Wildlife Rescue Series!

Holly Elementary Welcomes Diane Haynes

Originally uploaded by Jane Ray’s Wildlife Rescue Series

I arrived at Holly Elementary School at 8 am Wednesday morning to the sight of what appeared to be the entire student body out running around the field. Sure enough, this is the most athletic school I’ve ever visited; most of the 180 students I met with are on the track team, and they were getting ready for a big meet that afternoon. Congratulations, Holly!

I spent the morning with the grades 4, 5 6 and 7 students — two groups of 90 students each, for an hour and a half at a time … and we could have gone longer! These students had just completed a unit on wildlife; were studying mythology; handle the school’s recycling; and proved themselves to be on top of any animal- or environment-related issue I could bring up. Their questions were thoughtful and insightful and showed a genuine concern for and curiosity about the natural world. I was seriously impressed.

Several students practiced the technique for containing and rescuing and injured or orphaned bird. The grade 5s performed a beautiful Earth Day song for me, a capella, which was a highlight, and one student stayed behind to perform a magic trick he’d been working on, and to introduce me to his little sister, a kindergarten student.

All in all, it was a great morning! Thank you, Holly Elementary!

Holly Elementary Library Welcomes Author Diane Haynes

Originally uploaded by Jane Ray’s Wildlife Rescue Series

I’m getting excited about a double-barrelled author presentation to Holly Elementary School in Ladner (BC) this coming Wednesday morning!

Librarian Linda Waterman has booked me for two “Animal Rescue!” presentations, to grades 4, 5 6 and 7 — I’ll be meeting about 180 students in all!

We’ve got a full agenda planned:

• readings from my books
• a quiz on animal rescue facts and figures
• slide shows and photographs of animals at the Wildlife Rescue Association of BC
• info on how to build your own Animal Rescue Kit
• animal rescue activities … and …
• a very special surprise (a world premiere!)

I’m looking forward to meeting everybody … see you Wednesday!

DH

In 2001, I became a volunteer with the Wildlife Rescue Association of BC. That’s where I met Jackie Ward, team leader extraordinaire. Through Jackie, I met her friend and my fellow volunteer, Christa Duttchen. A few weeks ago, I received an out-of-the-blue email from Christa asking if I’d be interested in presenting about Jane Ray’s Wildlife Rescue Series at her school.

Would I?!!

So Ms. Duttchen put me in touch with teacher-librarian Lina D’Onofrio, and today, I visited Champlain Heights. Small world.
Three classes of grade 6 and 7 students gathered in a downstairs media room. Many of the students were dressed in something pink, to show their Zero Tolerance for bullying. I was impressed by all the students willing to make a public statement about their stance. I’d also heard in advance that many of the students were studying ecosystems and the environment, so I knew they’d have some great questions about the oil spill I experienced, and the environment-related plots of Flight or Fight and Crow Medicine.

The presentation went really well — the initial technology glitches got sorted out (THANKS Rick!) and as I’d suspected, students had some amazingly thoughtful questions.

One thing I realized afterward that I forgot to mention was just how prominently guys figure in Jane Ray’s Wildlife Rescue Series. Sure, the protagonist is female, but there are lots of guys in the books — many of whom carry through from one book to the next — and guys are also heavily involved in the intrigue and the animal rescue adventures.

I was presenting at a Victoria school once, and asked the guys in the class whether having a female protagonist in a book would make them lose interest in that book. I’d heard that line of thinking from more than one marketing “expert.” The answer was, “That’s a bunch of crap! Of course we’d still read it!” I took heart from that, because the environment is definitely a gender-neutral issue, and involves us all, and I think we all have lots to learn from one another.

As one of the teachers said today at the end of the presentation, there are lots of ways to make a difference. Sure, you can rescue animals or work in the environment yourself. But you can also write books; keep a blog; start a school project; raise money for the SPCA or the wildlife rescue centre; plant a garden that attracts wildlife; donate old blankets and towels and equipment to an animal shelter; ride your bike to soccer practice. The list goes on.

I had a great time at Champlain Heights, and want to say a big thank you to all the students and staff who made my visit so special! (Extra thanks to Jade and Kendra for helping me pack up all my gear!)
Enjoy the books, and watch for Gaia Wild this fall!

Don Christian Elementary School Mural

Originally uploaded by Jane Ray’s Wildlife Rescue Series

Last Friday, I was the guest of teacher-librarian Emiline Downs and the students of Don Christian Elementary School in Surrey. And what a school! They’re celebrating “We love to read!” month, and it’s obvious! For starters, this is the mural I saw when I pulled up outside the front doors of the school. I’d definitely come to the right place. Mrs. Downs said when she first took the position of teacher-librarian at Don Christian, she thought the same thing: I’m in the right place.

Mrs. Downs had created a beautiful display, all about Jane Ray’s Wildlife Rescue Series, in the display case outside the library, and the whole school was gearing up for the Scholastic Book Fair.

