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Teacher's Guide For The Series Tales From Big Spirit

By Katya Adamov Ferguson
Imprint: Portage & Main Press

Categories: Education, Multicultural Education, Social Science, Elementary
Softcover, coil bound : 9781553795261, 82 pages, October 2014
Ebook (PDF) : 9781553795353, 74 pages, October 2014

Table of contents

Preface 1

Part I

  • Tales from Big Spirit Graphic Novel Series 5
  • Aspects of the Graphic Novel 7
  • English Language Arts Instructional Focus 10
    • Accessing Prior Knowledge 10
    • Questioning 11
    • Inferring 11
    • Visualising and Creating Sensory Images 11
    • Making Connections 12
    • Synthesizing Information 12
    • Determining Importance 13
    • Summarizing 13
    • Analyzing 13
  • Social Studies Instructional Focus 14
    • 1. Establish Historical Significance 14
    • 2. Use Evidence from Primary Sources 15
    • 3. Identify Continuity and Change 15
    • 4. Analyze Cause and Consequence 15
    • 5. Take Historical Perspectives 15
    • 6. Understand the Ethical Dimension of Historical Interpretations 16
  • Indigenous Perspectives 17
    • Creating an Inclusive Classroom Environment 17
    • Reflecting the Culture of the Students in the Literature 18
    • Implementing an Aboriginal Model 18
    • Integrating Aboriginal Perspectives into Routines, Instructional Methods, and Strategies 19
  • How to Start Using Graphic Novels in the Classroom 20
    • Pre-Read the Novel 20
    • Access Prior Knowledge of Multi-Modal Texts 20
    • Model a Think-Aloud 20
    • Use the Gradual Release of Responsibility Model 21
  • How to Use the Teaching and Learning Sequences 23
    • The First Read 23
    • The Focused Re-Read 24

Part II

  • Learning Sequence for First Read of Each TFBS Novel 26
    • The Scout 26
    • The Peacemaker 29
    • The Rebel 32
    • The Ballad of Nancy April 35
    • The Land of Os 38
    • The Poet 42
  • Suggestions for the Focused Re-Read of All TFBS Novels 45

References and Resources 48

Appendix 1: Classroom Materials 51

  • CM#1: Anticipation/Reaction Guide 52
  • CM#2: Seven Teachings Response 53
  • CM#3: Double-Entry Journal 54
  • CM#4: Medicine Wheel Character Map – Stages of Life 55
  • CM#5: Medicine Wheel Map – States of Being 56
  • CM#6: Story Sequences and Writing/Discussion Prompts 57
  • CM#7: Compare and Contrast: Venn Diagram 63
  • CM#8: Question-Answer Relationship Strategy Graphic Organizer 64

Appendix 2: Primary Sources 65

Description

This teacher’s guide is designed to help classroom teachers use the graphic novel series, Tales From Big Spirit, by David A. Robertson. The guide provides detailed lessons that meet a wide range of language arts and social studies goals, integrate Indigenous perspectives, and make curricular content more accessible to diverse learners.

The guide includes:

  • general instructional ideas for deepening readers’ comprehension of text.
  • a framework to further develop students’ thinking about history.
  • information about aspects of graphic novels and how to use them in the classroom.
  • specific instructional ideas and suggestions for each graphic novel.
  • detailed teaching and learning sequences (before-, during-, and after-reading format).
  • strategies and reproducible classroom materials that support and stimulate student learning.
  • historical images that may be reproduced.