Links

Links contained in current issues of The Canadian Reader, What in the World? (Levels 1 and 2), and Building Bridges (Levels 1 and 2) are posted below. To access links from previous issues, click on the appropriate link in the box to the right.

Building Bridges | 4 |

Creating learning environments that reflect the First Peoples Principles of Learning (p. 4)

You can learn more about these principles at:

Territory Acknowledgement (p. 7)

1. The following resources may help you write an appropriate Territory Acknowledgement with your class:

Find out whose traditional territory your school or community is built on. Use this interactive map of traditional territories of Indigenous Peoples across Canada developed by Native Land to help you:

2. Learn more about the protocols for acknowledging territory by reading the information shared by Native Land at:

3. Look at examples of acknowledgements by various post-secondary institutions across Canada on the Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT) website at:

Talking Circles (p. 8)

1. BC First Nations Land, Title and Governance Teacher Resource Guide, First Nations Education Steering Committee and First Nations Schools Association, c. 2019 (p. 20). 

The Circle Way:

First Nations Pedagogy Online:

2. Circle protocol for teachers based on the Lekwungen Speaking Peoples’ traditional knowledge, created by the Indigenous Education Department in the Greater Victoria School District:

Heaven Solomon Aims to Inspire

After Reading (p.13)

Exploration

Listen to the Honor Song, sung by Jeremy Dutcher, on Yo-Yo Ma’s album Notes for the Future:

Extensions (p.16)

1. Read more about Heaven Solomon’s win at:

2. Watch this promotional video by UNESCO inviting the world to join the International Decade of Indigenous Languages at:

3. Using appropriate technology, project “Portrait of youth in Canada: Indigenous peoples” from Statistics Canada:

4. Learn more about the collaboration between Jeremy Dutcher and Yo-yo Ma at:

5. Find out more about the roots of the Honor Song with Mikmaw Elder, George Paul:

6. What Indigenous language revitalization projects are taking place in your school, school district, traditional territories, or local First Nation? Here is the Saanich School Board’s education enhancement agreement:

Indigenous Language Revitalization

After Reading (p. 25)

Reflection

A simple video on how to weave paper can be found at:

Extensions (pp.28-30)

1. Explore Statistics Canada to learn more about Indigenous Peoples at the national, provincial, and/or community level. Check out:
• Statistics (shown in tables) from the 2021 Census to learn more about specific aspects of the lives of Indigenous Peoples, including language and culture, at:

• Aboriginal Community Data from the 2016 Census (displayed in infographics), at:

2. Challenge students to make connections between the data presented in the 2016 Census and the significance of language revitalization:

3. Research place names in Canada with Indigenous origin: Encourage students to research place names in your community, province/territory, or Canada that have an Indigenous origin. The following websites may offer a starting point for investigation:
• Mapping Indigenous languages in Canada (Canadian Geographic):

• Origins of Canada’s Geographical Names (Natural Resources Canada Archive):

• Aboriginal Place Names (Indian and Northern Affairs Canada Archive):

• Native Land (an interactive digital map representing Indigenous territories, languages and treaties across the world with a focus on Canada, the U.S., Australia and New Zealand):

4 Discover more about B.C. First Nations’ languages: The Report on the Status of B.C. First Nations Languages 2022

5. Appendix B includes a link to a First Peoples’ Map of B.C. that shows where each language is spoken

6. Canadian Geographic has created the Indigenous Peoples Atlas of Canada:

7. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada outlined 94 Calls to Action in 2015. Calls to Action 13-17 are a direct call to the federal and provincial governments to establish concrete commitments to Aboriginal/Indigenous rights to language. Read these Calls to Action at:

8. As a class, watch two or more of the videos below. Each offers a different approach for learning and preserving language. Challenge students to identify the benefits of each program and consider the positive impact participating in these programs has on the students, teachers, and/or the community.
• Outdoor Education Program and Indigenous School Outreach Program :

• The only Mi’kmaq immersion school in the world:

• ‘Eskibak’ New Beginnings: St David Catholic Elementary School, N’swakamok - Sudbury, Ontario:

• amiskwaciy Academy, in Edmonton, offers a Grade 7-12 Academy with curriculum focused on Indigenous language, culture, and traditions:

• Kuujjuaq Hockey:

