Chinatown Journeys

Last updated on
Friday, March 10th, 2023
Experience type: 
In-Person
Program Description

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)

Big Ideas
  • Our communities are diverse and made of individuals who have a lot in common.
  • Rights, roles, and responsibilities shape our identity and help us build healthy relationships with others.
  • Stories and traditions about ourselves and our families reflect who we are and where we are from.
  • Healthy communities recognize and respect the diversity of individuals and care for the local environment.
  • Our rights, roles, and responsibilities are important for building strong communities.
  • We shape the local environment, and the local environment shapes who we are and how we live.
  • Canada is made up of many diverse regions and communities.
  • Individuals have rights and responsibilities as global citizens.
  • Local actions have global consequences, and global actions have local consequences.
  • Learning about indigenous peoples nurtures multicultural awareness and respect for diversity.
  • People from diverse cultures and societies share some common experiences and aspects of life.
  • British Columbia followed a unique path in becoming a part of Canada.
  • The pursuit of valuable natural resources has played a key role in changing the land, people, and communities of Canada.
  • Canada’s policies and treatment of minority peoples have negative and positive legacies.
  • Immigration and multiculturalism continue to shape Canadian society and identity.
  • Media sources can both positively and negatively affect our understanding of important events and issues.
  • Systems of government vary in their respect for human rights and freedoms.
  • Economic specialization and trade networks can lead to conflict and cooperation between societies.
  • Geographic conditions shaped the emergence of civilizations.
  • Increasingly complex societies required new systems of laws and government.
  • Religious and cultural practices that emerged during this period have endured and continue to influence people.
  • Changing ideas about the world created tension between people wanting to adopt new ideas and those wanting to preserve established traditions.
  • Contacts and conflicts between peoples stimulated significant cultural, social, political change.
  • Exploration, expansion, and colonization had varying consequences for different groups.
  • Human and environmental factors shape changes in population and living standards.
  • Collective identity is constructed and can change over time.
  • Disparities in power alter the balance of relationships between individuals and between societies.
  • Emerging ideas and ideologies profoundly influence societies and events.
  • The physical environment influences the nature of political, social, and economic change.
  • Trip Details
    City: 
    For Grades: 
    K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
    Duration: 
    60 minutes unless otherwise stated.
    Maximum Students: 
    Offered In French: 
    No
    Also Offered For: 
    Adult Groups, Daycamps, ESL, Homeschool
    Packages Provided: 
    Both Pre-Visit and Post-Visit Packages
    Fee Details
    Cost Per Student: 
    $8.00
    Fee Notes: 

    1 adult chaperone per 5 students may visit for free

    Additional Notes

    Adaptable to all grade levels.

    Optional Add-On Activities

    1. Joint visit to the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Chinese Classical Garden. We can help arrange a longer (2-3 hours) guided visit to Chinatown that includes a visit to the Chinatown Storytelling Centre, a short walking tour, and a visit to the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Chinese Classical Garden. The itinerary is adaptable to fit your schedule and class size. For more information on pricing and booking, please contact April Liu, Manager of Public Programs and Education: april.liu@chinatownfoundation.org.
    2. Guided walking tours. A 30 - 60 minute guided walking tour may be added to your visit, highlighting Chinatown’s unique heritage and cultural sites along Pender Street. Additional cost: $8 per student, adult chaperones join for free.

    How to Sign Up: To book your next visit, please write to April Liu, Manager of Public Programs and Education, april.liu@chinatownfoundation.org.