Edythe Culling shops for shoes

Adapted from The Province Level 1 Edythe Culling is shopping for shoes. It is a special shoe sale. The shoe sale happens every year. Read the PDF and do the exercise Edythe Culling shops for shoes Visit the link Look at these photos of the sale.

The Virgin of Guadalupe – Patron Woman Saint of Mexico

Submitted by Javier, Hastings Learning Centre, Hastings Racecourse, Vancouver The Virgin of Guadalupe appeared to Juan Diego for the first time on December 9th, 1531. She appeared on the mountain of Tepeyac when he was walking in the direction of the church to visit his uncle, Juan Bernardino, who was gravely ill and was not…

A logging family

Adapted from The Vancouver Sun Level 2 Spring comes to the Cariboo in June. The snow melts. The ground gets firm. The logging season begins. Derek Woollend is a logger. His father started logging in 1955. They work together. Read the PDF and do the exercise A logging family Visit the links Learn more about trees…

Today’s cheerleaders

Adapted from The Vancouver Sun Level 3 Cheerleaders are athletes. Cheerleaders can start training in elementary school. Cheerleaders train in dance, tumbling and gymnastics. The sport is dangerous. Read the PDF and do the exercise Today’s cheerleaders Visit the links View the photo gallery at Vancouver Sun.

The Sun Run is 30 years old

Adapted from The Vancouver Sun Level 3 The Vancouver Sun Run is an annual event. It is held every spring. This year will be the 30th Sun Run. People walk and run 10 km. Thousands of people participate. There is food, music and fun for all. The BC Sports Hall of Fame is honouring the Sun…

Canucks make changes

Adapted from The Province Level 2 The Vancouver Canucks are not in the Stanley Cup playoffs this year. The goalie, Roberto Luongo, moved to Florida. The Canucks fired the General Manager, Mike Gillis. Read the PDF and do the exercise Canucks make changes Visit the links Learn more about the Canucks. Watch the videos Watch the…

David Booth kissed a grizzly bear

Adapted from The Province and The Vancouver Sun Level 1 David Booth plays hockey. He is a Vancouver Canuck. Booth went to Abbotsford. He visited Mark Dumas. Dumas trains animals. His animals are in movies. Dumas trained Billy. Billy is a grizzly bear. David Booth and Billy kissed. Billy weighs 600 pounds. He is a teenager. Dumas…

Successful foster kids: Robert Davidson

Adapted from The Vancouver Sun Level 2 It is hard for foster kids to finish high school. Only 32 percent graduate by age 19. Foster kids move a lot. They change homes and schools often. This makes keeping up at school difficult. The BC government stops supporting youth in foster care at age 19. They…

Successful foster kids: Bayleigh Marie

Adapted from The Vancouver Sun Level 2 Bayleigh Marie lived in foster care all her life. She lived in 10 different foster homes. She lived in three group homes. “When I turned 19, they gave me the boot,” said Marie. “They said I was grown up. Now go face the world on your own.” Marie…

Successful foster kids: Chris Tait

Adapted from The Vancouver Sun Level 3 Chris Tait lived in foster care from the age of one. Tait is 22 years old now. He is an aboriginal youth. He lived in one foster home until he was 13 years old. His five brothers and sisters lived with him. At age 13, Tait moved to…

Foster care and education in BC

Adapted from The Vancouver Sun Level 3 Who graduates from high school in BC? About 80 percent of kids graduate from high school. Only 32 percent of kids in foster care graduate from high school. How long do young people get help from their parents? Many young people live with their parents until they are…

Doorknobs are changing

Adapted from The Vancouver Sun Level 1 The City of Vancouver is changing the building code. The new rules start in March 2014. They are changing how we open doors. All new door handles will be levers. The round doorknob will disappear. Read the PDF and do the exercise Doorknobs are changing Visit the link…

Chocolate chip cookies are a Canadian favourite

Adapted from wikiHow Level 2 Who invented the chocolate chip cookie? Ruth Wakefield invented the chocolate chip cookie in 1924. Ruth and her husband ran a tourist lodge. Ruth made very good desserts for her guests. One day she did not have powdered cocoa for her favourite cookie recipe. Instead, she found a chocolate bar. She…

