Links

What in the World? Level 2 Issue 5 |

Prime Minister Trudeau Resigns

Questions for online exploration (p.9) 

2. Watch these analysts discuss Prime Minister Trudeau’s resignation and what comes next for the Liberal party:

3. Learn more about Prime Minister Trudeau’s legacy:

4. Explore this photo journal of Justin Trudeau’s life in politics:

5. Learn more about prorogation of Parliament and how it works:

6. Learn how a political party in Canada chooses its leader:

7. Learn about how Parliament operates and what happens when opposition leaders don't agree with the ruling party:

The Inauguration of Donald Trump

Before reading (p. 14)

Display this photojournal of President Trump’s inauguration ceremony to the class:

Questions for Further Thought ( p. 19)

1. Watch President Trump's inauguration address and swearing in ceremony:

2. See who was invited to the inauguration ceremony:

3. Check out the protocol for the presidential inauguration:

4. Explore the numerous executive orders that President Trump issued following his inauguration:

5. Learn more about President Trump's decision to pardon 1500 people charged or convicted in connection with the January 6, 2021 riot at the U.S. Capitol:

Table (p. 21)

Complete the table below to show the value of Canada–U.S. trade over the past 10 years. The following link will help: 

Fighting an Inferno in California

Before reading (p. 25)

Project the photojournal at this link and scroll through the photos as a group:

Questions for online exploration (p.30)

1. Learn more about the southern California wildfires and the destruction they’ve left behind:

2. Check out this timeline of the Eaton and Palisades wildfires in early January:

3. Explore these maps and charts that document the impact of the California wildfires:

4. Watch this interview with Gavin Newsom, governor of California, as he describes these wildfires, the efforts to contain them, and the long road ahead:

5. Learn how the Santa Ana Winds contributed to these wildfires:

6. Hear from residents who have been affected by these wildfires:

7. Learn how foreign countries are providing assistance to California:

8. Meet an LA couple who built a fire-resistant home that withstood these fires:

Melting Ice Roads

Before reading (p. 36)

Have students watch the following brief video about Nunatsiavut:

*NOTE: The above video very briefly shows a dead seal on the ice. Please review the video, and if it is inappropriate for your class, show this video about Nunavut instead: 

Questions for online exploration (p.43)

1. Find our more about why scientists are warning about melting Arctic sea ice:

2.Explore how warming temperatures and melting sea ice are transforming traditional Inuit ways of life in the Arctic:

3. Learn how global warming is affecting food chains and food availability in the Arctic:

4.Visit the site of the Canadian Ice Service, the leading authority for ice and iceberg information in Canada’s navigable waters: 

5. Check out these glossaries of Inuktitut words for snow and ice:

Inquiry project

The Steps of an Inquiry Project (p. 48)

Check out these short videos to learn how to check the credibility and reliability of websites:

How to evaluate sources for reliability: 

How to check if a website is credible: 

Helpful Teacher Resources on Inquiry-based Learning (p. 51)

1. Check out Trevor MacKenzie’s website with links to podcasts, blogs, social media links, and other resources on Inquiry‑based learning: 

2. John Spenser is another educator whose videos, blogs, and resources offer practical strategies and structures for engaging students in inquiry. Here are two to get you started:

“Helping Students Ask Better Questions by Creating a Culture of Inquiry” 

“Using a Wonder Week to Spark Inquiry-based Learning” 

3. Edutopia has a number of articles on student inquiry, including:

“What the heck is Inquiry-based Learning?” 

“Resources and Downloads to Facilitate Inquiry-based Learning” 

The Canadian Reader - Issue 5 |

Black History Month

Internet Connections (pp. 11-12)

1. Learn more about Black History month:

2. Discover the origins of Black History Month in Canada:

3. Watch this video timeline of Black History in Canada:

4. Check out the stories of many Black Canadians:

5. Test Your Knowledge of Black History in Canada (make or take an online quiz):

6. Find out about Canadian organizations that promote and raise awareness of Black Canadian history:

7. For Teachers

‘Rollcall’ by George Elliot Clarke (p. 1):

#BlackedOutHistory|Ontario Black History Society: 

Somebody Wanted But So Then strategy: 

Canadian Children’s Books for Black History Month:

Getting Ready for the Invictus Games

Extensions (p. 19)

Learn more about the Invictus Game Competitors: There are several bios, case studies, and participant stories in Internet Connections. Have students select one of the competitors to learn more about and create a sports card summarizing important facts and accomplishments of their selected participant, as well as an image. There are several free online sports card templates students may wish to use:

Internet Connections (pp. 19-20)

