Smoothing Out Classroom Transitions

Posted in 4-7, 8-12, Blog Posts, Elementary & Middle Years, English, Inclusive Practices, K-3, Learning Design & Planning, Not Subject Specific, Resource, Secondary | Tagged with lesson planning, planning, resources

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A transition, in education, refers to the movement of students from one task/activity into another.

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It can be difficult for students to move from one task to the next. The space between activities can be an opportunity for students to get off-task, which can complicate lessons and take more time than was a teacher has allotted. Therefore, thinking about transitions ahead of time (during the lesson planning) can help to save time and smooth out areas prone to distraction and/or confusion. Teachers can also involve students in creating class routines that are unique and functional for their students’ needs.

Consistency and routine are fundamental to smooth transitions. When students develop an awareness of the indicators that you use to transition, they can be more prepared to shift directions in class. Visual aids can also help to get everyone working in the same direction.

And, don’t forget, when your students do a smooth and efficient transition, positive reinforcement can be a powerful motivator to continue their good work!

Transitioning Into Class (or Back Into Class):

Greeting students at the door
Bell Ringers, warm-up questions, or icebreaker questions to get students started as soon as they arrive
Give students a specific task or instruction to get prepared for the day’s lesson (e.g. make sure you have a pencil ready!) – this could be done verbally as you greet students and/or on the screen/board
Individual silent reading or the teacher reading a class book – both can help to bring down the energy level and ease students into activities. Note: students of all ages enjoy being read to!
Going over the shape of the day with students (have this written somewhere visible) – this can help provide students with a framework of what they’ll encounter during the class and prepare them for upcoming activities
Music can help students transition to class (even better if you can connect the music to the day’s lesson!)
Breathing exercises can help to calm students and prepare them for class

Transitioning Between Activities:

It can be helpful to let students know what’s happening next to increase buy-in (e.g. “we’re working on this task individually, but I will give you an opportunity to talk to your partner once this is finished”).
Consider your behavioural expectations for the upcoming task and how you will introduce those. Will this activity be individual or in groups? If it’s in groups, how do you want the classroom arranged? The more you can visualize the activity ahead of time, the better prepared you will be to explain the instructions and anticipate questions and challenges. A diagram can be very helpful.
Students need to know how much time they have to complete tasks. Time frames can help students to get prepared for the end of one activity and the start of the next. Using a count down timer on the screen can be a helpful visual reminder. Verbal reminders are also useful.
Consider if your next activity requires any materials and think about how you can prepare for the next activity before it arrives. For example, could you hand out the worksheet for the next part while students are still finishing the last task, so that they are ready to enter the next task/activity seamlessly?
Sounds (like clapping patterns or a bell) or physical cues (like dimming the lights or hand signals) can quickly indicate to students that there’s a transition happening, especially if the same cues are used consistently. Visit Edutopia for more ideas!
Call and response techniques can engage students in becoming a part of the transition cue.
Music can be an effective way to transition between activities. For example, some teachers have a consistent song that indicates that it’s time to clean up.
Teachers can plan for coordinated movement, brain breaks or games at opportune times, coinciding with transitions.

Guest post by Peer Mentor Lindsay Cunningham (Ph.D. candidate, EDCP), June 2025.

Decolonizing Teaching Indigenizing Learning has digitally gathered Curriculum Bundles designed by Indigenous educators

The Decolonizing Teaching Indigenizing Learning website supports teacher candidates, in-service teachers, and faculty as they move towards implementing Indigenous education and pedagogies into their curricula. The website centres on Indigenous pedagogies and values Indigenous knowledges as fluid and interconnected. Decolonizing Teaching Indigenizing Learning was made possible by many hands, minds, and hearts. The content and design were a dynamic process between Dr. Shannon Leddy and Kiera Brant-Birioukov. This week in the mentoring circle, we follow the heartbeat of this website – its Curriculum Bundles. Indigenous educators across BC designed each curriculum bundle, many of whom are NITEP students at UBC.

Students in the NITEP program have made significant contributions to the Decolonizing Teaching Indigenizing Learning website, bringing learning from their communities around the province to bear in creating content that is locally grounded, interdisciplinary, and multimodal. The Curriculum Bundles they developed are not lesson plans but are rather offered as rich collections of knowledge and resources that will help users develop lessons and units that meet the needs of their students and honour the land that they teach on. The names and nations of the students are honoured at the beginning of each Curriculum Bundle. Multiple curricular connections across grades and subject areas have been included in each Curriculum Bundle including clear connections to the First People’s Principles of Learning.