Driving the Coquihalla in winter

Adapted from The Province Level 2 The Coquihalla is a highway in British Columbia. The highway runs from Hope to Merritt. It is also called Highway 5. The highway runs through the mountains. It goes over high mountain passes. The Coquihalla is a dangerous highway in the winter. Read the PDF and do the exercise Driving…

Lighthouse Park is worth a visit

Adapted from The Vancouver Sun Level 3 The lighthouse Point Atkinson lighthouse is a national historical site. It was built 130 years ago. The lighthouse overlooks Burrard Inlet. It protected ships on the Strait of Georgia. The federal government of Canada owns the lighthouse. They want to sell the lighthouse. The community loves the Point Atkinson…

Peak to be named for Tim Jones

Adapted from The Vancouver Sun Level 2 Tim Jones loved Mount Seymour. He walked his dog there. He rescued people there. He died on Mount Seymour. He was 57 years old. Thousands of people came to Tim Jones’ funeral. Police, firefighters, mountain rescuers, hikers, climbers and skiers came. People lined the street to watch the procession….

Young girl fights bullying

Adapted from The Province and the Nanaimo Daily News Reposted February 24, 2016. This year Pink Shirt Day is February 24. Level 2 Alvena Little-Wolf Ear is 9 years old. She is in grade 4. Alvena was unhappy. Children at school made fun of her. They would not play with her. Annette Little is Alvena’s mother….

Bunnies run and jump

Adapted from The Province Level 1 Ridge is a rabbit. Rabbits are also called bunnies. Ridge is good at sports. He loves to run and jump. The bunnies jump and run in the Abbotsford Pet Lover Show. Children cheer for the bunnies at the show. Read the PDF and do the exercise Bunnies run and jump…

Sisters go to the Olympics

Adapted from The Province Level 1 Justine is 19 years old. Chloe is 22 years old. Maxime is 25 years old. They are sisters. They are from Montreal. They are on the Canadian Olympic Team. They ski the women’s freestyle moguls at the Olympics. Read the PDF and do the exercise Sisters go to Olympics Visit the…

Atira wins award

Adapted from The Vancouver Sun Level 2 Atira is an organization. Atira helps women in Vancouver, Surrey and White Rock. Atira builds homes for women. Atira owns 13 buildings. They house 1,200 women. The homes are safe places. The homes are low-cost. They built a new apartment in downtown Vancouver. They used old shipping containers. The…

Henrik Sedin stays home

Adapted from The Province Level 1 Henrik Sedin plays hockey. He plays for the Vancouver Canucks. Sedin is the captain of the team. Sedin is injured. He broke a rib and a finger. He has not been able to play. Read the PDF Henrik Sedin stays home Watch the videos Watch the Canucks play here. Find out…

People with disabilities are good workers

Adapted from The Vancouver Sun Level 2 Scott Fattedad works two days a week. Fattedad works one day at the Thrifty’s. He works one day at Starbucks. Thrifty’s hired him 11 years ago. Fattedad has Down Syndrome. He is friendly. He likes to chat with customers. He does his job very well. He gets awards for…

Valentine’s Day

Adapted from Best of the Reader Level 1 Valentine’s Day is on February 14. It is a romantic day for many adults. They buy cards, chocolates or flowers for each other. They say, “I love you.” Visit the link: Make your own Valentine’s Day card. See the seven steps to make a simple Valentine card. How…

Simple steps to composting

Level 3 What is compost? Nature makes compost naturally all the time. Leaves, grass, and branches die and pile up. Slowly they turn into dirt. That dirt feeds the living plants. It is called compost. People make compost by piling garden and kitchen waste in piles, bins, or barrels. It’s easy to make! Feed your…

Legal Aid can help

Contributed by Nate Prosser, Legal Aid BC Level 3 Do you have a legal problem? Are you unable to pay for legal help? Call Legal Aid. Legal Aid is free. Legal Aid BC helps people with legal problems. Legal Aid BC can help you in many languages. Ask Legal Aid for help if: you have been…

