Currents4Kids
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Welcome to Currents4Kids
A 21st century teaching and learning tool that opens students' eyes to the world -
Easy to use on all platforms, from iPods to desktop computers
Helping students & teachers make meaningful use of the Internet whenever – and wherever -
Meets key curriculum outcomes
C4K develops vocabulary, builds background knowledge and allows students to share their views in a safe environment -
Easy and fun to use!
Weekly articles, auto-graded quizzes, comment area, links, activities and more
Dec 07 2018
Inside the Red Planet
November 26 was a big day for NASA. The InSight spacecraft, which left Earth in May, was ready to land on Mars. Mission control at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory was packed with people.
As InSight entered the atmosphere, everyone watched the monitors. Scientists were waiting for the answer to one big...
Environment
Nov 30 2018
Oil Spill in the Atlantic
On November 16, an offshore oil platform dumped 250,000 litres of crude oil off the coast of Newfoundland. It’s the worst spill in the history of the province.
The oil leaked from the SeaRose, an FPSO operated by Husky Energy.
FPSOs are huge ships. They’re used as...
Animals
Nov 23 2018
Mountain Gorilla Population Climbs
Good news for the mountain gorilla! It recently moved from “critically endangered” to “endangered” on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
When so many species are going extinct, mountain gorillas are slowly bouncing back. In 1997, just 624 lived in the wild. By...
History
Nov 16 2018
The Beaucours Ramparts
In October, a Quebec City construction crew dug up something strange. They found an old piece of wood sticking out of the ground. What’s so strange about that? That old wood is part of a 20-metre wall.
And why is that so special? The wall is 325 years old!
Quebec City...
Culture
Nov 09 2018
A “Grand-New” Idea
Cara Duncan, 23, is a student at McMaster University. Last year, she found a housemate using Symbiosis. It’s a housing program the university was piloting. The program asked her questions about her habits and personality. Then, she met her match – Lesly Adamson.
Cara...
Entertainment
Nov 02 2018
Bye-bye, Big Bird
Caroll Spinney can tell you how to get to Sesame Street. He’s been a regular on the show since the day it aired.
Technically, he’s been two regulars. You see, Mr. Spinney is the puppeteer that brought both Big Bird and Oscar to life.
After almost 50 years, Mr. Spinney...
Culture
Oct 26 2018
Super-Size Me!
Pumpkins come in all shapes and sizes. Small ones make good pies. Big ones make great jack-o’-lanterns. But what about super-gigantic ones?
They’re the perfect size for giant pumpkin contests.
These contests are held at fall fairs across Canada and around the world....
History
Oct 19 2018
The Sword Maiden of Sweden
Have you ever hunted for treasure at the beach, looking for stones to skip or pretty shells? Last summer, eight-year-old Saga Vanacek found more than she expected.
She discovered a 1500-year-old sword.
Saga was wading in Lake Vidöstern, Sweden. The water was only knee-...
Animals
Oct 12 2018
Bat Rescue
Scientists in Nova Scotia are on an undercover mission. They’re staking out a secret spot. Who are they spying on?
Bats. But not just any bats. This colony of flying mammals has survived white nose syndrome (WNS).
WNS is like the zombie apocalypse. It has killed seven...
Indigenous
Oct 05 2018
Building Lookout Hill
Carcross/Tagish First Nation got its first skatepark in September. This tiny Yukon community sits between Whitehorse and the B.C. border.
With a population of 300, Carcross isn’t very big. But it brought big plans to life.
There weren’t enough activities to keep kids...
Environment
Sep 28 2018
Super Storms
September was a bad month for bad storms.
First, Hurricane Florence whomped the U.S. East Coast. This slow-moving giant caused terrible floods. It dumped at least 30 trillion litres of water on the region. Florence killed more than 30 people in three states.
A few days...
Environment
Sep 21 2018
Food of the Future
A new food is creeping into our diet. Can you guess what it is?
It’s good for you and easy on the Earth. You can bake it into protein bars and whirl it into smoothies. Top a pizza or make a burger. Fry it up or cover it in chocolate.
Here’s a hint. The idea might “bug...
Indigenous
Sep 14 2018
Wear Orange on Orange Shirt Day
How did you feel on the first day of school this year? Were you happy? Nervous? Excited?
Phyllis Webstad remembers her first day of school like it was yesterday. The year was 1973. She was six, living at Dog Lake Reserve in B.C. She was so excited to start school.
To...