Our Education Programs

Welcome to the Huronia Museum and Huron Wendat Village education programs.

Huronia Museum is working to enhancing classroom lessons through hands-on, activity based learning with  programs that link directly to current Ontario curriculum

For more information on our education programs, or to make a booking, please contact our education coordinator at gillianrosseducation@gmail.com

PRIMARY – WENDAT PROGRAM—Kindergarten / Grade One Curriculum

Students will discover the roles and responsibilities of family members within the village, learn about the planting and harvesting of the “Three
Sisters” and explore the longhouse to compare life from the 1500′s to
present, talking about oral history through the telling of the Giant Rabbit
legend.

Activities:
corn planting and corning grinding using period tools, do the Rabbit Dance, play Duck-on-a-Rock, make a clay pinch pot and sample hominy (a pre-history snack)

Program
Cost: $9.00 per student 2 hours

DANCE DANCE EVOLUTION—Multi-Level Grades

This new educational program is great for any grade, and is connected to the current Ontario Curriculum for Physical Education, Drama, Dance, and History.

It allows students to learn about the history of Canada by exploring 5 different styles of dance. For each dance taught, students will learn about the corresponding time period, and how the art of dance is influenced by culture (and vice versa).

Activities:
Victorian Ballroom Dance, The Charleston, The Twist, Hip Hop

Program Cost: $8.00/ student 1.5 hours

FUN WITH DRUMS— Grade Two Curriculum

This program will show the students how music provides us with a source of satisfaction, enjoyment and intellectual stimulation throughout our lives. It gives them an opportunity to gain an appreciation for  percussion instruments and help them recognize the effects of different musical choices i.e. loud being dramatic, soft being thoughtful

Activities:
experiment with skin drums for tone and volume, musical instrument treasure hunt, play with tambourines, rain tubes, shakers, create a balloon drum to take home

Program cost: $8.00 per student 1 1/2 hours

LET’S CELEBRATE—Grade Two Curriculum

The children will take a trip around the world and participate in the celebrations of six different cultures along the way. They will discover how traditions are passed down from generation to generation and explore the various contributions to celebrating i.e. food, dress, family etc

Activities:
Crop Over, Barbados – sample coconut milk; Irijii, Nigeria – make a decorative necklace; Chu Sok, Korea – take part in a tug of war; Pancake Tuesday, England – pancake relay race; Earth Day, Global – play the extinction game; Ouendat Corn Festival, Midland – grind corn and sample hominy (a pre-history snack)

Program
cost: $9.00 per student 2 hours

FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS— Grade Two Curriculum
ALSO AVAILABLE AS AN OUTREACH PROGRAM

Just like our Let’s Celebrate program, students will take a trip around the world, but this time they can explore various traditions that take place during the months of December and January.

Activities:
Huron Midwinter Festival – sample a Native treat, visit the longhouse; Chinese Lunar New Year – participate in a Dragon Parade; Mexican Posada –  break a piñata; Kwanzaa – light the seven candles and learn the principle of each; Chanukah – play the dreidel game; St. Lucia Day – dress a student as Santa Lucia and take part in a Santa Lucia parade; Feast of Sedna -play a tug of war to predict the winter weather;  Diwali -make a colourful flower to take home

This program is only available during November, December and January

Program cost: $8.00 5 selections 2/2.5 hours or $10.00 all components 3/3.5 hours

PIONEER LIFE— Grade Three Curriculum

This programs begins by identifying the early settlers countries of origin and their reasons for emigrating. After that students will need to decide what they need to take with them to the new world and what can be
left behind. They will explore the perils of crossing the ocean and establishing a new community.
They will also learn of the valuable knowledge the Aboriginal peoples would be able to share with newcomers. Then there is an opportunity to explore the museum searching for tools and implements
our forefathers would have used

Activities:
simulated crossing of the ocean, hands-on with pioneer artifacts, trade for life necessities within your community, haggle with the General Storekeeper, artifact hunt in the museum, make a whizzer to take home

Program
cost: $9.00 per student 2 hours

WENDAT/ PIONEER—Grade Three Curriculum

In this program we focus on the sharing of knowledge covering the time prior to the arrival of the European right up to the time after the pioneers began to settle the land. Students will explore the Ouendat village talking about life in the longhouse, the importance of the “Three Sisters”, the dependency on these crops, gender roles and Ouendat oral history. Then,
they move forward in time and explore reasons for emigrating, choose the items necessary in the new world, cross the ocean, establish a community and trade with your neighbours for life necessities.

Activities:
plant and grind corn, sample hominy, make a clay Oki, hands on with pioneer artifacts and make a whizzer to take home

Program cost: $9.00 per student 2.5 hours

ABORIGINAL PEOPLES / EARLY CIVILIZATIONS—Grade 5/6 Curriculum

This is a chance to experience life in a Wendat village prior to European contact. Children will learn the importance of family, as well as the roles of men, women and children in a working village. They can learn about Wendat spiritual beliefs and the transfer of knowledge through legends and discuss the “Three Sisters” and the Wendat dependency on these crops.

Activities:
corn planting / grinding, sample hominy, listen to a legend, make a clay Oki, play Duck-on-a-Rock, and explore the Shaman’s home and sweat lodge.

Program cost: $9.00 per student 2 hours

COMBINE PROGRAMS TO CREATE A FULL DAY

EXTENSION PROGRAMS

Save $1 per student when you book an extension program and spend a full day at our site!

WENDAT ENCAMPMENT

This program will focus on skills necessary to survive an extended hunting/fishing trip. It is an activity based learning experience designed to compliment our other Village centred programs.

Activities:
cook cornbread over fire, rope making with natural materials, fire starting with friction alone, sample mint tea from the fire and play a game of lacrosse (“kwendae” meaning hitting shins)

Program cost: $9.00 per student 2 hours

DREAMCATCHERS

First listen to the legend of the Giant Spider and learn of the importance of dreams, then learn the skills to make your own dreamcatcher.

Activity:
Create a dreamcatcher to take home

Program cost: $8.00 per student 2 hours