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hiwus Cultural Program

Program Overview

The híwus feasthouse is the meeting place for students of all ages and backgrounds, to enjoy a full day of vivid legends, songs, dances and crafts. Step into an authentic Pacific Northwest Longhouse and let Kwel-a-a-nexw, our Squamish First nations elder, take you back in time to discover the traditional way of life of our First Nations people. 

Our guides will greet your group at the Valley Station and escort you to the mountain top. Enroute to the híwus Feasthouse, students will enjoy a guided nature walk through a sub-alpine forest. In winter, this walk is done on snowshoes! 

Once inside the híwus feasthouse, samples of native cuisine will be served for a truly unique and authentic cultural experience

Education Goals

To provide guests with a unique and dynamic educational program with a focus on endangered species and their natural ecosystems, including opportunities to:
  • Observe and interact with endangered species representatives
  • Participate in a well-informed, guided tour designed to effectively communicate with visiting groups
  • Reflect on the impact that humans have on wildlife, particularly endangered species
  • Explore local, national and international environmental initiatives and programs
  • Experience and reflect on First Nation's Culture
  • Participate in unique outdoor environmental education experiences
To provide BC students and teachers with:
  • Cross-curricular, grade-specific educational programs at Grouse Mountain
  • Supplementary pre and post-visit educational material
  • Opportunities within the Career Preparation and Cooperative Education Programs

To collaborate with other facilities' educational programs

Objectives

The following Learning Outcomes will be satisfied after completion of the activities within this program.

Kindergarten

Students should be able to:

Science

Processes and Skills of Science
  • Share with others information obtained by observing
Life Science: Characteristics of Living Things
  • Describe features of local plants and animals
Physical Science: Properties of Objects and Materials
  • Identify materials that make up familiar objects
  • Describe ways to rethink, reduce, reuse, recycle
Earth and Space Science: Surroundings
  • Demonstrate the ability to observe their surroundings
  • Describe features of their immediate environment
Social Studies
Applications of Social Studies
  • Collect information from a variety of sources and experiences
  • Draw simple interpretations from personal experiences, oral sources and visual representations
  • Present information using oral, visual, or written representation
Society and Culture
  • Describe some of the purposes of family
  • Describe how families can be similar and different
Environment
  • Describe how they interact with different environments
  • Practise responsible behaviour in caring for their immediate environment 

Physical Education

Active Living
  • Participate regularly in short periods of vigorous activity with frequent rest intervals
  • Demonstrate behaviours that indicate interest and enjoyment in physical activity
  • Move safely and sensitively through all environments 
Movement – Alternate Environment Activities
  • Move safely in a variety of alternative environments
  • Use movement concepts and skills to participate in alternative-environment activities
Personal and Social Responsibility
  • Show a willingness to listen to directions and simple explanations
  • Use safe behaviours when responding to simple movement tasks
  • Stay on-task when participating in physical activity
  • Display a willingness to work with others

Grade One

Students should be able to:

Science

Processes and Skills of Science
  • Communicate their observations, experiences, and thinking in a variety of ways
Earth and Space Science: Daily and Seasonal Changes
  • Describe changes that occur in daily and seasonal cycles and their effects on living things
  • Describe activities of Aboriginal peoples in BC in each seasonal cycle
Social Studies
Applications of Social Studies
  • Collect information from a variety of sources and experiences
  • Draw simple interpretations from personal experiences, oral sources and visual representations
  • Present information using oral, visual, or written representation
Society and Culture
  • Describe some of the purposes of family
  • Describe how families can be similar and different
Environment
  • Describe how they interact with different environments
  • Practise responsible behaviour in caring for their immediate environment 

Physical Education

Active Living
  • Participate regularly in short periods of vigorous activity with frequent rest intervals
  • Move safely and sensitively through all environments
Movement – Alternate Environment Activities
  • Move safely in a variety of alternative environments
  • Use movement concepts and skills to participate in alternative-environment activities
Personal and Social Responsibility
  • Show a willingness to listen to directions and simple explanations
  • Use safe behaviours when responding to simple movement tasks
  • Stay on-task when participating in physical activity Display a willingness to work with others

