December

Program Description & Details

September 16, 2024-June 27, 2025

Explore community, local identity, and common ground through the lens of city park planning. This program uses works from the City of Burnaby Permanent Art Collection, encouraging students to collaboratively design and construct their own mini urban green space. 

Curriculum Tie-ins: Art Education, Social Studies, Geography, Math, Design, STEAM

Duration: 
90
For Grades: 
2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
Maximum Students: 
Offered In French: 
No
Program Description & Details

How do Indigenous peoples enact their rights to their cultural belongings held in museums? How are they changing museums through activism, public discourse and evolving relationships?

In this program, students will tour selected cultural belongings and artworks by Indigenous artists, exploring themes of Indigenous self-determination and ethical dimensions of museum practice. Following the tour, students will visit the MOA Learning Lab and engage in a hands-on activity of the teacher’s choosing.

Teachers can choose either:

  • An art making activity where students creatively imagine the future of museums, informed by the artist and knowledge keeper perspectives shared during the tour.
  • An inquiry-based activity where students investigate and think critically about works from the touchable teaching collection.

Please note a required in-class activity must be completed prior to this program. See Teachers’ Notes for activity details. 

To book this program, please submit a booking request.

City: 
Duration: 
90
For Grades: 
8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Days Offered: 
Times Offered: 
Maximum Students: 
Offered In French: 
No
Program Description & Details

How have Indigenous people used public events to claim agency over their representation during times of colonial oppression? How do our experiences, knowledge, and identities shape the way we interpret archival photographs?

In this program, students will visit To Be Seen, To Be Heard: First Nations in Public Spaces, 1900–1965, MOA’s feature exhibition exploring how First Nations people represented themselves as Indigenous in urban public spaces during the period of the potlatch prohibition and other forms of erasure in Canada. After visiting this multimedia exhibition, students will visit a selection of works in MOA’s core galleries to expand on the ideas of To Be Seen, To Be Heard. Finally, students will participate in a reflective art making activity using mixed media self-portraiture to explore themes of representation, agency, and futurity. 

To book this program, please submit a booking request.

City: 
Duration: 
90
For Grades: 
9, 10, 11, 12
Days Offered: 
Times Offered: 
Maximum Students: 
Offered In French: 
No
Program Description & Details

How can we learn from cultural belongings and artworks? What can these works reveal about the people connected to them?

In this program, students will enjoy a guided gallery tour spotlighting belongings and artworks that embody rich, diverse stories and histories. Students will be invited to make observations, inferences, and reflections about how these works inspire learning and inquiry. Following the tour, students will visit the MOA Learning Lab and engage in a hands-on activity of the teacher’s choosing.

Teachers can choose either:

  • An artmaking activity where students reflect on how their personal belongings represent their own stories, histories and experiences.
  • An object-based learning activity where students investigate belongings from the touchable teaching collection.

To book this program, please submit a booking request.

City: 
Duration: 
90
For Grades: 
3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Days Offered: 
Times Offered: 
Maximum Students: 
Offered In French: 
No
Program Description & Details

Visit the Laboratory of Archaeology (LOA) and be an archaeologist for a day! Discover the rich, 9,000-year history of the First Nations people who live along the lower Fraser River by learning about their ways of life, tools, and technologies. This program was designed in collaboration with archaeologists from the Laboratory of Archaeology at UBC. We also recognize with appreciation the Musqueam people whose knowledge guides the ongoing evolution of the program.

This program includes a hands-on introduction to cultural materials used long ago for hunting, fishing, wood-working and home life. Students will engage with real and replica belongings to determine how they were made, how they might have been used, and why they survived for thousands of years. After a brief introduction to First Nations’ use of the cedar tree and a rope-making demonstration, the program will conclude with each student making a cedar bracelet.

This program is part of an overall unit plan with prerequisite lessons that show the techniques used by archaeologists to find and identify belongings. The complete unit plan will be sent by email along with a booking confirmation. 

To book this program, please submit a booking request.

City: 
Duration: 
90
For Grades: 
4, 5, 6, 7
Days Offered: 
Times Offered: 
Maximum Students: 
Offered In French: 
No
Program Description & Details

Join us for a tour and a workshop!

New Media Gallery Exhibition Tours are developed for a range of ages and interested; schools, universities, and special interest groups and special events as well as general public tours. Tours are led by a Curator or Curatorial Programmer and may be booked in advance.

