Heritage Field Studies

Seasonal Programs

The Park Family home was built in 1842 and features 8 restored nineteenth century farm buildings. Visit the changing exhibit areas, gift shop and the modern visitor centre with auditorium and washrooms. The nineteen acre Conservation Area also features a shaded picnic area and nature trail. Indoor lunch rooms are available in case of bad weather. Bring your class to the Homestead to experience our local heritage in an enjoyable hands-on program. Programs are conducted by trained museum staff in period costumes.

Download the Spring 2008 flyer

Maple Syrup–the First Taste of Spring!
(Time 1.5hrs; Max. 90 students, Mid February–March)
Celebrate the local traditional methods of maple sugaring from pioneer times and aboriginal peoples. Learn how to make maple syrup while exploring the properties of liquids and states of water. ‘Caban au sucre’ and francophone culture can also be emphasized.

Food From the Maple–Gr.
(Time 1.5hrs; Max. 90 students, Mid February–March)
Growth and changes of the maple tree and its role as food for wildlife are explored. Make a plant press, meet a live owl and take part in the Food Web game.
*Note: This program is only offered in conjunction with Maple Syrup program to make a full day.

Pioneer Participation
(Time: 2hrs Half Day, 4–5hrs Full Day; Max. 90 students)
Celebrate local early settler traditions: tour the restored home and outbuildings while helping with farm chores in a hands-on participation program. Choose two activities for a half day and four for a full day program: fireplace cooking, butter making, blacksmithing, woodworking, candle dipping, spinning & weaving and 19th century games.

Spring Tonic—JK–Gr.3
(Time: 2hrs; Max. 90 students, April and May)
Celebrate the arrival of spring! Learn about local traditional food, clothing and plants for pioneers; help plant the garden and lend a hand at spring cleaning in the house.

Early Technologies–Gr.5
(Time 2hrs; Max. 90 students)
Methods of meeting human needs have remained relatively unchanged for thousands of years. A visit to the Homestead illustrates how early civilizations used basic technologies to produce food, clothing and shelter. Try spinning, weaving, farm chores and wood working.

Great Lakes Shipping and Trade of the 1800’s–Gr.6
(Time: 2hrs; Max. 90 students)
Discover sail and steam shipping and learn about the details of life at sea. Communicate with semaphore and morse code, try your hand at rigging and more. Learn about the lucrative trade business of the Park Family.

Natural Resources in British North America–Gr.7
(Time: 2hrs; Max. 90 students)
Visit the lakeshore in the heart of a Loyalist community. A video and special tour introduce the theme of natural resource use in the 19th century. Try seasonal farming activities.

Year 'Round Programs

Pioneer Participation
Celebrate local pioneer traditions: tour the restored home and outbuildings. Choose two activities for a half day program. Choose four activities for a full day program. Our programs fit into the Ontario Curriculum for Social Studies, History and Geography for Grades 1 through 8. In all of our participation activities discussions will be led that encourage the students to consider our heritage. For grade ones we focus on relationships, rules and responsibilities in the pioneer home; grade twos compare pioneer traditions and celebrations with those in their own lives; grade threes take an in depth look at early settlers daily lives in Upper Canada and the role of Lake Erie in pioneer lives; and so on. If you have other specific themes that you would like tied into your program, please let us know in advance of your visit.

• Fireplace Cooking - the children gather in the 1842 kitchen and using a traditional recipe with old-fashioned units of measure, children are responsible for mixing, cutting and/or placing the cookies or biscuits on the iron griddle over the hearth to cook. Comparisons between modern and pioneer kitchens are made and artifacts are passed around as the treats are cooking. When ready, the class enjoys the fruits of their labour.
• Butter Making - also takes place in the kitchen; the science of butter making is discussed as we examine the churn and pour in the cream. In the pioneer tradition, children take their turn at this early settler chore and work the dasher until the fresh butter is made. Again, the children get to enjoy tasting their fresh product and are encouraged to compare the pioneer diet to their own. Wooden butter-making tools are also passed around and examined. We also mention the valuable contribution children would have made to the home's economy in the 19th century.
• Candle Dipping - weather permitting this activity occurs around a fire pit out doors. We explore light in the 19th century and the importance of candles in the pioneer home. We discuss states of matter, different kinds of candles and their specific uses on the farm. Candle related artifacts are passed around and discussed. Children also take turns hand dipping candles. A few candles are sent back to school with the teacher.
• Blacksmithing - (Limited to Grades 3 and up) We gather together inside of the 19th century forge and discuss the tools and equipment of the blacksmith shop; we discuss the role of the blacksmith in the community. We then divide the group in half - half of the group goes outside to the horseshoe pit and plays horseshoes, while the other half stays inside and works in the shop. Children will have the opportunity to work the blower and hammer the hot iron under the direct and immediate supervision of the program leader. Closed toe shoes are required for this program- no sandals please! We provide safety goggles for the children to wear. Then the two groups switch spots and the people outside come in and get a chance to work at the forge. The entire class working together will turn out one spice hook to take back to school.
• Woodworking - (Limited to Grades 3 and up) We begin with a tour of the sawmill and discuss states of matter in the operation of the mill including the use of a steam engine for power. Also explored are the themes of early styles of settler homes and natural resource use in Essex County. We then go outside and learn about the hand-tools - including a bow saw, crosscut saw, brace and bit drills and drawknives. Children are encouraged to compare these traditional hand tools to their modern counterparts. Furthermore, the processing of lumber is learned hands-on as children take turns at the different hand tool stations cutting the wood into a mallet head, drilling a hole and shaping a handle. We then assemble the mallet and it is sent back to school for the class.
• 19th Century Games - Indoors we have reproductions of traditional 19th century wooden toys for children including spinning tops, ball-in-cups, buzz-saws, and acrobats. We also have a myriad of parlour games for the children to attempt including “forfeits”, “buzz” and “pass the key“. Outside on the grounds (weather permitting) we have wooden stilts, rolling hoops, graces and tag games to try! The themes of leisure time, relationships and primitive technologies are touched upon.
• Spinning & Weaving - (Limited to Grades 3 and up) Using examples, the processing of wool from its raw form into a finished product will be examined and other pioneer textiles will also be discussed.. In the traditional pioneer method, children will each participate in the chore of hand carding and loosely hand spinning a small piece of wool to take home. Every child works on a loom to create a bookmark of their own to take home. Children get to see a spinning wheel and a large working barn loom from the mid 1800's.
• Grades K - 12
• Max. 3 classes
• Time: 2 hr. (half day), 4 - 5 hr. (full day)

Advanced Reservations are Required

Choose a Heritage program and call the Homestead at (519) 738-2029.

After a telephone booking is made, a confirmation package will be faxed to the school.

Fill up the bus!
For many programs we can accommodate two or more classes.

If your students have special needs, or you wish to emphasize a particular topic, please let us know in advance.

Program Booking

Fees:
1/2 day programs: $125.00 per group
Full day programs: $225.00 per group

Maximum 30 students per group.

We can accommodate up to three groups per day.
Maximum one adult per five children at no additional fee.
Additional adults will be charged $8.50 each.

Payment must be made on the day of your trip by cheque (payable to: Essex Region Conservation Authority), cash, credit or debit card. Payments not received on the day of your trip will be subject to a $25.00 administrative fee.

To Make a Booking:
Phone 519-738-2029 or Email: jrph@erca.org

Provide your name, school, grade, number of students, program choice and contact information. A confirmation will be faxed to your school after a booking is made.