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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

Explore the Britannia Shipyards National Historic Site through the lens of innovation, and how things have changed throughout the history of fishing and boatbuilding in Steveston. Students will engage in four different interactive stations with themes ranging from innovation in recycling, resources, and communications. These concepts will then be discussed and applied to a boatbuilding activity, with each student making their own wooden boat model to bring home.

City: 
Duration: 
90
For Grades: 
4, 5, 6
Maximum Students: 
Offered In French: 
Contact Us
Program Description & Details

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)

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

In this guided school program, students will learn about the history and cultural life of Vancouver’s Chinatown through our interactive exhibits and touchable teaching collection. Delving into the lived experiences and mementos of Chinatown’s diverse residents, students will gain an appreciation for the community’s resilient spirit and rich cultural heritage.

Total length: 1 hour

Grade levels: adaptable to all grade levels

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

City: 
Duration: 
60
For Grades: 
K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Maximum Students: 
Offered In French: 
No
Program Description & Details

Looking for a new and exciting way to connect kids with Parliament? Sign your class up for The Parliamentary Play and Tour for Schools, an interactive new program that includes a guided tour of the parliament buildings and a travelling historical play on the grounds. 

The program runs from May 22 to the end of June, 2023.

Program Information:

The Parliamentary Play and Tour for Schools begins at the rear library steps. From there, the group will join a performance of My Place in Politics. This interactive, child-friendly travelling play that whisks audiences back in time, to 1947. They will meet suffragists, students, and the participants of the Chocolate Bar strike, who will teach them about different ways that Canadians have advocated for change in the past. Then, the group will enter the buildings for a guided tour that focuses on how change is made at the Parliament Buildings today. 

While The Parliamentary Play and Tour for Schools is fun for all grades, it has been designed with the Grade 5 and 6 social studies curricula in mind. The play focuses on participation and representation in Canada's systems of government and how groups developed a plan of action to address issues like discrimination, inequality, and the fight for human rights. It can also be modified to fit the Grade 10 Social Studies Curriculum.

Duration: 
80
For Grades: 
K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Months Available: 
Times Offered: 
Maximum Students: 
Offered In French: 
No
Program Description & Details

Bring your class for a free guided tour of the B.C. Parliament Buildings. Guided tours provide an overview of the history of the Parliament Buildings and the role of the Legislative Assembly. 

City: 
Duration: 
60
For Grades: 
K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Maximum Students: 
Offered In French: 
Yes
Program Description & Details

Drawn to History is where art and history meet. With historical photos and artifacts as inspiration, the activities in this kit take students through perspective drawing, contour shading, drawing faces, and contemporary issues with indigenous rock art. This kit is suitable for grades 5 to 12 (may be altered for lower grades), with strong curriculum connections in art and social studies.

City: 
Duration: 
Outreach Kit/Online Resource
For Grades: 
5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Maximum Students: 
Offered In French: 
No
Program Description & Details

This discovery kit is perfect for those teachers and students that are interested in learning more about the Kootenay-Boundary’s plant and animal life. The kit includes five activities based around identifying local plants and animals, invasive species, and indigenous use. You even figure out how to measure a tree with a straw! This kit is suitable for kindergarten to grade 7, with curriculum links to Social Studies, Science, and Mathematics.

City: 
Duration: 
Outreach Kit/Online Resource
For Grades: 
K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
Maximum Students: 
Offered In French: 
No
Program Description & Details

Our Regional Indigenous Basketry explores the different weaving and dyeing techniques used by this region’s Indigenous Peoples. With a focus on the Sinixt Peoples, students will explore weaving, dying, food collection, and Indigenous language through a series of activities. From designing a basket to making a traditional Sinixt recipe, this kit provides a glimpse into the traditions of this area’s first peoples. This kit is suitable for grades kindergarten to grade 7, with curriculum links to Social Studies, Arts, Science, and Language Arts.

City: 
Duration: 
Outreach Kit/Online Resource
For Grades: 
K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
Maximum Students: 
Offered In French: 
No
Program Description & Details

Step into the shoes of a history detective to discover the diverse experiences of immigrants who tried to make Steveston their home.  Students will explore four historical houses through a scavenger hunt in the first half of the program. After a short break, the adventure continues with an immersive activity where each group delves into a unique immigrant story. Armed with historical documents and fascinating artifacts like a typewriter, a radio or a washboard, students will piece together the narrative of their chosen immigrant group and uncover how settlers from different countries faced different challenges to build their new home.

City: 
Duration: 
See notes.
For Grades: 
4, 5, 6
Days Offered: 
Maximum Students: 
Offered In French: 
Contact Us

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