April

Each year, thousands of children are introduced to the wonders of nature through educational programs at the Richmond Nature Park. Due to COVID-19, brand new virtual programs have been developed to offer a new, virtual learning experience. 

The Virtual Home Learners Program is designed for students in Kindergarten through Grade 4.  Interactive presentations include activities, demonstrations, taxidermy, multimedia visuals and a Q & A session with the naturalist, if time permits.

“Animals Live in My Neighbourhood" 
Learn about the basic needs that all animals have, their adaptations to survive, why they live in our neighbourhoods and how we can co-exist with them. Recommended for Grades 1-4.

"Now We See Them, Now We Don't" 
Explore the idea of seasonality on the West Coast with snow geese, coyotes and humans as case studies and then determine what adaptations they have at different times of the year. Recommended for Grades K-4.

Home learners have a choice of three different programs. Register for one, two or all three:
1. Animals Live in My Neighbourhood - Skunks and Coyotes
2. Animals Live in My Neighbourhood - Raccoons and Snow Geese
3. Now We See Them, Now We Don't

$10/session

Each program is 45 minutes. The presentation starts and ends as scheduled. A late start will result in a shorter program.

Visit the Program Registration page, click on the BROWSE AND REGISTER button and choose from Children: Online - Programs from the Nature and Science category. Register online or call the Registration Call Centre at 604-276-4300, Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5:00pm.

Technology/Equipment requirements:
Strong internet connection and access to a video/sound system. We recommend connecting your laptop to a smartboard or a projector and ensuring the speakers are enabled to provide an optimal experience.

FRDC is continuing to support schools during this pandemic with our newest offer: online school programs! Hosted through video conference software, an FRDC educator will lead your students through a fully interactive program, engaging them with the material by utilizing the latest tools in online and remote education. Be sure to check back soon for more details!

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. 

To participate in these programs, you will need:

• A stable internet connection.
• A device for each student (laptop, tablet, or chromebook, etc) with a stable internet connection. They will use this throughout the program for the interactive activities.
• The ability to join the video conference with the FRDC educator. This can be done one of two ways: the teacher can join the video conference and project it with sound for the whole class to view; or each student can join on their device with headphones.

Tundra & I will visit your school if it is within a reasonable travel distance. During the COVID 19 pandemic, this visit occurs outdoors, preferrably in a forested area on your school grounds or nearby. If no such location, then we use your school fields & we improvise that it is a forest. Students & staff get to watch Tundra's behavior & I explain what wolves in the wild would be doing. I tell many First Nation stories & legends about the wolf & why this animal is so important to their culture. I explain the important role the wolf plays in the ecosystem as an apex predator & keystone species. Opportunity for many questions from students & staff. Cost is $100 for the walks & travel expenses to the school.

If your school is too far away, I can over a ZOOM version of this program where the same material is covered & the students & staff get to see the four wolves our centre has.

Burnaby Art Gallery offers all sorts of resources for teachers, from current teachers’ guides and online exhibits for use in your classroom to professional development workshops.

These online lesson plans illuminate the BAG’s permanent collection and engage the public in online art-making. Teachers, parents, students, and arts educators are invited to participate in this online series of art-making activities.

• Ink Tree Blossoms
• Playdough Colour Wheel
• Iain Baxter& + Bagged Oranges
• Ann McCall: Flora + Fauna

• Al Neil: Correspondence Collage
• Torrie Groening: The Senses at Home
• Henry Fox Talbot + Brad McMuray: History of Photography

Virtual Exhibits and Lesson Plans

• J.C.Heywood: A Life in Layers Printmaking, collage, colour and pattern (English and French)
• Takao Tanabe: Chronicles of Form and Place Landscape, watercolour, line, colour, value and composition (English and French)
• Anna Wong: Traveller on Two Roads (English, French, Simplified Chinese, Complex Chinese)

Public Art Story Map

• Take a self-guided tour of Burnaby's Public Art

Fridays | October 2020 - June 25, 2021

Join us to uncover the complexity of the coastline. Students are immersed into the ideas of interconnection, ecosystems, water cycles, and shoreline wildlife, inspired by Coastal indigenous works. Using drawing, watercolour, pastel and collage students develop individual  mixed-media works that contribute to an ecosystem project.

Curriculum Tie-ins: Art Education, Earth Science, Indigenous Studies

Historic Stewart Farm is offering live, virtual school programs. Without leaving your classroom,  an experienced costumed guide will lead your class on a virtual Matterport tour around the Farmhouse, recently updated Pole Barn, and historic outbuildings while providing curriculum current interpretation. Explore the history of local community, immigration, family roles, and how newcomers shaped the environment around them. These programs work for both in-class, and blended groups - if some students or your whole class log-in from home.

Three programs are being offered for varying grade ranges:

Stories Shoots and Sprouts - Kindergarten - Grade 1

Dig, plant, discover! Learn about growing heritage vegetables and fruit through historical indoor and outdoor seasonal activities. Students get active as they explore the site, including the root cellar, garden, orchard, pole barn and farmhouse kitchen. A package will be provided for students to plant a Historic Stewart Farm heirloom seed in their classroom. 

Farm Kids - Grade 1 - Grade 2

Students travel back in time to the 1890s to live just like Surrey’s settler children did. They’ll learn how students in the past helped with family life, important chores around the site, and balanced all of this to get to school on time. Butter making supplies will be provided for classes.

Immigrant Perspectives - Grade 5 - Grade 6

Immigrants in turn-of-the-century Canada certainly faced some challenges. Students experience the cultural traditions of Scottish and Chinese settlers on the farm, and learn how culture, economy and technology influenced rural life in Surrey and across the country. A primary resouce package is provided about local history, immigration, and those who settled at the Historic Stewart Farm.

These 90-minute programs costs $94.80 and will be booked on a first-come, first-served basis between February and June 2021. 

To reserve your program spot please contact the Historic Stewart Farm at 604-591-4627 or email StewartFarm@surrey.ca. Please leave a message with the preferred date, program, number of students, and grade level.

Please Note: We will be using the Microsoft Teams platform to deliver this program. To ensure a smooth program we require a technical ‘check-in’ prior to your scheduled program - we will discuss this with you upon booking. A projector, screen, and a laptop with speakers and microphone are required.