Unit 6

What Does It Mean to Be Canadian?

Lesson 1

Reader's Notebook

Canada in My Pocket

Pages 124 to 127 of Literacy in Action 5B.


For this lesson, you are going to be reading and listening/viewing a song called "Canada in My Pocket."


Have you ever looked at the pictures on your change and wondered why those pictures were chosen? The maple leaf (a penny), the beaver (a nickel), the schooner (a dime), the caribou (a quarter), the loon (a loonie), and the polar bear (a toonie) are important Canadian symbols that are shown on our coins. This song is written about some of these symbols.

Symbols 


A symbol is an object that stands for something else. 
The letters of the alphabet are symbols.  The letter A has a sound and meaning attached to it. The words you write are symbols.  The word cat could be chat in French, kat in Danish, or kotka in Bulgarian.  Therefore, the letters spelling cat could stand for anything.  English has chosen them to stand for cat.
             
The numbers we use in math are symbols. They represent numbers of objects.

In drama, objects or props can become symbols through how they are used. A hat can represent a magic trick if a rabbit appears. Or, it can represent excitement if it is tossed in the air. Or, a hat can represent a type of job such as a construction worker.

In this way, coins are symbols of Canadian culture or history.

To learn more about symbols, read The Keeping Quilt  or This is the Rope. The objects (quilt and rope) show the heritage and experiences of the characters (people).  These objects have significant memories attached to them. Click below to find out what these memories are.




Click each coloured row for information about the activity.

Think About It


Think about all the symbols that you think of when you think of Canada. What symbols best represent Canada to you?
 
  1. Look through the selection, and read each of the captions for each of the coins. The captions are printed in smaller type and are found beside, below, or above the pictures.
  2. Next, read the song on pages 124 to 126. You'll notice that whenever the word "Chorus" is written, the song repeats the first section (the chorus), which is located on page 124 of Literacy in Action 5B.
  3. Then, read the information about and quote from Michael Mitchell, the songwriter, on page 127.
  4. Finally, watch the video Michael Mitchell's Canada in My Pocket.

Watch


Video

Michael Mitchell's Canada in My Pocket


After you watch the video, answer the two During Reading questions on the Reader’s Notebook: Canada in My Pocket.




Document: Reader’s Notebook: Canada in My Pocket
Click here to download

Download PDF


  1. Download the document Reader’s Notebook: Canada in My Pocket.
  2. IMPORTANT NOTE: When the download screen opens: 
      • Click the "Open with" button.
      • Select "Adobe Reader".
      • Click "OK".
      • You will then be able to view the document Reader’s Notebook: Canada in My Pocket.

  3. Print the document.

After you have finished listening to and reading about this song, answer the After Reading question on the Reader’s Notebook: Canada in My Pocket.

Save

How to save a file:

  1. Scan the document to your computer.
  2. Have the file open and select Save As from the File menu.
  3. Name your Reader’s Notebook: Canada in My Pocket file in this format: jsmith_rncanadapocket and save the file to your Documents folder.

Remember to add the information from this lesson to one or both of your charts from the We Are Canadian! Unit Opener.
Websites

Websites

If you are interested in more information about Canadian coins and how they are made, visit the Royal Canadian Mint web page.  On that page, scroll to the bottom and look for the "LEARN" menu. There you will find links to Coin Production, Coin Recycling, History Timeline, Artists, and much more.
Compare your responses with those in the Key by clicking here.