Petro-Canada Paralympic Schools Program offers teachers a great way to introduce elite wheelchair sports to students

Ready-made lesson plans, fun & interactive activities including video clips, athlete interviews and Games photos are a few of the great features of this new and exciting schools program. The timing couldn’t be better, as our Canadian Paralympians are in the final stages of preparation for the 2004 Games in Athens, Greece.

The Petro Canada Paralympic Schools Program has been developed in partnership with teachers and other education professionals, linking each lesson plan to the five core curriculum subject areas of mathematics, physical & health education, social studies, fine arts and language arts. Teachers will be pleased to learn that each lesson plan has been specifically developed to address the educational needs of either students in grades 4 to 6 or students in grades 7 to 9.

One school that’s implemented the program is James Whiteside Elementary School in Richmond, B.C. “The Petro-Canada Paralympic Schools Program is a wonderful curriculum resource,” says Laurel Crosby, school principal. “Through the lessons and visits from Paralympic athletes, students at our school are extremely knowledgeable about Paralympic sports and persons with physical disabilities. Our students have a greater appreciation and admiration for the tremendous abilities of Paralympic athletes.”