Exhibition Tour | 30 - 60 min | Free
Pre-Activity | PDF Handout | Free

Creative Tech Workshops, hosted in the Art + Technology LAB, integrate ideas from the exhibition together with BC’s new Core Curriculum. Big Ideas inform each exciting 1.5 – 3 hour Workshop where a focus on process and inquiry-based learning are key. Encouraging and building on a vibrant & dynamic process of creativity and imagination in workshop situations is our thing; we champion individual and collective brainstorming and focused play!

Creative Tech Workshop | 60 - 120 min | Cost: $150 + GST (includes tour + pre-activity)
(For young children, we may be able to offer a separate space for break time)

Duration: 
90
For Grades: 
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Days Offered: 
Maximum Students: 
Offered In French: 
No
Program Description & Details

Discover the differences between vertebrates and invertebrates. Take a close-up look at the interesting features of vertebrate skulls, bones, teeth, and claws. Learn about the amazing adaptations that help temperate rainforest animals thrive in this cool, wet environment. This program runs from 10am to 12pm. 

Duration: 
See notes.
For Grades: 
K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
Months Available: 
Times Offered: 
Maximum Students: 
Offered In French: 
No
Program Description & Details

SCIENCE IN THE SUBALPINE

Our Junior Rangers program takes students on a thrilling ride up to our unique subalpine environment, 885 meters above sea level! We help teachers meet curriculum requirements with a dynamic and hands-on approach to learning. These courses are designed to engage students and connect them with nature and wildlife in an interactive way that encourages an inquiry-based method of learning.

GRADE K - 1: SEASONAL CHANGES AND THE NEEDS OF PLANTS AND ANIMALS

In this course, students learn about the unique ecosystem of the subalpine environment, how that environment changes throughout the year, and how our native plants and animals adjust to the seasons. We explore this vibrant mountain-top setting through hiking and group activities.

GRADE 2-3: THE FOOD WEB OF A SUBALPINE ECOSYSTEM

There is so much biodiversity and interconnected life in the subalpine! Grade 2 and 3 students will investigate the lifecycles, food webs and food chains found in this unique habitat. They will explore the Summit and take part in a team activity which demonstrates the sensitive relationships within a food web at this altitude.

GRADE 4: THE SUBALPINE BIOME AND ANIMALS WITH SUPER SENSES

In this course, we look into local wildlife biodiversity and discuss the topic of biomes. Together we learn about the delicate balance in the subalpine environment and what sustains a healthy ecosystem. We examine how animals, birds and reptiles use their senses to respond to other creatures and their environment. Students will discover just how vital these super senses are to some of our most familiar mountain residents.

GRADE 5-6: THE ROCK CYCLE

It is easy to see how amazing the local landscape is! From our Summit, each direction you look there is a rock feature of some kind. How did they get there and how did they form? Hiking our trails, students will discover how rocks transform from one type to another, and what forces build up the landscape and wear it down.

GRADE 7-8: ADAPTABILITY OF PLANTS AND ANIMALS IN THE SUBALPINE

The subalpine is home to some of British Columbia’s most fascinating wildlife and interesting plants. With specific reference to natural selection and the characteristics of life, students will discover the ways in which these plants and animals adapt to meet the challenges of finding food, avoiding predators, and surviving the changes of the seasons.

Duration: 
Half Day
For Grades: 
K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
Maximum Students: 
Offered In French: 
Contact Us
Program Description & Details

In the Sea to Sky corridor, we are fortunate to be surrounded by mountains and a vast amount of backcountry to explore. Take advantage of the wilderness we're lucky enough to call our backyard and hike off-trail to experience our backcountry under the expertise of our education guides.

Students will cover a selection of the topics below. The Sea to Sky Gondola Education Guide leading your group will decide which of the topics will be taught depending on the weather, size and age of the group.

Hiking 101

Imagine you are heading out for a hike in the backcountry. How to prepare? Learn about planning and packing for a safe day hike in the backcountry.

Avalanche Awareness

Another essential part of planning a safe day out includes route planning and weather. We examine types of snow, types of hazards, and risk assessments in planning outdoor adventures.

Wilderness First Aid

Your day in the backcountry has been going great until one member of the group falls and is now injured! Learn to treat a medical emergency in the outdoors. Build and use an improvised stretcher to carry your friend to safety.

Shelter Building

Even with the best intentions things in the backcountry don’t always go to plan! Explore the skills and techniques needed to build a good shelter. Will your shelter keep you warm and dry, or will you be wet and cold as the rain comes in?

