Single-use item bylaw

A new Vancouver bylaw will start in April. This bylaw will ban food vendors from giving customers disposable straws, forks, knives, chopsticks and spoons. People with disabilities can still get a straw if they need one. No more foam In January, Vancouver banned foam cups and foam take-out containers. Soon, the city hopes to stop…

Lize wins an award

Norma Lize is a refugee from Lebanon. In February, she was recognized as a leader in Vancouver’s LGBT community. She won the January Marie Lapuz Youth Leadership Award. Something was missing Lize grew up feeling that something was missing from her gender identity. At 18, she met a transgender woman. It made her think that…

COVID-19

COVID-19 is a new virus. It is also known as novel coronavirus. The virus appeared in Wuhan, China in December 2019. It has infected over 110,000 people in countries around the world. Close to 4,000 people have died worldwide. What are the risks? Most people can recover at home. The risk is greater for older people…

Preparing for a job interview

Job interviews can be stressful. If you prepare for your job interview, you will be more confident and relaxed. There are many ways to prepare for a job interview. Practise your answers before going to the interview Many interviewers ask the same questions. They will ask about your work experience. They might ask you about…

Finn and Traveller

Finn and Traveller are sniffer puppies. They work at Vancouver General Hospital. They started work on October 25, 2019. Sniffer puppies are trained to smell bacteria that makes people sick. They sniff for bacteria in hospital washrooms, hallways and waiting rooms. What is a sniffer puppy’s job? Sniffer puppies and dogs can smell the bacteria…

Vaping

Vaping is similar to smoking.  When someone vapes, they use a small device to breathe in a liquid. The device is called an e-cigarette. The e-cigarette heats up the liquid and turns it into vapour. What is the liquid made of? The liquid inside an e-cigarette is called e-liquid or vaping juice. Often, vaping juice…

Cold remedies

You can catch a cold at any time of the year. Some people try to fight the cold before it starts. If they can’t, people want to get rid of the illness as quickly as possible. Remedies to fight a cold before it starts Some people try to fight a cold as soon as they…

Wildfires in BC every summer

Level 3 We have about 2000 forest fires every summer in BC. Forest fires are also called “wildfires”.Many hectares of forest are lost every year. Sometimes homes are lost, too. The wildfire season starts when the forest gets dry in the spring.The fire season ends when the forests get wet from rain and snow in…

Summer jobs for youth 2017

Level 3 The Summer Jobs Program helps students get summer jobs. The Summer Jobs Program is part of the Youth Employment Strategy. Read on to find out: What the program does Who can participate How students and youth can get help finding a job What does the program do? The Summer Jobs Program helps youth:…

B.C. Votes 2017

Resources for BC Votes 2017. Visit these links Find out more about elections in B.C. Digital and printable maps of B.C. Electoral Districts Interactive Electoral Districts Map Register to vote on-line Learn more about identification and vouching  

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…