The Story of The Story of Grey Owl

I would like to invite you to watch a very special video (3 minutes long) which has been created by Grade 7 and 8 students at King George Community School in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. After viewing the video, please read the production notes of one of the teachers who worked with this talented group of students. (YouTube address for video: http://youtu.be/duNXY4i9Q8s)

This video is entered into a Parks Canada contest in which a class may win a trip to Banff. If you like the video, could you please visit MyParksPass.ca to vote for The Story of Grey Owl. (Just as I was crafting this blog post, Parks Canada has changed the voting procedure. You need to register to vote. You may only vote once. Parks Canada deleted all of the votes from Feb 1 to 14. Our students were very discouraged. We have a small school and many parents do not have computers at home. It has been difficult to remain in the top ten since people can now vote only once per email address. As I write this [March 1], we are in seventh position in the voting. Before all votes were removed, we were in second or third position.)

I invited Jim Klenz, Resource teacher at King George Community School in Saskatoon to write about the production of The Story of Grey Owl video. He also provided me with some pictures which were taken during the production of this video. (Judy Butler is the classroom teacher who supported and inspired her class in this creative venture.)

Costumes:

Students did research and then created designs. They used patterns and sewing machines to construct Grey Owl’s jacket and pants as well as Anahareo's dress. (Grey Owl's jacket needed to be made extra large in order to hide his life jacket while he was in the canoe.)

Rather than pin the tissue paper patterns onto the fabric as is sometimes done, the kids came up with the idea of creating Bristol board pattern pieces that could easily be traced onto the fabric. This process worked well for them.

Although they were very eager to use the sewing machines, they took great time and care in cutting out and labeling each pattern piece. As they became more familiar with the machines, their confidence and skill grew.

By the end they were able to show other interested students how to use a sewing machine. Once all the sewing was done they created beadwork to add to Anahareo’s dress.

Camera Work:

A student operated the camera for the scene when Grey Owl is canoeing. This included being in the canoe with the Grey Owl actor. It was very challenging but she managed to keep the camera steady and to keep everything in frame.

The scene in the cabin was filmed by the teacher to allow the students to focus on acting and not be embarrassed to perform serious roles in front of peers. The only non-acting student in the scene was the puppeteer who was very respectful of the actors’ need to concentrate.

Music :

Students in the class had asked at the beginning of the project if they could make music for the video. They then went away and composed music on their own. They performed the music at school. (The student who played the song has been part of The Heart of the City piano program at our school.) The song was recorded and placed into the film. It was surprising to the teachers how well it fit the tone of the film. The students who composed it affirmed that they had tried to create music that would fit. They knew and could describe how it would fit the film’s tone before it was even recorded.

Set Design:

One student was in charge of designing the cabin set. He looked at the interior of Grey Owl’s actual cabin as seen in the 1930’s documentary film. He based the design of the set on this. He had to alter the dimensions in order to save on materials and still have room for the actors. He figured out how high the walls would need to be to go six inches above the actors’ heads. He mapped out where the actors could be in order to not step out of the realm of the set. He measured out a floor plan and calculated how much material would be needed to complete the building.

Set Construction:

Several students worked on the set. This included putting up the backing flats, constructing the shelves and interior beaver lodge, and of course attaching the split log boards. The log boards were rough and had to be cut to length by hand. The kids all took turns completing the cutting so they could be efficient and not get too tired. The beaver lodge required some intuitive work as there was no real blueprint. The kids got creative in attaching the sticks and logs to a plywood frame. It was impressive how they persevered until it really looked the way they wanted it to. It was also quite surprising how hard the students worked to neatly, systematically and efficiently take down the set when filming was done. It made us think we would like to hire them to do renovations in our homes.

Editing:

Many teams of students worked on the editing of the film. Each of these students participated in making cuts, placing clips, creating transitions and effects and adjusting sound tracks to fit the scenes.

Writing:

The entire class participated in writing various parts of the script. They were presented with themes and ideas and then guided by questions from the teacher. (The class did research on Grey Owl, Prince Albert National Park, the fur trade, beavers, and Cree people.) They each were required to write their best version of the dialog in the film. They really had to rely on what they learned from their research in order to make the script have the appropriate level of depth. Their best ideas were combined to generate the final script.

Special Effects/Props:

One particularly ingenious student was presented with a practical problem: how to make replica baby beavers that would swim by a canoe. He devised a solution and sketched out a design. As he worked through this process he was guided by ongoing questioning from the teacher. How would that work? What would that look like? What does it need to look like? How would you control that on filming day? With each subsequent question, the design became more refined.

The teacher made the basic parts for the student who then put the pieces together and refined them to make them work properly. Part of the student’s design included an adjustable counterweight that would allow the replicas to sit right in the water. This system was adjustable to account for changing conditions on location.

This student was in charge of operating the replicas on location. He also supervised an assistant in this. He worked very well with others on location, both taking and providing feedback in order to make the scene work. This student also participated in designing and constructing the larger beaver puppet that appeared in the cabin. (Mr. Klenz told me today that the "baby beavers" were carried out into the Pike Lake waters by "Grey Owl" in the canoe. He then set them into the water. As he paddled, students on shore reeled in the baby beavers so it appeared that they were swimming beside the canoe.)

