Three free resources to kick-start your back-to-school lesson planning
Easy-to-use educational activities for Canadian teachers and youth leaders
Calling all teachers, after-school club leaders, and educators who support youth!
We’ve rounded up free, ready-to-use resources from Women and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE) to help you bring more conversations about gender equality, diversity, and inclusion to your classroom or after-school program.
Here are three must-try resources to help you get started:
1) A Better World: Gender equality storytelling adventure
Get set to take off on an adventure to A Better World - a free, interactive storytelling activity for youth aged 7–12. It’s designed to spark important conversations about gender equality, teamwork, and inclusion, through a fun robot adventure!
In this activity, you and your adventurers will embark on an intergalactic mission to visit four robot worlds. Players will read stories, face challenges, and work together to brainstorm bold ideas for making their own world, Ebarliz, the best it can be for everyone.
No prep work is needed, as the activity comes with a facilitator guide and all the handouts you need. This activity fits in a one-hour block and can be customized based on your learner’s skills, interests, and maturity. It’s perfect for classrooms, after-school programs, youth groups, or even rainy-day fun.
The best part? This activity sparks real conversations about gender equality and how everyone can contribute to a more just, supportive world. Plus, it’s a great way for learners to practice teamwork, critical thinking, and kindness in an engaging and creative way.
Zero gravity, zero prep - just fun times and galaxy-sized learning!
2) It’s Not Just: Free workbooks about ending gender-based violence
Talking about gender-based violence can feel daunting, but as educators, you know these conversations are crucial. The “It’s Not Just” free educational workbooks make it easier to bring important topics like respect, consent, stereotypes, and safe relationships into your classroom in a thoughtful, age-appropriate way.
These downloadable PDF workbooks are filled with exercises, scenarios, and reflection questions designed for youth aged 14-24. They’re a fantastic fit for social studies or health classes, guidance lessons, or any setting where you want to empower young people to know where to get help for themselves or a friend.
What’s even better? These resources are customizable - choose a topic, activity, or reflection that best fits your students’ needs or the time you have. Whether you’re planning a full lesson or looking for a quick teachable moment, these workbooks help students build skills that last a lifetime.
3) Meet the women of impact in Canada: Online gallery & learning toolkit
Want to introduce your students to remarkable Canadians who’ve made history? Just in time for Women’s History month in October, the Women of Impact in Canada gallery spotlights more than 100 courageous women who have shaped our country in everything from human rights and politics to science and the arts. Each profile includes photos, stories, and fascinating facts - perfect for research projects, creative presentations, or daily inspiration.
Extend your history lesson by exploring the Women’s History in Canada Timeline, which highlights key moments and milestones that have shaped the journey toward gender equality in Canada. This resource provides important context, helping learners see how the achievements of these women fit into Canada’s broader story for gender equality.
Final bell: Empower your learners with no extra work required!
Whether you’re a seasoned educator or a new youth leader, these three resources will help you bring meaningful, practical discussions about gender equality to your students without the stress of creating lessons from scratch.
Explore, download, and set your students on a path to create a fairer and more inclusive Canada for everyone.