, they’re still not being used well, generally speaking. A computer is a tool, nothing more. If it’s used well, it can produce marvelous results because it’s a very powerful tool. If it’s used badly, it soaks up resources and multiplies the inferior efforts to produce inferior results. And this has led to one of my greatest frustrations: the deliberately-avoided potential of computers. Computers have created a new medium whose difference is as important as the difference between the oral tradition on one hand, and writing and literacy on the other. Yet, we persist in ignoring the real potential to deliver a customized curriculum for each and every student. We should be doing away
A theme I’ve been pounding for the last three or four years is that I believe that our current education system is failing today’s students because it does not adequately prepare them for tomorrow’s working world. We need to be teaching creativity, innovation, critical thinking, and research techniques; the ability to express yourself verbally, in writing and through mixed media; the techniques of learning; interpersonal skills like leadership, teamwork, persuasion, marketing and sales; and an understanding of how the human mind works so that students can learn more quickly and absorb new fields of study on their own. Instead, we persist in teaching stale curricula from lectures and textbooks, requiring students to memorize facts that they could look up in no time on the Internet so that they can regurgitate them on a test before forgetting them forever. These are not the skills they will need in tomorrow’s world, yet we persist in treating them as Holy Writ. MAY/JUNE 2012 TEACH / LE PROF - 10
FUTURES Another theme I’ve discussed over the years is how society has changed. Educators know that parents in particular have changed, and not necessarily for the better. They may be more “involved” in their children’s education, but that involvement may often be as helicopter parents, hovering over their kids to protect them from harm, excusing their children’s faults, and berating teachers when their little darlings are not given top marks so they
it erodes the foundations of rational western thought. When the scientific facts of climate change are thrown into doubt, and self-interested parties use propaganda and outright lies to pervert public understanding of the very real threats that are emerging, it represents a triumph of selfish, commercial interests at the expense of the common good and threatens the social compact that underlies our society. Truth is a guiding light in a difficult world, not an opin-
can get into Harvard or the Sorbonne, even though the darlings may not have earned them. Unfortunately, I don’t see any end to this trend. The current generation of students are the spoiled children, of spoiled children. And society has changed as well. One sociology professor has described America as becoming a “toxic society,” and as much as Canada would like to avoid a similar descriptor, I fear it’s coming here too. By this, he meant that we tell parents they are responsible for ensuring their children are kept away from filth and harm, but then exploit them by selling things to them that purvey violence, pornography, and inappropriate behaviour through television, videos, and computer games. But perhaps the most worrying development is the trend towards accepting myths and fictions at the expense of truth. When evolution is cast into doubt because it conflicts with the cherished myths of some religions, and creationism is shopped as a reasonable substitute,
ion that can be used or discarded at whim yet increasingly, people seem to think that facts are a matter of convenience, and that uninformed opinions are equivalent to facts, and that is outright dangerous. And when schools are asked to teach opinions, myths, or propaganda instead of verified truths, we undermine our very way of life. Much of this is really gloomy. Does that represent what I think of the future? Well, there is much of the future that is scary and gloomy, just as the 20th Century included two world wars plus an assortment of smaller ones, a Great Depression, the threat of thermonuclear war, and a wide variety of tragedies and disasters. Yet, what we will remember most about the 20th Century are the incredible advances in medicine that lead to an increase in life expectancy of about 30 years; the development of computers and the Internet, placing the greatest library in history literally at our fingertips; a massive increase in wealth
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FUTURES that produced the most substantial improvement in lifestyle in human history, and a concomitant flourishing of the arts, plus the technology to record and transmit it to anyone, anywhere. And I see similar changes, and much more, for our future. I once said that anything
computer then create them in the laboratory. So our future is even more astonishing than our past. And education is the key. Let me end by repeating something I’ve said many times, including earlier in this article: If we get education right, we have a chance to solve all of
chance at all. Education is our future, and teachers and principals are its guardians. Thank you. Richard Worzel is Canada’s leading futurist, and speaks to more than 20,000 people a year. He volunteers his time to speak to high school students for free.
