USC3.2

Examine the spiritual dimension of the "inner self" and determine the importance of nurturing it.

Indicators for this outcome

b. Investigate common definitions of the "inner self" (e.g., quiet awareness of who one really is and one's reason for being).

Why do we see those stunning lights in the northern- and southernmost portions of the night sky? The Aurora Borealis and Aurora Australis occur when high-energy particles are flung from the Sun’s corona toward the Earth and mingle with the neutral atoms in our atmosphere -- ultimately emitting extraordinary light and color. Michael Molina explains every step of this dazzling phenomenon. These collisions result in countless little bursts of light, called photons, which make up the aurora.

Click to access YouTube video

The Story of the Northern Lights - Wilfred Buck, is a science facilitator at MFNERC and the man behind the research of the “Under a Blanket of Stars: First Nations Constellation” series. The first book in this series “Warren Whistles at the Sky” is written by David Robertson and illustrated by Amber Green. In this book, Warren remembers a story an Elder told him about the northern lights. Similarly, in this video Buck shares an intriguing star story from his childhood.

Click to access YouTube video

Click to above access this video

Click to above access this video

Talon, Raven and T-Bear learn what can happen when they forget to respect tradition. Raven can't resist whistling at the glimmering northern lights even though she's been warned not to. And T-Bear breaks with an age-old ritual by neglecting to offer tobacco ties before picking sweet grass for the elders. All 3 children discover that their careless behavior may be the source of the community's recent small misfortunes. With help from grandfather Mushom and a wise elder, they take part in a traditional ceremony that puts things right.

Wapos Bay is a Gemini Award-winning stop-motion animation series that follows the adventures of 3 kids from a Cree community in northern Saskatchewan.

Click to access realistic star maps

Stellarium Web is a planetarium running in your web browser. It shows a realistic star map, just like what you see with the naked eye, binoculars or a telescope. Just type the constellation you are searching for and Stellarium Web will find it for you.

Click to access star activity package

The best way to get kids learning is to build on their curiosity and interests. The Space Rangers program is kid-centered with an emphasis on inquiry and creativity. We’ve designed the program to be user-friendly and adaptable. Use the materials each day for five days in a row, or once a week for five weeks (or any other way you like) to add hands-on learning to your summer programming. Their is a Space Rangers Package that includes 5 topics for exploration through fiction and nonfiction books, hands-on activities, new vocabulary, and fun writing prompts. Each topic also includes recommendations for kid-friendly websites and apps.

Click to access page

Click to access page