RAINBOW
OF DREAMS. Detselig Enterprises Ltd., 2000.
This publication was developed at Laurier Macdonald High School as a
multi-media, cross-curricular project, designed to engage students in
writing, photography, computer technologies and other activities. Students
in Secondary IV researched the stories behind selected family photographs.
They then restored the pictures and published them along with the stories
they had written. This volume includes a teachers’ guide to carry
out and adapt similar projects depending on available technology and
equipment.
Rainbow of Dreams was recognized by Resource Links; connecting classrooms,
libraries and Canadian learning sources as one of the best educational
resources of 2001.
MEMORIES
IN BLACK AND WHITE. ROD Productions, 2001.
In this magazine, an extension of Rainbow of Dreams, students explored
different layout possibilities, and, for the first time included historic
vignettes called "Footprints" and personal "Reflections"
to accompany their stories. This magazine was the first to be formatted
and designed entirely in-house by the students. Memories in Black and
White was an important step in the evolution of the Rainbow of Dreams
(ROD) project and set the stage for Once Upon a Journey.
ONCE
UPON A JOURNEY. ROD Productions, 2002.
Once Upon a Journey is the third book produced by students in Secondary
IV at Laurier Macdonald High School. The students embarked on a voyage
of discovery of their origins, family roots, community and, ultimately,
themselves. Barry Duncan, Canada’s leading media educator has
praised this book, calling it “...a case study for schools to
emulate or to modify in their own cultural milieu....” This volume
combines the book style of Rainbow of Dreams and the magazine layout
of Memories in Black and White as well as “Footprints” and
“Reflections”. A teacher’s guide accompanies this
book.
Whispering
Dreams. ROD Productions, 2003.
In Whispering Dreams the Secondary IV students at LMAC, continue the
tradition of earlier years. Each of the photographs and stories chosen
for this book, captures images of people with dreams - dreams whispering
the promise of a better life or a happy ending. As one student wrote,
“the stories were written with the soul, the mind and the heart.
Some brought tears, others smiles, and some even fear; but most of all,
the stories were expressed through the human emotion of fulfillment.”
FADED
MEMORIES. ROD Productions, 2004
Faded Memories is a tribute to “Canada’s real heroes”
- the students’ ancestors and relatives. “Just as the computer
enables us to restore the photograph to its original clarity, the interviews
restore the emotions, experiences and details of times past. By telling
others about these memories, we reverse the fading.” (From Introduction
to Faded Memories.)
