CANADA’S DEMOCRACY WEEK: SEPTEMBER 16 – 23, 2013
The theme for this year’s Democracy Week is “connect with democracy.” During this week we are all invited to celebrate democracy by connecting with individuals and organizations that reflect Canada’s democratic values. Democracy Week provides a great opportunity for educators to help students explore the rights and responsibilities that they have in their communities and to understand how important the voting process is. For teaching resources, elementary lesson plans, secondary lesson plans, lists of events, and other background information you might want to check out the Canada’s Democracy Week website (democracydemocratie.ca).
UN INTERNATIONAL DAY OF DEMOCRACY: SEPTEMBER 15
Now in its third year, Canada’s Democracy Week has its origins in the United Nations’s Day of Democracy which has been celebrated annually since 2007. For a list of current UN events and activities, visit un.org.
Reading is so much more than just decoding words. It is also the process of using effective literacy strategies to create meaning from the text. One of the most powerful of these strategies is the ability to make connections. Strong readers connect to a story when something in that story evokes a memory. The characters, the events, the emotions expressed and the illustrations can all trigger memories.
A carefully selected picture book can become a catalyst for classroom discussion and a way for students to recognize and make personal connections to Canadian democratic values. Tolerance of diversity is one of those values.
by Mem Fox
illustrated by Nicholas Wilton
Voyager Books, Harcourt, Inc.,1989
ISBN 0-15-202365-8 (pbk)
$7.00, 36 pp., ages 6 – 10
www.hmhbooks.com
Feathers and Fools is a colourful and beautifully illustrated book by Mem Fox. It tells the story of two groups of birds who begin to fear each other because of their perceived differences. This book provides a springboard to a classroom discussion about similarities and differences and makes a link to the acceptance and celebration of diversity being an important goal for a democratic society.
The story begins by introducing a pride of magnificent peacocks and a flock of elegant swans. One day, one of the peacocks observed that it was very strange that the swans should fly and swim when the peacocks did not. The pride became uneasy with the thought that the swans had such strength. They began to make plans.
And so it came to pass that the peacocks gathered a great quantity of feathers which they sharpened into arrows and concealed in the shadows of their gardens.
“Now we can defend ourselves against the swans,” said the first-and-most-foolish peacock, raising his voice that the swans might hear: “We shall hurl these arrows at their throats and slaughter every one should they ever try to change our way of life.”
The swans responded by preparing their own arsenal of weapons. Over time both groups of birds added to their pile of arrows and became increasingly more terrified of their perceived enemy. One day a swan flew over the peacocks with some nest building material in her beak. The peacocks, thinking that she carried an arrow, ran down to the lake with their weapons.
Soon cries filled the air and blood darkened the earth. A cloud of feathers rose into the sky and haunted the sun.
All of the birds were killed in the battle.
Then, in the shadows of the gardens, an egg hatched, and a small bird staggered out into the bloodstained stillness.
Among the reeds beside the lake a second egg hatched, and another small bird teetered out into the ruins.
They stumbled towards each other, alive with curiosity and trust.
“You’re just like me,” said the first. “You have feathers and two legs.”
“You’re just like me,” said the second. “You have a head and two eyes.”
The story ends with the two young birds becoming friends who face the day together in peace and without fear.
- tolerant
- Discuss:
School Wide
Brenda Boreham
Brenda has 35 years of classroom experience. She has presented workshops on literature-based themes and literacy strategies, and has written a number of resources for teachers. She remains passionate about matching up kids with books.
This article is from Canadian Teacher Magazine’s Sept/Oct 2013 issue.