Month: January 2016 (Page 1 of 2)

Last Saturday, about a dozen homeschool parents (and a couple of kids) met at the MB Education Resource Library for an orientation and tour of the facility.  Many more would have liked to join us but weren’t able to.  Those of us who were present left feeling inspired, some of us kicking ourselves for not having connected with this great resource earlier in our homeschooling journey.  Here’s my top ten of what everyone needs to know about the library:

1.  It’s big.  I somehow pictured it as a small basement room at the back of a windowless office building.  I was pleasantly surprised to find that it’s not what I expected.  It’s quite inviting, actually.  It would be similar in size to any branch of the Winnipeg Public Library system, other than the Millenium, of course.
2. Children are welcome.  One mom had been avoiding a visit because she thought it would entail getting childcare and coming alone.  Nope.  Bring your kids, from toddlers to teens.  There’s something for everyone – even a tiny tot play area.  During school hours, the facility is not super busy.  There are numerous computer stations, sitting areas and tables with chairs so you can read and work on site.
3. You can get a membership card and sign out the resources at no cost. Any homeschooling family that has notified the province and received an id number can sign up and receive a library card to use immediately.  Just head down for a visit and starting checking out the resources.
4. It’s not just books.  Books are wonderful of course, and there are plenty of them, but what make this library unique is the range of resources available:  CDs, DVDs, games, kits, models, puppets, posters, etc.  On our first visit we checked out a number of Dr. Noggins fact card games and another game about fractions.  I saw one family leaving with a huge electricity set.  From math manipulatives to collections of insects preserved in resin, this library has something to appeal to every interest and educational goal.
5. Your 6 year old wants to learn more about the rainforest?  Your 10 year old needs info on catapults?    Their staff will help you find what you exactly what you need.  They will prepare a package of resources for you according to your specific needs; you simply need to call or email your request.  Just let them know the subject matter you want to learn more about and the ages of the children involved, and they will put together a package of learning resources specially picked for you.  Wow!  If you live in Winnipeg, you just need to drop by and pick up your package when it’s ready.  Sounds like Christmas all year round!
6. You live outside of Winnipeg?  Have no fear!  Library staff will mail your package out to you, AT NO COST.  And you can mail it back AT NO COST!  What?!  Just submit your request as described in #5 and you can access the library from wherever you are located in the province.  Wow again.
7. Many of the library’s resources are online.  Highlights of the many digital resources include three collections of eBooks, many audiobooks, access to CBC’s Curio (CBC TV and radio programs and News in Review 1990-2015), a link to the NFB’s extensive film collection, Canada: A People’s History, and other streaming videos sites.  Just register for your online account to get a username and password.
8. Copies of MB’s distance education curriculum for grades 9-12 are available as reference material at the library.  If you’re considering using this independent study curriculum with your teen but want to check it out before committing, you’re welcome to drop by the library and review it on site.
9. Interested in knowing what’s being covered in the MB school curriculum for each grade level and subject?  All the info you need is available at the library; just ask a staff person to point you in the right direction.  The My Child in School website is another good resource for understanding what children are learning at each grade level in the public school system.
10. And now, for the most frequently asked question:  IS THERE PARKING?  There is free one hour parking on streets right around the library and there is a paid parking lot right next door.  There’s also great bus service on Portage and poles to lock your bikes to!
    

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    The Manitoba Education Resource Library awaits your visit:

    Location
    Main Floor, 1181 Portage Avenue
    Winnipeg, MB
    
    Hours
    Monday to Friday: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
    Saturday : 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
    Sunday: Closed

Thanks to Lisa Wilcox for the images.

Youth for Climate Change Action Forum
Assiniboine Park + Zoo |Winnipeg, Manitoba | April 14 – 16, 2016
Grades 9-11

Let us be good stewards of the Earth we inherited. All of us have to share the Earth’s fragile ecosystems and precious resources, and each of us has a role to play in preserving them. If we are to go on living together on this earth, we must all be responsible for it. — Kofi Anan

On April 14-16 2016, the Assiniboine Park Conservancy will host the inaugural Youth for Climate Change Action Forum at Assiniboine Park and Zoo. Over the course of three days, we will explore the complexities of climate change and empower participants to take meaningful action in their own schools and communities.

We are offering your school the opportunity to send a team of up to four Grade 9 – 11 students to attend the conference.  There will be no cost to your school or participants.*

Youth for Climate Change Action will bring together students from urban, rural and northern regions of the province. Through workshops, discussion forums, brainstorming sessions, and social interaction, participants will share their knowledge and understanding of climate change and the impact it is having on Manitoba – on our communities, environment, wildlife, culture and economy.

Climate change is relevant to every Manitoban, especially youth. Students will be encouraged to find common ground, focus on solutions, and share inspiration and ideas for effective climate change action projects they can implement at home, at school, and in their communities. At the end of the three day forum, each school team will present their action project plan. A preliminary forum schedule is attached for your information.

At the conclusion of the forum, schools will be encouraged to appoint a mentor for their team who will provide guidance and support as your students implement their action plan.  Students will be encouraged to share projects updates with other teams through social media.

