North Vancouver

In Sḵwx̱wú7mesh culture, the first item made of any art form is to be given away. During this workshop students will make two woven bracelets, the first will be given away as part of the upcoming opening of the new MONOVA: Museum of North Vancouver (planned for later in 2021) and the second is theirs to keep.

As this is a hands-on workshop, supplies will be provided for students and available for teachers to pick up from MONOVA: Archives of North Vancouver at 3203 Institute Road in Lynn Valley. Appointments are required. Please arrange a time to pick up the supplies when registering for the workshop. .

COVID-safety: All weaving kits will have been quarantined for three days prior to distribution.

Your students will:

• Learn Coast Salish teachings around wool weaving.
• See how weaving is done and try making their own woven bracelet.
• Find out about the cultural importance of giving and share their work with their community.

Have one of MONOVA’s education staff provide a guided tour through our Permanent Gallery, highlighting stories, objects, belongings, and photographs from communities on the North Shore.

Minimum 10 people per group

Water is powerful, and small droplets become a force that shapes the landscape. Peek into a small tributary of Lynn Creek and see some of the many animals who live there. Learn about their life cycles and explore some of the characteristics that help these animals survive in their aquatic habitat.

How do animals and plants survive in the cool, wet, temperate rainforest? From magnificent mayflies to the spectacular salmonberry, learn about the amazing adaptations of animals and plants and discover the diversity of forest life. Through hands-on and sensory activities, explore how animals and plants work together to create a thriving ecosystem.

Get a taste of local food and agriculture on the North Shore! The Edible Garden Project invites secondary classes to explore Loutet Farm while learning more about subjects such as food security, global supply chains, agroecology, climate change... and more! Students will explore the unique landscape of North Vancouver and our own role within these systems, alongside the EGP's role in the community through a guided tour and seasonal hands-on activities.

Note that there are several different areas of concentration available for this tour. Teachers can choose from the following themes: food security & global perspectives; environmental stewardship & sustainability; biodiversity; climate change; Indigenous perspectives.

The Owls for Tots program is targeted to the 3-5 year age group. It is a very basic program that does not go into a lot of detail but rather is kept simple and direct. During the program the students will learn what makes a bird a bird, how owls are different from other birds, what species of owls are found in Southern BC, some of the dangers they face, and what the students can do to help.

There will be a short question and answer period at the end of the program.

The students will have the opportunity to meet a live owl during their classroom program. As we are working with animals, we cannot guarantee which bird will be available on the day of the program, so we unfortunately don’t take special requests.

You can visit our Offsite Education Birds page to find out more about the raptors who may visit your classroom (scroll down to the “Offsite Education Raptor Ambassadors” section).

For more information or to book, please visit: https://www.owlrehab.org/education/owls-for-tots/

Can’t come to the Fraser River Discovery Centre? No problem! We can come to you! Two FRDC staff will bring all the materials necessary to run some of our most popular River School Programs right in your own classroom!

All materials will be fully sanitized between use, and the staff will wear masks. If there are additional safety protocols we need to follow, please contact us. Please note, small group work is part of each program, with frequent sanitation of touched objects.

Cost: $9 per student, plus $0.90 per kilometer between FRDC and your school.

Programs:

• Nature Walk (Grades 2-7)
  • On your last walk through nature, what did you notice? What did you wonder? In this program students will explore the connections between living things within their local environment (Kingdom Plantae). They will learn the connection between science and our communities and how they can begin to identify plants in their everyday lives. Students will learn some of the key identifiers of each sub-category in the Kingdom Plantae and use these skills on a nature walk. This information can then be used in the classroom to further investigate plants and find connections between plants, and between people and nature.
• Our Bones are Made of Salmon (Grades 4-7)
  • Indigenous people have relied on salmon since the fish became abundant in the Fraser River about 5000-6000 years ago. This program explores the connection between Indigenous people and salmon on the Fraser River. Students get hands-on experience with fishing technology, learn about wind-drying salmon, and discover that salmon is in the hearts of Indigenous people living along the Fraser River today.
• Living Dinosaurs (Grades K-7)
  • Sturgeon are amazing fish that have been around since the time of the dinosaurs. Human influences over the past 150 years have threatened their existence. In this program, students will learn about the sturgeon lifecycle, survival needs, and what we can do to protect this remarkable species.
• Trading Trail (Grades 2-5)
  • The Fraser River is one of the world’s great rivers not only in its contribution to the environmental, cultural, and historical wealth of British Columbia, but because of its current pivotal role in the economy of BC. We are going to explore how people have used and shared the resources of the Fraser River, focusing on the tumultuous time when First Nations and Fur traders shared the river.
• Welcomed by the Water (K-3)
  • Prior to European colonization, Indigenous peoples got what they needed from the land and water around them. Indigenous peoples have relied on salmon since the fish became abundant in the Fraser River about 5000-6000 years ago. They used native plants for food, medicine, building materials and more. This program explores the connection between Indigenous peoples, salmon, and the broader Fraser River Basin. Students experience the movement of salmon, storytelling and oral histories, and the many uses of native plants through an Indigenous perspective.
  • PLEASE NOTE: This program requires a large open space, like a covered play area or gymnasium.
• River of Stories (Grades K-2)
  • Join us as we journey down the river of stories from the headwaters to the mouth of the Fraser. Travelling along an interactive map, students will learn all about the Fraser River Basin through stories from the near and distant past. The program ends with a reflection on our place in this landscape, as students add their own story to the map. 
• Complexities and Compromises (Grades 8-12)
  • Many of the big decisions we face as individuals, communities, or nations don't have a correct answer. Making these decisions can be extremely challenging, as we grapple with information and misinformation, our own conscience, and strong opposing opinions. In the face of climate change, many of these decisions become even more challenging. In this program, students are sasked with deciding whether or not to approve a project that would have impacts on a global scale. We go step by step through the process, conducting research, mapping out consequences, and ultimately: deciding. 

For more information, visit our website or email us. 

Online booking form here.