All Aboard! Cross Curricular Design and Technology Strategies and Activities. The Metropolitan Toronto School Board. Edited by Julie E. Czerneda. Toronto: Trifolium Books, 1996. 170 pp., paperback, $29.95. ISBN 1-895579-86-4. Subject Headings: Design, Industrial-Study and teaching (Elementary). Technology-Study and teaching (Elementary). Kindergarten - grade 6 / Ages 5 - 11. Review by Deborah Mervold. **** /4

excerpt:

ADOPT A BEAR

Your school has helped to raise money so the local zoo could care for a young orphaned black bear. Enough money has been raised and now the zoo is ready to design and build the new compound where the bear will live. The zookeepers have written the following letter to your school: ...

THINK ABOUT IT!

1. What information do you need before you can start your design?
2. How big should the shelter be?
3. What materials would work best? How will you decide?
4. The compound will have an outside area and a shelter. How could you make a door to the shelter that lets the bear move freely in and out?
5. How will you present your design?
6. How can you use the computer to record your work?

      All Aboard is a practical and workable collection of scenarios, models, assessment tools, strategies and twenty projects under four themes: "Animal Shelters," "Weather," "Human Achievement," and "The Built Environment." The cross-curricular approach used in the book allows a wealth of material to be used in a variety of ways and in many classrooms. Material is detailed and a step-by-step procedure is included that would be a time saver for busy educators. The glossary and resource list are also useful for teachers and students and the volume begins with a teacher support section whi ch is very helpful for using the material and ideas in the later pages. A large format makes the collection easy to read. The material is very well organized in an appropriate and practical manner with useful headings. If other books in the series are similar, this would be an excellent series to be included in a school or professional collection.

Highly recommended.

Deborah Mervold is a teacher librarian in a grade 6 to 12 school, and a Grade 12 English teacher at Shellbrook Composite High School.

To comment on this title or this review, send mail to cm@umanitoba.ca.

Copyright © 1996 the Manitoba Library Association. Reproduction for personal use is permitted only if this copyright notice is maintained. Any other reproduction is prohibited without permission.

Published by
The Manitoba Library Association
ISSN 1201-9364