Teacher dances with his students

Teacher dances with students Ray Brendzy encourages square dancing Adapted from The Vancouver Courier by Nancy Carson Level 2 Ray Brendzy likes to be active. He says this leads to a healthy life. Brendzy is a teacher in a Vancouver elementary school. He wants all students to be active. He says kids need to try…

Food is not garbage

Food is not garbage Adapted from The Vancouver Sun by Nila Gopaul Level 1 Listen to “Food is not garbage”– Level 1 Reading by Jessica Heafey Metro Vancouver* wants you to recycle your food scraps. Starting in January 2015, food scraps must go into a green bin. Then the city collects the scraps. The scraps make compost…

Pysanky (peh-SAHN-kee)

Pysanky (peh-SAHN-kee) Level 2 Pysanky* is a special way to make Easter eggs. This art has been around for hundreds of years. It started in Eastern Europe. *Pysanky means “to write”.

Herons return to Stanley Park

Adapted from the B.C. Ministry of Environment and The Province and The Vancouver Sun by Nila Gopaul • Illustrations by Nola Johnston Level 2 In BC, people can see Great Blue Herons all year. Herons live on the coast. They also live in the southern part of B.C. The heron is a large bird: It is taller than many…

Knitting

Knitting Adapted from The Vancouver Sun by Nila Gopaul Level 1 Grandmother, mother and daughter love to knit. Francesca, Zoe and Aija have a knitting store. The store is called Three Bags Full. The store opened in 2006. It sells knitting needles. It sells yarn. Knitting is popular again Many people come to the shop….

The Last Great Race

The Last Great Race Racing with sled dogs in Alaska Adapted from The Vancouver Sun by Nancy Carson Level 2 People remember the brave rescuers. And they remember their faithful dogs. Do you want to enter a race? This race is 1,609 km long. It lasts six to ten days or more. You will be…

Norooz with Saha

Submission by Saha Mousavi  Saha is now in Grade 8 at Magee Secondary School in Vancouver. She wrote this story while she was a Grade 6 student at Vancouver’s Lord Roberts School in 2013. The word Norooz means “the new day” in the Persian language. Norooz is the name of the important Iranian or Persian New…

Afghan refugee wins scholarship

Afghan refugee wins university scholarship Adapted from The Vancouver Courier by Nancy Carson Level 1 It is over three years ago. A young girl comes to Vancouver. She and her parents are refugees. Her name is Somaya Amiri. She cannot write English. She can only write Dari. She can only say two words: “Hi” and…

Canada’s first aboriginal arts hotel

Canada’s first aboriginal arts hotel Adapted from The Vancouver Sun by Nila Gopaul Level 3 Skwachàys* Lodge in Vancouver is Canada’s first aboriginal arts hotel. The lodge has 18 rooms. *say:  skywatch-eyes Six aboriginal artists and six designers worked on the rooms. Each room tells a different story. Rooms start at $99/night. Guests can experience…

Transit tax – yes or no?

Adapted from The Province by Nila Gopaul Are you a Canadian citizen? Do you live in Metro Vancouver?* (See a map on the next page.) Are you a resident of B.C. (for at least six months on or before May 29, 2015)? Are you 18 years of age or older, (on or before May 29, 2015)? Are…

Artist paints family stories

Artist paints family stories Adapted from The Vancouver Courier by Nancy Carson Level 3 Jazmin Sasky is an artist. And she loves stories. Recently she listened to the stories of single mothers. Then she painted one large picture about each family. The paintings show each family story with beautiful, bright colours.

