Free Food Safety Resources for Grades 4–6

World Food Safety Day, observed annually on June 7, raises awareness about the importance of safe food practices and the role we all play in preventing foodborne illness. In Canada, Food Safety Education Day aligns with this global event to promote awareness among industry and consumers. The 2026 theme, “From burden to solutions – safe food everywhere,”  highlights the need for practical education, accessible food safety resources, and shared responsibility in ensuring food safety.

Educators play an important role in helping learners understand food safety concepts and build healthy habits early in life. Discussions about foodborne illness, safe food handling, microorganisms, and food preparation can help students better understand how illnesses spread and how everyday choices can help keep themselves and others safe.

Learning Bird supported Health Canada in developing three bilingual food safety resource kits for Grades 4–6. These curriculum-aligned kits include engaging classroom materials, educator guides, videos, games, and hands-on learning activities designed to make food safety education interactive and accessible for learners.

Classroom Resources for Grades 4–6

The following resource kits are available in both English and French through Health Canada’s website:

  • Food Safety
  • Microorganisms
  • Food Safety on the Go

Each kit includes:

  • Detailed educator guides
  • Interactive videos
  • Printable classroom activities
  • Games and collaborative learning materials
  • Cross-curricular learning opportunities

These food safety resources are designed to support educators in implementing meaningful classroom learning connected to health, science, language arts, and food-specific curricula.

Food Safety Resource Kit

The Food Safety resource kit supports health and wellness curricula across Canada for Grades 4–6 while also connecting to science, language arts, and food-related learning outcomes.

This kit introduces students to the four key food safety steps:

  • Clean
  • Separate
  • Cook
  • Chill

Learners explore important concepts such as the food temperature danger zone, foodborne illness prevention, and safe food-handling practices.

The kit includes:

  • Interactive videos
  • A food safety chatterbox activity
  • Sorting activities
  • Real-life scenarios
  • A card game
  • A food safety trivia game

These activities encourage learners to apply food safety concepts to real-world situations while building practical life skills.

Explore the Food Safety resource kit. 

Microorganisms Resource Kit

The Microorganisms resource kit supports science curricula across Canada for Grades 4–6 and also connects to health and wellness, language arts, and food-specific courses.

This kit helps learners explore microorganisms, foodborne pathogens, and the spread of illness through interactive and inquiry-based learning experiences.

Students will:

  • Learn about microorganisms and foodborne pathogens
  • Explore food safety regulations and risks
  • Participate in hands-on experiments
  • Investigate how microorganisms spread
  • Demonstrate their learning through games and collaborative activities

The kit concludes with an educational bingo activity that reinforces key food safety and microorganism concepts.

Explore the Microorganisms resource kit.

Food Safety on the Go Resource Kit

The Food Safety on the Go resource kit supports language arts curricula across Canada for Grades 4–6 while also connecting to science, health and wellness, and food-related learning.

This kit focuses on the four food safety steps — clean, separate, cook, and chill — while exploring situations learners may encounter in their everyday lives.

Topics include:

  • School lunch food safety
  • Grocery store food safety
  • Outdoor food safety practices
  • Food handling while travelling or on the go

The activities in this kit support communication, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills through:

  • Interactive videos
  • Real-life scenarios
  • Problem-solving activities
  • Games and collaborative learning

Explore the Food Safety on the Go resource kit. 

Teaching Health and Wellness Through Real-World Learning

World Food Safety Day offers a great opportunity to introduce food safety concepts in engaging, practical ways. These resource kits help educators connect important health and science topics to students’ everyday experiences while supporting curriculum outcomes across multiple subject areas.

By helping learners understand foodborne illness, microorganisms, and safe food-handling practices, educators can support students in building lifelong habits that contribute to health and well-being.

Whether you are planning activities for World Food Safety Day or looking for engaging cross-curricular learning opportunities throughout the year, these free bilingual food safety resource kits provide flexible and classroom-ready materials to support your teaching.

Access all three food safety resource kits here. 

Honouring Indigenous Veterans and Remembering Arnold Logan

Each year on November 8, we honour Indigenous Veterans, the First Nations, Métis, and Inuit people who have served Canada with courage and commitment. Across generations, Indigenous Peoples have played vital roles in Canada’s military history, often enlisting voluntarily and serving in major conflicts around the world.

Across generations, Indigenous Peoples have played vital roles in both local and global conflicts — long before Canada’s formation and throughout its history. From serving as allies to the British Crown during the 18th and 19th centuries to enlisting in both World Wars and beyond, Indigenous participation in military efforts has been constant, demonstrating deep resilience, skill, and leadership.

Their contributions and sacrifices are immeasurable. Yet for many Indigenous veterans, recognition and support were not equal to that received by their non-Indigenous counterparts. Despite these inequities, Indigenous service members continued to demonstrate resilience, pride, and leadership both on and off the battlefield.

