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children in museum

School Programs

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Contact Us

Michael Van Huisseling
Education Coordinator
Tel: 519-748-1914 ext. 3269
TTY: 519-575-4608
Email Michael Van Huisseling


students at museum entrance

A school field trip to the Ken Seiling Waterloo Region Museum and Doon Heritage Village is a one-of-a-kind interactive learning opportunity for your class that brings curriculum to life and creates lasting memories.

View our 2018 / 2019 School Program Brochure.

  • School Programs - 2018 / 2019 
  • Education Festivals - 2018 / 2019

We make it our goal to ensure that programs are linked to and in harmony with the Ontario Ministry of Education Curriculum and we offer excellent educational value and fun for your students. 

We have updated our existing programs and introduced some new offerings, including revised learning resources for teachers. 

We appreciate your feedback, please visit the following link to complete our online survey:  
Ken Seiling Waterloo Region Museum Education Program Survey

General Information

Please discuss with your students as a minimum preparation:

  • a definition of the term museum.
  • the special consideration visitors to museums should show, for example, why not to touch objects unless asked to, and then how to handle them carefully.

Information to share with students and parents:

Appropriate Clothing
Please ensure that students are dressed for the weather and for a variety of outdoor activities. Portions of many of our programs may take place in the museum galleries or the heritage village. Most village buildings are heated but are often still quite cool early or late in the year.
Personal Protection
Doon Heritage Village is located on 60 acres of land, including environmentally sensitive forest and marsh land. We advise that on all outdoor school trips, you and your students take precautions against West Nile Virus. 
Washrooms
Washrooms are located at the museum entrance and in the village.
Lunch
Please inform us if you will be eating lunch at the site as a lunch room is available for students. Group lunch catering is also available for an additional fee, and advance reservations are required. No food is allowed in the galleries or the heritage village.
Admissions and Payment

Admission cost is $5.50 per student for 1/2 day programs and $10 per student for full day programs. One teacher/adult per six students is admitted free of charge. Additional adults are $5.50 per person for half day programs and $10 per person for full day programs.

Admissions should be paid upon arrival - VISA, MasterCard, Interac, cash or cheque - payable to the Waterloo Region Museum. Receipts will be issued. Schools can also be invoiced at the time of your visit.

Note student admission is higher for some educational programs such as the Groundwater Festival.

Please inquire about admission costs prior to making your booking.
Times
Program times may vary. Please discuss timing of your program at the time of booking. We strive to be as flexible as possible to accommodate bus schedules. 


At the End of Your Program/Day
Feel free to use the picnic areas for class activities or picnics but please do not re-enter the galleries or heritage village as you may interfere with other programs.

 

Visit Details

1. Upon arrival at the Ken Seiling Waterloo Region Museum, the class will be met by one of our staff and given a general introduction to the site and their program. At this time, the teacher will be directed to pay admission or arrange for invoicing. 

2. Following the introduction, each of the teacher/adult supervisors will be given a site guide and itinerary for their program. With most programs, there is not sufficient time to visit all buildings or exhibits at the museum.

3. Groups then leave the orientation area for the galleries or heritage village, escorted by one of our Guest Services Staff.

4. At each scheduled location, one of our historical interpreters will present the program and conduct student activities. Staff will also keep time for the program. Please stay on schedule where possible by going directly to your next program location. Do not visit locations other than those designated for your program as you may interfere with other programs in progress

5. Following your program, the groups may reassemble in the museum foyer prior to departure.

Teacher Resources
We recommend the following activities for the classroom before you visit Waterloo Region Museum with your students.
Classroom Suggestions for Once Upon a Time
 1. Have a dress-up day based on the pictures of children in 1914, provided on another page on this website.


2. If the weather allows, have children dress in costumes for their visit to Doon Heritage Village.

3. Learn songs popular in 1914. Examples are:

  • Bicycle Built For Two
  • I've Been Working On The Railroad
  • Take Me Out To The Ball Game
  • Row, Row, Row Your Boat
  • While Strolling Through The Park One Day
  • Let Me Call You Sweetheart
  • I Want A Girl, Just Like The Girl That Married Dear Old Dad
  • The Maple Leaf Forever

Other examples of strictly children's songs would be:

  • A Hunting We Will Go
  • Pop Goes The Weasel
  • The Farmer in the Dell (plus the game that goes with it)

4. Play some games from the turn of the century. Examples follow.

Animal, Vegetable, Mineral (also Beast, Bird or Fish)
Students sit in a circle. A ball is thrown by one player to any one of the others. The thrower calls out at the same time either mineral, animal or vegetable, and counts from one to ten rather quickly. If the player who is touched by the ball does not name something belonging to that kingdom called before the number ten is reached, the student leaves the game until the game restarts.

