| Hello, It’s an unprecedented time for parents with school-aged children. But The Royal Canadian Geographical Society’s Canadian Geographic Education program is here to help. As educators across Canada clamber to find, develop and implement virtual learning resources, Can Geo Education is making its extensive library of free, trusted, educator-approved bilingual resources (used by 23,500-plus members!) available to all teachers â including parents who have suddenly been thrust into the role, as they and their school-age children isolate at home in the face of COVID-19. As challenged as we all are by this pandemic and our physical distancing and self-isolation efforts, it is exciting for us to be able to share our wealth of online educational resources with Canadians: onlineclassroom.cangeoeducation.ca. In conjunction with our #OnlineClassroom, we are particularly thrilled to be launching The Anthropocene Education Program. This immersive education initiative explores some of the world’s most pressing environmental challenges, such as plastic waste, species extinction and climate change, through augmented and virtual reality. It was created in partnership with renowned photographer Edward Burtynsky and multiple award-winning filmmakers Nicholas de Pencier and Jennifer Baichwal. Â Children of all ages will be delighted by the fun, innovative, easy-to-use, high-tech resources â many of which incorporate smart phones and tablets â including augmented reality experiences (check out Big Lonely Doug, a 1,000-year-old Douglas fir), immersive virtual reality films (traverse the Dandora landfill), interactive photo essays (explore British Columbia’s Cathedral Grove forest), 29 short videos and much more, including related lesson plans. Beyond that, Can Geo Education has hundreds of dynamic lesson plans and a great collection of interactive maps, tailored for primary, intermediate and secondary grades. These are also now available to all teachers, students and families to make learning at home easy. Visit cangeoeducation.ca/resources to get started. The new #OnlineClassroom will also be featuring quick and easy-to-complete activities, longer, more formal curriculum-linked lessons and links to favoured external resources. The site will also host Google Hangouts, where participants can join celebrity guests for video chats on a variety of topics, and take part in scavenger hunts and mapping exercises. Or try our geography quizzes! Dynamic resources that educate and entertain and keep students engaged in geography are always critical and now more than ever. This work must continue and we rely on the support of donors to do so. Please consider giving here. Sincerely, John Geiger
Chief Executive Officer
The Royal Canadian Geographical Society Paul VanZant
Chair, Canadian Geographic Education
Governor, The Royal Canadian Geographical Society ABOUT CANADIAN GEOGRAPHIC EDUCATION
Canadian Geographic Education, The Royal Canadian Geographical Society’s education program, is led by trained educators and geographers. It comprises more than 23,500 classroom teacher members representing more than 600 elementary and secondary schools from across the country. Can Geo Education creates bilingual education resources that are linked to the provinces’ and territories’ school curriculums and that stimulate critical thinking in geography and foster geographic literacy for students from Kindergarten to Grade 12. It produces educational resources such as interactive maps, lesson plans, student activities and national contests, such as the Classroom Energy Diet Challenge, Canada’s Coolest School Trip and the Canadian Geographic Challenge.
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