In the Decolonizing Teaching Indigenizing Learning website, you can explore topics that interest you, and develop learning opportunities for your students that build on their lived experiences and local environments and resources. The digital situates where our learning takes place and asks us to listen to the welcoming words of local Elders Larry Grant (Territorial Welcome) and Gerry Olemann (Education and Wellbeing). After being grounded by the words of Elders, explore the Curriculum Bundles and Curated Resources as interconnected webs and conversations. Their intention is for every Curriculum Bundle to be applied in any classroom, without the limitations of specific lesson plans. Decolonizing Teaching Indigenizing Learning serves to inspire educators of all backgrounds and subject areas. Educators accessing this website can take these digital resources in any direction they wish!

It is an exciting time for Indigenous education because there are many places to access Indigenous knowledges, teachings, and perspectives. The active response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 Calls to Action has provided many resources to bring Indigenous perspectives to the forefront inside classrooms. As there are limitless resources online, Decolonizing Teaching Indigenizing Learning has compiled a curated list of authentic Indigenous resources in the Curated Resources section of its website. Also, check out the Foundational Resources page to begin exploring the complexity of terminology in Indigenous education. The website also shares a checklist to assist in mapping out whether the resource is authentic and appropriate. Visit the Curated Resources to find a variety of links to support your work with the Curriculum Bundles.

Decolonizing Teaching Indigenizing Learning adds to their content constantly, if you are an Indigenous educator who would like to share your expertise of local Indigenous knowledges in the classroom, you can contact them. Please email Dr. Shannon Leddy (sleddy@mail.ubc.ca), requesting the template for Curriculum Bundles, to get started! The project would be pleased to showcase Indigenous educators’ work in their Curriculum Bundles. Perhaps you wish to offer a new Curriculum Bundle, or maybe you have taken up one of our existing Curriculum Bundles in your classroom. The BC curriculum connections in the Curriculum Bundles are not meant to be exhaustive, but a starting place. Each Indigenous educator who contributed teachings and artifacts suggested the natural connections they envision to be complementary to their Curriculum Bundle. The following lesson plan developed by Shelby Henry is a great example of those connections.

The Decolonizing Teaching Indigenizing Learning also includes a Linguistic Racism project to name and introduce this phenomenon in education and the lived experience of so many in our communities. In the following exploratory conversation about linguistic racism with Dr. Sender Dovchin, the concept is defined as the ideologies, structures, and practices that marginalize people based on how they use language, often intersecting with race and accent. The discussion links linguistic racism to colonial legacies, “Standard English” ideologies, and whiteness. Drawing on her research with multilingual migrants and students in Australia, she highlights how ethnic accent bullying and linguistic stereotyping harm individuals’ self-worth, mental health, and social mobility. Dovchin encourages educators to dismantle colonial language hierarchies by embracing multilingualism and student voice. She argues for decolonizing educational practices through cultural and linguistic inclusion and valuing diverse language practices in schools.

Guest post by Peer Mentor Daniel Gallardo Zamora (Ph.D. EDST), May 2025.

Join the World’s Largest Environmental Movement by Celebrating Earth Day with teach-ins to help our planet.

Posted in 4-7, 8-12, Active Learning, Digital & Media Literacy, Elementary & Middle Years, Resource | Tagged with earth day, ecojustice, environment impacts, environmental, sustainability

Let’s Open Our Eyes! One plant or animal species disappears every 20 minutes—but we hardly notice it in our daily lives. It’s time for people around the world to hold governments and the private sector accountable for their roles in the environmental crisis causing this disappearance. More than human beings play a unique role in our environment, and their extinction threatens ecological stability and our own survival. This year Earth Day is shining a spotlight on the protection of biodiversity. Every year on April 22, more than a billion people celebrate Earth Day by protecting the planet, taking action, and being part of the green revolution. This week in the Scarfe Digital Sandbox, we join the world’s largest environmental movement by offering supportive teach-ins to inspire action for the planet. Together, let’s protect biodiversity to maintain ecosystem balance and take care of vital services for human life.