that was possible would be our other problems. If we get Contact him at futurist@futureaccomplished, or at least it wrong, then we have no search.com. started, in the 21st Century. I find that frightening because of the enormous breadth of Didn’t get your key tags this statement. Yet, I cannot in the mail? Order them today! find it within me to deny it. I Attach a War Amps was recently at a conference confidentially coded key tag to for a biotech company of your key ring. It’s a safeguard for all your which I am a founding sharekeys – not just car keys. holder, and was able to have If you lose your keys, The War Amps can return them a 10-minute, private converto you by courier – free of charge. sation with Dr. Craig Venter. When you use War Amps key tags, Dr. Venter was the person you support the Child Amputee (CHAMP) Program. who did more to decode the human genome than anyone else. I asked how long it would be before we
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MAY/JUNE 2012 TEACH / LE PROF - 12
Behind the Scenes of The Shadowed Road By Wili Liberman
S
trangely, when I conceived of the online, educational project, The Shadowed Road, which explores the history, culture and education system of modern day Ethiopia, it never occurred to me to actually go there. At the time, Ethiopia represented a metaphor and a context in which the major themes of Global Citizenship, Human Rights, Democracy and Basic Education, were set. Ethiopia was just an idea, a faraway place that, in my untutored imagination, represented all of the clichĂŠs associated with Africa: poverty, disease, instability, blazing heat, drought and famine. 13 - MAY/JUNE 2012 TEACH / LE PROF
Naturally, I was wrong on every count. The project consists of a number of core components: a graphic novel of the same name, instructional videos, music, digital images, a suite of themed lesson plans that link to curriculum nationally, as well as a raft of tools and resources for educators and students. Like most projects, The Shadowed Road begins with a story. In fact, it is a story. The narrative of the graphic novel revolves around its protagonist, a 14-year old girl living in the rural north of the country—Selome Fekadu. The character of Selome is an archetype, one
that represents the hopes and aspirations of many young people in Ethiopia, girls in particular. Aspirations such as finishing school and getting a desirable job, breaking the chains of poverty, and pushing the boundaries of cultural norms where girls in rural areas are expected to stay home and marry young. Selome becomes an ambassador for learning, as her character wants to become a teacher. To do this, she must complete her education, an impossibility in her rural village. Her father wants her to stay at home and marry someone of his choosing. Selome rebels and takes
to the road—the shadowed road—to fulfill her dreams. Along the way, she has adventures and encounters that fuel her determination to be successful. The ending of the story is multi-layered with three endings. Students have the option to select the one they feel is most appropriate, credible or desirable. It is an indicator that The Shadowed Road, no matter who travels on it, is nuanced and not always straight or easy to follow. It’s a universal story not bound by geography or culture. Early in October 2010, myself and the two MAY/JUNE 2012 TEACH / LE PROF - 14
THE SHADOWED ROAD members of the video crew, flew into Addis Ababa, Ethiopia’s capital city. Addis Ababa erupted before us. It is a chaotic, frenetic city of about three million people with wide thoroughfares bursting with traffic. No lane markers to speak of and the bumper-to-bumper vehicles that weave in and out whenever a tiny gap opens up. Horns blare and beep. Blue mini-buses throng the streets. It is a city with a pulse, one that’s on overdrive. October marks the beginning of the dry season. The weather was sunny and clear, but not overly hot. I hadn’t realized that the parts of Ethiopia on our itinerary took us to the elevated sections of the country. Addis Ababa is 2500 metres above sea level. Much of the country is comprised of steep hills and mountains. Rarely did we encounter flat land. Driving the hill country was manageable, but walking it was arduous beyond belief, especially when the altitude came into play. From Addis Ababa, we flew to Bahir Dar to the north. Bahir Dar is close to Lake Tana, a huge lake that is the hub of the inland fishing and resort industry in Ethiopia. On a promontory 45 minutes offshore, we motored to an ancient monastery. After a hike through the forest, a compound appeared with the monastery within it. When we arrived a funeral was in process. We came across a lot of funerals as the life expectancy in Ethiopia is low by western standards. The monastery, dating back to 15 - MAY/JUNE 2012 TEACH / LE PROF
the 16th century, approximately, was built in the round. Astonishing paintings adorned its walls and as you walked around, the entire story of the Old Testament appeared before your eyes. Ethiopia is a religious country. Orthodox Christianity dominates while about one third of the population is practicing Muslims. There had been a native Jewish population, but hundreds of thousands had been evacuated to Israel during the last civil war. Paradoxically,
THE SHADOWED ROAD
Ethiopia is governed by a socialist-military regime although some aspects of democracy have been maintained. In many ways, figuratively, physically and structurally, Ethiopia is a land of contrasts. The Lake Tana region is also home to the breathtaking Blue Nile Falls. After an arduous climb through the hills, toiling up rocky paths peopled by goats and villagers, an amazing vista opens up. As the rainy season had just ended, the falls pounded out in fulsome
