What in the World? Level 2 Issue 8 |
Liberals Win A Roller Coaster Election
Questions for online exploration (p. 9)
1. Check out these maps showing the outcome of the 2025 federal election:
- https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/7cfd/live/882057f0-2539-11f0-8f57-b7237f6a66e6.png.webp
- https://www.elections.ca/res/cir/maps2/map.asp?map=ERMap_44&lang=e
2. Almost 1 million Canadian students voted in a simulated election this spring. See the results of the Student Vote Canada program here:
3. Listen to Prime Minister Carney’s victory speech:
4. Listen to several concession speeches from the other party leaders:
Pierre Poilievre:
Yves-François Blanchet:
Jagmeet Singh:
Elizabeth May:
5. Both Prime Minister Carney and Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre face challenges in the months ahead. Find out more here:
6. Political cartoons portray current events in a humorous way. View several political cartoons related to the 2025 federal election:
- https://mackaycartoons.net/2025/05/01/thursday-may-1-2025
- https://mackaycartoons.net/2025/04/30/wednesday-april-30-2025
- https://mackaycartoons.net/2025/03/21/friday-march-21-2025
Graph INSTRUCTIONS (p. 11)
Use the two links below to complete the table to show the number of seats in the House of Commons the four largest Canadian political parties won in the last eight federal elections.
Celebrating Canada’s Courage During WWII
Questions for online exploration (p. 20)
1. Watch this video of Liberation Day celebrations in the Netherlands:
2. Find out more about the gift of 100,000 tulip bulbs from Princess Juliana of the Netherlands to Canada:
3. Listen to a 91-year-old Dutch woman share her memories of being liberated by Canadian soldiers in 1945:
4. A group of 21 Canadian WWII veterans returned to the Netherlands for the 80th anniversary of the end of the war. Watch their emotional return:
5. What do a 101-year-old war veteran and an 18-year-old Dutch student have in common? Find out how they became pen pals and eventually met during this year’s 80th anniversary celebrations:
6. Visit the Canadian Armed Forces website to see where Canadian forces are stationed. Choose one of the current operations. Click on it and read about what Canadian soldiers are doing: https://www.canada.ca/en/department-national-defence/services/operations/military-operations/current-operations/list.html
The Passing Of A Beloved Pontiff
Questions for online exploration (p.29)
1. Watch the final public appearance of Pope Francis on Easter:
2. Pope Francis was elected to the papacy in 2013. Find out why this came as a shock to some:
3. Find out more about Pope Francis’s apology to Indigenous Peoples in Canada:
4. Learn more about how Pope Francis advocated for climate change:
5. View a timeline of the Pope's accomplishments during his 12-year papacy:
6. Learn more about how a new pope is chosen:
Fighting Back Against 'Forever Chemicals'
Questions for online exploration (p.39)
1. Find out which household products contain PFAS:
2. Find out more about what Canada is doing about “forever chemicals”:
3. Find out which food packaging products contain PFAS and which ones don’t:
4. Are compostable food packaging products better for the environment? Find out if these “environmentally friendly” options contain PFAS:
5. Learn about what University of British Columbia researchers are developing to remove PFAS from the water supply:
6. Check out this list of 10 simple things your family can do to reduce your exposure to PFAS:
Inquiry project
The Steps of an Inquiry Project (p. 44)
Check out these short videos to learn how to check the credibility and reliability of websites:
How to evaluate sources for reliability:
- https://youtu.be/q1k8rcYUmbQ [3:48]
How to check if a website is credible:
- https://youtu.be/jt-IZ5M6XU8 [1:39]
Helpful Teacher Resources on Inquiry-based Learning (p. 47)
1. Check out Trevor MacKenzie’s website with links to podcasts, blogs, social media links, and other resources on Inquiry‑based learning:
2. John Spenser is another educator whose videos, blogs, and resources offer practical strategies and structures for engaging students in inquiry. Here are two to get you started:
“Helping Students Ask Better Questions by Creating a Culture of Inquiry”
“Using a Wonder Week to Spark Inquiry-based Learning”
3. Edutopia has a number of articles on student inquiry, including:
“What the heck is Inquiry-based Learning?”
“Resources and Downloads to Facilitate Inquiry-based Learning”