Every year on April 22, Earth Day marks the anniversary of the birth of the modern environmental movement in 1970. The first Earth Day gave voice to an emerging environmental consciousness and pushed environmental concerns onto the front page of public discourse. It arrived at a time of great challenge, as the environmental community sought to combat the cynicism of climate change deniers, the influence of well-funded oil lobbyists, the inaction of reticent politicians, a largely disinterested public, and internal divisions within the movement itself. In 2010, EARTHDAY.ORG ushered Earth Day into the digital era, igniting a significant wave of global action for the environment. Since then, their website has engaged hundreds of millions of people worldwide, fostering civic engagement and volunteerism across 193 countries. Learn more about the history of Earth Day in the following video from the History Channel!

EARTHDAY.ORG believes that grassroots activism is the most powerful way to build a world literate in climate and environmental science. Their approach to developing environmental literacy centers on high-quality education programs that equip learners with the attitudes, knowledge, and skills needed to address complex environmental issues. Environmental education also fosters the internalization of environmental values. A world inspired by such values will drive local, regional, and global actions to safeguard the Earth and all its inhabitants. In 1970, during an era marked by civic action and public demonstrations, concerned citizens from all walks of life organized environmental teach-ins as part of the first Earth Day. People gathered to learn the facts about the widespread environmental degradation occurring across the country. In the following video learn the facts—explore how our actions since 1970 have accumulated and reflect on the changes from the first Earth Day through to 2022.

On April 22, 1970, millions united for the very first Earth Day—joining teach-ins, cleaning up communities, and standing up for the planet. It was a moment of collective action, proving that the environment could bring people from all walks of life together. Teach-ins play a significant role in providing communities with the knowledge they need to advocate for a cleaner, more secure future. Use EARTHDAY.ORG Teach-In Toolkit to plan an effective teach-in that will bring your community together and build capacity to make change! A teach-in is similar to a general educational gathering on any complicated issue, usually an issue or problem of importance to society. The main difference between a teach-in and a seminar is the refusal to limit the discussion to a strict academic scope. Teach-ins are meant to be practical, participatory and oriented toward action — discussion and questions are encouraged and at the core of the methodology. Teach-ins should end with the community deciding on a call-to-action for what steps they can take to make a difference. Learn about The Origins of Earth Day and the massive “Teach-In on the Environment” at the University of Michigan with Matthew Lassiter.

Earth Day engages more than 1 billion people every year and has become a major stepping stone along the pathway of engagement around the protection of the planet. Earth Day isn’t just a day; it’s a movement that provides the foundation for sustainable growth. Throughout April, commemorate our planet with marches, rallies, volunteer events, and teach-ins. We have the opportunity to support our community in building their awareness and motivation to address local and global environmental issues. This year, Alexis Rockman created a stunning Earth Day poster that ties directly into the 2025 theme: Our Power, Our Planet. Which is advocating for a tripling of global renewable energy generation by 2030. Rockman’s artwork beautifully features a solar panel surrounded by lush nature and a clear sky, symbolizing the renewable energy future we must embrace to safeguard both planetary and human health. His work continues his legacy of blending artistic expression with a deep understanding of environmental science, urging us all to take immediate action for a sustainable future.

We are all connected to and by Earth — whether it’s the trees and plants that give us the oxygen we breathe, the snow-capped mountains that provide the water we drink, or the breathtaking geophysical forces that shape the land beneath our feet. Earth Day reminds us of the importance of dedicating our time, resources, and energy to honour Earth’s connections and be aware of environmental issues. Investing in our planet is necessary to protect it and the best way to pave a path toward a prosperous future. There are many ways you can get involved and make a difference for our planet on Earth Day and every day. Join millions worldwide in Earth Day 2025 activities. Attend a local event or plan and register your own. Today, My First Earth Day Stories bring timeless memories to life—spanning the 70s to now. Watch below the stories of people who attend the First Earth Day to get inspired to take action for our planet. They remind us that every act, no matter how small, fuels a movement!

Guest post by Peer Mentor Daniel Gallardo Zamora (Ph.D. EDST), Apr. 2025.

Stand Up 4 Human Rights during the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination with digital resources to fight racism!