glory. Yet, as the dry season continues, the waters abate and the falls come to a standstill. Watching tons of water per second pour over the promontory, it’s difficult to imagine times when it all but disappears. We ventured further north to the town of Gondar and it seemed as if we climbed higher and higher continually. Gondar is also home to some impressive stone castles. In Gondar, we met a young woman who runs a program that houses street kids. She receives no government funding and somehow manages to scrounge enough to keep the program afloat. From Gondar, we continued further north to the even more elevated town of Lalibela, famous for its churches carved out of a single piece of rock. There is a large restoration program under way to preserve parts of the churches that are beginning to crumble or sag, all of which however, are still used as houses of worship. The most famous carved church is that of St. George, shaped like a cross. It rises out of the ground from which it had been excavated. While wandering the grounds of that church, we heard blood-curdling screaming. It turns out we’d happened on an exorcism. A young woman felt she’d been possessed by the devil while a priest sprinkled her with holy water, found in a pool on the site. It is said that the water burns as the evil spirit is driven out. MAY/JUNE 2012 TEACH / LE PROF - 16
THE SHADOWED ROAD The scenery of Ethiopia is extraordinary and the views spectacular. It’s difficult to convey just how beautiful the country is. And also, how welcoming the people are. Naturally, being foreigners and carrying video equipment, we attracted attention everywhere we went. People were naturally curious and friendly and inevitably asked for a handout. Saying no became part of the common vocabulary but when said firmly, a refusal was accepted with good grace. Not far from Lalibela, we visited a local rural school, Bilbala Elementary to get a sense of how education was conducted in the countryside. Clearly, the community was poor and the school had little in the way of resources. A polluted river ran near the grounds where the children got their drinking water. The classrooms had no electricity, no windows, few desks, scarce materials and resources, and roughly 65 students packed each class. The goal was to get the class size down to an average of 50 students. So many children attended this particular elementary school that they had to come in shifts. Lalibela represented the northern pinnacle of our journey. We had roughly traced the path that Selome would have taken on her journey to Addis Ababa. As we travelled the rough and tumble roads of the country where it is nearly impossible to venture out in the dark, we approached the capital city. A high17 - MAY/JUNE 2012 TEACH / LE PROF
light of the back leg of the trip comprised a visit to a buzzing Muslim market where everything from camels, oxen, furniture, blocks of salt, handmade rope to fruit, honey, huge
THE SHADOWED ROAD we ate a goat that had been slaughtered for that purpose. Balancing our visit to a rural school, we went to see a privately run school in Addis Ababa. The contrast between the two schools couldn’t have been clearer. The private school featured modern buildings, electricity, a basketball court and bleachers, standard materials and resources, and some access to computers. The children wore uniforms and were well groomed. They were taught entirely in English. Class sizes were small. Young students with whom we spoke were articulate and thoughtful. All of them were proud of their country and proud to be Ethiopian. They had a revealing sense of identity. Their destiny was to lead the country in generations to come. A heady ideal for a 10 or 11-year old. All of my pre-conceived notions about Ethiopia had been exploded. The country does face significant challenges and the contrast between education in the city and the country was pronounced. We witnessed scenes that might have been taken straight from the Old Testament. Yet so much of the country, its people and the countryside thrives. Going there, experiencing a small aspect of Ethiopian life made Selome’s fictional joursacks of coffee beans, vegetables and cloth- ney more tangible and real. It has been a ing were sold. Set on a hillside, the market- privilege to take my own journey down The place buzzed with activity representing a Shadowed Road. fundamental lesson in economics. For lunch, MAY/JUNE 2012 TEACH / LE PROF - 18
CURRICULA C A N A D A’ S C A P I TA L T R E A S U R E S FOR GRADES: 6 TO 9
Series Introduction Seven classroom-ready lesson plans and five introductory videos highlight and explore the significance and importance of Canada’s Capital Treasures. These treasures represent knowledge, sacrifice, commitment and ingenuity. This series of lesson plans is available for download at www.teachmag.com/curricula. These lesson plans were produced by the National Capital Commission (NCC) in collaboration with the Virtual Museum of Canada and TEACH Magazine.
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Keywords Maurice Richard; Stanley Cup; The Hockey Sweater; Never Give Up
Introduction Walking in Jacques-Cartier Park in Gatineau, Quebec, most Canadians aren’t surprised to see a bronze statue of a giant hockey player. After all, hockey is Canada’s game, a unifying force across the country, and Maurice “The Rocket” Richard was one of the game’s greatest players. Richard dominated the NHL in the 1940s and ’50s, playing for his hometown Montréal Canadiens, and increased international recognition of a young Canada on the world stage. His records and achievements are legendary: scoring 50 goals in 50 games, winning eight Stanley Cups, and being fast-tracked to the Hockey Hall of Fame. His image appeared on everything from magazine covers to cereal boxes. His famous number 9 jersey was retired within a month of his leaving the league in 1960.
Lesson Five: “Never Give Up!” — Maurice Richard Monument Learning Objectives The learner will: • • • •
Make compelling and persuasive arguments regarding community achievements; Conduct individual and group research; Understand the role of memorializing as an important function of maintaining identity; Examine Canadian personalities of the mid-20th century.
