News, Undone

          It was a bad day for umbrellas. That is apparently the best headline that Ontario's 4th largest paid circulation newspaper could come up with. Is this an April Fools' joke? Please tell me it is.

          Articles like this are the reason media literacy is part of the Ontario Language Curriculum. The objective of "helping students develop the skills required to understand, create, and critically interpret media texts" is that they will become informed and responsible citizens and consumers of media in an age where information is readily accessible and extremely transient.

          How can it be that a few broken umbrellas on a windy day take precedence over the abysmal living conditions in First Nations communities, spilled industrial waste leaking into city sewers, or the growing need for youth mental health services?

Parts of a Flower

     After a trip to the tulip show at Gage Park, our science teacher asked staff there what happened to all of the flowers once they closed the doors. It turns out that they are composted, so she asked if she might be able to take some with her for a class activity. This was a result of said activity. We all had the opportunity to dissect a flower, label the parts, and display it however we liked. It was a great (and free) way to do some hands-on learning that I would love to expand upon in my classroom. Gardening is a great way to explore natural systems and a really easy way to incorporate field study into your programming.