Storytelling on Thinking Thursday

We started our Thinking Thursday in the Learning Commons as we usually do.  We thought you'd like to see some pictures in one of our favorite spaces in the school.  We love exploring all the shiny new books.  Every time we enter this space Mrs. Brock tempts us with many new selections on the top of the book shelves.  We never leave empty handed and we are so lucky to have so many spectacular picture books that spark our reading powers and build our background knowledge.

Today in the Commons we  read a new legend called the Orca Chief, it is a wonderful Northwest Coast legend by Roy Henry Vickers and Robert Budd.  The lesson in this story is a powerful one about appreciation and respect for all living things on land and in the ocean, especially those that give us food.  

We were so lucky today to join Metis storyteller Denise Miller.  She sparked so many text to text connections to the legends we have been reading and discussing.  The stories that Denise told us today explained how the coyote, deer and beaver got their body adaptations.

Here is a link to her webpage if you want to learn more about creative talent.  http://www.denisemiller.ca/content/denise-miller-storyteller

We found many curriculum connections, the drum connected us to hearing and sound waves, the stories connected to social studies and identity.  Denise's creative weaving of words and her actions helped us understand and appreciate the importance of oral stories.  In fact we were so inspired that we are writing letters to thank her and tell her about how she transformed our thinking.  For example, we learned that the number four is a magic or special number for Aboriginal People.  Four represents the cardinal directions (North, South, East and West)  and the four seasons on Earth.   We learned that baby deer are born without their deer scent to protect them so that predators will not find them as they hide in the forest.  All these legends explain how things in nature came to be.  See if you can retell the legends we heard today to your parents.  

Here is a video of Denise in action

Denise always ends with gratitude to her audience and so it seems right that I end today's blog with gratitude to all of you wonderful parents thank you for all of the amazing support you give to your children to make them curious learners.