1. Find out more about this news story:

2. Visit the Invictus Games’ website:

3. Meet Team Canada:

4. Learn more about some of the Invictus competitors:

Canadian stories: 

International stories: 

5. For Teachers:

Before Reading link: 

I AM Invictus video: 

Invictus Games’ classroom resources: 

Droning On

Extensions (p. 29)

As a class, learn more about poster design before students create their own. The following articles have helpful tips and examples:

10 Tips for Perfect Poster Design: 

25 ways to design an awesome poster and create buzz for your next event:

Internet Connections (p.p. 29-30)

1. Learn more about this news story:

2. Inform yourself of the new laws:

3. Find out how drones are being used across the world:

4. Discover how drones fly:

5. Want to operate a drone? Check out this ‘how to’ video:

6. For Teachers:

Sum It Up for $2.00: 

What in the World? Level 2 Issue 4 |

Taylormania Takes the World by Storm

Before reading (p. 4)

1. Project the infographic at the link below:

2. Alternatively, you could show this report from PBS about the 2023 U.S. leg of Taylor Swift's Eras Tour.

Questions for online exploration (p.8) 

1. Watch the Eras Tour Concert Film official trailer: 

2. Meet some Swifties who attended one of Ms. Swift's recent Eras Tour concerts in Toronto:

3. Have you heard of the ‘Swift Effect’?  Find out how Taylor Swift is a marketing genius and how her Eras Tour supported the economy in cities on her tour:

4. Check out this amazing infographic which shows a detailed timeline of an Eras Tour concert:

5. Watch this montage of Taylor Swift's accomplishments from a young teen in Tennessee to the global pop superstar she is today: 

Table (p. 10)

Use the following link and complete the table to show the number of sales for Taylor Swift's top ten selling albums.

A (Nearly) New U.S. President

Before reading (p. 15)

Questions for Further Thought ( p. 20)

Visit this site to explore the Electoral Votes won by state:

Questions for online exploration (p. 21)

b) Watch Vice President Kamala Harris' concession speech:

2. Learn how Mr. Trump won the 2024 U.S. presidential election:

3. How did world leaders react to Mr. Trump's decisive win?

4. Explore this photo gallery from the night of the election:

5. The United States has been a long-time ally of Canada. Mr. Trump has already announced that he will be slapping new tariffs on all goods imported from Canada. Learn more about these tariffs and Canada's reaction:

6. Check out these links to learn more about how the U.S. electoral process works:

India's Killer Smog Problem

Before reading (p. 27)

Have students watch this video, which explains the science of smog: 

Questions for online exploration (p.32)

1. Learn more about why smog levels in India have become so dangerous:

2. How have smog levels impacted the health of Indian citizens?

3. Watch this report that compares the situation in New Delhi with the situation in other major cities that have made positive changes to address smog: 

4. Learn more about Air Quality Index (AQI) and how it is measured:

5. Check out this real-time AQI index:

6. Learn more about steps that India and other countries can take to improve the quality of air in the country:

7. Learn more about the country of India:

Conference of the Parties (COP29)

Before reading (p. 37)

Debrief student answers as a class. Make note of similar responses. Leave any unanswered questions as such and encourage students to watch for the answers to these as they view the summary of COP29 at this link:

Questions for online exploration (p.42)

1. Learn more about the initial goals for COP29:
Official home page: 

UN site: 

BBC report: 

2. Explore the outcomes of COP29:

3. Learn more about the reactions and responses from both developed and developing nations to this deal:

4. Canada's Environment and Climate Change Minister Steven Guilbeault led the Canadian delegation to Baku. Learn more about Canada’s commitment to reaching a climate finance deal at COP29:

5. Check out the State of The Climate report prepared by climate scientists at the WMO (World Meteorological Organization) in preparation for COP29:

Inquiry project

The Steps of an Inquiry Project (p. 47)

Check out these short videos to learn how to check the credibility and reliability of websites:

How to evaluate sources for reliability: 

How to check if a website is credible: 

Helpful Teacher Resources on Inquiry-based Learning (p. 50)

1. Check out Trevor MacKenzie’s website with links to podcasts, blogs, social media links, and other resources on Inquiry‑based learning: 

• https://www.trevormackenzie.com

2. John Spenser is another educator whose videos, blogs, and resources offer practical strategies and structures for engaging students in inquiry. Here are two to get you started:

“Helping Students Ask Better Questions by Creating a Culture of Inquiry” 

“Using a Wonder Week to Spark Inquiry-based Learning” 

3. Edutopia has a number of articles on student inquiry, including:

“What the heck is Inquiry-based Learning?” 

