Robins books and curriculum links 2014 2

Saskatchewan Children’s Writers’

Round Robin

31 Years of Telling our Stories

The Robins

1993 (we think) 2007 at Grasslands National Park

2012 at Cypress Hills

Prairie Horizons Conferences1983 - present

1995 at Jackfish Lake

2013 at St. Michael’s Retreat, Lumsden

Next one: September 2015

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What have we done?

Close to 100 booksAll age groups All genresMany awards

ELA Curriculum (all levels)

Comprehend and Respond (CR) to a variety of texts, both by reading and by being read toCompose and Create (CC) a range of texts

including stories, poems, friendly letters, reports, and observations (K-2)More complex and detailed at higher levels

Arts Ed : Picture Books!

Honouring the Buffalo Author: Judith Silverthorne As Told by: Ray Lavallee Illustrator: Mike Keepness Publisher: Your Nickel’s Worth Press

English and Cree (Y dialect) meets Social Studies and LA curriculum

outcomes for grades 1-6 connects to teaching about treaties teacher guide, questions and answers, student

worksheets

story told by grandfather to grandson about the gift of the buffalo, depicting the traditional life of the Plains Cree people

Explains how the body of the buffalo was used for various purposes48 pages with illustrations and photographs

by Dianne YoungIllustrated by John MartzPublished by Kids Can PressWinner of the 2014 SBA

RepetitionPlayful languageGuess the meaning

New Picture Book: Dear Flyary

By Alison LohansIllustrated by Gretchen EhrsamNominated for a 2014 SBA

When Josh goes to stay with Grandpa, his teddy bear, Mr. Humphries, provides his security. Mom thinks he is too old to need a teddy bear. Spending time with Grandpa helps Josh understand his own place in the family.

Developing identity and independence

New Picture Book: Leaving Mr. Humphries

Fiddle Dancer Trilogyby Anne Patton and Wilfred Burton

•Science: • temperatures• interdependence of humans and animals

•Arts Ed: • cultural traditions in music and dance

•Social Studies: • cultural traditions• contributions of the Metis• cultural diversity

Alphabet Books

Grade 1 ScienceDaily and Seasonal Changes

Grade 1-3 Social StudiesFamilies and Communities

Grade 4 Social Studiesimpact of Saskatchewan resources and technological innovations on provincial, national, and global communities

Agriculture in SaskatchewanMining in Saskatchewan

Grade 5 Social Studies: Dynamic RelationshipsHistoric and contemporary relationship of people to land in Canada.

By Linda AksomitisIllustrated by Lorna Bennett

By Myrna Guymer

Illustrated by Rose Marie Condon

By Jo Bannatyne CugnetIllustrated by Yvette Moore20 year special edition issued in 2013

Scholastic EducationGuided reading packages for specific grade levelsCome in packages of 6 with a teacher’s guide

Anne Patton Adele Dueck

Sharon Plumb Hamilton

Gillian Richardson

Gr 1

Gr 3

Gr 2

Gr 2Gr 3 Gr 1

Gr 3 Gr 4

Early Readers

For children starting to read on their ownSimple language, short chaptersProvide a sense of successPersonal and Philosophical Outcome: Children need to

believe in their own self-worth feel that they have control over the things that happen to them

The Germy Johnson books

by Alison LohansGrade 3 GJ’s Secret Plan originally published by Scholastic in 1992

Secret Plan: JJ’s life is upset badly when Great Aunt Pru comes to stay. She gets his bedroom and he must share with his baby sister. His plans to get rid of her backfire, and he comes to appreciate her.

Piano War: JJ and his best friend Derek get stuck taking piano lessons at the same time of their favourite TV show. During their rebellion, their friendship is severely tested. JJ learns what it means to do one’s best vs. taking the easy way out, and what it means to be a friend.

More Early ReadersAlison Lohans

Dianne Young

Original cover

From the Raspberry Room in her back yard, Abby can see through a knothole to the house next door…

Zoe is used to getting around in her wheelchair , but when her family moves to the far north, everything becomes impossibly hard. Worse, she must come to grips with her fear of dogs – and there are plenty of dogs running loose…

Josie needs to buy something at the store but she can’t remember what. Cumulative repetition helps Josie and her friends figure it out.

Originally published by Roussan in 2001.

Middle Grade Historical and “Back in Time” Novels

• Grade 4-8 Language Arts:– Comprehend and Respond (CR)– View, listen to, read, comprehend, and respond to a variety

of texts that address identity• Grade 4 Social Studies : – Describe the origins of the cultural diversity in

Saskatchewan communities.• Grade 5 Social Studies: – Dynamic Relationships (DR)– Analyze the historic and contemporary relationship of

people to land in Canada.

