New families come to your school and community every year from other countries. They often arrive in your city/town, knowing very little about their new country. New Canadians are called immigrants. Immigrants need to learn much about their new country and the local community in a very short period of time.

Your class wants to help these new Canadian families feel welcome and will help them learn about their new community.

WHAT CAN YOUR CLASS DO TO HELP?

You and your classmates will be creating a "Box about Canada" resource for your school library that can be loaned to families that are new to your school!

Will your class create many small books on different topics?

Will your class make a game about Canada?

Will you include something for everyone?

What might you include for a 5 year old; 10 year old; parent; or grandparent?

Will you include maps of your community?

What words or pictures will go into your book; puzzle ; poem or story?

Will everyone contribute a key part of one larger "Box About Canada"?

1. Click below to read some real stories about new Canadians coming to Canada. If you have headphones or speakers at your computer, you can listen to some of the stories by clicking the sound button on the webpage. You can also click on the small images beside each person's photograph.

Oral Stories from Immigrants

Kim Phuc Phan Thi (Vietnam)

Teresa Woo-Pow (China)

Ekaterian Rogaeva (Russian Federation)

Chris Pullenayegem (Sri Lanka)

Sybil Braganza (Pakistan)

Ibolya Grossman (Hungary)

Other immigrants to Canada:

Enrique Robert

Adrienne Clarkson

Bruny Surin

Halifax and Pier 21 was where many Europeans first stepped foot on Canadian soil.

 

2. Older students can play the Pier 21 Online Immigration Game to learn about the immigration process for new Canadians in the years 1928-1971.

3. Decide on what you'd like to contribute to the Box about Canada.

a puzzle

a short story

a map of Canada

a map of your city or community

a colouring book

a book about the symbols of Canada

a test about Canada

a story about a famous Canadian

a phonebook of important places in the area

Do you have another idea?

4. Visit the links in the resources section, or visit the school library for books about Canada, to make sure that the information you include is correct.

5. Make it! When you are finished, have a classmate check it over carefully.

6. After your teacher has had a chance to review your work, add it to the Box About Canada.

7. Once all of your classmates have added their work to the box, make a class trip to the library to present your gift to the community.

8. Write a note for the school newsletter, or make a poster to hang in the hallway so that everyone will know about the gift you've prepared?

1. Proud Canadian Kids website
2. Parliament Hill
3. How to Tell You are in Canada
4. An American's Guide to Canada
5. Symbols of Canada I
6. Symbols of Canada II
7 . The National Flag
8 . Flag Debate Movie

Have you ever found yourself in a new place that made you feel uncomfortable? Can you describe what it was like?

How do you feel when you receive a gift from someone?

How does it feel to give a gift to someone you don't even know?

What do you and your friends do to help new students feel welcome at your school?

Are there any other things you think adults should do to help immigrants in their journey?

If you are interested in learning more about this subject matter, you can find related hyperlinks at Student Links 2 on the LDCSB "Intranet" Website.

* Note: This link is not licensed for home use by students

Immigrant students and their families, make up a large part of our learning community. While many Canadian students are eager to welcome new friends, this project makes it possible for them to welcome them in a concrete way.