Minister's Cat
The first player begins by saying, "The Minister's cat is an ambitious cat", the next player "an artful cat" and so on until they have all named an adjective beginning with A. The next time of going around, the adjectives must begin with B and the next time C and so on until the whole of the alphabet has been used.

Grandmother's Trunk
This is one of the oldest word games on record. Each player has to repeat an ever-increasing list of objects. The first player starts by saying "My grandmother keeps an anchor in her trunk" (or any article beginning with A). The player on his left must think of an article beginning with B and say "My grandmother keeps an anchor and b... in her trunk." The game continues, with each player having to remember all the things kept in the trunk and each time trying to add one more thing according to the alphabet. Forgetting the list of things entails disqualification.

Feather
A small fluffy feather is required. All players sit in a circle as close together as possible. One throws up the feather as high as possible and then blows it up to keep it floating. The player to whom it then floats nearest does the same. The object of the game is to keep the feather aloft as long as possible. It cannot touch anyone or land on the floor.

5. Do some work with time lines so that students know how long ago Doon Heritage Village and the pioneer era are. Include some important dates such as:

  • the year the students were born
  • the year the teacher was born
  • the year(s) student's parents/grandparents were born

6. Do your own museum display of pioneer or 19th century items for the classroom. Use caution with students' family items.

7. If studying the turn of the century, collect some of the new products that were available in 1914 for a display.

Year Introduced

Product

1877

Quaker Oats

1879

Sunlight Soap

1885

French's Mustard

1890

Mackintosh's Toffee

1892

Maxwell House Coffee

1890

Fig Newtons

1893

Shredded Wheat

1893

Hires Root Beer

1897

Cadbury Milk Chocolate

1897

Jello-O

1897

Grape Nuts Cereal

1898

Pepsi Cola

1898

Graham Crackers

1904

Canada Dry Ginger Ale

1913

Quaker Puffed Rice

1913

Pepermint Life Saver



8. View silent movies from 1914 such as The Keystone Cops or something starring Charlie Chaplin. Be sure to preview these as they will take some explanation and some are not appropriate for younger children. Many are now available on video and are quite short.

Classroom Suggestions for Every Day Structures and Strong and Stable Structures
  1. If studying Structures and Stability, build a variety of models with the students, using concepts learned in the program. Use a variety of materials - Popsicle sticks, tinker toys, sticks and plasticine for chinking.
  2. Tour the school neighbourhood and note the types of modern homes: apartments, townhouses, detached, two storey, bungalows, etc. Have students draw diagrams and label the parts.
  3. Have students draw pictures of their own houses (or floor plans) and label the parts.
  4. Make arrangements for someone from the skilled trades to visit the classroom and explain what they do. Examples could include plumbers, electricians or dry wallers.
Classroom Suggestions for A Village Christmas 1914
1. Your classroom study should focus on holiday and festive celebrations of all kinds and not just Christmas. Christmas is just one example, and in North America the most common example of a large cultural festival filled with elaborate traditions.


Many of your students may not celebrate Christmas but may celebrate other ethnic and religious festivals such as Hanukah, Ramadan, Kwanza, and many others. Have these students or their families/communities do presentations or talk about what their festivals are all about.

2. Investigate the history of various Christmas traditions in addition to the ones observed at Doon Heritage Village. The list of ethnic variations is endless. Each student will have their own family traditions to share and discuss. Present or have students research Christmas traditions from places such as Spain, Italy, Mexico, Ukraine or other countries.

3. Create a class song book of both Christmas songs and songs from other ethnic groups and festivals.

4. Create a class cookbook of favourite Christmas foods, as well as, ethnic and holiday foods from other festivals. Have students bring in examples of special holiday foods to share from their own background and festivals.

5. Decorate your classroom. Have one corner for Christmas and then several other areas with decorations or displays of holiday items from other ethnic groups and festivals. Create a very multicultural event.

6. Have a dress-up day based on the pictures of children in 1914.

7. If the weather allows, have children dress in costumes for their visit to Doon Heritage Village.

8. Learn Christmas songs popular in 1914. Examples include:

  • Silent Night
  • O Christmas Tree ( O Tannenbaum in German)
  • Away in a Manger
  • We Wish You a Merry Christmas
  • Jingle Bells

9. Play some games from the turn of the century. Examples follow:


Animal, Vegetable, Mineral (also Beast, Bird or Fish)
Players sit in a circle. A ball is thrown by one player to any one of the others. The thrower calls out at the same time either mineral, animal or vegetable, and counts from one to ten rather quickly. If the player who is touched by the ball does not name something belonging to that kingdom called before the number ten is reached, the student must leave the circle until the game restarts. Play continues until only one player remains.

