Bringing Kids Together to Make Canadian History Come Alive
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.
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 […]
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.
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.
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.
Britney Quail, the new president of the BC Heritage Fairs Society, talks about the importance of the Fairs and her vision of the future.
ELL students find value in Heritage Fair projects.
The winner of the history blog of the month for February is Unwritten Histories. Blog creator and historian Andrea Eidinger writes regular posts both entertaining and insightful on a variety of topics in Canadian history, some quirky, some quintessential. The main audience is adults interested in history, notably social studies teachers. However, the website’s weekly […]
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 […]
“We learned how to play Fan Tan. The history of Chinatown fascinated me.”
“It was interesting how much history can be in a cemetery.”
“The next place we visited was Government House where the left-handed governor lives.”
“Although it was tough to get over the nasty smell of rotting seaweed, the Fisgard lighthouse was awesome.”
Looking for ideas on how to lead an inquiry project? Wondering how to start a Heritage Fair? The BCHFS is always working to improve its resources and the latest is called Inquiry in Action: A Heritage Fair Guide.
After 5 years as President of the BC Heritage Fairs Society, Michael Gurney has stepped down to become Past President. In recognition of his many contributions the Society has established a scholarship fund in his name.
New Directions, New Directors at the BCHFS Annual General Meeting On a rare rainless Saturday in Vancouver, the BC Heritage Fairs Society held its annual general meeting, kindly hosted by the Vancouver Maritime Museum. Regional Fair Coordinators and members shared ideas, learned about the Society’s many initiatives and planned how best to work together to […]
The 8th Annual BC Provincial Showcase was off to an amazing start as students, dignitaries, volunteers and chaperones and a large public audience gathered at UBC’s Student Nest in Vancouver, BC to support the Opening Ceremony. On July 6, led by a piper and Musqueam Elder Larry Grant the students paraded to the atrium of […]
Forty delegates from all regions of the province converged on the University of BC for this year’s Provincial Heritage Fair, July 4th through 8th. The BCHFS was extremely proud to host the 2016 Provincial Heritage Fair in Vancouver, BC, at the Point Grey campus of the University of British Columbia. Students and chaperones were accommodated in university residences while […]
