When on vacation, it often happens that you learn a topical news story long after the events have taken place. Holidays are made to "get away" from everyday life, so it is quite normal not to follow the news so assiduously. It is when we return to our routine that we sometimes learn disturbing news. In a few weeks, things are happening in the world!
As every year, SCOOP! invites you to return to the subjects that marked the summer news. This helps to awaken the brains a little and better understand the interests of the young people in your class. It is also an opportunity to question them about their highlights of the summer.
Goals
At the end of the activities, the student will be able to:
- Understand why the flags of public buildings were at half mast this summer;
- Discuss the Lac-Mégantic tragedy in Quebec and compose a text of support for the victims;
- Position international news events on a timeline;
- Identify a highlight of your vacation and compose a text that presents it.
Suggested Activities
ACTIVITY 1: A tragedy in Lac-Mégantic
First, show the following picture to the students and ask them to describe what they see.
Click on it to enlarge it.
Source: Wikipedia
Author of the photograph: Bouchecl
This is the Fontaine de Tourny (gift offered by the city of Bordeaux to the city of Quebec during the 400e anniversary of the latter in 2008) as well as the Parliament Building in Quebec. Point out to students the particular position of the flag. What do you call a flag in this position?
What does a flag at half mast mean?
Tell students that the Quebec government ordered the Quebec flags to be half-masted on all public buildings from July 11 to 17. Why has the government made this request?
Discuss the theme of the Lac-Mégantic tragedy with the students. Read some press articles with them to guide the discussions.
“The peaceful town of Lac-Mégantic, in Estrie, was shaken, on the night of July 5 to 6, by a terrible accident. A mad train carrying crude oil derailed, causing a series of violent explosions. The fireball devastated part of the city center. "Source: Radio-Canada
Article 1
Citizens are worried about train traffic in their city
http://www.radio-canada.ca/nouvelles/societe/2013/07/28/001-circulation-ferroviaire-craintes-citoyens-president-umq.shtml
Released on Radio-Canada, July 28, 2013.
Article 2
Painful farewell to the 47 dead of Lac-Mégantic
http://www.radio-canada.ca/regions/estrie/2013/07/27/001-messe-commemorative-lac-m.shtml
Released on Radio-Canada, July 27, 2013.
Article 3
Oil in the Chaudière River: Environment Quebec will investigate
http://www.radio-canada.ca/nouvelles/environnement/2013/07/26/001-chaudiere-petrole-enquete.shtml
Released on Radio-Canada, July 26, 2013.
Article 4
Lac-Mégantic: the Red Cross raised $ 7.2 million
http://www.radio-canada.ca/regions/estrie/2013/07/24/001-aide-megantic-croix-rouge.shtml
Released on Radio-Canada, July 24, 2013.
At the end of the activity, everyone can be invited to write a short paragraph in which he or she expresses his or her support for the population of Lac-Mégantic.
ACTIVITY 2: News for summer 2013
Several events marked the news this summer. Ask students to list a few topics that have appeared in the media in the past few weeks. For each event, try to indicate when it took place (start, middle or end of summer vacation).
Next, have students place the different events below on a timeline. They must identify the date when the event took place.
- In Egypt, departure of President Mohamed Morsi
- Speech by Barack Obama for the 50th anniversary of the speech " I have a dream By Martin Luther King
- Hospitalization of Nelson Mandela
- Birth of the royal baby
- World Youth Day - Final Mass
Have students use software of their choice to construct a timeline. They can also discover some online services like:
– www.lignedutemps.qc.ca (for classes in Quebec)
- Capzles (http://www.capzles.com) - In English
- MyToolSpace (http://www.mytoolspace.net) - In French (yes!)
See the Allô Prof file which explains in more detail what a timeline is.
As classroom support, you can also use the following document.
Click on the image to enlarge.
Download the source file in ActivInspire format (.flipchart)
Download the file in PDF format
ACTIVITY 3: A highlight of summer
The students experienced many personal events during the summer. Invite them to share a highlight of their vacation. It could be the victory of a championship in a sport, the visit of a particular place, a trip ...
Each student should write a short text, in journalistic style, that explains the highlight of their summer. Then, collect the texts to make a journal. Print it out, or post it on your classroom website if you have one. You can also ask students to use presentation software such as PowerPoint or Prezi, or tebeiciel (IWB software).
More about the magazine
Egypt: the day Mohamed Morsi was deposed
Article from the daily Le Monde
It's a boy!
Article from the daily Le Droit
Pope supports protesters in Brazil
Radio-Canada article
Again hospitalized, Mandela is in serious condition
Radio-Canada article
Obama's speech for 50 years of "I Have a Dream"
Radio-Canada article