His life has been chronicled in books, television, and film. The Hockey Sweater, the children’s book written by Roch Carrier, is about a child trying to obtain a number 9 “Habs” jersey. Richard’s legacy reverberates more than 50 years after his retirement. It’s no wonder that Maurice Richard remains a national icon. A quick peek at Canadian popular culture reveals hockey as a defining aspect of our lives in fields as diverse as music, literature, and advertising. Canadians follow their organized teams, from the NHL to minor leagues to the local peewee teams. Olympic hockey, both men’s and MAY/JUNE 2012 TEACH / LE PROF - 20
When the Montréal Forum closed in 1996, Richard’s appearance at the closing ceremonies resulted in a 16-minute standing ovation, the longest ever recorded in that city. During the ovation, while fans chanted his nickname, “Rocket” over and over, he closed his eyes and mouthed the words, “thank you.” Four years later, at his funeral, more than 115,000 people visited, as his body lay in state at the Molson Centre in Montréal, including the Governor General and the Prime Minister of Canada.
Maurice ‘The Rocket Richard’ statue ‘Never Give Up!’ 2001 Photo: National Capital Commission Known for his speed on the ice and his powerful shots, Richard spent 18 years with the Montréal Canadiens. Prime Minister Chrétien remarked of this most dedicated hockey player that he “…defined and transcended the game of hockey.”
women’s competitions, can bring entire cities to a complete standstill. But more than that, Canadians regularly lace up and take to the ice for community shinny games. Turn over a five-dollar bill and there we are, parents and children, on a frozen pond. Even when the snow and ice are gone, street hockey — with the familiar cry of “car!” — takes over summer evenings.
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The following year, the larger-than-life bronze statue of Richard was erected in Gatineau, created by Au Coeur du Bronze. Richard, without a helmet as was typical of his era, races toward the viewer, ready to shoot the puck, his penetrating gaze part of his terrifying reputation as one of the most determined goal scorers of all time. The words “Never Give Up!” are etched in the statue’s base, reminding us of Richard’s place in Canadian history, and the role of hockey in our national psyche.
Activity One: Make a Hockey Card Choose a present-day hockey player. Create a hockey card outlining their contributions to the game, including if they have been featured in other commemorative ways (e.g. on a stamp or a sculpture), or in popular culture (as a spokesperson for a charity or company, for example).
Activity Two: Celebrating Hockey Canadians are passionate about hockey. It’s more than just a game. As a class, brainstorm the various ways hockey is celebrated in Canada (e.g. Hockey Hall of Fame, Hockey Day in Canada). What other ways could hockey be celebrated? Individually
or as part of a small group, choose one of these celebrations. It could be a monument, an event, a publication, or any other idea. Discuss whether your celebration needs to be permanent, or if it should have a definite beginning and end. As a group, present your idea to the rest of the class.
Activity Three: Propose a New Monument Someone in your community, perhaps even in your school, is contributing, or has contributed to your community in a positive way. Research the different ways to commemorate a person for example, with stamps, statues, scholarships, building and street names, etc.). Select someone who you think deserves to be commemorated in your community. Determine which commemorative method (e.g. a monument, a special day) would be the most appropriate for your honouree. Present your commemoration to your class.
Activity Extension: There is also a Maurice Richard statue in Montréal. Why does Richard have a statue in two cities? Consider the individual you have decided to commemorate. Would it be fitting to have a second commemoration of them in the country’s capital? Where would be the best location for such a monument or commemoration?
Activity Four: Individual Research and Class Discussion Maurice Richard came to prominence during the middle part of the twentieth century. During this time, Canada was still growing as a country and many laws and social norms were changing. Discuss as a class what other Canadian events happened during Richard’s playing career (1942– 1960). Were there other personalities of the era
Statue base, 2005 Photo: National Capital Commission The number 9 identifies Maurice Richard as much as his official signature. This detail is from the monument’s base.
that helped define Canadian identity? Choose one and present your Canadian personality to the class.
Activity Five: Writing a Short Paper and Creating Epitaphs (Grade 7) The words “Never Give Up!” are etched in the base of the Maurice Richard statue. With a partner, research Maurice Richard’s life and then write a short paper explaining why these words are an appropriate epitaph for him. With your partner, think of two or three other Canadian icons or heroes and come up with appropriate epitaphs for them. Be prepared to engage in a discussion about these epitaphs with your classmates and explain your reasoning.
Activity Six: Creating a Biographical Graphic Novel (Grade 8) The life of Maurice Richard has been chronicled in books, television, and film. Create a biographical graphic novel (2 or 3 pages, or longer, if you wish) that depicts an event (or several events) in the life of the great hockey player. If necessary, do some research to learn more information about the life MAY/JUNE 2012 TEACH / LE PROF - 22
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and times of Richard. Make sure your facts are accurate. Before you begin drawing, spend some time reading graphic novels to learn about the various ways of telling a story in panels. Remember to include space for characters’ dialogue or for
narration. Graphic novels are a great way to combine words and images in narrative. Try to take advantage of the genre by building in some action scenes. Do a quick rough mock-up of your pages before moving to a final version.
