Passages 11

Web Links

Unit 3 Personal Focus: Challenges

fences (poem by Duncan Mercredi)

• Mercredi Info
  This site includes a very brief biography and publication list for the poet. Discuss the purpose of this site, and how students can use such sites to find out about authors and their works. Challenge students to complete an independent study project on Mercredi, by finding and reading books by him.
• Poem by Mercredi
  The poem, "black panther" on this Web page, provides another example of Mercredi's work, and is followed by a brief biography that focusses on his interest in blues. Discuss the poem as a class. (Note the use of the derogatory phrase "girlie men.") You may wish to search The Blues News online newsletter for other poems by Mercredi to share with students-many of the newsletters are printed as complete PDF files which students may find hard to navigate.

• Peter Gzowski Columns
  The author's on-line connection to his Peter Gzowski's Canada column for Canadian Living. Students can read articles, and comment on the voice or personality that is created.
• Gzowski's Profile and Interviews
  This Web site includes CBC's staff profile of Gzowski as well as recordings of his interviews with others. Students can visit the CBC site and research some of the guests Gzowski hosted to his Best Minds program.
• Tom Jackson Talks About North of 60
  On this Web page Tom Jackson discusses his role on North of 60. A short biography is included .Encourage students to use the information on this site to write a scene, featuring Jackson's character from North of 60.
• Tom Jackson Article
  This site offers several articles that describe Jackson's benefit work and humanitarian interests. Students can conduct further research into some of the causes Jackson champions.

• Official Jewel Site
  This Web site, created by the record company, offers a lot of material, including photos, biography, a scrapbook, and audio recordings. Encourage students to explore different parts of the site, and then assess its effectiveness in providing the visitor with information. Hold a classroom discussion to talk about how Jewel's troubled life affected her musical career as a writer and performer.
• Jewel's Poetry
  This Web site includes the text of many poems written by Jewel. Since this is a personal Web site with constantly changing banner ads, you may want to visit it yourself, and print some of Jewel's poems for students to read. (Note that it is always advisable to visit Web links and approve their content, rather than sending students directly to these sites.)

• Tribute to Fulghum
  This Web page provides a 1997 article about Fulghum written by one of his former students. Read the article as a class and discuss the parallels between it and "The Mirror." Then ask students to write an essay about a teacher who greatly influenced their lives.
• Fulghum 1
  Students can visit this site to read an article about Fulghum.
• Fulghum 2
  This Web page provides an interview with Fulghum in which the student can hear the authentic voice of this popular writer/philosopher as he relates several amusing anecdotes. Note that the selection opens with mature language, you may wish to share only selected paragraphs with students.

• Leckie
  This site includes a brief biography of Leckie that students can read.

• Mackenzie
  This site includes a few photos of Mackenzie's work, as well as a review of her work. Ask students to read the review, and consider how it reflects their response to the painting on Anthology page 111.

• Moose in Newfoundland and Labrador
  This tourism site for Newfoundland and Labrador provides information and a different perspective on the matter of moose-hunting them. Encourage students to imagine how the main character of "The Visitor" would respond to the information on this site.
• Images of Newfoundland and Labrador
  This Web site provides hundreds of colour and black and white photos for students to examine. The archival photos can be examined to develop students' historical understanding. More modern photos, like those of Brian Bursey, can be viewed to develop students' contextual understanding of the story.

• Bateman's Philosophy
  This Web site provides links to short essays by Bateman on a variety of topics, from art work to crime. Encourage students to read at least three of these essays, and discuss them in small groups.
• Bateman Prints and Bio 1
  This Web page provides examples of Bateman's artwork that students can examine. They can also click on the Bateman Bio link to reach a short biography of the artist. Encourage students to write a brief essay that compares and contrasts at least two of the prints on this page.
• Bateman Prints and Bio 2
  Here is another Web page that provides examples of Bateman's artwork and a bio. Students could compare the layout of each of these sites.

• Morrice Bio and Images
  This site provides a biography and slide show, as well as other links for the artist. Students can compare two or more paintings.
• Morrice Links
  This site provides links to galleries featuring Morrice's works. Encourage students to use this Web site, and then discuss the helpfulness of such sites, and how students might use such sites in their research. Challenge students to write a short story based on a James Wilson Morrice painting.

• Official Web Site
  This is the official Rick Hansen Web site-including everything R.H., the Institute, the Man in Motion Tour, Research Program, et cetera. Ask students to write an essay about Hansen's life and contributions, using information on this site and other links.

• Art Exhibit
  This site includes information and images from the original Xiong and Hunter exhibit, as well as Xiong's sketchbook. Encourage students to view the images and read the text. As a class, examine the site and discuss what a "multi-media" artist is.
• Movie on Gu Xiong
  This site includes information on the movie The Yellow Pear-The Story of Gu Xiong, a brief biography of the artist, and a list of teacher resources.