Anti-bullying

  Adapted from bullyingcanada.ca; thebullyproject.com; and The Vancouver Sun by Nila Gopaul Illustrations by Nola Johnston” Level 2 In June, 2012, Premier Christy Clark announced the B.C. government will spend $2-million to help stop bullying in schools. Did you know? About one in seven children in Canada (aged 11 to 16) is bullied. There are many…

On This Day: Terry Fox received the Order of Canada

Terry Fox is a Canadian hero. He ran the Marathon of Hope. Terry inspired many people. On September 19, 1980, he was honoured. He received the Companion of the Order of Canada. This is the most important award in Canada. Terry Fox was the youngest person to get this award. Watch the news video of…

Celebrate International Literacy Day

[pullquote]September 8 is International Literacy Day. Learn more at UNESCO.org[/pullquote] This story, “Family, the first school for young children,” first appeared on WCR online in January, 2013. Adapted from The Vancouver Sun Level 2 How does a child become a good reader? How does a child become a good speaker? The answer is simple. The…

Summer stories: Participation for wellness

2014 Write a Story contest honourable mention Story by Thompson River University Life Skills Reading Class Kamloops, BC: Kenzi Ceccon, Cody Chase, Dean Cummings, Kayla Finney, Cody Harmon, Brad Harrison, Adam Kenoras, Clayton Ralph, Alona Shoemaker This story is by one of our honourable mentions. Click the link to read this story.

Beaver tails

I Speak Canadian is a new occasional feature. We will introduce words and phrases often used by Canadians. A beaver tail is the name of a Canadian pastry. It was first introduced in Ottawa. It is a flat, flaky, fried pastry. The dough is stretched into the shape of a beaver tail. Then, it is…

Osgemeos paint a monster mural in Vancouver

Did you know? “Monster” has several meanings, including: a) something large; b) a strange animal Vancouver is going to have new public art soon. Osgemeos is an artist duo from Brazil. Gustavo and Otavio Pandolfo are twins. Together they paint giant murals and public art. They are going to paint six concrete silos on Granville Island. It…

Summer stories: My first car

2014 Write a Story contest honourable mention Story by Nageb Sulaiman Surrey, BC This story is by one of our honourable mentions. Click the link to read this story.

Summer stories: Arriving in Vancouver

2014 Write a Story contest honourable mention Story by Sonia Wang Vancouver, BC This story is by one of our honourable mentions. Click the link to read this story.

Chris Hadfield is a Canadian astronaut

Adapted from The Vancouver Sun by Patty Bossort. Level 2 Chris Hadfield is an astronaut. He is the first Canadian to walk in space. He flew into space three times. He commanded the International Space Station for five months. He orbited the earth 16 times every day. He watched the earth during the day and at night….

On This Day: A world record flight

On August 7, 1982, two pilots from Canada made a world record flight. They flew around the world in six days and 7½ hours in a single-engine plane. They flew 36,500 kilometres in a Cessna 210. Don Muir was 26 years old. He was a bush pilot from Sioux Lookout, Ontario. André Daemen was 22 years….

Ride for a good life

Adapted from The Vancouver Sun by Patty Bossort. Level 2 Bicycling is good for your health. It is good for the economy. It is good for the environment. Six good reasons to bicycle: It is good exercise. A fit body is a healthy body. Children learn better after a walk or bike ride to school. A…

Bike polo is a wild ride

Adapted from The Vancouver Sun by Patty Bossort  Level 2 What is bike polo? Bike polo is played by six people on bicycles. They chase a hard orange ball. They hit the ball with mallets. Players cover the wheels. This keeps the ball out of the spokes. The sport is getting more popular. Everyone is welcome to…

A big hug

2014 Write a Story contest winners Story by Stella Kong Vancouver, BC This story is by one of our four winners. Click the link to read the story.

A childhood phase

2014 Write a Story contest winners Story by Bobbi Earl Summerland, BC This story is by one of our four winners. Click the link to read the story.

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…

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…

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…

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…

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….

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

Are you using your cell phone at work?

Adapted from The Vancouver Sun Level 2 Many young people less than 30 years old are very attached to their cell phones and tablets. In their personal lives, they use them all day, everywhere. They need to learn how to use these devices in their workplace. Communication at work is different. “What we need are social…

Survivor stories

Survivors of Indian Residential Schools tell their stories. Adapted from The Vancouver Sun Level 2 Alvin Dixon Alvin Dixon was 10 years old. He was taken from his home in Bella Bella. After that, he lived at a residential school for 8 years. Visit the links: Residential School Survivor Margaret Commodore speaks. Click here to watch the video.