9. Explore the CBC-Indigenous Website “Original Voices” at:

10. The following are links to people in the article who are actively involved in the preserving, protecting, and revitalizing of Indigenous languages in Canada. Learn more about how their efforts are having an impact:
• The Halluci Nation:

• Jeremy Dutcher:

• Chief Atahm School Language Nest:

• Simon Fraser University’s Skwxwú7mesh Snichim (Squamish language) immersion program:

• Mentor Apprenticeship Program :

• First Voices app:

• Angus Anderson:

• Duncan McCue:  

• Wyatt Moulton:

• Emma Stevens singing ‘Blackbird’ by the Beatles:

The Canadian Reader | 6 |

Bats in Trouble

Internet Connections: (pp. 10-11)

1. To read more about this news story, go to :

2. Watch videos to learn more about white-nose syndrome:

3. Find out more about bats:

4. Learn more about a bat conservation project supported by Ben Affleck:

5. Find out how you can save bats:

6. Get plans to build your own bat house or bat roost:

Winter Games, Arctic-Style

Internet Connections: (p.18)

1. Visit the Arctic Winter Games website:

2. Watch a recap of the 2023 games on this CBC news report:

3. View The Arctics trailer to get a sense of the spirit of the Games:

4. Learn more about the Arctic Sports and Dene games:

5. Listen to the Wood Buffalo 2023 Arctic Winter Games theme song:

6. Meet Nitotem the Lynx and his creator:

7. Scroll through the 50th Anniversary booklet (2020) to learn more about the history of the games:

8. Download the Teacher’s Sport Resource Kit:

On Skis to the South Pole

Internet Connections: (p. 28)

1. Learn more about this news story:

2. Watch this CTV news report on Ms. Côté ’s expedition:

3. Watch a post-trip interview with Ms. Côté:

4. View Caroline Côté’s Instagram posts she made en route:

5. Listen in to Caroline’s daily reports and see videos she took on her expedition:

What in the World? | 6 |

Mysterious Objects in the Sky

Before reading (p.4)

Have students watch the following video:

Questions for online exploration (p.9)

1. Learn more about the unidentified objects recently shot down over Canada and the United States:

2. Find out specific details concerning each of these incidents:

• Chinese Balloon:

• Alaska:

• Yukon:

• Lake Huron:

3. Learn what experts are predicting about the nature of future relations between China and the U.S. and Canada following this incident:

4. Explore the history of NORAD and the nature of its work:

Russia Versus Ukraine

Questions for online exploration (p.22)

1. Listen to the following podcast that looks back and ahead at the conflict in Ukraine:

2. Learn more about the most recent developments in this conflict:

3. What could the promise of western tanks mean for Ukraine's fight against Russia?:

4. Learn more about the Wagner Group:

Earthquake Strikes Turkey and Syria

Before reading (p.31)

Project the 17-photo gallery from the disaster found at:

Questions for online exploration (p.36)

1. Explore the impact of this devastating event at these links:

2. Learn about the regional effects of this earthquake in Turkey and Syria.
a) Turkey:

b) Syria:

3. How is the international community supporting victims of this disaster?:

4. Explore some miraculous rescue stories at these links:

5. Could a similar event happen in B.C.?

Backgrounder: Earthquakes and Tsunamis

Questions for online exploration (p.48)

1. View a list of recent quakes around the world on the U.S. Geological Services website at:

2. At the Earthquakes Canada site, view a map of Canada showing all the earthquakes in the country in the past 30 days:

3. Find out more about earthquakes:

After reading (p.51)

1. First, find out more about the natural disasters that pose a risk to your community or region. Begin your research on the Government of Canada’s Get Prepared website at

Inquiry project

The Steps of an Inquiry Project (p.54)

Check out these short videos to learn how to check the credibility and reliability of websites:
How to evaluate sources for reliability:

How to check if a website is credible:

Helpful Teacher Resources on Inquiry-based Learning (p.57)

Check out Trevor MacKenzie’s website with links to podcasts, blogs, social media links, and other resources on Inquiry‑based learning:

His book, Dive into Inquiry: Amplify Learning and Empower Student Voice, offers a scaffolded approach to student inquiry: structured, controlled, guided, and free inquiry. It is a practical resource if inquiry-based learning is new to you.

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”

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”

I encourage all Social Studies teachers to make this a regular part of their curriculum.

M. Froment, teacher of grades 6-8, Morinville, AB