Every year, news editors across Canada vote for the “newsmaker of the year” – the person who dominated the headlines.
For 2011, that person was Jack Layton.
A whopping 90 per cent of editors polled said they thought the NDP leader was the newsmaker of the year. Layton helped to build his political party up from just 19 seats in 2003 when he took over as leader, to 103 seats last year — enough to make the NDP Canada’s national opposition party for the first time in history.
Layton died from cancer in 2011 and the country mourned for this great “representative of the people.”
Another celebrity whose passing was mourned by the world was Steve Jobs. Jobs co-founded Apple Inc., and he helped design and market many of the innovative products that shape people’s lives today including the iPhone and the iPad.
Osama bin Laden’s death caused very different reactions in the western world when he was killed by US forces in May.
Of course, there were many other people in the headlines in 2011.
NHL superstar Sidney Crosby was taken out of the game by a concussion; he made a comeback in November. Unfortunately, Crosby is out of the game again – indefinitely, this time.
Lady Gaga made headlines in Canada when she sent a video message to kids at the Etobicoke School of the Arts.
Politics
Toronto’s mayor, Rob Ford, got a surprise in his driveway when comedienne Mary Walsh showed up to do a funny interview with him (see photo). However, the CBC’s comedy team got a surprise too — when the mayor went inside his house and called 911 to get them off his property.
Stephen Harper kept his position as Canada’s Prime Minister, winning a majority government in a May 2011 election.
Vancouver riot
There was a riot in Vancouver, BC, in June 2011. It happened after Boston won the Stanley Cup over the Vancouver Canucks. While the country expressed its shame at the actions of people who stole and looted, some heroes emerged.
The world changed more than a little in 2011. As the world population hit a record seven billion, the world also got a new country: South Sudan, in July 2011.
CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS
By Jonathan Tilly
Writing/Discussion Prompt
Today’s article is the second overview of some of the biggest stories from 2011. Some of the stories are about politics and politicians, while others are about entertainment and sports. Which types of news stories interest you the most? Which news stories interest you the least? Why?
Reading Prompt: Extending Understanding
Reread yesterday’s article. How is today’s article similar to yesterday’s article? How are they different?
Primary
Extend understanding of texts by connecting the ideas in them to their own
knowledge and experience, to other familiar texts, and to the world around them (OME, Reading: 1.6).
Junior
Extend understanding of texts by connecting the ideas in them to their own
knowledge, experience, and insights, to other familiar texts, and to the world
around them (OME, Reading: 1.6).
Intermediate
Extend understanding of texts, including increasingly complex or difficult texts, by connecting the ideas in them to their own knowledge, experience, and insights, to other familiar texts, and to the world around them(OME, Reading: 1.6).
Grammar Feature: Adverbs that modify Adverbs
An adverb is a word that tells about a person, place, or thing. But, sometimes, adverbs can be used tell about other adverbs too. When adverbs are used in this way, they explain to the reader how much. In the sentence below “different” is an adverb because it tells about the noun “reactions.” However, the adverb “very” is also included in this sentence because it tells how different the reactions were.
Osama bin Laden’s death caused very different reactions in the western world when he was killed by US forces in May.
Add adverbs in the examples below to tell how much. Feel free to use the following adverbs: so, too, very, quite, really, extremely, amazingly, extraordinarily.
1. Jimmy ran _______________ quickly.
2. Sophia and Desdemona ate ______________ slowly.
3. Vernon and Miles were ______________ angry.
4. Yousef and Omar are _______________ good friends.
5. Lena and Darja were funny but _________________ rude.
