Orca Classroom Connections

ORCA classroom connections

April 2019

Welcome to the first edition of Orca's new quarterly teacher resource newsletter—your place for free lesson plans and activities, discount codes and book suggestions. We know how hard you work to inspire your students to grow and become lifelong learners and we want you to have all the tools you need to raise the next generation of global citizens. (If we could deliver a fresh cup of coffee to your inbox, we would!)

Our first newsletter theme is... drumroll ... Multiculturalism: Bringing the World to Your Classroom

You already know that providing your students with exposure to diversity through reading helps to create a more compassionate world, which is why we've created three classroom activities, divided by age group, to help you bring cultures from around the world into the classroom.

Pass it on!

Know someone who might be interested in free lesson plans, classroom activities and discount codes? Share this newsletter with other teachers in your network.

Thanks for reading! Watch for your next Orca Classroom Connections newsletter in June.

Elementary School—Discussion Questions

In this illustrated early chapter book, new Canadian Badir confuses the beaver in his neighborhood park for a very large rat. When a petition is started to remove the beaver, Badir, who knows firsthand how difficult it is to leave your home behind, rallies his classmates to save it.

Badir and the Beaver

by Shannon Stewart, illustrated by Sabrina Gendron

Fiction Ages: 6-8 | Lexile 620L | GRL: O

Shannon Stewart, the author of Badir and the Beaver and a second-grade teacher, has created a list of discussion questions covering topics from biodiversity to multiculturalism. These questions are great for large or small groups and will prompt students to make connections to other subjects and their own lives.

What is environmental stewardship? Have you ever been a steward for the environment?
Beavers were highly valued by both Indigenous peoples and European settlers in Canada. What did the beaver provide to these groups of people?
What do you think would be the biggest challenge if you had to start at a new school in a different country?
What is fasting? Why do Muslims fast during Ramadan?

Middle School—Research Activity

Ramadan: The Holy Month of Fasting

by Ausma Zehanat Khan

Nonfiction Ages: 9-12

Ramadan, which begins at sunset on May 5 and ends on June 4, 201 9, is the perfect time to explore the richness of Islamic traditions and emphasize the importance of diversity in a world where Islamophobia continues to be a reality.

Looking for an activity to learn about Ramadan with your class? Download the Spirit of Ramadan Research Activity. This excerpt and worksheet offers students the chance to research Muslim charity organizations and reflect on the ways they embody the spirit of Ramadan.

Download Spirit of Ramadan Research Activity

This activity is a sample from our Orca Origins Teacher Guide. For a suggested list of resources students can use to complete their research for this activity, check out the Spirit of Ramadan post on the Orca Blog.

High School—Reflective Writing Prompts

This novel for teens deals with the intercultural struggles faced by Chinese students studying in North America in the present day and those encountered by an American playwright, Neil Peterson, caught up in the Nanjing Massacre of 1937.

The Third Act

by John Wilson, based on the screenplay by Xiaoming Yao

Fiction Ages: 12+ | Lexile: HL750L | GRL: Z+

John Wilson, the author of The Third Act, has created reflective writing prompts based on the book for you to share with your classroom. These questions ask students to reflect on the novel's themes and their own experiences with cultural differences and feelings of belonging.

The characters in The Third Act come to North America to study. Do you have experience with moving to a new country? Imagine or reflect on what it is like to start school in a new country. What are some of the difficulties you would face? Do you think these problems would change from country to country?
Tone, Pike and Theresa struggle with cultural differences and feel alienated in North America. How important is understanding the cultural background to fin in somewhere? What are some strategies that you could suggest to Tone, Pike and Theresa to help them navigate the new culture? Tone likes to read about history; how could learning about the history of a country help to understand the culture?

A Reading Roundup (and discount!) for Earth Day

Earth Day is April 22 but learning about our impact on the environment and ways we can protect our planet is a lifelong commitment. Looking for books to read with your students to spark conversations about climate change? Visit the Orca Blog for suggestions of fiction titles paired with nonfiction books that supplement each theme.

Promo code: Save 30% on all books in the Earth and the Environment category at orcabook.com until April 22, 2019 with code EARTHDAY .

Shop Earth and the Environment CANADA

Shop Earth and the Environment USA & INT'L