Kamloops Daily News closes doors

Adapted from The Vancouver Sun Level 3 The Kamloops Daily News was the only daily newspaper in Kamloops. It published for 80 years. The paper had 27,000 subscribers. The Kamloops Daily News stopped publishing in January. Fifty-five employees lost their jobs. They got two months’ notice. Read the PDF and do the exercise Kamloops News Visit…

Sea otter recovers

Adapted from The Vancouver Sun Level 2 Walter is a sea otter. He was found on the beach near Tofino. Someone shot Walter with a shotgun in October. He was shot many times. Read the PDF and do the exercise Sea Otter Watch the videos Watch sea otters swim and play at the Vancouver Aquarium. He…

International students come to BC

Adapted from The Vancouver Sun Level 3 Students come to British Columbia from many countries. They are called international students. They go to schools all over BC. They like Vancouver. Vancouver is a multicultural city. The city values its environment. These students spend $2billion every year in BC. This income supports more than 23,400 jobs in…

Hero rescues family from fire

Adapted from The Vancouver Sun Level 2 Trevor Yellowbird is a hero. Trevor and his sister, Robin, saved three people from a house fire. Trevor lived in a basement suite. Robin was visiting. Robin smelled smoke about 3 a.m. Gurbux Dhanjal was Yellowbird’s landlady. She lived upstairs with her daughter, father and mother. The fire…

How many bald eagles?

Adapted from The Province Level 1 Volunteers count bald eagles. They count them every year. It is an annual event. The birds gather near Brackendale, BC. Seventy people looked for the birds. Read the PDF and do the exercise Bald Eagles Visit the links See the bald eagle photo gallery from The Vancouver Sun. Watch…

Tinsel the bear cub

Adapted from The Province Level 1 Tinsel is a black bear cub. In December, he was 10 months old. He was starving to death. He weighed only 20 pounds. Tinsel found a chicken coop in Midway, BC. He moved in. Read the PDF and do the exercise Tinsel the Bear Visit the links Learn more about…

Canada Post makes changes

Adapted from The Vancouver Sun Level 3 Canada Post has a new business plan. The corporation needs to make more money. They will make more money in three ways. Stamps will cost more in 2014. A stamp costs $0.63 today. On March 31, a stamp will cost $1.00. In 2000, a stamp cost $0.46. The cost…

Family literacy

Adapted from ABC Life Literacy of Canada and Decoda Literacy Solutions Level 3 Taking time every day to read or do a learning activity with children is important. Children learn and develop through fun family activities that include reading and learning. For the entire month of January, families in BC are encouraged to learn together. Read…

The world’s newest mammal – the olinguito

Adapted from The Vancouver Sun and The Smithsonian Level 3 Researchers found a new mammal in South America. The new mammal is called an olinguito. Olinguitos are small. Their fur is reddish-brown. Olinguitos are cute! They have faces like teddy bears. They jump through the trees and travel at night. Olinguitos live in Ecuador and Columbia. They…

Remembering the life of Nelson Mandela

Written by Tracy Defoe Level 3 Hero People in Canada, and around the world remembered the life of Nelson Mandela in December 2013. He was a hero to many people for the way he lead his life. Mandela was devoted to democracy, equality and learning. He was a leader for change in his country. He…

How to make apple butter

Adapted from wikiHow Level 2 ELSA students at the Collège Éducacentre in Vancouver made apple butter. The students peeled, cut and boiled apples. They poured in honey. They added cinnamon and cardamom. They canned the apple butter. Each student got a jar of apple butter to take home. It was the most delicious English lesson of…

Safe outdoor ice-skating in BC

Outdoor ice-skating is healthy and fun! It is important to skate only where it is safe. Vancouver Parks Board is warning the public to stay off frozen lakes and ponds. The ice is not thick enough. Here are some links to safe outdoor ice-skating areas. You can add your favourite place to skate in the…

Shoppers plan to spend less this Christmas

Adapted from The Province Level 1 BC shoppers want to spend less for Christmas this year. Financial managers advise families to make a plan. A plan for spending is called a budget. Families should make a holiday budget. They should plan how much to spend. Spending tips for the holidays: Shop early. Shop with a plan….