Legal Aid BC: Getting a divorce – Part 6

Submitted by Nate Prosser and Alex Peel, Legal Aid BC, Edited by Nila Gopaul • Illustrations by Danette Byatt Legal Aid BC – Getting a divorce, Part 6/6 Sally was in an abusive relationship. Sally and her children left home. They stayed somewhere safe. A few months have passed. A lot has happened. Now Sally is telling her friend Marsha…

Half-blind fish gets new eye

Half-blind fish gets new eye Half-blind fish fitted with fake eye at Vancouver Aquarium Adapted from CBC News by Nancy Carson Level 2 A copper rockfish lives at the Vancouver Aquarium. The fish is getting older. One of its eyes is blind. It looks weak and sick. Underwater bullying The other fish attack it. Dr. Martin Haulena…

Policewoman

Adapted from The Vancouver Sun by Nila Gopaul Level 3 Phyllis Mortimore joined the Vancouver Police Department (VPD) in 1943. At that time, only a few women were police officers. In 1943, none of the women were allowed to carry guns. Women also did not get the same pay as men. One day, Phyllis saw Police…

Write to Read

Adapted from The Vancouver Sun by Nila Gopaul Level one Listen to “Write to Read”– Level 1 Reading by Jessica Heafey Look on a B.C. map. Can you find Old Masset* or Toosey** ? They are very small places. *Say:  ma-sut     **Say: too-see About 300 people live in Toosey. About 600 people live in Old Masset. These…

Jerry lost his backpack

Jerry lost his backpack Submitted by Dora Huang, Burnaby School Board LINC Program Try the crossword. Click here. Answer key on the last page of this story. Try more exercises on this story. Click here and go to pages 2 and 3.  On November 5th, Jerry came from China. He got on the number 134…

Today is Pink Shirt Day

Adapted from CBC News by Nancy Carson A pink shirt Level 1 It is 2007.  A boy wakes up early. It is his first day of school. He is excited. He puts on his new shirt. It is pink. Listen to the story “A pink shirt” – Level 1 Reading by Nila Gopaul Visit the link: Anti-bullying video for…

Kaillie gets her wish

Listen to “Kaillie gets her wish”– Level 2 Reading by Corey Muench Kaillie gets her wish Adapted by The Vancouver Sun by Nila Gopaul Level 2 Kaillie Humphries, 29, is a Canadian bobsledder. She is also an Olympic champion. Kaillie has won two gold medals. The sport Women’s boblsed became a Winter Olympic sport in 2002….

Artificial hand can feel

Artificial hand that can feel Adapted from CBC News by Nancy Carson Level 3 Igor Spetic of Ohio lost his right hand four years ago in an industrial accident. Spetic had phantom pain after losing part of his arm. Limb is gone, pain is real Phantom pain feels like it is coming from a body part….

Happily ever after

Adapted from The Province by Nila Gopaul Level 1 Karam and Katari Chand have been married for 87 years. This is a long time to be married. It is a new world record. Karam is 107 years old. Katari is 100 years old. They are from India. Now they live in the U.K. Key to happiness…

Marwa and Wissam, a love story

2014 Write a Story contest winners Story by Marwa O’da Burnaby, BC This story is by one of our four winners. Click the link to read the story.

Hector has new legs

Hector has new legs Adapted from CBC.ca by Nancy Carson Level 2 Hector is a very happy dog. He is not homeless anymore. Lisa Korol adopted Hector. He now has a loving home in Regina, Saskatchewan. A homeless dog Hector did not always have a good life. Hector’s mother was a stray. She had no…

February is Black History Month

Canada Post has issued this special stamp to acknowledge the history of Vancouver’s Hogan’s Alley. What is Black History Month? During this month, we honour the achievements and contributions of black people, past and present. Many of these men and women have fought for equal rights.

Legal Aid BC: Dealing with separation – Part 5

Submitted by Nate Prosser and Alex Peel, Legal Aid BC, Edited by Nancy Carson • Illustrations by Danette Byatt Dealing with separation – Part 5/6 Sally left an abusive relationship. Her husband hit her. She took her children and went to stay with a friend. Sally wants to be sure that she will be safe. She needs help, so…

Nam is the man!