Posted in 4-7, 8-12, Active Learning, Digital & Media Literacy, Elementary & Middle Years, English, Inclusive Practices, Indigenous Resources, Resource | Tagged with anti-discrimination, anti-racism, diversity, human rights, inclusion, intersectionality, social justice

Did you know that March 21st is the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination? On this day in 1960, police opened fire and killed 69 people at a peaceful demonstration in Sharpeville, South Africa, against apartheid. After the tragic events, the United Nations General Assembly called on the international community to redouble its efforts to eliminate racial discrimination. In 1979, the UN decided that a week of solidarity with the people struggling against racism and racial discrimination would be organized annually, beginning on March 21st. Since then, racist laws and practices have been abolished in many countries but the work to fight racism continues. This week in the Scarfe Digital Sandbox, we learn how to fight racism using digital resources that #StandUp4HumanRights

The 2023 theme of the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination focuses on the commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) to acknowledge that rights are inherent to every single human being and not granted by the State. The UDHR states that everyone is entitled to all rights and freedoms, without distinction of any kind, such as race, gender, sex and nationality, among others. 75 years after its adoption, racism and racial discrimination continue to affect people all over the world. This commemoration hopes to provide an impetus to take prompt and robust steps to advance equality and combat racism, xenophobia and related intolerance. In the following TED Ed video, Benedetta Berti explores the subtleties of human rights.

While much progress has been made, Indigenous peoples, and racialized minority communities in Canada continue to face racism and discrimination every day. The International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination day serves as a call to action for individuals and organizations to actively work to eliminate all forms of racial discrimination, injustice, systemic racism and hate. Re-committing efforts, to ensure all people are respected and have equal access and opportunity to be safe and to succeed. The UN Human Rights Office has launched its #FightRacism campaign to foster a global culture of tolerance, equality and anti-discrimination. The International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination reminds us that we must take a stand against racism and promote respect, compassion and equality for all. Start your fight against racism using digital resources provided by the United Nations.

Racial discrimination refers to the practice of treating people differently or unjustly because of their race, ethnic origin, skin colour, language or religion. It can also be systemic, meaning that discrimination has been built into the structures and institutions of society. Learn about the history of racism in Canada using an Indigenous Youth Wellness lesson titled: The Roots of Racism. The lesson features Kayla taking her younger brother Nate back in time to show him how racism started in Canada. This lesson is part of Cuystwi — a free online youth wellness quest for Indigenous youth in BC. They have 24 interactive and video-based lessons in their program about celebrating Indigenous cultures, identity strengthening, learning about the history of Indigenous people and learning about ways to deal with racism.

We cannot speak about fighting racism without first understanding the concept of intersectionality. Black scholar Kimberlé Crenshaw coined the term intersectionality to deal with the fact that many social justice problems like racism and sexism often overlap, creating multiple levels of injustice. Crenshaw witnessed an exponential injustice when various intersections manifested as they deepened and widened diverse forms of oppression. To learn more listen to her Ted Talk: The Urgency of Intersectionality where she further explains this phenomenon. In the following video of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, learn more about intersectionality through the eyes of early freedom fighters who fought against multiple oppressions.

The International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination reminds us to unite to eliminate all forms of racial discrimination. Racism, xenophobia and intolerance are problems prevalent in all societies. But every day, every one of us can be an upstander against racial prejudice and intolerant attitudes. To start supporting the elimination of racial discrimination use UNICEF developed classroom-ready digital resources & the UN’s #StandUp4HumanRights website. In the following interview from the UN’s #FightRacism Campaign “Learn, Speak Up, and Act!” with actor Tenoch Huerta, learn about his journey towards becoming an anti-racist fighter, his views on representation, allyship, the importance of checking one’s privileges, and how racism affects us all.

Guest post by Peer Mentor Daniel Gallardo Zamora (Ph.D. EDST), Mar. 2025.

Let Kindness Grow this Pink Shirt Day! Build an Inclusive and Connected Community to #Lifteachotherup🚀

Posted in 4-7, 8-12, Digital & Media Literacy, K-3, Open Educational Resources, Resource | Tagged with anti-bullying, gender equality, human rights, SOGI

On Wednesdays, we wear pink! The 2025 Pink Shirt Day is all about cultivating a community of kindness. Just like tending to a garden, together we can each help nurture a sense of belonging where we live, work, and go to school. It all starts with small gestures— a kind word, an offer of support or understanding. If we plant enough, pretty soon, more will be sprouting up all around us! By sprinkling these seeds of empathy and compassion, we can work towards a world without bullying and “Let Kindness Grow” through all of our community gardens. This week in the Scarfe Digital Sandbox, we join Pink Shirt Day to stop bullying across the province by learning how this movement started and how to become upstanders using resources from the Canadian Museum for Human Rights.

