Happy Lunar New Year!

Adapted from article written by Nila Gopaul, originally posted to The Westcoast Reader, February 2015 Every year, during Lunar New Year, many cities and towns in B.C. are filled with red banners. Sometimes there are lion dances, parades and crowds. Restaurants are filled with many people. Around the world Lunar New Year celebrations last for 15 days. Vietnamese, Chinese…

Remembrance Day

Lest we forget November 11     Remembrance Day Level 3 November 11 is Remembrance Day in Canada. On this day we honour Canadians who fought and died in wars. Many communities have special events and parades on Remembrance Day. Watch this Remembrance Day ad from the Government of Canada Red poppies Sixty thousand Canadians died…

Protect yourself from colds and the flu

Level 3 In Canada, many people get colds and the flu (influenza) in the winter. Viruses cause colds and the flu. These viruses pass easily from person to person. Learn more about colds and the flu: How to protect yourself How to protect others What to do if you have a cold or the flu…

Can we save the ocean?

Level 3 Boyan Slat says, ”Yes, we can!” Who is Boyan Slat? Boyan Slat is 21 years old. He lives in the Netherlands. Boyan started thinking about how to clean up the ocean when he was 16 years old. His family was on vacation near Greece. He liked to swim in the Mediterranean Sea. He…

Writer lives at a lighthouse

Level 3 Caroline Woodward lives at a light station near Tofino, B.C. The lighthouse is on Lennard Island. The lighthouse is very important. It has lights that guide ships along the rocky shores of the Pacific coast. Caroline and her husband, Jeff, have lived and worked at more than 12 lighthouses along the B.C. coast….

The Summer Jobs Program

In March, Prime Minister Trudeau announced more money for the Canada Summer Jobs Program. The Summer Jobs Program helps students get summer jobs. The program is part of the Youth Employment Strategy.

Retired football player swings an axe

Level 3 Shea Emry always wanted to be a lumberjack. A lumberjack is a person who cuts down trees and cuts them into logs. Shea Emry’s great-great-grandfather was a logger. Most of the men in his family worked in the forest industry. Emry likes to swing an axe. Emry says swinging an axe is better…

Prime Minister Trudeau in Washington

  LEVEL 3 Americans are excited about Prime Minister Trudeau. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visited the President of the United States. He stayed for three days. This was the first official visit of a Canadian Prime Minister to the United States in 20 years. Hundreds of people greeted Prime Minister Trudeau at the White House…

Education First Nations style

LEVEL 3 Eighty children go to a special school in Vancouver. They learn in First Nations style. The Aboriginal Focus School is the only one in Vancouver. Seventy of the students are aboriginal and 10 are not aboriginal. They have room for more students. The school helps students develop cultural pride. Students learn about the…

Employers are hiring more apprentices

Story adapted from The Vancouver Sun by Patty Bossort LEVEL 3 More employers are starting to hire and train apprentices. Hiring apprentices helps corporations get good workers. Working as an apprentice helps workers gain skills on-the-job. Why do we need more apprenticeship opportunities? Skilled trades workers “don’t grow on trees,” says one employer. Workers need to be…

City of Richmond says signs in bus shelters must be in English

  LEVEL 3 Bus shelters are good places to advertise. Signs in bus shelters advertise real estate, toothpaste, credit cards, beer, entertainment and more. Most signs in bus shelters in Richmond are written in both Chinese and English. In 2015, 58% of sign permits were for “mixed language” signs. Recently, Budweiser put up an ad…

Building community in the Lunar New Year

Story adapted from The Vancouver Sun Level 3 Lunar New Year begins on February 8 this year. It is the same day as the BC Family Day holiday. The annual parade in Vancouver will be on February 14. It will start at 11:00 in China Town. Lunar New Year is also called Chinese New Year…

Wanted: More female bobsledders

Story adapted from The Vancouver Sun Level 3 Canadian women win gold Two women raced in the fastest bobsled. They won the gold cup in Whistler, BC. Kaillie Humphries was the pilot of the sled. She comes from Calgary. “It was a lot closer than I wanted it to be,” Humphries said. Humphries raced against eight…

B.C. man’s harpsichords

B.C. man’s harpsichords used around the world Adapted from The Northshore News by Nancy Carson Level 3 Craig Tomlinson was 16 and living in Coquitlam. It was the 1960s and folk music was very  popular again. Many folk musicians played the dulcimer.* Tomlinson looked everywhere for one. *dul-si-mer Never gave up Tomlinson said, “You could…

Crisis in Syria

Crisis in Syria Adapted from The Vancouver Sun, CBC News, CNBC, and Aljazeera America by Nila Gopaul Listen to “Crisis in Syria”– Level 3 Reading by Corey Muench Civil war started in Syria in 2011. The war continues today. Over 100,000 people have died. Syria is a country in western Asia. Its population is 22.5 million. About 5,000 Syrians…

The spirit bear

The Spirit Bear Adapted from CBC News by Nancy Carson Level 3 A creature of legend lives on the central coast of British Columbia. This is the only place in the world where it can be found! This creature is the Kermode Bear. It is also called the “Spirit Bear” or “Ghost Bear”.

