Great teaching resources are available right here, right now!
Interviews with the author
Want to learn more about the MiddleGate Books? Check out these interviews with Rae St. Clair Bridgman.
Editing is important!
Listen to a small story about Rae Bridgman's name and how important it is to proofread—even your very own name. Many other authors have also posted interesting stories about their names on the Teaching Books site. (Enter Rae Bridgman under Author SEARCH, or click here to listen directly to the mp3 file.)
Latin in Children's Books
At the beginning of each chapter in The MiddleGate Books, you'll find humorous Latin sayings and English translations portending what's to come. Latin is an ancient living language. When you begin to explore Latin, hidden meanings are revealed in the roots of many words, names and phrases. Latin sounds magical and reminds readers that the meaning of something can be hidden … but not if you know the secret of how to unlock words and their history. There are lots of online resources to help kids learn some Latin. Here's just one of my favourite sites (it features engaging videos and worksheets): Learn Latin with MoCA (Museum of Classical Archaeology) and students studying Classics in the Faculty of Classics at the University of Cambridge.
Take a Magical Literary Tour
Learn about the REAL places in Manitoba inspiring the MAGICAL places in The MiddleGate Books in this Magical Literary Tour.
Want to learn more about the MiddleGate Books? Check out these interviews with Rae St. Clair Bridgman.
Editing is important!
Listen to a small story about Rae Bridgman's name and how important it is to proofread—even your very own name. Many other authors have also posted interesting stories about their names on the Teaching Books site. (Enter Rae Bridgman under Author SEARCH, or click here to listen directly to the mp3 file.)
Latin in Children's Books
At the beginning of each chapter in The MiddleGate Books, you'll find humorous Latin sayings and English translations portending what's to come. Latin is an ancient living language. When you begin to explore Latin, hidden meanings are revealed in the roots of many words, names and phrases. Latin sounds magical and reminds readers that the meaning of something can be hidden … but not if you know the secret of how to unlock words and their history. There are lots of online resources to help kids learn some Latin. Here's just one of my favourite sites (it features engaging videos and worksheets): Learn Latin with MoCA (Museum of Classical Archaeology) and students studying Classics in the Faculty of Classics at the University of Cambridge.
Take a Magical Literary Tour
Learn about the REAL places in Manitoba inspiring the MAGICAL places in The MiddleGate Books in this Magical Literary Tour.
THE SERPENT'S SPELL
Learn about the Snakes of Narcisse, Manitoba
- NatureNorth's Narcisse snake dens (great video footage here); Snake Eyes (CBC News)
- The Snake Scientist by Sy Montgomery (photos by Nic Bishop)
- A 95-page teaching resource (for grades 4 to 10), Les couleuvres rayées de Narcisse, Manitoba: Cahier Pédagogique (The Red-Sided Garter Snakes of Narcisse, Manitoba: Teachers' Guide) has been published by Manitoba's Bureau de l'éducation française (1999). Included is a bibliography (many of the resources listed are in English). (See also the small brochure Les couleuvres de Narcisse.)
Other Snakes in Canada
- The Canadian Wildlife Federation has created a poster about snakes for their Wild About poster series. It introduces Canada's 24 snakes, their behaviours and habitats. And it explains how snakes are a boon to gardeners and why they should be welcomed, not feared. (It also advises how to prepare for a snake encounter—"should you be so lucky!")
AMBER AMBROSIA
FISH & SPHINX
- Fish and Sphinx poster (8.5" x 11" pdf)
- CATFISH! Learn about mysterious Catfysh's "relatives" around the world, through this PowerPoint presentation (inspired by the work of Kenneth Stewart) [pdf]
- Winnipeg's Secret Code Mysteries in the Manitoba Legislature (interview with the historian Frank Albo)
- Virtual Tour of the Manitoba Legislative Building
- Walking tour brochure; and a self-guided tour inside the Legislative Building
- Winnipeg's Parliament Building (footage set to the music Mozart)
- Hermetic Code: Unlocking One of Manitoba's Greatest Secrets A book inspired by Frank Albo's work, from 15-part series published in the Winnipeg Free Press [pdf]
THE KINGDOM OF TROLLS