Honouring the Story of Arnold Logan

Among those who stepped forward to serve was Private Arnold Logan, a proud member of the Munsee-Delaware Nation in Ontario.

Logan was one of the first Indigenous men to volunteer for service in World War I. He enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Force on August 11, 1914—just days after Canada declared war—and was one of the “First 100” to step forward in defence of the nation. He joined the 1st Battalion (Western Ontario Regiment) and trained in Valcartier, Quebec, before travelling to England and later deploying to France in early 1915.

Throughout his service, Logan fought courageously in several major battles, including Ypres, Festubert and Givenchy. Tragically, Private Logan was killed in action near Ypres on April 26, 1916, at only 19 years old. He is buried in Hooge Crater Cemetery in Belgium.

A monument now stands in Muncey, Ontario, honouring his bravery and sacrifice. It serves as both a memorial to Logan’s life and a lasting tribute to the many Indigenous veterans who served despite discrimination and exclusion. Their courage helped shape Canada’s history.

Reflecting on the Service and Sacrifice of Indigenous Veterans

The story of Arnold Logan is just one among thousands. Indigenous veterans have served in every major conflict — from early battles fought for and against colonial powers to the First and Second World Wars, the Korean War, the Afghanistan War, and peacekeeping missions worldwide. They often served as skilled scouts, snipers, and soldiers whose expertise was rooted in generations of knowledge and a deep connection to the land.

After returning home, many faced systemic barriers that denied them equal benefits, land rights, and recognition. Despite these injustices, Indigenous veterans and their families have continued to advocate for remembrance, fairness, and respect.

As educators, sharing the stories of Indigenous veterans helps students gain a fuller understanding of Canadian history — one that acknowledges both courage and inequity, loss and resilience. These stories are not only about war, but also about perseverance, identity, and the strength of Indigenous communities.

Learn More and Reflect

We invite educators to take time this Indigenous Veterans Day to learn, reflect, and share these stories in their classrooms. Recognizing the contributions of Indigenous veterans is an important part of understanding Canada’s history and the ongoing journey toward reconciliation.

Explore more resources, stories, and classroom materials through the links below:

Photo of Arnold Logan’s monument used with permission from Ian McCallum. Ian is a member of the Munsee-Delaware First Nation. He works with his community to promote culture and history, and is a researcher specializing in the Munsee language.

Celebrating Métis Week 2025 and Honouring the Legacy of Louis Riel

Métis Week 2025 will take place from November 15–22, 2025, with Louis Riel Day observed on November 16. This week is a time to celebrate the rich culture, language, and heritage of Métis people and recognize the contributions of Métis people across Canada. 

It is also a time to honour Louis Riel, a Métis leader and advocate whose legacy continues to shape conversations around self-determination, identity, and Indigenous governance. 

For educators, Métis Week presents an opportunity to introduce Métis stories, perspectives, and achievements into the classroom, helping learners understand the unique history, identity, and resilience of the Métis Nation.

To support classroom learning during Métis Week 2025, we’ve curated a collection of free, classroom-ready resources that highlight Métis voices and experiences. These materials help educators introduce Métis history, culture, and identity in meaningful and age-appropriate ways.

Classroom Resources for Métis Week 2025

  • Celebrating Métis Week in your Classroom (Blog Post) – Written for educators, this post explores ways to deepen understanding of Métis history and culture. It offers a variety of ideas and resources to help teachers bring Métis perspectives into their classrooms—both during Métis Week and throughout the school year.
  • Who are the Métis? People, Land, and Culture (Resource Kit) – This resource kit introduces learners in grades 4-5 to key aspects of Métis identity, including language, land, symbols, and important figures. Students will create story cards to represent what they’ve learned and use them to design a scene that shares their understanding of Métis culture.
  • Louis Riel, the Red River Resistance, and Beyond (Resource Kit) – Designed for older learners (grades 6–12), this resource kit includes extension activities that deepen understanding of Métis identity, Louis Riel’s leadership, and the Red River Resistance. Through critical reflection and discussion, students examine how these historical events relate to contemporary Métis experiences.
  • Rupertsland Institute – Métis Week Resources – Find Métis-developed learning materials, printables, and activities for various grade levels from the Métis Centre of Excellence.
  • Otipemisiwak Métis Government – Métis Week Events – Explore community events, commemorations, and activities taking place across Alberta and beyond.

These resources can support educators in creating learning experiences that honour Métis voices and histories while deepening students’ understanding of Indigenous diversity and governance in Canada.

Why Teach About Métis Week and Louis Riel Day

Métis Week and Louis Riel Day remind us that understanding Métis history is essential to understanding Canada’s history. Bringing these lessons into the classroom enables learners to explore topics such as identity, resistance, self-government, and cultural continuity through Métis perspectives.

