Discover Heritage

Heritage in Schools

Our program includes a Heritage Study Guide, Field Trip Grants, and Professional Development support for educators

Support this Program

Vancouver Heritage Foundation’s Heritage in Schools Program includes our Heritage Study Guide that is full of helpful resources for teaching about local heritage, our popular Field Trip Grants, and Professional Development support for educators.

The Heritage in Schools Program aims to:

  • Increase students’ and educators’ awareness and knowledge of local heritage places and history by providing learning opportunities inside and outside the classroom.
  • Encourage students and teachers to engage with Vancouver’s diverse heritage places, and contribute to meaningful discussions around their histories and future legacies.
  • Support the professional development of educators in order to promote place-based heritage education in Vancouver public schools.  We do this by collaborating with educators and students to develop accessible resources and self-directed inquiry-based projects, and through support of Vancouver Heritage Fairs.

Thank You to Our Project Partners

The Christopher Foundation

Andrew Mahon Foundation

Laura Saimoto

Shigeo Saimoto

GMR Foundation

Friends of VHF

Vancouver Historical Society

In Kind Sponsor

Starbucks
COBS Bread Main St

Professional Development Support

As part of our Heritage in Schools Program, we provide professional development support to educators by offering a variety of in-person and virtual sessions as part of organized professional development days.

2024

  • February 16th – Exploring Black Histories
  • April 22nd – South Asian Stories: A Day in Punjabi Market
  • October 25th 9:30-3:30: Places That Matter Study Guide Launch (around Vancouver)

2025- New and Returning Full Day Pro-D Offerings

  • February 14th, 2025: TBA
  • April 28th, 2025: TBA

If you wish to invite VHF to present to your staff or class, arrange a walking tour of your school and neighbourhood, or to be on the Professional Development Days email list, please contact: jessica@vancouverheritagefoundation.org

Past Pro-D for Educators Sessions

  • February 16th – Exploring Black Histories: Fran Morrison, BC Black History Awareness Society on Black Histories of British Columbia: Explore-Discover-Learn-Share’, Joy Russell, Writer, Poet, Artist and MA Student at SFU entitled Swimming Against the Tide: The Archive, Regulation and Resistance in Aquatic Recreation at Crystal Pool and ‘Brown Skin Beach’ and City of Vancouver Archives. False Creek Ferries to lunch at Juke’s Fried Chicken. Walking Tours with Hogan’s Alley Society and John Atkin.
  • April 22, 2024- A Day in Historic Punjabi Market with South Asian Stories. Sunset Community Centre, Joe Wong. Punjabi Market Collective’s mural and history walking tour with Jag Nagra and Jas Lolly. Lunch buffet at Himalaya Restaurant with Manny Pabla. Afternoon sessions: Gulzar Nanda, Hi-Class Jeweller and Punjabi Market Collective. Jag and Jaz on 2nd Ave Gurdwara Kits, Komagata Maru and Paldi. Anu Chouhan, animator and illustrator
  • February 17  – Family & Stories: Vietnamese-Canadian Stories from Vancouver’s Little Saigon with Andy Pham, Ba Le, Anh and Chi,  H.P. Fraser, Chrystal Phan and Liz Crocker, Royal BC Museum
  • April 24 – Kuwentuhan (storytelling) on Fraser Street’s Filipino Connection presented with Mubuhay House Society, Leonora C. Angeles, Sammie Jo Rumbaua, Joseph Planta, Shameless Buns, O’Taho and Mable Elmore’s Constituency Office, Migrante BC, and retired teachers from Tupper Secondary
  • October 20 – Chinatown Connections with Chinese Canadian Museum exhibit and heritage tour, and Indigenous/Chinese-Canadian workshop and walking tours by Larry Chin and John Atkin. Lunch from Tato’s Kitchen and tarts from New Town Bakery.
  • February 18 – Special walking tour for Mackenzie Elementary staff – neighbourhood and Mountain View Cemetery
  • April 25– Virtual Session with Musqueam Elder Larry Grant. ‘Discover Chinatown’ with Chinatown Storytelling Centre, Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden, BC Dragon Boat Society, and Chinese Canadian Museum
  • October 21 – Hastings Park with the Japanese Canadian Hastings Park Interpretive Centre Society, Nikkei National Museum, John Atkin, Fujiya and the PNE
  • February 12 -Place-Based Learning: Inquiry & Connections with History & Heritage (VHF)
  • April 26– Virtual Session full day:  John Atkin, Dr. Leonora Angeles, Aynsley Wong, Lama Mugabo I Dream Library, and Jeff Chiba Stearns. Musqueam Language and Culture Department speakers: Vanessa Campbell, Courtenay Gibson and Mack Paul.
  • October 22– Hidden Heritage with VHF and John Atkin: looking at your school and school communities, neighbourhood context and making observations.
  • February 14Vancouver Japanese Language School- JC history with Carolyn Nakagawa of Nikkei Museum and walking tour of Paueru-Gai area with Laura Saimoto. Lunch at Dosanko. Walking tour of Gastown with John Atkin.
  • October 23– Virtual: Step Outside and Get Online – Connecting Educators with Local Heritage and History, Speakers John Atkin, Vancouver educators sharing resources and projects, VSB Head TL, SFU Bill Reid Gallery curator, Historic Joy Kogawa House and Paneet Singh, playwright.

Field Trip Grants

The application form for the 2023-2024 school year is now closed. Please visit the Field Trip Grants page for more information.

The 2024-2025 Application Form will be open in the fall and close before December 15th, 2024. Please follow VHF’s e-newsletter and social media for communications or email to be added to an educator’s mailing list.

For inquiries, please contact jessica@vancouverheritagefoundation.org

Learn More

Vancouver Heritage Fairs

VHF is proud to support Vancouver Heritage Fairs part of the BC Heritage Fairs Society, a non-profit organization that promotes the education of Canadian history amongst BC students.

Vancouver Heritage Fairs is always looking for volunteers. They are currently looking for English and French speaking adjudicators who are interested in history and heritage, and enjoy working with children. Participation in the annual May Regionals is the summation of a year-long inquiry-based project on a topic related to the BC Social Studies Curriculum.

If you wish to participate or assist with sponsorship, please contact: vanregionalhf@gmail.com