“Resources and Downloads to Facilitate Inquiry-based Learning” 

The Canadian Reader - Issue 4 |

Smart Garbage Cans

Internet Connections (p.12)

1. Find out more about this news story:

2. Learn more about the inventors and their innovation:

3. Explore past projects in the Youth Innovation Showcase:

4. For Teachers:
Recycling sorting station:

5. Bin Genius: 

Food Banks 

Internet Connections (p. 19)

1. Find out more about this news story:

2. Read the 2024 HungerCount report:

3. Find out ways you can help the food bank:

4. For Teachers:
Social Action Projects: 

One Cool Coin

Internet Connections (p.p. 26-27)

1. Find out more about this news story:

2. Learn more about the Inuit homeland and the people by exploring these links:

3. See the coin:

4. For teachers: 
Map of Inuit homeland:

Click to see front and back close-ups of the coin: 

5. How to make a ‘lift the flap’ book: 

What in the World? Level 2 Issue 3 |

A Solemn Day Of Remembrance 

Before reading (p. 4)

Have students watch this short video about the importance of Remembrance Day and why we wear a poppy:

Questions for online exploration (p.8) 

1. Visit the Canadian War Museum to see online exhibits, a variety of school resources, and virtual artifacts:

a) Remembrance Day collection:

b) Canada and World War I: 

c) Tomb of the Unknown Soldier:

d) Plan a Remembrance Day ceremony: 

2. Learn more about the National War Memorial, the site of Canada’s national Remembrance Day ceremony in Ottawa:

3. Learn more about World War I battles in which Canadians fought, some of our soldiers’ personal stories, the medals they won, and the memorials that honour them:

4. Learn more about the Royal Canadian Legion and its role in the community and in Remembrance Day ceremonies:

5. The Department of National Defence coordinates a program where Canadian citizens can write to members of our troops to thank them for their service:

Middle East Tensions Hit New High

Questions for online exploration (p. 20)

1. Watch this summary of how tensions escalated between Israel and Iran in April:

2. Learn more about how Hezbollah pagers and walkie-talkies were sabotaged and why: 

3. On October 1, Iran fired some 180 missiles at Israel: 

4. On October 3, Hezbollah confirmed that their leader, Nasrallah, was killed in an Israeli airstrike:

5. October 7,marked a year since the Hamas attack on Israel in 2023:

6. What is next in this conflict? Is a ceasefire possible to end these tensions? 

Angry Hurricanes Ravage The U.S.

Before reading (p. 26)

Scroll through the photos found at the following links, allowing 10-15 seconds per image for students to take in what they are seeing:

Hurricane Helene:

Hurricane Milton:

Questions for online exploration (p.31)

1. Check out the path of Hurricane Helene:

2. Learn about the extent of the damage caused by Hurricane Helene:

3. Recovery efforts are ongoing for victims of Helene:

4. Check out the path of Hurricane Milton:

5.Learn about the extent of the damage caused by Hurricane Milton:

6.  Recovery efforts are ongoing for victims of Milton:

7. Check out trackers and alerts for the 2024 hurricane season:

8. Explore these facts about hurricanes and how to prepare for them:

All About Hurricanes

Before reading (p. 41)

Have students watch this short video introducing hurricanes: 

Questions for online exploration (p.46)

1. What are hurricanes and how are they formed?

2. Learn about the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale that is used to classify categories of hurricanes based on their wind speed:

3. Have you ever wondered why tropical storms and hurricanes are named?

4. How do storm surges work and why can they be so deadly?

5. Many scientists suggest that climate change is supercharging hurricanes:

Table (p. 47)

Part A:

Use the following link and complete the table to show the total number of storms for each decade and the number of hurricanes. 

Part B:

Use the following link to complete the table to show the top 10 U.S. states that have been historically impacted by hurricanes: 

Inquiry project

The Steps of an Inquiry Project (p. 53)

Check out these short videos to learn how to check the credibility and reliability of websites:

How to evaluate sources for reliability: 

How to check if a website is credible: 

Helpful Teacher Resources on Inquiry-based Learning (p. 56)

1. Check out Trevor MacKenzie’s website with links to podcasts, blogs, social media links, and other resources on Inquiry‑based learning: 

• https://www.trevormackenzie.com

2. John Spenser is another educator whose videos, blogs, and resources offer practical strategies and structures for engaging students in inquiry. Here are two to get you started:

“Helping Students Ask Better Questions by Creating a Culture of Inquiry” 

“Using a Wonder Week to Spark Inquiry-based Learning” 

3. Edutopia has a number of articles on student inquiry, including:

“What the heck is Inquiry-based Learning?” 

“Resources and Downloads to Facilitate Inquiry-based Learning”