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Activity Seven: Mapping Sports Icons (Grade 9) All around the world, people play sports and celebrate their national sports stars. Edison “Edson” Arantes do Nascimento, known by his nickname Pelé, was named the “Athlete of the Century” in 1999 by the International Olympic Committee. This incredible soccer player is a national hero in Brazil. With a partner, label the countries on a world map. Research to find a national sports hero or icon for as many countries as possible. What is it about each hero that makes him or her so popular? Find a creative way to represent each icon on the map and to describe why he or she is so popular throughout their nation.
Protecting the Future of Nature The Amazon is the largest rain forest and is among the last places on earth where the jaguar, one of the most powerful cats can be found. Unfortunately, the rain forest is being destroyed by development and logging. WWF is a leader in the conservation of over 56 million acres of the Amazon. We are creating a system of protected areas that animals, local communities and companies can benefit from. We can protect the needs of animals while respecting the needs of local communities.
Be Part of Our Work
worldwildlife.org
MAY/JUNE 2012 TEACH / LE PROF - 24
WEBSTUFF Puzzle your students with crosswords, word searches, scramblers and other learning games. Create your own paper-based games or enjoy online interactive exercises.
Class Tools www.classtools.net In addition to educational games and quizzes, Class Tools allows teachers to create diagrams. The site promises to be great for interactive whiteboards. Teachers can also host their creations on a blog, website, or Internet.
Languages Online www.education.vic.gov.au/languagesonline/
Discovery Education Puzzlemaker www.discoveryeducation.com/freepuzzlemaker Discover offers a variety of free puzzles that teachers can customize to the subject they desire, from typical word searches to more complex cryptograms and math squares. Buy the Puzzlemaker and receive extra features, such as a searchable dictionary and clip art.
ABC Teach Crossword Puzzles www.abcteach.com/directory/fun_activities/ crossword_puzzles ABC Teach Crossword Puzzles: Specializing in crosswords, this site provides pre-made puzzles. There are four general puzzle categories or themes: books, holiday and seasonal, skills, and interactive crosswords online.
Super Teacher Tools www.superteachertools.com Bring Jeopardy and Who Wants To Be A Millionaire into the classroom with Flash games. This site has other games and online interactive tools, including a timer, a random name generator and a random fact generator for your amusement. 25 - MAY/JUNE 2012 TEACH / LE PROF
default.htm Languages Online is a site for language teachers and students. With a combination of template and makeyour-own interactive activities, languages covered include Chinese, French, German, Indonesian, Italian, Macedonian, Spanish, and Beginner ESL.
Hot Potato www.hotpot.uvic.ca Hot Potato is freeware available for Windows, Linux, and Mac OSX. Aside from crosswords, teachers can create interactive multiple choice, short answer, jumbled sentence exercise, and more. This tool is completely web-based.
ESL Galaxy www.esl-galaxy.com/worksheetmakers.htm This site is geared towards ESL, EFL, and ESOL teachers and students. Board games, class games, and game templates are ESL specific. This site offers free demos or links to other websites for access to word searches, crossword makers, sentence scramblers, and word scramblers.
Protecting the Future of Nature Arctic sea ice, a critical habitat for polar bears, is vanishing before our eyes. As polar bears are forced to spend more time on land, the potential for conflict between humans and bears grows. WWF creates global solutions to cut carbon emissions—a leading cause of the depletion of sea ice—while also working with local communities, scientists and governments in Alaska and Russia to reduce the threats to polar bears. We can protect the needs of polar bears while respecting the needs of local communities.
Be Part of Our Work
worldwildlife.org
CURRICULA
LES TRÉSORS DE LA CAPITALE DU CANADA ANNÉES : De la 6e année du primaire à la 3e année du secondaire au Québec; de la 6e à la 9e année en Ontario
Introduction Sept plans de leçon prêts à être utilisés en salle de classe et cinq vidéos d’introduction soulignent et expliquent brièvement la signification et l’importance des trésors de la capitale du Canada. Ces derniers représentent le savoir, le sacrifice, l’engagement et l’ingéniosité. Téléchargez cette série de plans de leçon en visitant la rubrique Curricula de TEACH Magazine – Le Prof à l’adresse www.teachmag.com/curricula. Produits par la Commission de la capitale nationale (CCN) en collaboration avec le Musée virtuel du Canada et TEACH Magazine.
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Mots clés Maurice Richard, Coupe Stanley, Le Chandail de hockey et Ne jamais abandonner
Introduction Lorsqu’ils se promènent dans le parc JacquesCartier à Gatineau, au Québec, la plupart des Canadiens et Canadiennes ne sont pas surpris de voir la statue en bronze d’un géant du hockey. Après tout, le hockey est le sport national du Canada, qui unit les amateurs d’un océan à l’autre, et Maurice « Rocket » Richard a été l’un des plus grands hockeyeurs.
