The Columbia Basin Alliance for Literacy
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Blind Date with a Book in Cranbrook

4/23/2018

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Blind Date with a Book? What a novel idea! Cranbrook bibliophiles (people who collect or have a great love of books) attended this CBAL event and it was an evening full of surprises and rich conversations about books and reading.

A local bookstore selected a wide variety of titles (from fiction to spy thrillers to essays to memoires).  Over 200 books were wrapped in brown paper to hide the title and author. Each book had a label with a snippet of information about the book. The label was designed to intrigue and capture the attention of those attending. Participants chose books based on nothing more than this short bit of information.

People who attended the $30 event wandered around the bookstore after it had closed for the day. While eating appetizers and enjoying a beverage, participants browsed the labels and decided which wrapped book they would take home with them. For many, choosing only one book proved too difficult, so any books beyond the first one were available for an additional $10. Over 60 people attended.

Blind Date with a Book is a fabulously fun event. There is something magical about being in a bookstore after hours and sharing the experience with others. It’s entertaining to see how impulsive some are as they walk out with an armful of books, while others endlessly ponder which book to choose.
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CBAL Cranbrook is very fortunate to have such supportive community partners in Erin Dalton of Lotus Books and Heidi Romich of The Heid Out to partner in Blind Date with a Book. 
 
Our Blind Date with a Book events have gained momentum over the last year and created quite a buzz (Kimberley now hosts their own Blind Date with a Book event, too). They have also been terrific fundraisers for CBAL. We look forward to the next Blind Date with a Book!
 
Alison Facey, Community Literacy Coordinator – Cranbrook
Carol Fairhurst, Community Literacy Coordinator – Kimberley
Columbia Basin Alliance for Literacy


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We Blog!

4/23/2018

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Each month a member of our CBAL community writes a literacy blog and we share it on our CBAL website and Facebook page.

The blogs connect the themes of literacy and lifelong learning with a wide variety of topics. The topics covered are as unique as the people who write them.
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Through the years, there have been many blogs, here are a few of them: 
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  • Tech Savvy Seniors
  • The Story of Maps
  • Intergenerational Learning
  • Poetry
  • Raising Kids in a World of “Magic Money”
  • Participatory Video as a Literacy Tool
  • Welcome to Canada
  • The Power of Mother Goose
 
To read these and more, visit the blog page on our website.

Do you have a topic you’d like to see us cover in one of our blogs? Let us know what it is!

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Full STEAM Ahead in Salmo!

4/23/2018

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PictureDot and Dash
CBAL Salmo and the Salmo Valley Public Library have teamed up to offer a new program for kids aged 7-12 and their parents/caregivers to learn about science, technology, engineering, art and math (STEAM).
 
STEAM activities help families learn about science, technology, engineering, art and math through hands-on play. They help make abstract concepts come to life and relatable. They also foster problem solving skills, team work, creativity and innovation.
 
Using Dot and Dash (programmable robots), Snap Circuits (electrical circuit boards) and Keva Planks (building planks), families participate in different activities every week for four weeks. Each session includes both structured activities to learn the basics as well as unstructured time for families to be able to explore the materials on their own.
 
During a typical session, families learn simple coding skills to program Dot the robot. The robot lights up in different colors when playing “Hot Potato”. If you get caught holding Dot the robot when it turns red, you’re out!
 
At another station, families use the electric circuit boards to light lightbulbs, make music play, and operate a fan.
 
Unassuming Keva building planks have emerged as the favorite activity among parents and children alike. Together, families engineer bridges, ramps and spirals, just to name a few things!
 
At the end of the session, the families are given an “Activities to Go” bag. The activities show parents and kids how they can have fun and foster STEAM concepts at home with simple materials such as marshmallows and pretzels.
 
For more information about STEAM programs contact Lori Dunn, Community Literacy Coordinator – Salmo at salmocoordinator@cbal.org or 250-687-4760.
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                             Snap Circuits and Keva Planks at a STEAM session at the Salmo Public Library
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