Thousands of people walked to honour survivors

Adapted from The Vancouver Sun Level 2 It was raining. Everyone held umbrellas. Seventy thousand people walked to honour First Nations people. The walk ended a week of events. The events celebrated Aboriginal heritage. Read the PDF. Try the Exercise. Truth & Reconciliation Walk Visit the links: Dr. Bernice King talked to the large group…

The perfect picnic

Level 2 A picnic is a simple way to eat outdoors. You can picnic in a park. You can picnic in your own backyard. Spread a blanket on the ground. Lay your food out.  Eat your lunch. Have fun. Read the PDF.  Try the Exercise. The perfect picnic-PDF Visit the links: VanDusen Gardens 5 Perfect…

Rowing the Northwest Passage

Adapted from The Vancouver Sun Level 2 Four men are rowing a boat from Inuvik, Northwest Territories to Pond Inlet, Nunavut.  The boat is 7.6 meters long.  They left Inuvik in early July.  They hope to arrive in Pond Inlet in early fall. This route is called the Northwest Passage. It is a very dangerous…

Baby sign language

Level 2 April 2011 Special thanks to Sheri Kauhausen of Intoyoga.ca and the mothers at Kerrisdale Community Centre Sheri Kauhausen teaches sign language to parents and to babies who hear. She uses American Sign Language in her classes. Sheri says babies can communicate before they can speak. Read the PDF. Baby sign language-PDF Babies (8–12…

Etiquette

Level 2 January 2011 What is etiquette? Etiquette* is a set of rules telling people how to behave. Different cultures have different rules. For example, there are rules about eating, using cell phones and greeting people. *(say: eh-ti-kit) Read the PDF. Etiquette-PDF Some rules in Canada are: Illustrations by: Nola Johnston

Surprise!

Level 2 November 2011 Adapted from The Vancouver Sun Rachel Suttle did not know she was expecting a baby (was pregnant). The strange story began in December, 2010. Rachel became pregnant, but six weeks later, she lost the baby. Read the PDF. Surprise-PDF In January, Rachel visited her family doctor. He told her she was…

Roundabout rules

Level 2 October 2010 Adpated from The Vancouver Sun by Nila Gopaul Approach Slow down. Yield Yield to cars coming from the LEFT. Yield to pedestrians (walkers). Read the PDF. Roundabout rules-PDF Enter When it is safe, enter to your RIGHT. Exit Signal RIGHT when you plan to exit. Special rules If you miss your…

Shipwrecked in BC

Adapted from The Vancouver Sun and Victoria Times Colonist by Nila Gopaul Level 2 September 2011 For six days in early June, Elaine Campbell was alone on a rocky beach in Haida Gwaii, B.C. Earlier, Elaine and her husband, Fred, were exploring the island. They were in a small boat. Suddenly, a large wave tipped…

Hypothermia

Adapted from Healthlink BC by Nila Gopaul Level 2 May/June 2012 Normal body temperature in adults is 34.4 °C to 37.8 °C. People can get hypothermia when the inside of the body drops below 35 °C. If not treated, hypothermia can lead to death. Read the PDF.  Try the exercise. Hypothermia-PDF Here are some ways…

Sitting is a pain

Level 2 Adapted from The Edmonton Journal October 2011 Ginette Biro is a personal trainer. She teaches people how to exercise. Biro also trains students to stretch. Read the PDF. Sitting is a pain-PDF Sitting for a long time can be hard on the body, especially the back. Biro says it is very important to…

The Great Blue Heron

Adapted from the B.C. Ministry of Environment and The Province Illustrations by Nola Johnston Level 2 May 2011 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 8-year-old children….

New lungs, new life

Adapted from The Vancouver Sun Level 2 Colleen Kohse, 53, lives in Vancouver. When she was in her 20s she received new lungs. At that time, Kohse was very ill. She had cystic fibrosis (CF). CF is a disease. CF affects the lungs. People with CF have a hard time breathing. They also get infections…

Ringette is 50 years old

Adapted from The Vancouver Courier and information from Ringette Canada Level 2 Ringette is a Canadian game on ice. It is one of Canada’s favorite sports for girls and women. Young men are playing ringette now, too. There are over 50,000 people working with ringette across Canada. Some of these are coaches and volunteers. This…

A cooking program opens doors for First Nations

Adapted from The Vancouver Sun by Nancy Carson Level 2 Vancouver loves local food. But there is little First Nations food in the city. Chef Andrew George Jr. hopes to change this. In early November, the Tsleil-Waututh Nation (slay-wa-tuth) in North Vancouver celebrated. The first class graduated from its own professional chef’s program. And local chef…

Farmland disappears

Adapted from The Vancouver Sun and www.youtube.com Level 2 I interviewed Harold Steves in 2009. Harold is an interesting man. He and my father were both at U.B.C. They both studied Agriculture. Both men became teachers. Visit the links: B.C. Agricultural Land Commission Harold’s family history Many people know about the Steves’ family. The town…