News Release

2002-17

Back to School with the National Library of Canada

Ottawa, September 10, 2002  --  Where can you find information on Canada’s 15th prime minister or the Tragically Hip? Who was the first female aircraft designer? How do you write and publish a book? The answers to these and many other questions can be found on the National Library of Canada’s exciting Web sites designed to help students and teachers easily access information on Canadian literature, music and history. These sites contain biographies, educational games, classroom activities, homework help and other valuable resources to help start off the new school year on the right click!

On the Kids’ Page (www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/education/) students will find a link to First Among Equals (www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/primeministers/kids/), a site with information on Canada’s prime ministers and how they govern our country. Through Passageways: True Tales of Adventure for Young Explorers (www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/explorers/), they can learn about the exploration of Canada, with links to maps, books and information on Canada’s early explorers.

On the Page by Page site (www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/pagebypage/), both teachers and students will find out how to write a book, from where to get ideas for a storyline to publishing and advertising.

To find out who was the first female aircraft designer, students can visit Celebrating Women’s Achievements at www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/women/ and read the biographies of famous women in the fields of science, sports, politics and the arts.

Teachers have their own page (collectionscanada.ca/teachers) where there are guides to using primary sources in the classroom and tips on Internet research. There are also lessons plans, teaching strategies, quizzes and games and other ideas for classroom activities. Digitized versions of historical documents, images and sound recordings add drama and colour to keep students listening and learning.

"The National Library of Canada Web sites provide a user-friendly and reliable source of information for students, teachers as well as for parents," said National Librarian Dr. Roch Carrier. "I would like to congratulate the National Library’s Digital Library Task Force for developing these sites. They offer support for the teaching of curriculum-relevant material while introducing educators and students to the Web as an exciting learning tool."

The Digital Library of Canada develops, on a regular basis, new Web content documenting Canadian heritage and culture to support the life-long pursuits of Canadians of all ages. The program digitizes material from the collections of the National Library of Canada and its partners and provides interpretive information aimed toward school-age children, teachers and the general public.

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For more information, contact Pauline Portelance, Media Relations Officer, National Library of Canada,
613-996-6128, media@lac-bac.gc.ca