5e leçon : Ne jamais abandonner! — Le monument Maurice Richard Objectifs d’apprentissage En participant à une ou plusieurs des activités qui suivent, les élèves : • • • •
élaboreront des arguments solides et persuasifs au sujet des réalisations collectives; feront de la recherche seuls et en groupes; comprendront le rôle de la commémoration en tant que fonction importante du maintien de l’identité; se familiariseront avec les personnalités canadiennes du milieu du XXe siècle.
Maurice Richard a dominé la Ligue nationale de hockey (LNH) dans les années 1940 et 1950 alors qu’il jouait pour le club de sa ville natale, les Canadiens de Montréal. Sur la scène internationale, il a accru la reconnaissance de la jeune nation du Canada. Ses records et ses réalisations sont légendaires : 50 buts en 50 matchs; gagnant de huit coupes Stanley; intronisé à la vitesse grand V au Temple de la renommée du hockey. On a vu sa photo partout, à la une des magazines comme sur les boîtes de céréales. Son célèbre chandail numéro 9 a été retiré quelques mois après avoir quitté la ligue, en 1960. On a raconté sa vie dans des livres, à la télé et au cinéma. Le Chandail de hockey, un livre pour enfants écrit par Roch Carrier, raconte l’histoire d’un garçon qui tente de se procurer un chandail numéro 9 des Canadiens. Le legs de Richard est toujours très présent plus de 50 ans après sa retraite. Pas surprenant que Maurice Richard demeure un symbole national. Dans la culture populaire canadienne, le hockey fait partie de nos vies, MAY/JUNE 2012 TEACH / LE PROF - 28
un billet de cinq dollars; la scène est typique : des parents et des enfants sur un étang gelé. Même quand il n’y a plus ni neige ni glace, le hockey de rue — et son cri familier « auto! » — prend la relève les soirs d’été. Quand le Forum de Montréal a fermé ses portes en 1996, Maurice Richard était présent à la cérémonie; la foule l’a ovationné durant 16 minutes, la plus longue ovation jamais faite dans cette ville. Pendant l’ovation, alors que les fans scandaient « rocket », son surnom, à répétition, il a fermé les yeux et prononcé le mot « merci ». Quatre ans plus tard, à ses funérailles, plus de 115 000 personnes sont venues lui rendre un dernier hommage alors que son corps était exposé en chapelle ardente au Centre Molson de Montréal. La gouverneure générale et le premier ministre du Canada étaient parmi ces gens.
Statue de Maurice « Rocket » Richard — Ne jamais abandonner!, 2001 Photo : Commission de la capitale nationale Reconnu pour sa rapidité sur la glace et ses puissants lancers, Richard a joué pendant 18 ans avec les Canadiens de Montréal. Le premier ministre Chrétien a dit de lui qu’il « avait défini et transcendé le hockey ».
dans la musique, la littérature et la publicité. Les Canadiens et Canadiennes suivent leurs équipes, qu’elles soient de la LNH, des ligues mineures ou de la ligue pee-wee du quartier. Les compétitions de hockey olympique, masculin et féminin, peuvent paralyser des villes entières. Mais surtout, les gens du Canada chaussent régulièrement leurs patins pour une partie improvisée à la patinoire du quartier. Examinez 29 - MAY/JUNE 2012 TEACH / LE PROF
L’année suivante, une statue en bronze plus grande que nature de Maurice Richard a été érigée à Gatineau. Richard, sans casque protecteur, comme c’était le cas à l’époque, déjoue le spectateur, prêt à lancer la rondelle, avec ce regard pénétrant qui lui a valu sa terrifiante réputation de compteur parmi les plus déterminés de tous les temps. Les mots « Ne jamais abandonner » sont inscrits sur le socle de la statue pour nous rappeler la place de Richard dans l’histoire du Canada et le rôle du hockey dans notre psyché nationale.
1re activité : Fabriquez une carte de hockey Choisissez un hockeyeur qui joue présentement dans une équipe. Créez une carte de hockey qui résume ce qu’il a apporté au hockey. Mentionnez s’il a été honoré d’autres façons (p. ex. par un timbre ou une sculpture) ou s’il est associé à la
culture populaire (en tant que porte-parole pour une œuvre de charité ou une entreprise, par exemple).
2e activité : Soulignez l’importance du hockey Les gens du Canada sont passionnés de hockey. Ce sport est plus qu’un jeu. En classe, remuez vos méninges pour trouver les différentes façons de souligner l’importance du hockey au Canada (p. ex. le Temple de la renommée du hockey, la Journée du hockey au Canada). Quelles pourraient être les autres façons? Seuls ou en petits groupes, choisissez-en une; ce pourrait être un monument, une activité, une publication ou toute autre idée. Discutez pour établir si cette façon de faire devrait être permanente ou si elle devrait avoir un début et une fin. En groupe, présentez votre idée à votre classe.