Grade Two

Students should be able to:

Science

Life Science: Animal Growth and Changes
  • Describe some changes that affect animals (e.g. hibernation, migration, decline in population)
  • Describe how animals are important in the lives of Aboriginal peoples in BC

Social Studies
Applications of Social Studies
  • Draw simple interpretations from personal experiences, oral sources, and visual and written representations
Society and Culture
  • Describe ways members of a community meet one another’s needs
  • Demonstrate awareness of British Columbia’s and Canada’s diverse heritage
Environment
  • Describe how physical environment influences human activities 

Physical Education

Active Living
  • Participate regularly in vigorous physical activities
  • Demonstrate behaviours that indicate interest and enjoyment in physical activity
  • Participate in physical activity performed in a natural setting
Movement – Alternate Environment Activities
  • Move safely in a variety of alternative environments
  • Demonstrate activity-specific motor skills in a variety of alternative environments
Personal and Social Responsibility
  • Demonstrate the ability to listen to directions, follow rules and routines, and stay on-task while participating in physical activity
  • Demonstrate safe behaviours when participating in physical activity
  • Display a willingness to share ideas, space, and equipment when participating co-operatively with others
  • Display a willingness to work with others of various abilities, interests, and cultural backgrounds

Grade Three

Students should be able to:

Science

Life Science: Plant Growth and Change
  • Describe ways in which plant s are important to other living things and the environment

Social Studies
Applications of Social Studies
  • Draw simple interpretations from personal experiences, oral sources, and visual and written representations
Society and Culture
  • Describe ways members of a community meet one another’s needs
  • Demonstrate awareness of British Columbia’s and Canada’s diverse heritage
Environment
  • Describe how physical environment influences human activities 

Physical Education

Active Living
  • Participate regularly in vigorous physical activities
  • Demonstrate behaviours that indicate interest and enjoyment in physical activity
  • Participate in physical activity performed in a natural setting
Movement – Alternate Environment Activities
  • Move safely in a variety of alternative environments Demonstrate activity-specific motor skills in a variety of alternative environments
Personal and Social Responsibility
  • Demonstrate the ability to listen to directions, follow rules and routines, and stay on-task while participating in physical activity
  • Demonstrate safe behaviours when participating in physical activity
  • Display a willingness to share ideas, space, and equipment when participating co-operatively with others
  • Display a willingness to work with others of various abilities, interests, and cultural backgrounds

Grade Four

Students should be able to:

Science

Life Science: Habitats and Communities
  • Demonstrate awareness of the Aboriginal concept of respect for the environment
  • Determine how personal choices and actions have environmental consequences
Social Studies
Society and Culture
  • Describe how people’s basic needs are met in a variety of cultures
  • Demonstrate awareness and appreciation of various Aboriginal cultures in Canada
  • Demonstrate understanding of contributions of Aboriginal people to Canadian society
Politics and Law
  • Compare the “discovery” and “exploration” of North America from the European and Aboriginal peoples’ perspectives
  • Describe a traditional and a contemporary Aboriginal form of government
Economy and Technology
  • Describe traditional technology used by Aboriginal people in Canada
  • Identify economic and technological exchanges between explorers and Aboriginal people
  • Demonstrate understanding of Aboriginal people’s relations with the land and natural resources
  • Demonstrate awareness of Aboriginal place names
  • Identify and compare physical environments and cultures of various BC Aboriginal groups
  • Analyse how people interact with their environment, in the past and in the present 

Physical Education

Active Living
  • Participate regularly in physical activity
  • Demonstrate a willingness to participate in a variety of activities from all movement categories Identify and describe positive benefits gained from physical activity in a natural setting
Movement – Alternate Environment Activities
  • Demonstrate activity-specific motor skills in a variety of alternative environments
  • Demonstrate locomotor and non-locomotor skills, body awareness, and space awareness when performing activities in alternative environments
Personal and Social Responsibility
  • Identify and follow rules, routines, and procedures of safety in a variety of activities from all movement categories