                          Nam is the Man! Young skater, Nam Nguyen, wins gold. Adapted from the Vancouver Sun by Nancy Carson Level 1 In 2010, people saw a small boy skate at the Vancouver Olympics. He was only 11 years old. Everyone loved him. He…

California tourist saves B.C. cyclist

Adapted from The Vancouver Sun by Nila Gopaul and The Westcoast Reader, October 2012 – includes a crossword puzzle Illustrations – Nola Johnston California tourist saves B.C. cyclist Level 2 Nas Rafi is a doctor from California. In July 2012, she visited Vancouver. Like many tourists to the city, Rafi walked around Gastown. It seemed like most days….

Today is Family Literacy Day

Adapted from The Vancouver Sun by Nila Gopaul Find a fun way or fun ways to learn with your children. You can read together for 15 minutes every day. You can make a grocery list together or write a letter to a grandparent or grandparents. See links and video on the next page.

Meet a library champion

Submitted by the Vancouver Public Library Meet Shu Ming Chen:  Doctor, recent newcomer to Canada, and proud library champion. Her mission: Support her community and help immigrants discover their local library and all that it offers. Q: Why did you become a library champion? A: When newcomers have just landed, they feel isolated and anxious…

A different kind of library

Adapted from The Vancouver Courier and The Vancouver Tool Library website by Nancy Carson Level 2 Many people go to a library. They borrow books. They read newspapers. They use the computers there. The new library in Surrey is different. You can borrow people at the Surrey library. They are called “living books”. You can…

Fun fact about B.C. – neon

Adapted from The Province by Nila Gopaul Neon signs are electric signs. They contain neon and other gases. The signs are made of glass tubes. These tubes are bent and made into interesting shapes with different colours. In the 1950s, Vancouver had 19,000 neon signs. This means that there was one sign for every 18 people!…

Canada Winter Games – 2015

Adapted from The Vancouver Sun by Nila Gopaul Level 3 Listen to “Canada Winter Games”– Level 3 Reading by Corey Muench Prince George, B.C., will host the Canada Winter Games in February 2015. The city will also celebrate its 100th birthday.

Word of the Year – 2014

Oxford Dictionary’s Word of the Year is … vape. Vape means to inhale and exhale the vapour from an electronic cigarette (e-cig). Vape is short for vapour (noun) or vaporize (verb). People also use vape as an adjective, such as a vape pen and a vape shop. Why vape? E-cigs have become more common in the world. E-cigs give off vapour, not smoke. People used the word twice as…

Legal Aid BC: Sally goes to court – Part 4

Submitted by Nate Prosser and Alex Peel, Legal Aid BC, Edited by Nila Gopaul • Illustrations by Danette Byatt Going to court, Part 4/6 WCR and Legal Aid BC co-publish a series offering readers information about their legal rights in Canada. Sally was in an abusive relationship. Her husband hit her. She took her kids and left…

Eagle count in B.C. – January

Counting the Brackendale eagles Adapted from The Province by Nila Gopaul This year is the 29th annual Brackendale eagle count. Every year in January, wintering eagles gather in Brackendale, B.C. Brackendale is near Squamish (see the map below). Volunteers count the eagles. The volunteers work in teams. They walk. They hike about 40 kilometres. And they go out on kayaks and…

2015 goals – how to keep them

In the new year, many people make resolutions. Resolutions are promises or goals. For example: “I will quit smoking.” “I will lose weight.” “I will study a new language.” Did you know? Less than 10 per cent of people keep their New Year’s goals. Goals are easy to make. But they are also easy to break….

Polar swim – 2015

The Polar Bear Swim – 2015 Adapted from The Province by Nila Gopaul The Polar Bear Swim is a tradition. It happens every year on New Year’s Day. Some people dress in costumes. Others wear bathing suits or shorts. Brave people jump into the ice-cold water. They scream. They laugh. They have fun.

