NEWS
Thursday, June 13, 2019
Students have been asking interesting political questions, but we will not have time to cover them all in class. For those interested in learning about the voting systems in Canada and the US, as I noted in class, an excellent youtube channel to check out is CGP Grey (https://www.youtube.com/user/CGPGrey). I recommend the following playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLej2SlXPEd37YwwEY7mm0WyZ8cfB1TxXa
Links from the presentation related to the Green New Deal/The Leap Manifesto (connected to our climate change curriculum):
https://theleap.org/portfolio-items/tour/
https://ocasio-cortez.house.gov/gnd
https://www.ndp.ca/power-to-change
LITERACY
- Read aloud of "Hawk" by Jennifer Dance (exploring the impact of the oil sands on the environment and First Nation communities).
- Media literacy
- Read aloud of "Broken Memory: A Novel of Rwanda" by Élisabeth Combres ("introduces the topic of the 1994 Rwandan genocide to older children and younger teens" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6801561-broken-memory)*
- Read aloud of "Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH" by Robert C. O'Brien (one my personal childhood favourites)
*Students have asked about films they can watch on this subject matter. If you are interested in learning more about the topic and would like a film or book recommendation, please do not hesitate to contact me. I would be more than happy to provide suggestions.
Please note that I do not recommend the film "Hotel Rwanda," as the filmmakers did not speak with any of the Tutsi survivors from Hôtel des Mille Collines, who have expressed concerns with the inaccuracy of the events inside the hotel and the actions of Paul Rusesabagina (a controversial figure in Rwanda). The film also inaccurately and disgracefully represents the UNAMIR soldiers who risked their lives protecting those at the hotel and other locations.