Minister's Cat
The first player begins by saying, "The Ministers cat is an ambitious cat" the next player "an artful cat" and so on until they have all named an adjective beginning with A. The next time of going around, the adjectives must begin with B and the next time C and so on until the whole of the alphabet has been used.

Grandmother's Trunk
This is one of the oldest word games on record. Each player has to repeat an ever-increasing list of objects. The first player starts by saying "My grandmother keeps an anchor in her trunk" (or any article beginning with A). The player on his left must think of an article beginning with B and say "My grandmother keeps an anchor and b..... in her trunk". The game continues, with each player having to remember all the things kept in the trunk and each time trying to add one more thing according to the alphabet. Forgetting the list of things entails disqualification.

Feather
A small fluffy feather is required. All players sit in a circle as close together as possible. One throws up the feather as high as possible and then blows it up to keep it floating. The player to whom it then floats nearest does the same. The object of the game is to keep the feather aloft as long as possible. It can't touch anyone or land on the floor.

Classroom Suggestions for Amazing Machines
1. All machines, whether historical or modern, do the same things. They make work easier. They do this in three ways:
  • by increasing the force.
  • by increasing the speed.
  • by changing the direction of force


2. There are basically seven types of simple machines. They are:

  • the lever
  • the pulley
  • the wheel and axle
  • the inclined plane
  • the wedge
  • the screw
  • the gear


3. Complex machines are merely combinations of several simple machines. Have students make a list of, or bring in a large number of household tools. These may include scissors, pliers, various openers, a screwdriver, a chisel. a scraper. a knife, a door knob, nail clippers. Find examples in this list or collection of the seven simple machines.

4. Bring a more complex machine into the class room such as a bicycle or a mechanical clock. Have students see how many simple machines they can identify.

  • Friction - The force that makes two surfaces stick when they are rubbed against each other.
  • Work - What happens when a force moves through a distance.
  • Machine - A device used to make work easier
  • Pulley - A wheel that turns on an axle and has a rope over its rim to pull on in order to lift a load.
  • Lever - A bar for raising or moving a load at one end by pushing down on the other end.
  • Fulcrum - The turning point, or pivot point , of a lever.
  • First Class Lever - A lever with the fulcrum between the effort and the resistance.
  • Second Class Lever - A lever with the resistance between the effort and the fulcrum.
  • Third Class Lever - A lever with the effort between the fulcrum and the resistance.
  • Effort - The force exerted by a machine when it is used.
  • Resistance - The force that a machine works against when it is used.
  • Wedge - A simple machine with two straight sides that come to a point.
  • Inclined Plane - A ramp or sloping surface.
  • Wheel and Axle - A wheel fixed to an axle, like the steering wheel of a car.
  • Fixed Pulley - A pulley whose axle stays in one place when it is used.
  • Movable Pulley - A pulley that moves up or down when it is used.
  • Block and Tackle - A combination of two fixed pulleys and two movable pulleys, used to increase the advantage of force by four times.
  • Thread - The winding, sloping ridge of a bolt or screw.
  • Gear - A wheel with teeth that imparts or transmits motion by acting on another wheel or chain. For our program there are five types - spur, crown, bevel, rack and worm.


Historical Information

Discuss time lines so that students know how long ago Doon Heritage Village and the pioneer era are. Include some important dates such as:

  • the year the students were born
  • the year the teacher was born
  • the year(s) students parents/grandparents were born
Waterloo Region County Timeline
Waterloo County Time Line

Special School Programs and Festivals throughout the Year:

National Indigenous Peoples Day Program 

June 21, 2019
Grade 3 to 5 – Heritage and Identity
First Nations, Métis and Inuit Connections

Learn about the history and current realities of the Region's First Nations, Métis and Inuit populations. A variety of activities presented in partnership with the local First nations, Métis and Inuit communities and organizations.  Dance, crafts, art, Elders and traditional teachings, current issues and more.  

Relates to many studies of social studies and history across the curriculum.  Full day, maximum 140 students per day.
 

First Peoples Festival

September 24 to 26, 2019 
Grade 5 to 8 – Heritage and Identity
First Nations, Métis and Inuit Connections

Learn about the history and current realities of the Region's First Nations, Métis and Inuit populations. A three day educational festival presented in partnership with the local First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities and organizations. Dance, crafts, art, Elders and traditional teachings, current issues and more.

Relates to many studies of social studies and history across the curriculum. Full day, maximum 400 students per day.
 