3e activité : Proposez un nouveau monument Quelqu’un de votre collectivité, peut-être même de votre école, a ou a eu une influence positive sur votre collectivité. Cherchez les différentes façons (timbre, statue, bourse, édifice, nom de rue, etc.) de rendre hommage à quelqu’un. Choisissez une personne qui, selon vous, mérite d’être honorée par votre collectivité. Établissez la façon (p. ex. un monument, une journée spéciale) qui conviendrait le mieux selon la personne honorée. Présentez votre projet en classe.
Élargissez l’activité! Maurice Richard a aussi sa statue à Montréal. Pourquoi Richard a-t-il sa statue dans deux villes? Pensez à la personne que vous avez décidé d’honorer. Conviendrait-il de lui rendre hommage une seconde fois dans la capitale du pays? Quel serait le meilleur endroit pour un tel monument
Socle de la statue, 2005 Photo : Commission de la capitale nationale Le numéro 9 identifie Maurice Richard au même titre que sa signature officielle. On voit ici un détail du socle du monument.
ou pour tout autre hommage?
4e activité : Recherche personnelle et discussion en classe Maurice Richard a attiré l’attention au milieu du XXe siècle. À cette époque, le Canada était encore en plein essor et de nombreuses lois et normes sociales évoluaient. Quels évènements sont survenus au Canada durant la carrière de hockeyeur de Richard (1942-1960). Discutez en classe d’autres personnalités de cette époque qui ont contribué à définir l’identité canadienne. Choisissez-en une et présentez cette personnalité canadienne à votre classe.
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5e activité : Rédigez un court texte et créez des épitaphes (7e année ou 1re année du secondaire au Québec) Les mots « Ne jamais abandonner » sont inscrits sur le socle de la statue de Maurice Richard. Avec un ou une camarade de classe, faites une recherche sur la vie de Maurice Richard et rédigez un court texte expliquant pourquoi ces mots sont une épitaphe appropriée. Avec votre camarade, pensez à deux ou trois autres icônes ou héros canadiens et trouvez-
leur des épitaphes appropriées. Préparez-vous à discuter de ces épitaphes avec votre classe et à expliquer votre raisonnement.
6e activité : Créez un roman graphique biographique (8e année ou 2e année du secondaire au Québec) On a raconté la vie de Maurice Richard dans des livres, à la télévision et au cinéma. Créez un roman graphique biographique (deux ou trois pages, ou plus si vous le désirez) qui décrit un évènement (ou plusieurs)
31 - MAY/JUNE 2012 TEACH / LE PROF
dans la vie du grand joueur de hockey. Au besoin, faites une recherche pour en savoir davantage sur la vie de Maurice Richard et l’époque où il a vécu. Assurez-vous de l’exactitude de votre information. Avant de commencer à dessiner, prenez quelques instants pour regarder des romans graphiques afin d’en savoir davantage sur les diverses façons de raconter une histoire à l’aide de panneaux. N’oubliez pas de réserver de l’espace pour écrire le dialogue ou le texte narratif. Les romans graphiques sont une excellente
façon de combiner des mots et des images dans des textes narratifs. Profitez aussi de l’occasion pour intégrer des scènes d’action. Faites une maquette grossière rapide des pages avant la version finale.
par le Comité international olympique en 1999. Ce joueur de soccer exceptionnel est un héros national au Brésil. Avec un ou une camarade de classe, inscrivez les noms des pays sur une carte du monde. Faites une recherche pour trouver une icône ou un héros national ou une héroïne 7e activité : Faites une carte du monde nationale du sport pour le plus grand nombre de avec des icônes du sport (9e année ou 3e pays possible. Qu’est-ce qui a rendu ces héros ou année du secondaire au Québec) héroïnes si populaires? Trouvez une façon créative Partout dans le monde, on fait du sport et on de représenter chacune de ces icônes sur la carte vénère les vedettes nationales du sport. Edison et écrivez les raisons pour lesquelles elles sont si « Edson » Arantes do Nascimento, connu sous le populaires dans leur pays. sobriquet de Pelé, a été nommé « athlète du siècle »
Every 40 minutes, the Make-A-Wish Foundation® grants the wish of a child with a life-threatening medical condition — being a veterinarian for a day, having a computer to stay connected or going anywhere their imagination takes them. Join in our mission to create lasting hope, strength and joy. Visit www.makeawish.ca today.
A CHILD’S WISH IS WAITING. YOU CAN HELP MAKE IT COME TRUE.