Duration: 
Half Day
For Grades: 
5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Maximum Students: 
Offered In French: 
Contact Us
Program Description & Details

A collaboration between Sea to Sky Gondola, Mountain Research Initiative, Geo Mountains, the University of Calgary, and the Arctic Institute, our Mountain Sustainability Program is designed for learners of all ages. Students take a global view of mountains around the world and initiatives in mountain resilience, examining how mountains are created, what changes them, and the shared responsibilities of mountain stewardship. We make the most of our unique subalpine environment with hands-on activities on weather, glaciers, and biodiversity. In support of the United Nations declaration that 2022 is the International Year of Sustainable Mountain Development, the program is built around the question "What do mountains mean to you?" #mountainsmatter 

Students who have already done our course, can try our new mountain sustainability case studies on wildlife counts and nature-based solutions like ecological restoration.

Duration: 
Half Day
For Grades: 
K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Maximum Students: 
Offered In French: 
Contact Us
Program Description & Details

The VHEC's teaching exhibition In Focus: The Holocaust through the VHEC Collection introduces students to the history of the Holocaust with reference to primary source artefacts belonging to Holocaust survivors and victims. Led by a VHEC museum educator, the exhibition tour covers topics such as pre-war Jewish life, antisemitism, the rise of Nazism, Jewish refugees, rescue, resistance and post-war life. Over 90 artefacts donated by local Holocaust survivors are on view in this exhibition, each of which tells a poignant and unique story of Jewish life during the Holocaust. Students are given the opportunity for hands-on examination of select artefacts including personal letters, toys, photos, propaganda and other items. Tours include a workshop featuring survivor video testimonies and short films. On view until June 2024. Book now: https://www.vhec.org/school-programs/exhibition-tours/

City: 
Duration: 
90
For Grades: 
6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Maximum Students: 
Offered In French: 
No
Program Description & Details

Drawing upon diverse primary sources, the VHEC's acclaimed teaching exhibition, Age of Influence: Youth & Nazi Propaganda, examines the Nazis’ efforts to manipulate the attitudes, experiences and aspirations of German children and teens. Youth magazines, photos, testimonies, video clips, books and posters are just some of the primary sources that students analyze to discover how the Nazi regime targeted young Germans for indoctrination in Nazi ideology. The VHEC's museum educators introduce students to core concepts of propaganda and guide them to critically evaluate messages and images. The tour includes a workshop and a small group activity which allows students to practise communication and collaboration skills while sharing their knowledge with others. The exhibition challenges viewers to look critically at both the messages and the techniques used by Nazi propagandists to influence youth. On view at the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre until June 2024. Book now: https://www.vhec.org/school-programs/exhibition-tours/

City: 
Duration: 
90
For Grades: 
6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Maximum Students: 
Offered In French: 
No
Program Description & Details

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.

Grades: 2-7              Length: 1.5 – 2 hours                Maximum group size: 30 students

Program Components:

  • Introduction to Kingdom Plantae
  • Explore and observe nature by going on a nature walk
  • Practice observation skills through different activities
  • Make connections between science and our communities
  • This program starts with a 20-minute presentation inside, then takes place mostly outside.

Click here to see how this program supports BC’s curriculum for Grades 2-7.

Click here for the pre-visit activity for River Champions Grades 2-7.

City: 
Duration: 
90
For Grades: 
2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
Days Offered: 
Maximum Students: 
Offered In French: 
No
Program Description & Details

Lost Lagoon hosts a wide variety of over-wintering bird species in the Park.

Flock to Stanley Park with your students to explore the Park’s birds! Use binoculars, learn how to identify winter bird species, and discover their many adaptations to survive the winters!

Book here!

City: 
Duration: 
90
For Grades: 
K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
Months Available: 
Days Offered: 
Times Offered: 
Maximum Students: 
Offered In French: 
No
Program Description & Details

Lost Lagoon is an urban treasure trove! Learn about the species that call this area of Stanley Park home and their interactions with the downtown core.

How do human and environmental systems interconnect in Vancouver? Dive into what makes a healthy urban ecosystem and how biodiversity and climate change affect Stanley Park. This fun and informational program will ignite curiosity for any high schooler.

Book here!

City: 
Duration: 
See notes.
For Grades: 
8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Months Available: 
Days Offered: 
Times Offered: 
Maximum Students: 
Offered In French: 
No

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