Pistes d'exploration

Identify the features of simple alphabet books. Go on a picture walk and compare its structure to other alphabet books.

Each selection is chosen for its cultural importance to the Inuit. Create a similar page for a class book featuring an item that is significant to you.

Reread the last page, “Inuksuit and Their Meanings.” Find Inuksuit throughout the book and mark them with sticky-note labels.

Recreate one of the Inuksuit using modeling clay, blocks, stones or other material. Present it to the class and explain its significance.

Explore the covers and deduce what kind of book this is. Why does it start with the letter I (and not A)?

Discuss the colours given to the snow in the illustrations. Why is this? The Inuktitut language is said to have many words for snow and ice. Find the snow and ice words in the text and add them to an anchor chart. Add other related words that you know.

Create a vocabulary graphic organizer with word categories found in the book (arctic animals, transportation, etc.).

An Inuksuk is a beacon for Inuit people in the vast land of snow and ice. Find a guiding word that resonates for you and create an acrostic poem that represents you. Add a short explanation and illustrations.

The Legend of Lightning & Thunder, My Arctic 1,2,3, Shi-shi-etko, TheLegend of the Fog, Magic Words: From the Ancient Oral Tradition of the Inuit, City Alphabet, Caribou Song

Mots-clés

Non-fiction , alphabet , Arctic , Canadian culture , Inuit , Inuksuk

Commentaire descriptif

Great, double-page illustrations lend drama and life to the Inuktitut words featured in this simple yet powerful alphabet book. “U is for Umiaq” shows a family in their boat on roiling seas. Icebergs rise in the background; whales swim below. Painterly strokes on canvas-texture create warm images, rich with accurate detail. The featured words are written in Roman and syllabic alphabets. On follow-up spreads, the words are defined: “S is for Siku, the Arctic sea ice that changes with the seasons.” In addition, spot illustrations in vivid watercolour effects expand on each theme. In “K is for Kamik,” one image shows a crescent-shaped ulu cutting animal hide; in another, the children watch as Mother makes a boot. Brief captions offer more facts: “Children learn to sew perfectly tight stitches to keep out the frosty Arctic air.” Whether it’s muskox or nanuq, qulliq or kisses, this book will be rewarding for northern and southern children alike. It’s an extremely engaging window into the world of Arctic animals, landscape and traditional Inuit culture. The back page offers a pronunciation guide and an illustrated glossary of different Inuksuit.