It’s November 1 and it’s time to start thinking ahead to Christmas plans! The HHCS Usborne Online Book Fair is scheduled to end on Friday Nov.5, so act now!! Take a look- you will be so impressed with the selection! Start browsing now with the online catalogue- HHCS Usborne Book Sale. After shopping online, fill out your order form here- 2021 HHCS Usborne Book Fair Order. Follow along for Facebook updates here – Facebook Event- HHCS Usborne Book Sale. And finally, if any questions, and to pay your invoice, email Deanna McAllister here – anotherstoryplease2021@gmail.com.
A heads up- the AR due date is coming up soon on November 18! Please check in on your children to see how they are coming along with their reading goal for the Accelerated Reader program. Check in with the homeroom teacher if you are not sure how to access your child’s information on Accelerated Reader/Renaissance.
Recently it was Digital Citizenship week, and then last week, the week of October 25-29, was Canada’s Media Literacy Week! I’m a bit late but wanted to share resources on this important topic. Check out these videos with your kids at home.
Common Sense Media’s Tips for Decoding Media Messages: (from http://commonsense.org)
With so much media and information coming at us through the television, phones, social media, and more, it’s more important than ever for kids to understand the basics of media literacy. When kids can identify different types of news and media and the methods and meanings behind them, they’re on their way to being critical thinkers and smart consumers.
Encourage healthy skepticism.
Help them analyze the messages around them — from toy packaging to news headlines — and question the purpose of the words and images they see.
Play “spot the ad.”
When you see advertising on TV or on a billboard, ask kids to figure out what the ad is selling. Sometimes it’s obvious, and sometimes it’s not. Help them explore why certain pictures, sounds, or words are used to sell certain products.
Explore different sides of a story.
Use real-life examples to help kids understand how people can view the same situation with totally different perspectives. One child might experience a game on the playground as fun, while another might feel like the rules are unfair. When appropriate, tie this example to a news story.
Discuss fact vs. opinion.
Play around with ideas and decide which are facts and which are opinions. Ask: How tall are you? What’s the best food in the world? Do rocks sink or float? Do you like dogs? Point out that both facts and opinions show up in the news, but opinion is usually labeled.
Choose a variety of sources.
Show kids how you get news and information from different places, and explain how you make your choices. Use words like “credible,” “trustworthy,” “respected,” and “fair.” As kids get older, introduce the ideas of bias, satire, and clickbait.
This week I decided to also highlight the genre of historical fiction books. Check out these amazing lists of historical books for every age and from many diverse areas of the world and times in history.
If your child’s homeroom teacher doesn’t already have an Epic account, feel free to use mine! Instructions:
Have your students open up their web browser and
- Go to www.getepic.com/students
- Enter class code
