Foreword

This bibliography is a multiresource listing of materials that have been evaluated by Saskatchewan educators and through the Western and Northern Canadian Protocol arrangement for support of English Language Arts: A Curriculum Guide for the Middle Level (Grades 6-9), 2006. The purpose of this listing is to provide teachers with suggested starting points toward building a wide range of suitable learning resources.

The titles of learning resources in this bibliography are offered only as suggestions; teachers are encouraged to select additional suitable learning resources using the recommended selection guidelines.

Copies of this bibliography are available for purchase from Curriculum Distribution Service, formerly known as the Learning Resources Distribution Centre. Curriculum Distribution Service can be contacted at phone: (306) 787-5987, fax: (306) 787-9747, or e-mail: curriculum.orders@sasked.gov.sk.ca.

This document is also available on the Saskatchewan Learning website at the following address:
http://www.sasklearning.gov.sk.ca/curr_inst/iru/elabibs.shtml

Please note that while the learning resources recommended in this bibliography were available at the time of printing, publishers/producers can discontinue distribution of them unexpectedly at any time.

The items listed are intended to promote the philosophy of resource-based learning in which the students gain knowledge and understandings through a variety of learning resources and instructional approaches. In addition to various print materials, the bibliography lists compact discs, videos, DVDs, CD-ROMs, and kits. This multiresource approach provides students with opportunities to interact with a wide range of current materials to suit varied learning styles and to address individual students’ needs, interests, and abilities.

Teachers are reminded that resource-based courses of study can be enhanced through the use of additional materials such as the following:

• newspapers and magazines
• pamphlets, brochures
• television and radio programming
• environmental print, such as posters
• student writing
• internet sites,such as those of professional organizations and writing groups, as well as sources of texts for research and enjoyment
• public library collections
• local resources, such as community histories or family memoirs
• online databases.

It is important that human resources be accessed as well. Every community has capable people who can enrich educational experiences. Local and provincial personnel include storytellers, public librarians, historians, Elders, authors, and writers in residence.

As outlined in Saskatchewan Learning's Indian and Métis Education Policy From Kindergarten to Grade XII, 1995 and Multicultural and Heritage Language Education Policies, 1994, teachers and teacher-librarians are reminded to include works by and about people from various cultures in their units of study.

This bibliography provides suggestions for resources; however, it remains the responsibility of classroom teachers, in consultation with teacher-librarians, to preview and select materials. Selection should be based on the philosophy and objectives of the curriculum, students’ interests and language abilities, students’ prior knowledge and experience as well as the community context.

Also, material should be considered in terms of the following characteristics:

• literary quality
• cultural relevance and accuracy
• country of origin
• equity regarding gender, age, and race
• accuracy
• ease of reading
• relevance to current issues
• adaptability.

Learning resources should be chosen in accordance with the school division's learning resource selection policy. Several Saskatchewan Learning publications available from the Curriculum Distribution Service provide further assistance in the selection process. These include the following:

Diverse Voices: Selecting Equitable Resources for Indian and Métis Education, 1995 - suggests strategies for recognizing and dealing with bias in resources. (Order no. 1901).

English Language Arts: A Curriculum Guide for the Middle Level (Grades 6-9), 2006 - provides objectives, contexts, and strategies for using learning resources in the six strands of English language arts: reading writing, speaking, listening, viewing, and representing as well as for language study. (Order no. 4310).

Indian and Métis Education Policy From Kindergarten to Grade XII, 1995 – provides rationale and guidelines for integrating First Nations and Métis materials into curricula. (Order no. 6962).

Learning Resource Centres in Saskatchewan: A Guide for Development, 1988 – provides guidance for developing a selection policy and suggests criteria for selection. (Order no. 5239).

Multicultural and Heritage Language Education Policies, 1994 – provides rationale for integrating multicultural materials into curricula. (Order no. 1219).

Selecting Fair and Equitable Materials, 1991 – suggests strategies useful for recognition of bias and stereotypes. (Order no. 751).

Saskatchewan Learning has been working in collaboration with Ministries of Education in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Nunavut, Northwest Territories, and Yukon Territory to identify common educational goals and student learning outcomes for English language arts and mathematics curricula. The common goals allow for continuity should students transfer from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. The frameworks are being used in conjunction with curriculum development processes in Saskatchewan to ensure that provincial curricula align with the frameworks.

Saskatchewan Learning has been participating in resource evaluation to identify materials to support the Common Curriculum Frameworks for mathematics and English language arts. Resources evaluated and recommended as support for the Western and Northern Canadian Protocol frameworks and Saskatchewan’s provincial curricula are noted in bibliographies and updates with the designation (WNCP) before the annotation.

The Common Curriculum Frameworks for mathematics and English language arts and materials recommended to support the frameworks may be accessed on the WNCP website at the following address:
www.wncp.ca

Please note that prices for materials that are posted on this WNCP website apply in cases where schools order resources directly from the publisher.

The learning resources recommended in this bibliography should be cross-checked with the school resource centre catalogue in order to identify suitable learning resources already present in the school library collection.