An accident can change a life forever

Adapted from The Province Level 2 Trevor Philips walked home from a concert. A car hit him. Philips broke both his legs. He crushed his ankle. He broke his ribs, collarbone and backbone. He may lose the sight in his left eye. Philips was an active person. He worked in a restaurant. He ran a company…

Libraries help newcomers

Level 2 Ten libraries in the Lower Mainland are part of a new project. The project is called NewToBC. The NewToBC project helps newcomers feel at home in BC. The NewtoBC website is helpful and easy to use. The website is www.newtobc.ca. The library staff can help immigrants. They can help you find what you…

Typhoon hits the Philippines

Adapted from The Vancouver Sun Level 3 A typhoon hit the Philippines on November 8, 2013. It is the worst typhoon in the history of the Philippines. The typhoon was called Haiyan. The typhoon brought huge winds and rain. Authorities expect to find 10,000 or more dead. About 700,000 people lost their homes. Altogether, about 9.7…

Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines

Adapted from The Vancouver Sun Level 1 What is it like after the typhoon? The cities have little food and water. People are hungry and thirsty. People are searching for food and water. They have no shelter. Doctors are desperate for medicines. Read the PDF and do the exercise Typhoon Haiyan Watch the videos “We Are…

A new kind of orchard in the city

Adapted from The Province Level 3 A vacant lot in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside became an orchard. Ten years ago, the city removed a gas station. That empty lot is now an orchard. Solefood runs the orchard. The design of the orchard solved two problems. 1. The city still owns the land. City land is valuable. The…

NASA sends LADEE to the moon

Shorter version of this story in the November, 2013 edition of The Westcoast Reader Adapted from The Province Level 1 NASA has a new spacecraft. It is the size of a small car. There are no people on the spacecraft. It is a robot. The spacecraft is called LADEE. LADEE means Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer.   Read the PDF…

Snow geese

Adapted from The Province Level 3 Snow geese migrate over the coastal area in Delta, BC. They rest in the fields around Delta. Snow geese fly here from Wrangel Island. Wrangel Island is north of Siberia. They fly about 5,000 km each direction. They arrive at the Reifel Bird Sanctuary in Delta between the middle of…

Dolphins remember sounds for a long time

Adapted from The Vancouver Sun Level 3 Imagine an old friend calling you on the phone after 20 years. You have not heard this person’s voice in all that time. Could you recognize him or her just by the sound of their voice? A dolphin could. Every dolphin has a name. The name is a special…

In praise of Alice Munro

Adapted from The Vancouver Sun Level 2 Alice Munro is a writer. She won the 2013 Nobel Prize for Literature. Canadians are very proud of her. She is the first Canadian to win the prize. Read the PDF and do the exercise Alice Munro Wins Nobel Prize Visit the links Meet Alice Munro on Facebook. Watch the…

Thousands of crows gather in Burnaby

Adapted from The Province Level 2 In Burnaby, thousands of crows gather. Watchers say that 3,000 to 5,000 crows gather here every night. They stay for the whole night from sundown to sunrise. You can see them at Still Creek at the corner of Willlingdon Avenue and Highway 1. They gather here every evening during the…

A special day

Adapted from a story printed in the December, 2013 edition of The Westcoast Reader I’m Angela. I’m originally from China Wenzhou, Zhejiang. Wenzhou is a coastal city, it means “song and dance of the rural.” I’m a professional dancer and I used to dance in a troupe in Wenzhou. I was also a dance teacher in an…

Haida Gwaii wins 7-wonders of BC vote

Adapted from The Province Level 2 Readers of The Province newspaper named the Seven Wonders of BC. The Haida Gwaii won. Andrew Merilees is mayor of the Village of Masset. He says, “It’s an amazing place.” Read the PDF. Try the Exercise. Haida Gwaii wins 7-wonders Visit the WCR links: Learn more about the Haida…