VanDusen Garden – Festival of Lights

Adapted from City of Vancouver by Nila Gopaul Visit the Festival of Lights at VanDusen Garden. There are over one million lights decorating the garden. This year, the garden is celebrating its 30th Anniversary of the Festival of Lights. What to do Dancing Lights show  Schedule for modern set: 5:00pm, 6:00pm, 7:00pm, 8:00pm, and 9:00pm Schedule for classic set: 4:30pm, 5:30pm, 6:30pm, 7:30pm,…

Shortbread cookies – easy recipe

Shortbread cookies are a treat at Christmas. Traditional shortbread has three ingredients:  sugar, butter and flour. 1/2 cup of softened butter (125 mL) Add 1/2 cup of powdered sugar (125 mL) Mix together. Add 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla (if you have it)  Add 1 cup of flour (125 mL) Blend. Scoop cookies on cookie sheet (see video). Flatten…

Christmas sugar cookies

A special thanks to Immigrant Services Society of BC (ISSofBC)

Christmas in Canada

A special thanks to Immigrant Services Society of BC (ISSofBC)

Respect the ring

Adapted from CBC News by Nancy Carson Level 2 Respect the Ring Ringette deserves the same attention as hockey. Grace Kemp is 11 years old. She lives in Surrey, B.C. And she plays ringette. When she was in Grade 2, she met a player from the National Ringette League (NRL). Grace was inspired and she…

Coconut Boys from Kelowna

Adapted from The Vancouver Sun by Nancy Carson Level 3 Two men from Kelowna are friends. Kevin Carta and Ryan Geni both wanted to start a business. Carta likes healthy, organic food. So, he thought about making a special pasta. It would be gluten-free. Geni is a vegan. He wanted an “ice cream” without using…

Easy holiday ham

Boil 2.5 L of water. Put the ham in the boiling water. Add all the ingredients. List of ingredients – 1kg fillet of ham (plain) and 2.5 L of water – 1 carrot, 1 leek, 1 stalk celery – 1 onion and 3/4 cloves garlic – 1 handful fresh parsley – 1 teaspoon red chili powder…

Seniors’ stories

                          “Seniors’ Stories” is a project. It is run by The Vancouver Community Network. A team collected the stories from seniors.

B.C. says sorry

Adapted from The Vancouver Sun and The Province by Nila Gopaul Listen to the story– Level 2 Reading by Corey Muench The year was 1864. B.C. was a British colony. Gold was discovered in the Cariboo. And there was conflict. Men died. The B.C. government wanted to build a toll road to the Cariboo. The government…

Directions Youth Services

Directions Youth Services helps homeless and at-risk young people. It is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Help from Directions Directions is a safe place. Youth can get hot meals there. They can shower and wash their clothes. Youth can also relax, use computers, and learn art and music. Some people get…

Legal Aid BC: Applying for legal aid – Part 3

Submitted by Nate Prosser and Alex Peel, Legal Aid BC, Edited by Nila Gopaul • Illustrations by Danette Byatt Applying for Legal Aid, Part 3/6 WCR and Legal Aid BC co-publish a series offering readers information about their legal rights in Canada. Sally was in an abusive relationship. Her husband hit her. Sally left her home….

Seven-year-old wants to help

Adapted from The Vancouver Sun by Nila Gopaul Joshua Smith is only seven years old. But he plans to feed over 500 homeless people this Christmas Eve. Joshua and his mother, Traci Smith, have helped feed homeless people for two years. “He’s an average kid,” says his mother. “He’s bratty. He’s sassy. Doesn’t want to…

The Choi Project

Adapted from The Vancouver Sun by Nila Gopaul Level 2 In 1886, business started in Chinatown in Vancouver, B.C. For 100 years, most customers were Chinese-speaking. Now Chinatown is changing. Ken Lau says, “Some only speak English.” So Ken makes English signs. He puts them beside his vegetables. “Now business is getting better,” says Ken. The…

B.C.’s best buildings

The Architecture Foundation of B.C. had a contest. The foundation asked people to vote online to find the top 25 buildings in four areas of B.C. People voted from around the world. Click here to see the top four winners: The Marine Building in Vancouver got the top award – in southern B.C. Seabird Island School in…