Aboriginal veterans honoured

Adapted from The Province and CTV News by Nila Gopaul On Sunday, November 8, about 100 people marched through Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. The marchers sang and beat on native drums. The event was the city’s 10th annual National Aboriginal Veterans Day March. The march started at Carnegie Centre and ended at Victory Square. At Victory Square,…

“In Flanders Fields” poem is 100 years old

“In Flanders Fields” poem is 100 years old Adapted from Canadian War Museum and Wikipedia by Patti-Lea Ryan Level 3 This year is the 100th anniversary of the writing of the poem “In Flanders Fields”. The poem was written in 1915 by Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae. Who was Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae? Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae was a…

Bike education

Bike education Story by Jafar Eshraghi, LINC student Illustrations by Nola Johnston Windsor Neighbourhood Learning Centre, in collaboration with HUB Cycling, http://www.bikehub.ca, organized two biking events this past summer. All LINC students and their families were eligible, so my wife, my daughter and I decided to join the “How to Ride Safely on the Road”…

A young inventor

A young inventor Adapted from The Province by Nila Gopaul Level 3 Listen to “A young inventor” – Level 3 Reading by Corey Muench Ann Makosinski is a young inventor. She and her flashlight are famous. The Victoria, B.C., teenager won a top prize at the 2013 Google Science Fair. She has been in Time Magazine and on…

Canada has a new prime minister

Canada has a new prime minister Adapted from cbc.ca by Nila Gopaul Canada has a new prime minister. Justin Trudeau is the leader of the Liberal Party. Justin Trudeau’s Liberals won 184 seats of the 338 seats in parliament. The Liberals will form a majority government. The Conservatives will form the Official Opposition. Trudeau, 43, was a…

Help for single parents on welfare

Help for single parents on welfare Adapted from the Province of B.C. and The Vancouver Sun by Nila Gopaul Level 3 Listen to “Help for single parents on welfare”– Level 3 Reading by Nila Gopaul Free tuition for 12 months of training. Training must be in 60 in-demand jobs, such as cooking, baking, retail, office support work, early…

World Peace Day is September 21

Watch the full film The Day After Peace below. The International Day of Peace is sometimes called World Peace Day. It is celebrated on September 21 every year. This special day is dedicated to world peace. The UN* General Assembly started the International Day of Peace in 1981. “On this day, in the lead-up to the Day of Peace, I am asking…

The youngest teachers in B.C.

Information adapted from Roots of Empathy Program by Nancy Carson Level 3 Roots of Empathy (ROE)  is a school program. It educates the mind and the heart. The program is for children from Kindergarten to Grade Eight. ROE is about “emotional literacy”.  It teaches important life skills. Watch a video on the program. Roots of Empathy:  Introduction

Residential Schools and Reconciliation Resources for teachers

Adapted from CBC.ca and The Vancouver Sun by Nila Gopaul Residential Schools and Reconciliation Resources Teachers from around B.C. are meeting at a conference in Vancouver. They are reviewing new material. The material is about residential schools and reconciliation. What are residential schools? The residential school system operated in Canada from 1875-1996. During this time, about 150,000 aboriginal…

Tips for a short camping trip

Campers roast marshmallows Photo by the Government of British Columbia/CC, Flickr Tips for a short camping trip Adapted from Wikipedia by Patti-Lea Ryan Edited by Nila Gopaul Level 3 NOTE for campers: Click here to find current fire bans in BC  Checklist of things to do before leaving home If you plan on taking a pet…

About birthday cakes

Adapted from cbc.ca by Nila Gopaul Level 3 Birthday cakes are delicious, say children. They are sweet and rich. Why do we celebrate birthdays with cake? Why do we put candles on birthday cakes? And why do we sing over these cakes? History During the 8th century, the people in Rome, Italy, celebrated birthdays with cake. Cakes were…

Community gardens

Community gardening Story adapted from Wikipedia by Patti-Lea Ryan and the writer’s experience Level 3 Community gardening is very popular in cities. Many people like to grow fresh vegetables and flowers. Some gardeners do not have space for a garden. So they can become a member of a community garden. These gardens are maintained by…

Who’s speaking, please?

