In July 2019, three student volunteers with the BC Heritage Fairs Society interviewed four members of the W̱SÁNEĆ First Nation on Vancouver Island: an Elder, two artists and a language revitalization teacher. The result of their visit is Taking Reconcili-Action, a website full of content that addresses specific topics related to the Truth and Reconciliation […]
Diversity
Support for Teaching Indigenous Curriculum
The 2016 school year saw the launch of B.C.’s new mandatory curriculum and its strong First Peoples component for Kindergarten to Grade 9, with Grade 10 to 12 optional. Yet a new study suggests that while teachers may want to teach Indigenous culture and issues in their classrooms, they feel nervous about saying the wrong […]
10 (+1) Reasons Why Heritage Fairs are Good for You!
Cynthia Wallace, the Provincial Heritage Fairs coordinator for New Brunswick, has written the following cheeky, thoughtful post. As she says, “In honour of project-based learning and disciplinary inquiry, I am taking on my motherly persona today to dish out some words of advice as to why Heritage Fairs are good for you.” You do not have […]
150? Canada’s Sticky, Messy History
The next suggestions for smoky summer reading are from Margaret Conrad’s blog post in Acadiensis. As the title suggests we are a diverse people and not all of us are celebrating 150 years as a nation. “Indigenous peoples have served notice that they find little to celebrate in 150 years of Ottawa’s rule,” writes Conrad, […]
Every Place has a Story – History Blog for June
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.
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.
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.
Canada’s History: a Shared History
ELL students find value in Heritage Fair projects.
Many Stories, One Country: Black History Month
The roots of Black history in Canada are deep. It was in the early 17th century that Mathieu da Costa, the first person of African descent to reach Canada, worked as an interpreter for Samuel de Champlain and other French and Dutch explorers. Canada Post is recognizing da Costa in its new stamp for Black […]