This Pink Shirt Day, and every day, remember that all kinds of kindness contribute to building an inclusive and connected community. A simple but powerful message encouraging us to look beyond our differences and care for each other. Small acts can result in big change; kindness and compassion can go a long way! In 2007, on his first day of Grade 12, Travis Price learned that a Grade 9 student had been bullied for wearing a pink shirt. To take a unified stand against bullying, he and his friend David Shepherd convinced hundreds of his fellow students to be upstanders, rather than bystanders, and wear pink clothes to school the next day. Price and Shepherd started an annual campaign now known as Pink Shirt Day and sparked an international anti-bullying movement. As Price himself experienced bullying when he was younger, he felt motivated to become an upstander and cared to make a difference by turning an idea into action.

Become an Upstander! An upstander is a person who recognizes and calls out injustice by standing up for what is right. When an upstander sees or hears about someone being bullied, they speak up. According to the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, over 75% of people say they’ve been bullied and over 90% of bullying incidents have peer witnesses. But when those peers intervene, most incidents are over within 10 seconds. An upstander is committed to social justice and does their best to help support and protect someone who is being hurt and bullied. Take Pink Shirt Day as an opportunity to become an upstander who takes a stand for human rights in their community. The Canadian Museum for Human Rights has wonderful digital resources to better understand What’s an Upstander? — watch below.

Last year Pink Shirt Day was honoured to showcase Corey Bulpitt’s work through the 2024 campaign. Corey Bulpitt is an internationally recognized artist from the Haida Na7ikun-Raven Clan. He is known for his graffiti-influenced, Haida-style work, with pieces displayed across Vancouver and the entire country. The design below was created by Bulpitt in his signature graffiti style, with two gesturing hands featuring a traditional Haida human face. This indicates the welcoming and respect of others and serves as a friendly greeting which is used throughout Coast Salish communities, with similar gestures used throughout communities in the Northwest Coast. Pink Shirt Day recognizes the importance of unity, inclusivity, and diversity of all people.

Pink Shirt Day is now celebrated every February across Canada to raise awareness about the negative impacts of bullying and to promote anti-bullying initiatives in schools. Although the movement has continued to expand, the end goal is to make every day a pink day. This means that students, and all of us, should always reject bullying tactics and try to make a difference if we see someone being targeted. The Urban Native Youth Association (UNYA) will also have pink shirts, crew necks and hoodies for sale for Pink Shirt Day to commit to these goals. All items are available to purchase at UNYA’s Main Office 1618 East Hastings during office hours (9 am – 5 pm Monday to Friday, closed for lunch 12 pm – 1 pm). K.C. Hall donated the design to UNYA to use on their pink shirts.

The Pink Shirt Day website also offers great digital resources to better understand bullying. On their website, you will find definitions of bullying, support for youth, support for parents and teachers, resources specific to cyberbullying and much more. In the video below, Reg Krake from ARC Foundation sits down with News Talk 980 CKNW’s Simi Sara to share how SOGI 123, a program supported by Pink Shirt Day, helps 2SLGBTQIA+ kids. Together, they discuss why teaching young people SOGI-inclusive curriculum (SOGI = Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity) is important and how teachers and mentors can create or lead an inclusive environment for youth. Wearing a pink shirt on Wednesday, February 26th means that as educators we are committed to SOGI inclusive education all year.

When we lift each other, we see past the things that separate us and instead focus on the things that unite us. The story of Travis Price shows that one small act has the potential to inspire others to stand up for inclusion resulting in a big change. This Pink Shirt Day, by wearing pink we are encouraged to think about how we can say ‘no’ to bullying behaviours and say ‘yes’ to supporting and uplifting one another. Become an upstander by taking a stand against bullying with kindness, empathy, and compassion, and by speaking out against injustice. In the following video, Justin Preston, an anti-bullying advocate, raises awareness of the serious impacts of bullying and helps those who have been harmed by being kind. Kind words and small actions have meaningful impacts on our communities. This Pink Shirt Day, and every day, take your kindness to new heights and #Lifteachotherup🚀.

Guest post by Peer Mentor Daniel Gallardo Zamora (Ph.D. EDST), Feb. 2025.