We CAN Be Friends
What is We CAN Be Friends?
We CAN Be Friends is a curriculum-based elementary school program that teaches all learners the values of friendship, empathy and inclusion by using grade appropriate lesson plans, autism specific resources and awareness raising activities for the entire school.
Goals of the program:
- Teach all students about understanding differences
- Educate students about Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
- Encourage friendship, empathy, and inclusion among children with ASD and their peers
- Promote autism awareness
Lesson Plans:
- The WCBF lesson plans are based on four grade groupings, each with a different theme: K-1 (Friendship), 2-3 (Empathy), 4-5 (Communication), 6-7 (Awareness)
- Each grade grouping has five lesson plans that are meant to be taught in sequence
- The lesson plans associated with each grade grouping help meet many of the Ministry’s Performance Standards (click here for Prescribed Learning Outcomes)
- The lesson plans were designed to guide your teaching; please adapt them as necessary to suit the needs of your particular class
- A suggested timeline is provided in the lesson plan, however, please use as much time as you need to complete each lesson
- There are two sets of curriculum, which we send out on alternating years; it does not matter which set is taught first
- As long as a school holds the resources, we expect that the lessons are being taught
Resources:
- The resources included in the WCBF Kit (books, DVDs, sensory activities, characters, etc.) are designed and chosen to support the WCBF lesson plans
- The resources need to be used as the lessons are taught, and should be stored with the WCBF lesson plans
World Autism Awareness Day:
- World Autism Awareness Day (WAAD) is April 2nd and April is Autism Awareness Month
- The WCBF lessons have been created so that they lead up to WAAD
- We hope that teachers will use WAAD as a chance for students to express what they have learned during the WCBF Program
Online Forum:
- A message board for teachers to share inspiring stories, get ideas for adapting lesson plans to particular needs, and learn about how other schools are implementing the We CAN Be Friends program available here: http://www.canucksautism.ca/forum/
Contact: If you have any questions please contact the We CAN Be Friends program at wcbf@canucksautism.ca or check out the WCBF Frequently Asked Questions page.
Links:
We CAN Be Friends Application page: http://canucksautism.ca/programs/we-can-be-friends/wcbf-application-page/
We CAN Be Friends Account Login: https://registration.campbrain.com/Portal/Login.aspx?H=CanucksAutismNetwork&G=704
We CAN Be Friends Forum: http://www.canucksautism.ca/forum/
Many We Can Be Friends schools are proudly supported by Finning (Canada)