© 2010 Make-A-Wish Foundation. All marks are the property of the Make-A-Wish Foundation
MAY/JUNE 2012 TEACH / LE PROF - 32
FIELD TRIPS
S
lime, scales and aquatic life have the cool
and post-secondary students in veterinary
factor that students love. This spring, take
science or animal care.
your class to zoos specializing in reptiles
The West Edmonton Mall’s marine educa-
and marine life to foster their interest in the
tion program promises hands-on learning
cold-blooded. Across the country, zoos and
that is in sync with Alberta’s kindergarten to
aquariums provide ample populations of
grade 9 curriculum. More than 100 species of
creatures to enlighten students while keep-
fish, reptiles, amphibians, and other animals
ing them engaged with the animals and the
live in the Sea Life Caverns. Depending on the
curriculum.
package or adventure purchased, kids can go
In Ontario, Reptilia’s programs are suited for
behind-the-scenes.
different education levels. For day care and
On the west coast, the Shaw Ocean Discov-
pre-school, the zoo promises an unforget-
ery Centre on Vancouver Island offers educa-
table encounter with a bearded dragon or
tional programs with a focus on the Salish Sea
an alligator. The elementary school programs
ecosystem. The program is directly linked to
are directly linked to the provincial curriculum
the B.C. curriculum. Though classes are wel-
where students learn to apply their knowl-
come to self-guided visits, there are lessons
edge outside of the classroom. The same
designed for pre-school all the way to grade
goes for secondary school and the science
12. For example, grades 4 to 8 partake in fish
and technology curriculum. There are even
forensics and high schools can discover bio-
specialized programs for the home-schooled
diversity through taxonomy, part of Marine
33 - MAY/JUNE 2012 TEACH / LE PROF
Invertebrate Zoology. On the mainland, how-
ever, head to the Vancouver Aquarium that Aquarium du Quebec Sainte-Foy, QC also offers K-12 curriculum-based programs. Ten thousand marine animals await students
www.sepaq.com/aquarium
at the Aquarium du Quebec, including reptiles, fish, and amphibians. The school activities list is available on the website in French only, but it does cover activities for elementary school and all high school levels. This 16-hectare site expands both indoors and outdoors, making it great for picnics and perfect for water games and the tree-to-tree pathway for kids.
FIELD TRIP OPPORTUNITIES Reptilia Reptile Zoo & Education Facility Vaughan, ON www.reptilia.org
Marine Life Department West Edmonton Mall Edmonton, AB www.wem.ca/pdf/marine-life-school-programs.pdf
ADVERTISERS INDEX
ADVERTISER ............................. PAGE# 1 Epson ............................................................................2 2 Make a Wish ...................................................................32
Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre Sidney, BC www.oceandiscovery.ca
Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre Stanley Park Vancouver, BC www.vanaqua.org
3 Mr. X ..........................................................................35 4 The Shadowed Road .......................................................36 5 Textile Museum ..............................................................31 6 Richard Worzel ...............................................................34 7 War Amps ................................................................. 12, 23 8 WWF .................................................................... 24, 26
MAY/JUNE 2012 TEACH / LE PROF - 34
Invite Mr. X Into Your Classroom! TEACH Magazine is pleased to present the fourth in the series of teen adventure stories for readers aged 11-14 years. Follow the antics of Xerxes Frankel and his crew in Mr. X and the Vancouver Iceman as they head to the Winter Olympics to film the hit television series, Get Outta Town! Fun, funny and entertaining, Mr. X helps you support literacy in your classroom. You can purchase Mr. X and the Vancouver Iceman, as well as the first three titles in the series, Mr. X and the Circle of Death, Mr. X and the Cog Train from Heaven and Mr. X and the Rainforest Monkey through Amazon.ca, Chapters/Indigo and other fine bookstores.
Mr. X and the Rainforest Monkey, ISBN: 978-1-55278-639-0 Mr. X and the Cog Train From Heaven, ISBN: 1-55278-583-1 Mr. X and the Circle of Death, ISBN: 1-55278-583-3 Mr. X and the Vancouver Iceman ISBN 978-1-55278-814-1
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The Shadowed Road An Interactive Graphic Novel and Multimedia Experience An Online Digital Project by TEACH Magazine
The Shadowed Road is an interactive graphic novel and multimedia experience. Pedagogical themes of Human Rights, Democracy, Basic Education, and Global Citizenship make the project a great Social Sciences or Digital Literacy tool. Imaginative illustrations and unique multimedia means learning will be fun and intuitive for ESL and ELL students. The story tells the tale of Selome Fekadu, a young Ethiopian girl, who is forced to quit school and become the obedient housewife to a local goat herder. Instead of abandoning her lifelong dreams of becoming a teacher, Selome disguises herself as a boy runs away from her rural village in order to claim her right to an education. As students read through the novel, they’ll embark on a digital treasure hunt, collecting clues to solve an ancient Ethiopian puzzle that will unlock the next chapter.
The Shadowed Road graphic novel is also available as a hardcopy book or an eBook. Order yours today! Target audience Grades 6-9, or 6-12 for ESL/ELL learners Languages The Shadowed Road graphic novel and all digital and academic components are available in both English and French. French curriculum links however, are available to only those provinces with a French curriculum. EXCLUSIVE OFFER: The first 10 people who purchase a digital subscription will receive a FREE copy of the hard copy book. A value of $20! To learn more about The Shadowed Road or to purchase a subscription or sign up for a free trial, please visit www.theshadowedroad.com.