Grade levels: Upper Elementary (4-6)

Jamie and Jennifer have a simple “capital” time in Ottawa, Ontario! As they start their exploration, they team up with 14-year-old Sarah Potvin, who takes them white water kayaking through the city. After discovering some interesting fossils and a beetle in a nearby forest they head to the Museum of Nature’s Natural Heritage Building to find out more about their discoveries.

From atop Mount Royal, Jamie and Jennifer survey the city of Montreal. From this vantagepoint, they can see all the amazing things they’ll discover in the city: cool neighbourhoods, history, geology and biology! Grade Six student Emma Preston and her friend take Jamie and Jennifer on a tour of Montreal’s coolest neighbourhood, the Plateau Mt. Royal, where they soak in the culture of the world’s second largest French speaking city. Emma introduces the hosts to her guitar teacher, who along with Emma and his band, do a spur-of-the-moment jam session for the visitors.

As Jamie and Jennifer arrive in Canada’s largest city, they quickly realize it’s a wild place, full of animals, trees and nature! Meeting up with 11 year-old bird watcher Sydney Peck, they visit with Michael Mesure, director of the Fatal Light Awareness Programme (FLAP). FLAP is trying to help prevents birds from flying into the city’s sky-scrapers and gives the kids some tips on what they can do for the city’s birds. Sydney suggests they pay a visit to the Royal Ontario Museum, where her Ornithologist father can tell them what good can come from birds that are killed in the city. The R.O.M. operates a “bug room,” a place where 100,000 dermestid beetles are used to clean the carcasses of dead animals. The skeletons can be used for research and collections in museums around the world.

Visiting one of the natural world’s greatest attractions, Niagara Falls, Jamie and Jennifer soon realize there’s a lot more to the area. Philip Wylie’s family has been growing grapes in the area for over 100 years. This 13 year-old helps out on his family’s vineyard and shows Jamie and Jennifer the ins and outs of grape production. They learn that this area is one of Canada’s most important fruit growing regions, a result of its situation between the Niagara Escarpment and two Great Lakes. Philip takes the hosts to Fernland Vineyards, where they sample some fizzy grape juice and learn how it’s made.

Jamie and Jennifer arrive in Toronto to learn about its cultural diversity. In 1971 Canada was the first nation in the world to adopt a multiculturalism policy. Nowhere is this more clearly reflected than in Toronto. In order to visit as many different communities as possible, Jamie and Jennifer split up. Jamie explores Kensington Market, an area long frequented by many nationalities, with 11-year-old Aisa Saho. She’s half-Greek and half-Gambian. Her father owns an African art and drum store, where Aisa helps out on weekends. Aisa joins in on a drumming session in the store. Meanwhile, in Little India, 10-year-old Chandni Singh and her mum show Jennifer how to wear a sari. They talk about how they incorporate their Sikh and Punjabi heritage into their lives in Canada

Jamie and Jennifer explore a winter wonderland: Ontario’s Algonquin Park and surrounding area. The park is one of the largest in Ontario, covering 7725 square kilometres. It was established over a hundred years ago as a wildlife sanctuary. It sits on the Canadian Shield, a geological region that covers almost 5 million km2 and gives the park its distinctive vegetation and mineral make-up. 13-year-old Sarah Gunter is going to teach the pair how to get around the park in winter: by dogsled. First she shows them how to care for and transport the dogs. Heading out on the trails, they explore the area a little, looking for animal tracks, and enjoying the natural beauty of the park.

Jamie and Jennifer visit Dawson City to learn about the Klondike Gold Rush. 13-year-old Gemma Gould, whose family has been in the area for 101 years, will show the explorers some of Dawson’s historic buildings, many of which have been jointly declared a National Historic Site. Gemma often helps her dad at a placer mine claim in the summer, and will explain why mining is still important today. Her grandfather will teach the group more about the history of the Gold Rush.

Jamie and Jennifer pull into Whitehorse, the capital of the Yukon Territory on snowmobiles. They are heading to the Kwanlin Dun First Nation reserve, where they will meet 12-year-old Doronn Fox. Doronn introduces Jamie and Jennifer to his grandmother, Effie Campbell, who makes traditional First Nations clothing to learn more about the Kwanlin Duns’ heritage. Doronn takes Jamie and Jennifer back to his school, where he is captain of the stick gambling team. Stick Gambling is a traditional sport played all across the Territories. It involves guesswork, dexterity and an accompaniment of drummers.

Jamie and Jennifer are visiting Vancouver Island, the largest island of the west coast of North America. They are interested in finding out more about the local Cowichan First Nation history. The Cowichan people have lived in the area for thousands of years and have long incorporated local resources into their lifestyle. 13-year-old Cowichan youth Josh Williams teaches Jamie and Jennifer how to spearfish, a traditional method that has been used for centuries. Next the trio heads to the Quw’utsun Cultural and Conference Centre, where they are meeting up with Master Carver Simon Charlie. Simon will show them how totem poles are carved and explain what the various designs signify.

Jamie and Jennifer are island hopping through the Gulf islands, a grouping of over 200 islands situated between the BC mainland and Vancouver Island. On Salt Spring Island, they meet up with local brother and sister Eryn and Kim Krieger, 12 and 14. The Kriegers will show off their unique home that they also share with two llamas, take us on a sea-kayaking adventure before visiting a local spinning mill where llama wool is spun into yarn.