Two hundred and fifty students packed the gym, and asked some fantastic questions about animal rescue and the life of a professional writer.

Two library monitors stayed behind after my presentation to help me pack up all my gear, and all in all, the students made me feel very welcome.

Thank you, Don Christian Elementary!

Caulfeild Elementary–Family Literacy Night 2008

Originally uploaded by Jane Ray’s Wildlife Rescue Series

Wow.

Caulfeild Elementary is a school that reads!

I arrived at Caulfeild on a blustery, snowy January night to find myself in a cosy, vault-ceilinged library filled to brimming with books about animals! Librarian Louise Biggar and her parent and student helpers had pulled every animal-related book from the shelves and displayed them around the room, alongside artwork and origami depicting animal migration and other animal-related themes. I felt the warm welcome even before any of the students arrived!

And when they did arrive, they showed up in droves! This is a community that really supports reading and literacy. Because it was an evening event, students arrived in their pajamas, robes and slippers, and many were carrying their favourite stuffed animal — in keeping with the night’s theme. Parents came, too, many also in pajamas. It was a cosy event from start to finish.

Mrs. Biggar and her parent helper extraordinaire, Mrs. Strang, devised an ice-breaker game consisting of a sheet covered in squares, and in each square was an activity to do with animals. Every student had to find someone in the room who had done that activity, and then write their name in the square. I was surprised to discover that I was not the only person in the room who had ridden an elephant! In fact, about 8 people raised their hands, and one parent even told me later that she had ridden elephants professionally with Ringling Bros. Circus in the United States!

Once students had completed the game, Principal Lund introduced me, and my presentation got underway. I told listeners the story of Mouse, and of how I became a writer. I showed a series of slides of animal photos — wild animals that had been patients at the Wildlife Rescue Association of BC (photos by Devin Manky); a series of shots taken at Grouse Mountain during the activities of the Hummingbird Monitoring Network; and a few of my very own Frances, Sadie and Mousie.

I read from Flight or Fight, and told listeners about Crow Medicine as well as a little about Gaia Wild (coming this fall). Many guests bought books to take home and read; we even sold out of Flight or Fight!

I was so impressed by all the support for reading at this school, and by all the help Mrs. Biggar received from students and parents alike. I felt very welcome, and thoroughly enjoyed the evening!

Thank you, Caulfeild! Until we meet again …

Attention all teachers, librarians and educators: I’m taking bookings now for presentations and workshops throughout the 2007-2008 school year!

Click here for a detailed description of presentations and workshops, as well as information on how to book me for your event.

I look forward to hearing from you, and to visiting your classroom, library or conference!

Diane

Note: Ten percent (10%) of all speaking fees will be donated to the University of British Columbia’s Haynes Scholarship for the Advancement of Animal Welfare.

Yesterday, I visited the BC SPCA Kids’ Camp at Maywood Elementary School in Burnaby. What a warm welcome — thank you! I told the kids — about 15 in all — a few things about myself as an author, read some passages from my books, and led the group in a medicine animal journey which, despite the surprise cell phone interruption, proved very fruitful for everyone. The kids told stories about animals they’d seen or heard about, and asked some excellent questions about caring for or rescuing wild animals in trouble.

Every summer, the BC SPCA holds week-long camps in various regions and neighbourhoods, from June through August. Kids learn about responsible pet care, wildlife, farm animals, animal welfare issues and the environment. And for about an hour each day, campers spend time with companion animals!

If you’re interested in checking out the camps, or know someone who might be, click on the link above — maybe I’ll see you there!

It’s Wednesday night, the last night in February, and I’m looking forward to an early morning meeting with Catherine Bentivoglio, a teacher at Academie de la Moraine in Toronto. We first met over a year ago, at EarthRangers, when I was touring with my first book, Flight or Fight, and her enthusiastic students had me signing everything from bookmarks to books to the t-shirts on their backs.

This unusual teacher kept in touch with me throughout the year. First contact was through a student named Jonathan, who sent a letter to me via my publisher — my first-ever letter from a reader. From there, Catherine emailed to let me know she was using Flight or Fight in the classroom … and building a curriculum unit around it!

By the time I was writing Crow Medicine, she was sending me sheaves of letters from her students, as well as the lesson plans she’d created based on my book. They were incredible — writing exercises, question-and-answer, even theatrical improv and video-making! With her permission, those plans will appear on this site in future for other educators to use.

A big HELLO to the students in Ms. Bentivoglio’s class! I look forward to seeing you in the morning.

This title makes me sound very “courier de bois,” but in fact it refers to the school I’ll be visiting in Toronto, Ontario, on Wednesday, February 28. It will be my first presentation about my new book, called Crow Medicine, and fittingly, this is my first post on my first blog. I’m nervous - I always am before I speak - but I’m excited, too, because I’ve met some of these students before and they asked AMAZING questions. I’m about to start work on the third book in the series, and I have a feeling the questions that come up will find their way into my research, and into the writing. So HI to the students of Portage Trail, and I’ll see you soon!