June

Help students discover the Fraser River through creative, hands-on activities designed with British Columbia’s school curriculum in mind.

Download our free My River, My Home Resource Kit for lesson plans, activities and background information related to the ecosystems, cultures and industries connected to the Fraser River. The kit aligns with our fully guided education programs, with many activities that are suitable to extend learning before or after field trips to the Fraser River Discovery Centre.

Complementing the award winning “My River My Home” exhibit at the Fraser River Discovery Centre in New Westminster, the free 100-page, user-friendly guide:

• Includes 25 lesson plans and background information for educators
• Challenges students to see the Fraser River holistically, exploring concepts of environmental, cultural and economic sustainability through creative activities, writing prompts and hands-on activities
• Activities meet BC Ministry of Education Curriculum requirements for grades K-9 and address BC’s new cross-curricular competencies (critical thinking, personal and social awareness and responsibility, and communication skills).

The kit is divided into 5 sections that can be explored independently or used to create an inquiry unit about the Fraser River:

1. Connect: students are asked to activate previous knowledge and explore the question “What is my connection to the Fraser River?”
2. Develop Knowledge and Explore Sustainability: students explore the cultural, economic, and environmental sustainability of the Fraser River.
3. Investigate Water Quality: introduces water quality and outlines the Taking the Pulse of the Fraser program available at the Discovery Centre.
4. Putting the Fraser on the Global Map: students study and compare the cultures, environment, and art, and water quality data from the Fraser, Amazon, Congo, Ganges-Brahmaputra, and Kolyma rivers.
5. What’s Next: The final section encourages students to become active citizens in water quality issues.

For suggestions on how to use or modify an activity in the kit, or to book a professional development workshop for educators on using the kit with your students, please contact programs@fraserriverdiscovery.org.

Connect Students with the wonders of the ocean without having to leave the classroom.

Our live, guided workshops focus on inquiry-based learning with an environmental and climate change focus. Not your average digital workshop, the sessions include mini-games, student-led discussions, and some surprises along the way. Using real scientific findings and data collected by Ocean Wise’s world-renowned research team, your students will get an inside view of the latest climate and environmental science.

Students will join one of our expert educators through live video conferencing in an inquiry-based discussion about a topic of your choosing. Using visual props and multimedia resources, students will utilize their creativity and critical thinking to explore the ocean. Core competencies in critical thinking, communication, creative thinking, and responsibility may be achieved through the Virtual Aquaclass Program. Big Ideas differ per grade.

Standard programs are $100 per 45-minute sessions and include a Q&A time between students and our expert staff. Choose from our wide variety of programs. This program is customizable upon request* to address specific interest and needs of each group. All programs are available in English or French.

 *additional costs may be required for customizations

From the invention of crop rotation to the industrial revolution to the creation of Genetically Modified Organisms, agricultural technology is always changing. See what technologies, modern and ancient, we use on our farms to grow delicious food, and even give some of them a try!

“You can eat that???” Yes, you can! Explore often overlooked foods on our farms and in our indigenous plant garden as you learn about ethical foraging and some of the traditional food and medicine uses of common plants.

Beyond just a place for growing food, the farm is the perfect spot to exercise your creative muscles. Whether it’s the stark beauty of winter foliage, the rich greenery that follows spring rain, the beautiful blooms of summer, or the striking colours of fall, nature provides a natural palate to inspire the artist inside all of us. We’ll explore both Loutet Farm and the surrounding forest, gathering material and learning about how we grow such a diverse range of vegetables, fruits, and flowers. Students will learn how some plants have been used for many generations to create works of art, natural dyes, and more. Hands-on opportunities abound in this field trip, with a chance to make their own nature-inspired art throughout the visit.

In this 90-minute program, students encounter examples of historical and contemporary Northwest Coast First Nations paintings and are introduced to the innovative Image Recovery Project. Using infrared technology and raking light, historical painted images are recovered from bentwood boxes, house fronts and other cedar sculptures and belongings to reveal images hidden under dirt or ash. The recovery of these images allows First Nations artists and researchers to see the uniqueness and beauty of historical Northwest Coast paintings. A visual presentation paired with a walking tour through MOA’s galleries highlights both new and old works with extraordinarily painted designs. Contemporary bentwood boxes recreated from the infrared photographs of historical boxes are used in a tracing and sketching activity to encourage students to look closely and appreciate the artists’ design skills

To book this program, please submit a booking request.

https://moa.ubc.ca/school-programs/types/transforming-image/

In this one-hour program, students are introduced to contemporary and historical Indigenous uses of selected plants on MOA’s grounds. In small groups, students find, identify and answer questions about plant species and share their findings with the class. Students explore methods for using plants for food, medicine, dyes and belongings based on Indigenous knowledge. Hands-on engagement with belongings from the teaching collection helps students understand how they are created and used. The goal of the program is to encourage discussions about sustainability, stewardship and our shared responsibilities by learning about the cultural significance of plants and incorporating Indigenous perspectives.

To book this program, please submit a booking request.

https://moa.ubc.ca/school-programs/types/indigenous-plants-and-connections/