Great War Education Days

September 30 and October 1, 2019 
Grade 10 - History

An event-style program offered in partnership with the History Matters Association, a Great War re-enactor organization. Enthusiastic presenters with lots of collected First World War artifacts and paraphernalia. Military fashion show of the different nations, battle school, role of women, equipment demonstrations, the home front, battle re-enactment and much more.

Full day, maximum 400 students.  

Louis Riel Education Days


Grade 5 to 8 – Heritage and Identity
First Nations, Métis and Inuit Connections

A commemoration of the events surrounding this great Canadian.  Raising of the Métis Flag, a variety of workshops, Métis and Voyageur games, music and other activities.  All activities presented by the Grand River Métis Council.   

Relates to many studies of  social studies and history across the curriculum. Full day, maximum 120 students.  

 Waterloo Region Forest Festival


Grade 6 and 7 – Science and Technology, Social Studies and Geography

The Forest Festival teaches students several key messages; the importance of the Forest Life Zone, forest ecosystems, species at risk, stewardship and conservation and climate change through hands-on interactive activities.

Relates to many studies of science and geography across the curriculum. Full-day program, 500 students per day.

 Children's Groundwater Festival

A cross curricular event/program for students Grades 2 to 5 covering a variety of Science and Technology and Heritage and Citizenship units.

Susan Reid
Festival Coordinator
Email
519-748-1914
www.wwcgf.com

For more information on the Children's Water Education Council visit www.cwec.ca.

The festival's goal is to educate children about the importance of our most precious resource - water. The Festival promotes awareness that water is the basis for all life. We are proud when children who participate in our festival become catalysts for change by taking information and a new found respect for water back to their homes, schools and communities.

Overview
The festival first started in 1996, and has become a hands-on, interactive event with over 45 activity centres that are educational and fun for students in grades two through five. The goal is for students to enjoy themselves while teaching them all about water issues.

Learning Expectations
Through a combination of multimedia exhibits and hands-on activities focusing on the general theme of groundwater, students have the opportunity to learn about:

  • the physical science of groundwater
  • groundwater as a resource: management and utilization in rural and urban settings
  • the water cycle
  • the interdependence of people, plants, animals, soil, air and water
  • the results of the interaction between people and water, and what effect it has on the environment
  • the role of water historic and contemporary processes and technology

Specific Expectations
The Festival is a multi-grade level program. Through 45 centres we cover some of the following curriculum:

  • Earth and Space Systems, Grade 2 (Air and Water in the Environment)
  • Energy and Control, Grade 3 (Forces and Movement)
  • Heritage and Citizenship, Grade 3 (Pioneer Life)
  • Earth and Space Systems, Grade 3 (Soils in the Environment)
  • Life Systems, Grade 4 (Habitats and Communities)
  • Earth and Space Systems, Grade 4 (Rocks, Minerals and Erosion)
  • Energy and Control, Grade 5 (Conservation of Energy)
  • Heritage and Citizenship, Grade 5 (Aboriginal Peoples)

Program Outline
Group planning sessions are held for teachers prior to the Festival

  1. Upon arrival at Waterloo Region Museum, at approximately 9:30 a.m., please have all students wait on the bus until you are greeted by museum staff, who will give you specific instructions for your day. Have accurate statistics on the number of students and the number of adults on each bus.
  2. To enhance your visit, there is a Festival Planner and site map to look over.
  3. Lunch is scheduled from 11:30 to 12:15 p.m.
  4. Waterloo Region Museum staff and volunteers will be located throughout the site but some historic buildings will not be staffed.
 Home School Days

The Ken Seiling Waterloo Region Museum offers Home School Day programs that give children unique learning opportunities. These field trips provide a wonderful opportunity to enrich the home learning experience.  

Our scheduled Home School Day programs take place on special days and provide opportunities for children to learn about their world and experience life outside of the home school room. Children will touch, hold, see, taste and live what they are learning. On these special Home School days pricing is $5.50 per student.  One teaching parent is free (with each paid student admission).  

All home schooled children are invited to book a program especially designed for them. Come and explore, learn and discover!  

To book your own school program, please call 519-748-1914 (see details below).

Twelve home school students minimum for a pre-booked visit. Suitable for Grades 2 to 5 (approximately age 7 to 12).  $5.50 per student. 

For more information or to book a school program call 519-748-1914 or email:

Michael Van Huisseling
Education Coordinator 
Email

 

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Ken Seiling Waterloo Region Museum, 10 Huron Road, Kitchener, Ontario, N2P 2R7
Tel: 519-748-1914, TTY: 519-575-4608, Fax: 519-748-0009

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