NOV20
All country briefings

North America · Country briefing

Canada

A child-friendly mission briefing for 20 November — capital, climate, school day, languages, fun facts, native animals, and five questions to ask the class on the other side of the world.

  • Capital
    Ottawa
  • Population
    ~40 million
  • Time zone
    America/Toronto (UTC -5)
  • Currency
    Canadian dollar (CAD)
Canada, with Ottawa marked
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Climate in November: Cold in most regions; snow common in the north.

Ottawa, the capital of Canada

The capital

Ottawa

Photo · Unsplash

Fun facts

What makes Canada a bit special.

  • Maple syrup

    75% of the world's supply comes from here

  • Ice hockey

    The national winter sport

  • Aurora

    Northern Lights visible from the Yukon

  • Lakes

    More lakes than the rest of the world combined

  • Cold record

    −63°C measured in Yukon

  • Polar bears

    Churchill is the polar bear capital

Native animals

Wildlife your partner class might know best.

  • 🫎

    Moose

    Can be 2m tall at the shoulder

  • 🦫

    Beaver

    Canada's national animal — a master engineer

  • 🐻‍❄️

    Polar bear

    Has black skin under all that white fur

  • 🐦

    Loon

    Famous for its haunting lakeside call

  • 🦉

    Snowy owl

    Hunts in daylight in the Arctic

School life

In a Canada classroom

Many Canadian schools open with a land acknowledgement.

Typical school day: Often 08:30–15:00.

School year: September to June.

Greetings to learn

Say hello like a local

  • Hello!
    English
  • Bonjour!
    French

Five questions to ask

Conversation starters

  1. 01What's the weather like today?
  2. 02What sports do you play?
  3. 03What's a Canadian word that's hard to translate?
  4. 04Where in Canada do you live?
  5. 05What animals live near your school?

What not to assume

Friendly cautions

  • ℹCanada has 10 provinces and 3 territories, each with their own school systems.
  • ℹMany Indigenous Nations have distinct cultures and languages.

Culture

Food, music, sport, festivals.

  • Food

    • Poutine
    • Maple syrup
    • Bannock
    • Tourtière

  • Music

    • Folk
    • Pop
    • Indigenous music

  • Sport

    • Ice hockey
    • Lacrosse
    • Curling

  • Festivals

    • Thanksgiving (Oct)
    • Christmas
    • Indigenous Peoples Day
Reflection prompts
  • “What's a word your country has that's hard to translate?”
  • “Whose land does your school sit on?”

Could your class meet Canada?

Choose Canadawhen you register — we’ll show you the time-zone feasibility.

Register your classroom