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Level
Purpose
Materials
Procedure
1. Read Jon Whyte’s quote: “My Banff is private…”
Does this quote describe a Banff you recognize? How is the
Banff you are familiar with different? What in the author’s background
gives him this view of Banff? Why does he call it “my” Banff? Could this
Banff belong to someone else? Could it belong to you? How?
2. Look at When The World Was 5 Years Old.
It is a page from Jon’s notebook.
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Have students read aloud some of the notes on
this page. Do they make sense individually or do you have to look at it
as a whole? Can you find references to the quote that was read earlier?
Perhaps reread the quote and have students look specifically for items
mentioned (eg: skating, Ike’s, Simpson’s,
porcupine…)
3. Listen to three audio clips listed
above under "Materials."
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Again, have students listen for references:
What places or experiences on the drawing are referred to in the audio?
(eg: Indian cabin, thistles, fawn, Simpson’s Cabin, the
bear…) Can you imagine the
scenes they describe?
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Read a few of the other notes on this page.
Many of the notes are brief but evocative, as if written for people who
know the place. Some notes create a vivid image without much detail, for
example: “where the dog found the false teeth.”
Do you think Jon was
trying to paint a specific picture? Or was he trying to spark your
curiosity or imagination? What images do these notes conjure up for
you?
4. What do you think Jon’s intent was in
writing this page in his notebook? (Was he trying to tell a story?
Record some memories of “his” Banff? Make notes for a future
poem?)
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Why did he do it in this form, and not write it
out as a story or poem? (This is a visual form of journaling
reflecting how the authour remembers things intuitively. Perhaps he
referred to these notes when he wrote poems.)
- What does the title mean? (Perhaps Jon was
five when these things happened, it’s his five-year-old world.)
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Does this notebook page give you a sense of
what Jon’s childhood was like? Do you feel like you have visited “Jon
Whyte’s” Banff?
5. Recall a place you associate with
childhood. What experiences do you remember? What places were special? Who
were your neighbours? What were you afraid of? What brought you joy?
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Using Jon Whyte’s example as inspiration, map
your memory of this place. Record memories, experiences, places, events
- whatever sticks in your mind about that time and place. It is not
intended to be an accurate geographical “map.” Instead, it should evoke
a sense of how things felt for you at the time.
- When you are small, distances often feel longer,
structures seem bigger, time stretches out. Try to capture these
sensations in your work.
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Would other people from your childhood remember
this place in the same way you do? What makes your perceptions about his
place unique?
6. Students may volunteer to share their work.
Discuss the imagery or emotions that each evoke. Do some themes appear in
several author’s work? What elements are unique?
Evaluation
Curriculum Connections
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