Puppeteer for beaver in cabin:

Our puppeteer was perfect. When filming was going on he was always right on cue and never made a sound or did anything to distract the actors in any way. He made the puppetry come to life with subtle gestures and timing that really added to the emotion of the moment.

Acting:

The Grey Owl actor’s excellent solo canoeing made filming so much easier. Thank goodness he had participated in so much canoeing training with us at school over the last few years. This actor’s mom helped him translate and memorize his line at the lake, in the Cree language. Our research suggested that Grey Owl likely spoke Ojibwe. However, we felt it was more appropriate to have a student speak his own language in a rare opportunity to share it with others. Regardless, this small effort to acknowledge Archie Belaney’s appreciation of First Nations culture felt right to us.

It can be extremely difficult to get young actors to play serious roles. The two actors perfected their parts in rehearsals and performed in front of the camera with excellent focus and discipline, often seen only in adults. The hinting at tension between Grey Owl and Anahareo (when he slammed the book closed) came from research that the students did that suggested that Archie was abusive towards Anahareo at times. This kind of tension, while subtle in our video, is difficult for most young actors to handle without getting a little silly. The kids never missed a beat and barely cracked a smile during the numerous takes that needed to be filmed in order to get this part just right. They even came up with slight adjustments to make it work better.

Both actors were also very professional when posing for the photographs that were incorporated into the film.

A special guest advisor:

While the two baby beavers and the beaver in the cabin were cleverly created puppets, there was a real beaver that appeared in the film, at the beginning and the end. We considered this to be a sign of good luck. This beaver appeared at Pike Lake within the first few minutes of our arrival at the shoreline when we were there to film the canoeing scene. It swam by us several times--allowing us to capture it on film and put it in the film.

We felt almost as if it was there to tell us we were on the right track. Indeed, that beaver may not have been there had Grey Owl not made the efforts towards conservation that he did. That day, we all ended up feeling like we were involved in a very special project.

Newspaper Rant

What's black and white and read all over? If some people have their way, it won't be the newspaper. Why? Tell me, why? Just because I love my Twitter and the blog posts that come to my Google Reader, does this mean I should ditch (or diss) my newspaper?

So many people I meet online see everything in black and white (yes that's another newspaper joke). They love their breaking news (and yes, I found it rather shocking that after hearing about Ted Kennedy's passing on Twitter, I didn't read about it in the paper for 1 1/2 days) a

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nd their tidbits of juicy information (Kanye West anyone?). But why does it have to be either social media or the newspaper? Can't we have both?

Here's a few reasons I will continue to read my local newspaper--the Saskatoon Star-Phoenix--each day.

1) I believe in buying locally. I want to keep my city vibrant and growing. I believe that supporting my local newspaper is part of my plan to consume locally. I like the local coverage in my newspaper. It also covers national and international stories that I can find elsewhere. I think that local newspapers need to go even more in-depth with those local stories in order to attract readers.

2) I am a tactile person. I like the feel of the newspaper. I also like the idea that my newspaper boy (or girl) has trekked around the neighbourhood early in the morning (making some ca$h) to deliver my paper. My husband sits and reads the paper along with his breakfast cereal. I read it later and do the Suduko (in pen, I'm proud to say. If I mess up, I

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give up for that day). A little later my son (17 years old) reads the paper from front to back. I even like the feel of the papers as I recycle them using Saskatoon's Curbside Recycling service.

3) Currently I have three main sources for news in my life:

1. I use Twitter for the latest stories. However, how much detail can be given in 140 characters? I do click on links sometimes to read more. Twitter is like the headlines or the captions for the news.

2. I read the local newspaper six days each week. This gives me more detail on the news I have seen in short form on Twitter. I follow local stories this way.

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3. I read the Maclean's magazine (similar to Times or Newsweek for those in the United States). This weekly magazine provides more in-depth commentary and information on some of the national and international stories in the world. For example, it just had a cover story on the Kennedy family.

Bottom line for me is that I love my newspaper. Please, don't let it die. Tell your local newspaper folk how they can better meet your needs and serve you. Help them to find their niche in this evolving world of instant, viral news stories.

Teachers Serve It Up

Recently I have had some experiences with stores and restaurants that have made me think about customer service. During our summer holidays, we stopped at the West Edmonton Mall in Edmonton for a few hours. I know that Edmonton and Alberta in general are having some difficult times economically. I noticed that even a large and popular store like H & M seemed to have less merchandise than usual. The aisles were wider and the selection was not as varied. Both at H & M and many other stores in the mall, only one or two cash registers were open so that the customers who wished to buy

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something had to wait in a long line. At several stores where I was thinking of buying something, I walked away because I didn't want to wait in such a long line.

Suggestion: Hire more cashiers so you can keep the customers happy so you will sell more merchandise so you can hire more cashiers and so on.