Who’s speaking, please? Biases can affect communication Adapted from The Vancouver Sun by Nancy Carson Level 3 Many people have stereotypes. A stereotype is a strong belief about a whole group of people and every person in that group. You feel that everyone in the group is the same in some way. Positive and negative…

The tiny ferries in False Creek

The tiny ferries in False Creek Adapted from Wikipedia by Patti-Lea Ryan Level 3 Looking for something fun to do? Why not try one of the little ferries in False Creek. The Aquabus and False Creek Ferries offer short ferry rides. Both companies also offer mini cruises around False Creek. People take the ferries: To…

Kites

Kites Story submitted by Bob Luo Kites were invented in China. China has two perfect materials for building kites. Kitemakers use silk and bamboo. Silk is used to sail the kite. Bamboo is used to make the framework. Bamboo is lightweight but strong.

Summer hazard – dogs in hot cars

Summer hazard: dogs in hot cars Adapted from The Vancouver Sun and the BC SPCA by Patti-Lea Ryan Edited by Nila Gopaul Level 3 The BC SPCA* reminds us that summer is here. This means that the weather is getting hot. Vehicles such as cars and vans heat up very fast in the summer. Your pet can…

Karina LeBlanc, FIFA World Cup soccer player

Karina LeBlanc, FIFA World Cup soccer player Adapted from The Vancouver Sun by Patti-Lea Ryan Edited by Nila Gopaul Level 3 Canada’s women’s soccer team is playing in the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Karina LeBlanc is a goalkeeper for Canada’s team. Growing up Karina was born in Dominica. Her father is Dominican and her mother is…

Female “Sherlock Holmes”

Female “Sherlock Holmes” Still practising law at 95 Adapted from The Vancouver Sun by Nancy Carson Level 3 People ask Constance Isherwood when she will stop practising law. She tells them, “Well, if you keep practising, eventually you’ll get the hang of it.” This Victoria lawyer, 95, still runs Holmes and Isherwood. She and her…

The beautiful rings of Saturn

The beautiful rings of Saturn Adapted from NASA by Patti-Lea Ryan Level 3 Saturn is the second biggest planet in our solar system. Only Jupiter is bigger. Saturn is much larger than Earth. You could fit 700 Earths into Saturn. Being the sixth planet from the sun, Saturn is very, very far away. It is about…

Kim Phuc is coming to Vancouver

Submitted by Jennifer Pearson Terell Chair, TEAL Charitable Foundation Kim Phuc is coming to Vancouver, B.C. in May 2015. Kim will be a keynote speaker at the 2015 B.C. Teachers of English as an Additional Language (TEAL) conference. She will speak to teachers about her life as a refugee and as an immigrant.

Taijiquan – a martial art

Story by Bob Luo Taijiquan is a Chinese martial art (Wushu). The movements are gentle and slow. Each posture flows into the next without pause. Taiji has many movements. It has a 24,42,48,88, and other routines. Taiji is a good exercise. It has many health benefits. For example, taiji helps fight stress. Taiji also increases energy. People who practise…

Vancouver students climb highest African mountain

Vancouver students climb highest African mountain Adapted from cbc.ca by Nancy Carson Level 3 Some students in East Vancouver are in a special school at Britannia Secondary School. This school is called Streetfront. Students take classes in math, science, Social Studies and English. They also go camping and hiking. They must be in a running…

Letter to the Editor

Please hear us!  Dear Sir/Madam: Re V.S.B Cancellation of Outreach Programs from Florence Nightingale Adult Education Outreach Class It is too easy to cancel this class because no one hears us. We are students at the Florence Nightingale Elementary School Adult Education Outreach Class. For the past 20 years, this class has been helping parents in East…

Classical music calms cats

Classical music calms cats Adapted from the Vancouver Sun by Nancy Carson Level 3 Can our pets be affected by music? Research shows that classical music can calm cats and dogs. Music can also calm gorillas and elephants. Music and people We know that music affects humans in different ways. Yoga teachers play music with…

Signs of a stroke

Signs of a stroke, Level 3 Adapted from The Vancouver Sun, the Heart and Stroke Foundation and Statistics Canada, 2012, by Nila Gopaul Illustrations by Nola Johnston Most strokes happen when a blood clot blocks the flow of blood going to the brain. Both children and adults can have strokes. Each year, there are 50,000…

Students talk about their volunteer experiences

Submitted and written by Carrie Jung, Instructor in the English for Academic Purposes Capilano University Photos by Richard Berwick • Videotaping by Hugh Soulis • Interviews by Vilien Chen Video editing and layout by Nila Gopaul Capilano University Capilano University is located in North Vancouver. Many students from different countries come to this university to study. Some…

Tourists love B.C.

Tourists love B.C. – Level 3 Adapted from The Vancouver Sun and The Province by Nila Gopaul B.C. is beautiful. And the world is noticing. In fact, tourism in B.C is up 39 per cent since 2001. In 2014, there were about nine million overnight stays in Metro Vancouver. In 2016, tourists may bring $18 billion…

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…

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…

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…

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….