Monthly Archives: January 2024

Digital Resources, Event, Video

Black History Month

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February is Black History Month! 

“Every February, people across Canada participate in Black History Month events and festivities that honour the legacy of Black people in Canada and their communities.

No matter where you live, we invite all Canadians to learn more about these communities, and how they continue to help shape Canadian history.” (Source: Government of Canada)

Digital Resources: 

Books: (Recommended by ARC Vancouver)

“The Other Side” by Jacqueline Woodson

“Let’s Talk About Race” by Julius Lester

“The Colors of Us” by Karen Katz

“Martin’s Big Words” by Doreen Rappaport

“The Day You Begin” by Jacqueline Woodson

“I Am Enough” by Grace Byers

“Last Stop on Market Street” by Matt de la Peña

“Each Kindness” by Jacqueline Woodson

“Ruby Bridges Goes to School” by Ruby Bridges

Also by ARC Vancouver: Art and craft projects that promote unity and diversity:

  • Unity Handprints: Have students create handprints using different skin tone colors to symbolize diversity. Arrange them together to form a unity collage.
  • Unity Tree: Create a tree with a trunk and branches on a large piece of paper. Each student can add their handprints as leaves, representing their unique identity while being part of the same tree.
  • Unity Quilt: Let each student decorate a fabric square with drawings or messages of unity and diversity. Stitch these squares together to create a classroom quilt. To encourage students to express their thoughts and feelings about Black Shirt Day, inspire them to write poetry, create artwork, and write short essays or stories that reflect their understanding of unity, diversity, and anti-racism

Videos:

KN Explains: Black History Month (CBC Curio)

To celebrate Black History Month, we take a look at the long and storied history of Black British Columbians. Fran Morrison takes us from the earliest Black settlers to the enduring Black community of the present day. (Royal BC Museum)
Books, Event

Pink Shirt Day 2024

Mark your calendar: Pink Shirt Day is February 28th, 2024

Pinkshirt_2024

(Artwork by Corey Bulpitt, from the Haida Na7ikun-Raven Clan)

“We believe everyone – young and old – has the power to create change!”

“This Pink Shirt Day, let’s do what we can to elevate the voices of all, and take a stand against bullying. We can show others that we advocate for kindness and inclusivity by wearing our Pink Shirt Day apparel. We encourage you to help spread awareness for this important cause not only in February, but throughout the entire year. Net proceeds from sales go directly to helping children in British Columbia and Western Canada build healthy self-esteem and access the supports they need.”  (https://www.pinkshirtday.ca/)

Where did Pink Shirt Day come from?

In 2007 in Nova Scotia, Grade 12 students David Shepherd, Travis Price and a few friends saw that a grade 9 student was being bullied for wearing a pink shirt on the first day of school.

They knew they had to do something to show that this kind of behavior was not okay.

They decided to go out and buy pink shirts and hand them out to other students to wear.

By the end of that week, most of the students in the school were wearing pink shirts to show support for the grade 9 student who was bullied.

On February 23rd, wear something pink to show that we are all working together to erase bullying in our community.

Resources:

Book recommendations:

(Educator/Family guide also available.)

Books, Event, Video

February 14th: Have a Heart Day 2024

This message is from the First Nations Child & Family Caring Society of Canada (FNCFCS) website:

“Have a Heart Day is a child and youth-led reconciliation campaign that brings together caring Canadians to help ensure First Nations children have the services they need to grow up safely at home, get a good education, be healthy, and be proud of who they are.

Watch “End the Gap – Fair Funding For First Nations Schools”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LchiS8eQ7UM?rel=0

Activity Ideas:

  • Spread the word through social media like YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook. Use the hashtag #HaveaHeartDay and/or #JourneeAyezUnCoeur.

Explore the Have a Heart Day website to download Have a Heart Day resources.

Through activities like Have a Heart Day, we are creating a movement where the landscape of Canada is only one of honour and possibility for First Nations children.”

FNCFCS also shared this music video by N’we Jinan Artists “Important to Us”, written and performed by students at Pierre Elliot Trudeau School.

Their message is inspiring:

“No matter where you’re from,

let’s fill our home with colour and love.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9mJYjUWGS8?rel=0

Teachers: More resources are available here

  • Borrow Spirit Bear books by Cindy Blackstock from your school or Siwal Si’wes Library.
  • Follow Cindy Blackstock on Twitter (Cindy Blackstock @cblackst) and/or F.N. Caring Society on Twitter(F.N. Caring Society @Caringsociety)
  • Explore the Have a Heart Day website to download Have a Heart Day resources.