At this time, we want to assess potential interest from your student body and support from the administration.

* Funding will cover the following for a team of up to 4 students plus 2 chaperones:

·         Forum registration for four students

·         Winnipeg hotel accommodation for April 14 and 15 (2 nights),

·         Meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner)

·         Bus travel within Winnipeg to/from any scheduled extracurricular forum activities.

·         We will also subsidize mileage costs for rural and northern schools Winnipeg for travel to and from the conference.  

If you are interested, please reply and we will forward a complete information package to you in the coming weeks. If I don’t hear from you, I will follow up by phone to discuss whether this opportunity is a good fit for your school and answer any questions you have.

Should you wish to contact me, I encourage you to call or email me at 204-927-6053 or [email protected]

Sincerely,

Karen Lind, Education Coordinator, Assiniboine Park Conservancy

Youth for Climate Change Action Forum
Assiniboine Park + Zoo |Winnipeg, Manitoba | April 14 – 16, 2016
Grades 9-11

Let us be good stewards of the Earth we inherited. All of us have to share the Earth’s fragile ecosystems and precious resources, and each of us has a role to play in preserving them. If we are to go on living together on this earth, we must all be responsible for it. — Kofi Anan

On April 14-16 2016, the Assiniboine Park Conservancy will host the inaugural Youth for Climate Change Action Forum at Assiniboine Park and Zoo. Over the course of three days, we will explore the complexities of climate change and empower participants to take meaningful action in their own schools and communities.

We are offering your school the opportunity to send a team of up to four Grade 9 – 11 students to attend the conference.  There will be no cost to your school or participants.*

Youth for Climate Change Action will bring together students from urban, rural and northern regions of the province. Through workshops, discussion forums, brainstorming sessions, and social interaction, participants will share their knowledge and understanding of climate change and the impact it is having on Manitoba – on our communities, environment, wildlife, culture and economy.

Climate change is relevant to every Manitoban, especially youth. Students will be encouraged to find common ground, focus on solutions, and share inspiration and ideas for effective climate change action projects they can implement at home, at school, and in their communities. At the end of the three day forum, each school team will present their action project plan. A preliminary forum schedule is attached for your information.

At the conclusion of the forum, schools will be encouraged to appoint a mentor for their team who will provide guidance and support as your students implement their action plan.  Students will be encouraged to share projects updates with other teams through social media.

At this time, we want to assess potential interest from your student body and support from the administration.

* Funding will cover the following for a team of up to 4 students plus 2 chaperones:

·         Forum registration for four students

·         Winnipeg hotel accommodation for April 14 and 15 (2 nights),

·         Meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner)

·         Bus travel within Winnipeg to/from any scheduled extracurricular forum activities.

·         We will also subsidize mileage costs for rural and northern schools Winnipeg for travel to and from the conference.  

If you are interested, please reply and we will forward a complete information package to you in the coming weeks. If I don’t hear from you, I will follow up by phone to discuss whether this opportunity is a good fit for your school and answer any questions you have.

Should you wish to contact me, I encourage you to call or email me at 204-927-6053 or [email protected]

Sincerely,

Karen Lind, Education Coordinator, Assiniboine Park Conservancy

Green Teacher’s upcoming webinars are an interactive way for educators to continue learning about key environmental topics. Our professional development webinar series features some of the most important thinkers in the field of environmental education addressing vital and relevant topics.

We have six webinars scheduled in the coming months. Registration is FREE and one can obtain a certificate upon completion.

Full details here.

School-community project subsidies are available to classrooms and school clubs. This is a wonderful opportunity to engage your students in projects that seek to address poverty in our communities, or address human rights, or any other social justice issue of importance to your school. Perhaps you even wish to become a Fair Trade school.

To create a project and apply for funding, please login or create a profile (imagine-action.ca) and select one of the following subsidies:

Join the 150,000+ students in Canada engaged in 420 school-community social actions projects. You have until June 30, 2016 to complete your project.

School-community project subsidies are available to classrooms and school clubs. This is a wonderful opportunity to engage your students in projects that seek to address poverty in our communities, or address human rights, or any other social justice issue of importance to your school. Perhaps you even wish to become a Fair Trade school.

To create a project and apply for funding, please login or create a profile (imagine-action.ca) and select one of the following subsidies:

Join the 150,000+ students in Canada engaged in 420 school-community social actions projects. You have until June 30, 2016 to complete your project.

Celebrating 100th Anniversary of Women’s Voting Rights
The Canadian Museum for Human Rights in Partnership with the Manitoba Museum and the Lieutenant Governor’s Office is holding an exciting event on January 28^th, 2016 to mark the 100^th anniversary of some women in Manitoba gaining the right to vote. They are inviting student participation.

Go here for full details of the day’s activities and how to register.

Celebrating 100th Anniversary of Women’s Voting Rights
The Canadian Museum for Human Rights in Partnership with the Manitoba Museum and the Lieutenant Governor’s Office is holding an exciting event on January 28^th, 2016 to mark the 100^th anniversary of some women in Manitoba gaining the right to vote. They are inviting student participation.

Go here for full details of the day’s activities and how to register.