Sankofa K-3 Black Heritage Collection
Resources created by Rubicon, A Savvas Company in partnership with Birkett Educational Consultants
Black Heritage Content Readers for K–3
Supporting Culturally Responsive and Relevant Pedagogy
Building Together by Coleen Birkett
Fiction: Flooded!
Non-fiction: Building the Future
Building Together by Coleen Birkett
Fiction: Flooded!
Mia and Sy lived in a small community where everyone knew each other. It was like one big happy family where they felt safe and accepted. One day they learned that their family would be moving to the city. They were so excited! Mia and Sy were really looking forward to meeting the people living in their new community. When they reached the city, Mia and Sy found their new community very different from what they were used to. They were very disappointed. Will they ever find a community like the one they came from? It took one major event to help Mia and Sy to finally feel as though they were a part of their new community.
Non-fiction: Building the Future
Oliver Bowen was born in the Black community of Amber Valley in Alberta. It was a community where everybody worked hard, knew each other, and helped each other. This helped Oliver Bowen to be a hard worker. He became an engineer who designed a way for people in Calgary, Alberta to travel around the city much faster. The story of Oliver Bowen shows how excellence can result from the foundation of a strong community, in keeping with the Sankofa and Ubuntu philosophies.
Running Relationships by Greg Birkett
The Running Relationships reader is part of the Sankofa Black Heritage Collection. It features fiction and non-fiction sections that operate like two books in one! Both sections demonstrate the importance of relationships in helping us to reach our goals.
Fiction: We Keep on Running
Non-fiction: Sprinting Through History
Running Relationships by Greg Birkett
The Running Relationships reader is part of the Sankofa Black Heritage Collection. It features fiction and non-fiction sections that operate like two books in one! Both sections demonstrate the importance of relationships in helping us to reach our goals.
Fiction: We Keep on Running
Jabari comes from a long line of runners. His father, his aunt and uncle, and even his grandma were all great sprinters. His dad was actually on of the fastest runners in Ontario when he was in high school. Jabari is only in grade school but he wants to earn his place in his family's great sprinting tradition. Only one problem. He's super nervous! Can he keep it together long enough to compete, much less finish the race? Jabari's father uses stories about his family's experiences on the track to help Jabari to understand that he comes from a line of runners who refuse to run away from challenges.
Non-fiction: Sprinting Through History
The history of Black runners in Canada includes individuals who all Canadians can be proud of, from John "Army" Howard, Barbara Howard, Raymond "Rapid Ray" Lewis, Phil Edwards to Valerie Jerome, Harry Jerome, Donovan Bailey, Perdita Felicien, and Andre DeGrasse. This section of the reader features short bios that include some of the challenges that these amazing athletes faced and highlights their national and international achievements. Some of these athletes come from a legacy of runners, such as Harry and Valerie Jerome and their grandfather John "Army" Howard. This helps young readers to understand the importance of relationships, and emphasizes the value of tradition and sharing found in the Sankofa and Ubuntu philosophies.