Vancouver

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 mountain sustainability case studies on wildlife counts and nature-based solutions like ecological restoration.

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/

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!

How did Chinese immigrant communities maintain a sense of identity and overcome the challenges of discrimination to settle in Vancouver’s Chinatown? How did they strive to create a sense of home and belonging? 

Students will explore these questions by engaging with our interactive exhibits and touchable teaching collection. By investigating historic photos, head tax certificates, cultural artefacts, and personal belongings, students will be introduced to discriminatory policies that define the Chinese Canadian experience as well as the community’s diligent efforts to overcome them.

Total length: 1 - 2 hours 

Grade levels: 4-6

Cost per student: $8 (1 adult chaperone per 5 students may visit for free)

The River Champions outreach program is available for students in grades 3-12. Note* This is offered ONLY as an in person field trip.

Grades 3-5  

Students explore the basics of climate science and river processes. Using a stream table model, students model different climate change scenarios and design infrastructure that could mitigate the damage caused by climate change. 

Grades 6-12  

Students discuss connections between climate change and land management practices, both traditional Indigenous and current industrial. Using a stream table model, students model different climate change scenarios and design infrastructure that could mitigate the damage caused by climate change. For the optional action project, students research how their communities may be susceptible to extreme weather events and climate change, and present their findings using ArcGIS Story Maps. A follow-up online workshop connects students to knowledge holders.

Click here to book!

Learn about past and present immigration policies while discovering the history of Vancouver through the decades: 1900 - 1970s. Modelled after the points-based-system, explore the History Galleries through a scavenger hunt activity and examine suitcases from four immigrants’ stories. This program focuses on who immigrates and why, the quality of life for new immigrants over the decades, and immigrants’ contributions to Vancouver.

Examine traditional belongings of the First Nations and Inuit cultures in relation to food, clothing and shelter. Excavate belongings connected to the Coast Salish. Be a player in a life-sized board game and learn about the traditional belongings of the Inuit through the seasons.