Canada

=Fourth Grade Canada Unit= During library time I'm hoping to complement the study of Canada during Social Studies by reading First Nations stories and informational books about the life of native Canadians....or should I do a research project instead?

BOOKS
A great folktale to introduce the life of Inuit:
 * [|The Polar Bear Son an Inuit Tale]** by Lydia Dabcovich (1997). Borrowed from MLN.

Collected folktales that include more stories like the above, but longer. Rich, vivid descriptions of life in the Arctic, and adventurous tales that boys would love:
 * [|James Houston's Treasury of Inuit Legends]** (2006). Borrowed from MLN.

Canadian novel. Story of modern day life on a reservation in Canada. Well reviewed; must read: Lisa ordered it from Amazon on 2/18/09.
 * [|Murphy and Mousetrap]** by Sylvia Olsen [|Book review].

Contains fabulous information on the First Nation people: both their history and life in present day Nunavut. Photographs of modern day life are vivid. This would make a great read aloud to learn about life in modern Nunavut region of Canada, or as a resource for student research.
 * [|Canada's Modern-Day First Nations]: Nunavut & Evolving Relationships** by Dr David Bercuson (2006). Borrowed from MLN.


 * [|Inuksuit Silent Messengers of the Arctic]** by Norma Hallendy (2001). In Fenn Collection. Coffee table picture book for adults, picturing landscapes of Baffin Island in Nunavut. Includes a fabulous "upside down" map of the region (compare to our atlas), jaw dropping photographs of the land and stone piles that dot the territory. Text is too dense for boys to read but it's definitely worth passing around while reading stories that take place in the artic circle. I need to find an excerpt that describes the Inuksuit so that boys will understand their significance. Author has spent 50 years with the Inuit.

WEBSITES
[|Kids' Site of Canadian Settlement] Has great research activities and resources for doing research about First Nations and first immigrants.

[|Canadian Atlas] [|Canadian Arctic Profiles]

MUSEUMS
[|Squarmish Lil'wat Cultural Centre] in Whistler/Blackcomb, British Columbia - This museum has a fabulous photographic collection online of the two tribes from the region...would make a good comparison to Inuit traditons (animals, landscape, plants, etc.)

MEDIA
[|Canadian Geographic Magazine]article about the 10th anniversary of Nunavit. Great photographs.