When we teach about Louis Riel and the Métis Nation, we not only recognize the past but also celebrate the strength, pride, and living cultures of Métis communities today.

Treaties Recognition Week 2025: Respecting and Honouring Treaty Relationships

Treaties Recognition Week 2025 will take place from November 2–8, 2025, in Ontario. This annual observance encourages all Ontarians to learn about treaties, the ongoing treaty relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Peoples, and the responsibilities that come with these agreements.

For educators, Treaties Recognition Week offers an important opportunity to help learners understand that treaties are living agreements — not relics of the past. Bringing these conversations into the classroom helps students see how treaty relationships continue to shape the lands, communities, and shared responsibilities we all hold today.

Treaties Week Resources

We’ve compiled a list of resources to support educators in having these meaningful discussions:

By engaging learners in these lessons, educators help foster a deeper understanding of our shared responsibilities and the importance of upholding treaty relationships with respect and integrity.

Treaties Recognition Week 2025 is an opportunity to reflect, learn, and deepen our commitment to reconciliation through education.

How are you bringing Treaties Recognition Week into your classroom? Let us know!

Secret Path Week 2025

Honouring Stories, Languages, and Legacies

Each year, from October 17-22, educators and students across Canada participate in Secret Path Week. This national movement commemorates the legacies of Gord Downie and Chanie Wenjack and asks us all to commit to taking meaningful action towards reconciliation.

Indigenous Languages and Secret Path: Resources for High School Educators

At Learning Bird, we believe that one of the most powerful ways to honour this legacy is through language and storytelling. In partnership with the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund, we developed classroom-ready resources to help educators integrate The Secret Path into their classrooms.  These resources emphasize the significance of Indigenous languages in education and learning.

These resources invite learners to:

  • Explore the story of Chanie Wenjack through multiple perspectives.
  • Understand the role of language in preserving culture and identity.
  • Reflect on how stories connect history with present-day realities.
  • Engage in discussions about truth, reconciliation, and responsibility.

Explore our Indigenous Languages and Secret Path Resource Kit.

Get Involved in Secret Path Week 2025

Each year, the Gord Downie & Chanie Wenjack Fund invites Canadians to come together during Secret Path Week through a wide range of programs and activities. From concerts and classroom projects to national campaigns, these events create space for reflection, dialogue, and action.

Take ReconciliACTION

ReconciliACTIONs are locally planned events or activities that bring Indigenous and non-Indigenous people together in the spirit of reconciliation. These actions, whether large or small, spark awareness, encourage learning, and open space for meaningful conversation. Educators and schools are encouraged to share their reconciliACTION with the Downie Wenjack Fund, where some will be highlighted as examples for others to follow.

Participate in the Walk for Wenjack

The Walk for Wenjack is a community-based event that began in 2016. Walks can happen at any time of the year and provide a tangible way for people across Canada to honour Chanie Wenjack’s story while supporting the work of the Fund.

Become a Legacy School

Schools, daycares, and youth groups can also join the Legacy Schools program. This is a free national network that equips educators with resources to teach about both Canada’s colonial history and the richness and resilience of Indigenous cultures. Legacy Schools receive toolkits with lessons, activities, and materials designed to support educators in integrating reconciliation into their classrooms across various subject areas and grade levels.

Together, let’s honour Chanie’s story, Gord’s call to action, and the many Indigenous languages and voices that continue to guide us on the path toward reconciliation. 

How are you honouring Secret Path Week 2025? Let us know!

Free Educator Resources for Métis Week and Louis Riel Day

This year, people across Canada will celebrate Métis Week from November 10–16. Métis Week coincides with Louis Riel Day on November 16. This day commemorates the life, legacy, and execution of Louis Riel (1844–1885). This national day of remembrance is different from the Louis Riel Day held in Manitoba on February 17.

We have a variety of resources you can use to celebrate Métis Week in your classroom and teach students about the life and legacy of Louis Riel.

Our Celebrating Métis Week in Your Classroom blog post is written for educators looking to deepen their knowledge and understanding of Métis culture and history. It contains a variety of resources you can use to incorporate Métis culture in your lesson planning now and long term.

Our Who Are the Métis? People, Land, and Culture (4–5) resource kit introduces learners to important aspects of Métis culture, land, symbols, and leaders past and present. As they progress through the kit, learners will reflect on what they’ve learned by creating a set of story cards. Finally, learners will use these cards to create a scene that shares what they have learned.

Our Louis Riel, the Red River Resistance, and Beyond (6–12) resource kit provides extension activities that delve deeper into Métis identity, Louis Riel, and the Red River Resistance. The kit allows learners to activate prior and newly acquired knowledge to build a more nuanced understanding of these often-simplified topics.

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