That Which Sustains Us

Last updated on
Thursday, July 24th, 2025
Experience type: 
In-Person
Program Description

Through place-based learning, students learn about Traditional Ecological Knowledge relating to plants used by the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh in the Indigenous Unity Garden. While listening to the traditional plant names in hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓ and Skwxwú7mesh sníchim, students are invited to reflect on how they relate and engage with nature, the importance of a healthy ecosystem, and the interconnectedness between people, place, and animals. In That Which Sustains Us, students examine how the landscape has changed overtime due to the impacts of colonization, deforestation, and global warming, and our collective action towards a kinder and more sustainable future.

Big Ideas
  • Individuals have rights and responsibilities as global citizens.
  • Local actions have global consequences, and global actions have local consequences.
  • Indigenous knowledge is passed down through oral history, traditions, and collective memory.
  • Indigenous societies throughout the world value the well-being of the self, the land, spirits, and ancestors.
  • Learning about indigenous peoples nurtures multicultural awareness and respect for diversity.
  • Interactions between First Peoples and Europeans lead to conflict and cooperation, which continues to shape Canada’s identity.
  • The pursuit of valuable natural resources has played a key role in changing the land, people, and communities of Canada.
  • Trip Details
    City: 
    For Grades: 
    2, 3, 4
    Times Offered: 
    Duration: 
    90 minutes unless otherwise stated.
    Maximum Students: 
    Offered In French: 
    Contact Us
    Also Offered For: 
    Daycamps, Guides, Homeschool, Scouts
    Packages Provided: 
    Both Pre-Visit and Post-Visit Packages
    Fee Details
    Fee Notes: 

    $280 per class. One adult free per ten students. Minimum ratio of one chaperone for every ten students.

    Additional Notes

    Make a day of it! Combine this program with either a self-guided tour of our exhibits or a monumental scavenger hunt activity, discovering Vanier Park's outdoor monuments and art installations.