Back in my home city of Saskatoon, my family decided to go out to a new restaurant for Friday night supper. When the four of us came in the door, the one, lone server greeted us and told us we could sit anywhere. Since it was a restaurant/sports bar type of place, there were about four televisions all tuned in to a baseball game. I asked if the Canadian Football League game was on. Some customers sitting at the next table said that they had asked the server to change the channel to show the football game and she said she would. (It had not happened yet.) After ten minutes, the server came and gave us menus. She said, "You are going to get terrible service here tonight." She said it with a smile like she was just stating the facts. Then she left again.

We waited one more minute and then walked out.

Suggestion: If you work in the service industry, always represent your restaurant or store in the best possible way. If you are having an issue because the boss did not bring in enough staff or because someone called in sick, explain that. At least the customers will understand that you are doing your best under difficult circumstances. As it is, I don't plan to go back to that particular restaurant again.

When we left the previous restaurant, we went across the parking lot to another restaurant. We were kept waiting to be seated while the cashier rang up people's bills. She did say sorry to us and that she would be with us right away. Since it was a buffet, once we were seated,

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we selected our food immediately. That restaurant was Johnny Boy's. The food was delicious, fresh, and hot. Our server kept coming by to ask if we needed anything. I will definitely plan to return to this restaurant.

Last weekend, my husband and I traveled to Regina for the Roughrider football game. We went to Joey's Only for lunch. When we arrived, there were few people in the restaurant. As it grew busier, the one main server just kept moving around effortlessly, setting up tables, bringing menus and drinks. She did phone to ask the boss to come in. Then she just kept doing what needed to be done, with poise and grace. The food was good but I was even more impressed with the calibre of the staff.

This morning, I took my son out for breakfast. There is a little cafe called Fong's in our neighbourhood. It looks like a small town cafe with booths around the outside and tables in the middle. I believe that they rent the facility which is part of a little strip mall. They have good home style food (breakfast all day) and Vietnamese specials. The thing that bugs me is the washroom. The bottom of the toilet has had a piece cracked and broken on it forever. There is no proper toilet paper holder. There is no paper towel holder. It says, "I just don't care." This washroom has been saying this for several years already. I don't think it is my place, as the occasional customer, to suggest using a few dollars to spiff up the washroom. Would I invite any of my friends to go to this restaurant with me? No. It's not up to "company" standards.

What do these stories of restaurants and stores have to do with myself as an educator? In the next few weeks, students will be returning to the elementary schools in Saskatoon. What kind of welcome will they receive? Will we have enough staff to meet their needs? Will teachers and office administrators speak politely and respectfully to all students and their families? Will students go home at the end of the first week saying, "I never want to go back" or "Can I go to school tomorrow, even though it's Saturday?"

Schools these days can be stressful settings. Teachers are being asked to do more and more. What kind of grace and poise under pressure will teachers show? How can we move eff

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ortlessly around the room to graciously "set the table" for our students?

What does our school and our classroom say? Does it say, "We just don't care" or does it say, "We will go the extra mile to create a welcoming place where you will feel safe and be surrounded by joy."

For all you teachers out there, God bless. Have a great year.

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Streetcar in the Warehouse District

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The streetcar picture was scanned from the book Saskatoon's Electric Transit: The Story of Saskatoon's Streetcars and Trolley Buses by Easten Wayman.

References:
Wayman, E. (1988). Saskatoon's electric transit: The story of Saskatoon's streetcars and trolley buses. Toronto: Railfare Enterprises Limited

Who is Ruth Elliott?

I decided late in life what I wanted to be when I grew up. In my 40's, I returned to university (University of Saskatchewan) to become a teacher. I just completed my tenth year as a teacher in Saskatoon, Sk. I have taught grade 2, grade 5, and grade 5 and 6 in a gifted education program. This year I started my MEd program at the U of S in Education Curricu

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lum. Since I am interested in moving into a Teacher-Librarian position, I have signed up as a Visiting Scholar through the Western Dean's Agreement to take three classes in TL by DL from the U of A. During the next school year I am blessed to have an Education Leave so that I can go to university full-time. I am planning to do a thesis on how parents and families support children's literacy.

During this past school year, I taught full-time in a community school with 23 to 25 Grade 1 and 2 students. I also completed four three-credit classes. The most recent class was presented in a blended format (Ed Research) in which we met face-to-face three times and met on Blackboard (similar to this class) the rest of the time. It was a lot of work but also lots of fun. In class, I do like to talk and even blurt things out. You will notice that I will do that in an online format as well.

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In my personal life, I am married to Ross, an engineer who works at the Canadian Light Source. I have three children (Stephen--21, Michelle--19, and David--17) who are going to school (youngest just completed high school, others at U of S and SIAST). Besides work and school this past year, I spent many weekends with my beloved Dad in Regina. I'm thankful for those many visits since my Dad passed away on May 8th.

Tomorrow my husband and I are travelling to Regina to cheer for our team, the Saskatchewan Roughriders. We have season's tickets. Over the summer we plan to attend a Rider game in Calgary and in Vancouver. I bleed green. I'm posting this before we leave. If we lose, I will be too depressed to post for a few days.

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Update: Last night at the game, my husband and I, along with 30,000 other rabid fans, cheered ourselves hoarse as we helped our Riders team defeat B.C. 28 to 24. Those Rider games are so stressful.