The history blog for June is Every Place has a Story, a title that could be part of an elevator pitch for Heritage Fairs. However, it is the blog of Vancouver writer Eve Lazarus who has a passion for unconventional history.
Provincial Heritage Fair Preview
Students will arrive in Victoria July 5 to enjoy an exciting Provincial Fair. Thanks to organizers Mary Campone and Kevin McKeown students will experience some of Victoria’s most important and engaging historic sites.
Kevin McKeown Takes Charge as New Provincial Coordinator
The BC Heritage Fairs Society is very happy to announce that Kevin Dale McKeown will be the new provincial coordinator.
I Went to the Regional Fair
From the Prairies to Portrait on the $10 bill here are a few thoughtful projects from 2017 BC Regional Fairs.
The History Blog for May is Active History
Active History is a rich source to learn about the work of historians and connections between the past and current events.
Thinking Historically about Canada 150
This is an update on the Historical Thinking Summer Institute in Ottawa at the Canadian War Museum and the Canadian Museum of History, July 17-22, 2017.
Place-Based Learning and the Challenges of History Education
Our Historic Places videos are examples of place-based learning that can respond to the challenges of history education.
Vimy Live and Virtual
Two more accounts on the topic of Vimy: the first is from Heritage Fairs Alumnus Julie who describes her visit to the battle site and the second is an article on the new Vimy app created by students at a high school in Smith Falls, Ontario.
Give History a Voice in the 2017 Election
The BC Historical Federation has launched a lobbying campaign to make the history of this province an election issue.
History Blog for April: Christopher Moore’s History News
The History Blog for the Month of April is Christopher Moore’s History News: History (mostly Canadian), a little politics (ditto), and the Tour de France in July.
Still More Resources to Teach the Battle of Vimy Ridge
Historica Canada has a new teaching resource entitled “Think like a Historian: the Battle of Vimy Ridge” in English and “Pensez comme un histoirian” in French. Designed for middle and high school students, they should be a useful support for teachers to explore the curricular concept of evidence with its videos and lesson plans for studying photographs, letters, and newspaper articles of the time. They do not, however, support teaching the controversy around the interpretation and mythologizing of Vimy.
The Many Stories of Vimy Ridge
The 100th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge, 9-12 April, has yielded a rich collection of stories and controversy that can both engage students and give them opportunities to “do history” as they tackle the competing narratives.
Imagining Futures
The Heritage Fairs program will play an important part in Heritage BC’s annual conference in Victoria, May 4-6. The conference title asks participants to imagine futures. So it is fitting that it should feature the BCHFS that has amongst its core principles encouraging “young people to see history around them” and “forging connections between youth […]
BC Heritage Fairs Society Seeks a New Coordinator
The BCHFS is seeking a Provincial Coordinator who will be an inspiring leader, an effective administrator, and a proponent of the leadership potential in young people. This contract position will commence as soon as possible and no later than April 30, 2017.
BC Book Prize Nominees Announced
It is Spring Break and time to read one of the great non-fiction books on the BC Book Prizes shortlist (see it here). The seven prizes are presented annually at the Lieutenant Governor’s BC Book Prizes Gala in the spring, as well as a presentation to the winner of The Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Literary […]
Conference Registration for the BC Historical Federation is Open
From May 25 to 28 the annual conference of the BC Historical Federation, Chilliwack: Land, Water, People, takes place in the Fraser Valley city.
Celebrated educator Gwen Point, chancellor of the University of the Fraser Valley, gives the keynote. Workshops include former Heritage Fairs coordinator, Jane Watt.
Blog of the Month of March: The Otter – La Loutre
For March the history blog of the month is The Otter – La Loutre. Any website that mixes articles on the history of the guinea pig with one on pipeline history is hard not to like. The Otter fills a real gap for social studies teachers. There is so little readily available that gives nature […]
What do You Know about Canada’s HERstory?
We are a few days late for International Women’s Day but any day is a good one to shine a light on women’s history. The creator of the quiz What do You Know about Canada’s HERtory? is Merna Foster. She was awarded the 2016 Governor General’s History Award for Popular Media (Pierre Berton Award) for her work promoting women in history. You may know her for her go-to website and books for Heritage Fairs projects on women’s history.
Thinking Historically about Canada 150: Summer Institute
From July 17 to 22, the Historical Thinking Summer Institute will take place at the Canadian War Museum and Canadian Museum of History in Ottawa. Teachers, museum educators and historians are invited to explore the theme of “Thinking Historically about Canada 150” with dynamic presenters.
Introducing the 2016 Governor-General’s Award Winners
Video interviews of the 2016 winners of the Governor-General’s Award for Excellence in Teaching Canadian History are now on-line. Topics range from family and school history projects to national history such as Vimy Ridge and Indigenous issues with an emphasis on historical thinking.
Lieutenant Governor of BC, The Honourable Judith Guichon, OBC