Learning resources in the present collection should be assessed based on relevance to curricula and the needs of the students and teachers.

Learning resource needs not met by the present collection could be identified by the teachers and teacher-librarian working together. Some learning resources may be useful for several grade levels and subject areas. Teachers are encouraged to co-ordinate learning resource selection at the school or school division level.

Teachers and teacher-librarians are urged to preview learning resources carefully before suggesting them for classroom use, and they are advised to refer to their school division's selection policy for guidance in making choices about learning resources

If schools have not been able to preview the materials prior to purchase, it is advisable to order only one copy to review before placing orders for multiple copies. Return policies vary from company to company, but if inappropriate materials have to be returned, they must be in saleable condition.

Schools interested in purchasing learning resources listed in this bibliography should order them from the distributors cited in the distributor directory. Prices quoted are subject to change and do not include taxes or postage, but will serve as a guide to approximate costs.

Videos and DVDs

Several of the videos and DVDs listed are available from Media Group. These are high-quality programs that can be acquired at a nominal cost. Schools are responsible for postage, a duplication charge of $1.00 per title, the cost of blank VHS tapes and DVDs, and applicable taxes. To ensure quality duplication, blank VHS tapes and DVDs can be purchased from Media Group.

Media Group can be contacted at:  

2710 Millar Avenue
SASKATOON SK S7K 4J4
Phone: (888) 682-8808
Fax: (306) 933-3183
E-mail: vidlib@mg.ca

Media Group also provides online ordering services at the following address:

http://videodb.mg.sk.ca/

Please note that to show classic movies or other videos/DVDs in the classroom legally, schools must obtain public performance rights. These public performance rights are cleared for programs available from Media Group as well as for videos/DVDs that are listed for sale in Saskatchewan bibliographies. However, if educators are unsure whether public performance rights are available for a video/DVD that is not included in a Saskatchewan Learning bibliography, the distributor should be contacted before using the video in the classroom.

Sometimes schools or school divisions choose to purchase a licence from a video/DVD collective. The benefit of having a licence is that teachers can show to their students any videos/DVDs produced by the companies represented without violating copyright laws.

If a general licence is purchased, teachers are responsible for renting or borrowing the videos/DVDs. The distributor does not supply them.

Another option is for schools or school divisions to buy a single-title licence. This means that one copy of the video/DVD is supplied by the distributor and that teachers are allowed to show it to their students until the licence expires.

Examples of video collectives are listed below:

Audio Cine Films
1955 Cote-de-Liesse Rd Suite 210
MONTREAL PQ H4N 3A8
(800) 289-8887
Fax: (514) 493-9058
E-mail: info@acf.film.com
Website:http://www.acf-film.com

Criterion Pictures
11391 Seafield Crescent
RICHMOND BC V7A 3J1
Ph: (888) 288-9540
Fax: (604) 274-9541
E-mail: brent@criterionpic.com
Website: www.criterionpic.com/

Visual Education Centre
41 Horner Ave , Unit 3
TORONTO ON M8Z 4X4
(800) 668-0749
Fax: (416) 251-3720
E-mail: cmacdonald@criterionpic.com
Website: http:/ /www.visua led.com

Saskatchewan Learning offers a number of online databases for periodicals, newspapers, and encyclopedias in both English and French languages. Online databases are an important resource for safe, reliable information in an electronic format to support teachers as they integrate technology into teaching and learning. The databases provide teachers and students with access to current and archived information on any given topic/subject area. Canadian content is featured in many of the resources. The products can change as new licences are negotiated to provide these resources to all Saskatchewan schools as well as other library sectors. Generally, the product mix supports a broad range of curriculum needs and grade levels. The databases are located at the following address:

http://www.sasklearning.gov.sk.ca/branches/curr/evergreen/databases.shtml

Saskatchewan learning is providing a forum through the Evergreen Curriculum Learning Resources page for teachers to access and share educationally appropriate Internet sites. The gateway to the URL Database of websites can be found at the following addresses:

www.sasklearning.gov.sk.ca/branches/curr/evergreen/resources_main.shtml
or directly through
www.sasklearning.gov.sk.ca/pls/urldb/udb_pkg.main

Information on sites that are highly recommended and linked to curriculum objectives can be found by accessing this database.

Teachers are encouraged to share their favourite Internet sites with others in the province by registering in the URL database. Once an account has been created, teachers will be able to suggest new Internet sites as well as access and review sites submitted by other teachers. The reviews are used to decide upon a recommendation and links to curricula. Registration can be done online via the addresses previously given.

The General Reference Centre (GRC) provides access to general Internet sites that relate to the curriculum. The GRC can be found at the following address:

http://www.sasklearning.gov.sk.ca/pls/urldb/udb_gen_ref_pkg.gen_ref_by_subj_menu_form

Virus Alert When downloading files and applications, internet users should be aware of the danger of viruses. Downloaded files and applications should always be scanned using an anti-virus utility. It is also advisable to purchase updates to the anti-virus utility regularly. These updates identify the new viruses as well as the old.