Middle Grade Historical

By Linda AksomitisHistorical aspects:

Southwest SaskatchewanCattle ranching BrothersDutch settlement

By Adele DueckHistorical aspects:

Saskatchewan homesteadingUse of horsesFamily structuresNorwegian settlement

Winner of SBA 2014

By Anne PattonHistorical aspects:

Barr colonistsLloydminster areaMetis influencetransportation in 1903Social mores

More Middle Grade Historicalpart of Coteau Books’ “from Many Peoples” series

Adeline’s Dream, by Linda Aksomitis

Historical aspects:Qu’Appelle, Saskatchewan ImmigrationGerman settlementsFamily relationships.

Nettie’s Journey, by Adele DueckHistorical aspects:

Russian Mennonite settlementsWar, famineRefugeesFarming

Back-in-Time Historical Novels

Picturing Alyssa, by Alison Lohans

Historical aspects:Quaker society

Contemporary:DepressionCyber-BullyingPacifism

Personal/Philosophical:Explore identity

The Secret Series, by Judith Silverthorne

Historical Aspects:Scottish settlement on the Canadian PrairiesScottish historyFamily history

Dinosaur series by Judith Silverthorne

Prehistory: dinosaurs!East End,

Saskatchewan

Middle Grade Contemporary Novel

No Place for Kids, by Alison LohansHeritage House publishing: September 2014

Part of Grade 9 Health curriculumSuitable for ages 9-11

Two sisters run away from an abusive home life and find themselves stranded and homeless in Regina

Must overcome fear, loneliness, illness, sibling conflictTheme: enduring bonds of family

Comes with classroom aids: discussion and/or comprehensive questions Author interviews

Original cover

Middle Grade Contemporary with Fantastical Elements

Ghosts of Government House, by Judith Silverthorne

Aspects:History of ReginaParanormal

Pictures, by Linda Aksomitis

Aspects:Northern SaskatchewanSasquatchesPhotography

Doppelganger, by Alison Lohans

Aspects:Travel in TurkeyCruise shipsSelf-identityADHD

Nonfiction Kaboom! Explosions of All Kinds

By Gillian Richardson2010 CCBC “Best Book for Children and TeensAward winning

•Grade 4:• Earth and Space Science: Rocks, Minerals, and Erosion

•Grade 5:• Physical Science: Properties and Changes of Materials• Physical Science: Forces and Simple Machines• Earth and Space Science: Weather

•Grade 6:• Earth and Space Science: Our Solar System

•Grade 7:• Physical Science: Mixtures and Solutions• Physical Science: Heat and Temperature• Earth and Space Science: Earth’s Crust and Resources

Nonfiction10 Plants that Shook the World

By Gillian RichardsonMultiple award winner

•Grades 4: Life Science: Habitats and Communities• How plants have influenced human development• Environmental effects of intensive agriculture

•Grades 4-7: Resources and Wealth• Agriculture and indigenous people• Irish potato famine• How plants contribute to quality of life• Agriculture in China and South America

•Grade 7: Life Science: Interactions with Ecosystems• Effect of sugar plantations on Caribbean ecosystems• Effect of rubber plantations on Amazon ecosystems

Young Adult Fantasy

By Sharon PlumbHuman space colonists meet a

dragon and a star alienAspects:

Coming of ageEnvironmentalFamily roles

Two-part series by Alison LohansTeenage mother travels to the

future so her child can heal the people there

Aspects:Teen motherEnvironmentalRomantic relationships

Curriculum Tie-Ins for FantasyGrades 8-12 ELA Contexts:

Imaginative and Literary Context (exploring imaginary worlds and possibilities)Personal and Philosophical Context (self-concept, feelings, reflections, influential forces in our lives, ways of thinking and knowing)Communicative Context (issues related to language and communication)Environmental and Technological Context (nature, animals, earth, sky, space, environmental issues)

Historical Young Adult Novels

Comprehend and Respond (CR)View, listen to, read, comprehend, and respond to a variety of texts that address identity

Develop understanding of various historical periods and events

Historical Young Adult

By Alison LohansA girl falls in love with

two brothers in Viet Nam era in the United States

Aspects:War and peaceFinding loveSibling relationshipsViet Nam eraHippie era

By Alison LohansWinner of 2010 SBAA girl and her Japanese

friend deal with Pearl Harbour and its effects on their community

Apects:World War IIJapanese InternmentRacial PrejudiceLiving justly

By Linda AksomitisA girl’s stepmother treats

her polio with an innovative technique

Aspects:PolioStep-familiesFinding your path in life

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