Grade Five

Students should be able to:

Science

Earth and Space Science: Renewable and Non-Renewable Resources
  • Analyse how the Aboriginal concept of interconnectedness of the environment is reflected in responsibility for and caretaking of resources
Social Studies
Society and Culture
  • Demonstrate understanding of Canadian culture
  • Explain ways people preserve and transmit culture
  • Demonstrate appreciation of the contributions of Aboriginal peoples, the French, and the British to the development of Canada
Politics and Law
  • Demonstrate awareness of the history of Aboriginal peoples’ rights 

Physical Education

Active Living
  • Participate regularly in physical activity to develop components of fitness and motor abilities
  • Demonstrate a willingness to participate in a variety of activities from all movement categories
Alternate Environment Activities
  • Demonstrate activity-specific motor skills in a variety of alternative environments
  • Participate safely in activities in a natural or alternative setting
Personal and Social Responsibility
  • Identify and follow rules, routines, and procedures of safety in a variety of activities from all movement categories

Grade Six

Students should be able to:

Social Studies

Society and Culture
  • Assess the relationship between cultures and their environment
  • Analyse how a society’s artistic expression reflects it’s culture
  • Demonstrate appreciation of contributions of a variety of cultures to Canada and the world

Physical Education

Active Living
  • Participate regularly in physical activities to develop components of fitness and motor abilities
  • Demonstrate a willingness to participate in a variety of activities from all movement categories
  • Identify factors to consider when planning outdoor activities and the impact of physical activities on the environment
  • Demonstrate a personal functional level of physical fitness
Movement – Alternate Environment Activities
  • Demonstrate activity-specific motor skills in a variety of alternative environments
  • Participate safely in activities in a natural or alternative setting
Personal and Social Responsibility
  • Follow the rules, routines, and procedures of safety in a variety of activities from all movement categories

Grade Seven

Students should be able to:

Social Studies

Society and Culture
  • Compare how various cultures meet common needs
  • Describe ways cultures have sought to preserve identity and adapt to change
  • Describe daily life, work, family structures, and gender roles in selected ancient cultures
  • Identify connections between currents cultures and ancient cultures
Economy and Technology
  • Describe various ways ancient peoples exchanged goods and services
  • Demonstrate understanding of the contributions of ancient cultures to science and technology
Environment
  • Evaluate how ancient cultures were influenced by their environment
  • Analyse ways that people’s interactions with their physical environments change over time

Physical Education

Active Living
  • Participate regularly in physical activity to develop components of fitness and motor abilities
  • Demonstrate a willingness to participate in a variety of activities from all movement categories
  • Identify the factors to consider when planning outdoor activities and the impact of physical activities on the environment
  • Demonstrate a personal functional level of physical fitness
Alternate Environment Activities
  • Participate safely in an outdoor experience
  • Demonstrate activity-specific motor skills from activities in a variety of alternative environments
Personal and Social Responsibility
  • Identify, describe, and follow the rules, routines, and procedures of safety in a variety of activities in all movement categories

Please Note:

The hiwus First Nations Cultural Experience Program also meets many Prescribed Learning Outcomes from the Social Studies and Physical Education curricula of Grades 8 to 11.

Field Experience Overview - Curriculum Presentation

Your class will love the full day of vivid legends, songs and dances that take place in Grouse Mountain’s híwus Feasthouse. Through traditional craftwork, dance and folklore, we will take your students back in time to discover the way of life for the First Nations' people in an authentic Pacific Northwest Longhouse. Students will learn how cedar has been used throughout the ages and experience how traditions are passed on from generation to generation. The hiwus Feasthouse becomes a meeting place for students of all ages to interactively explore the ancient customs, legends and rich history of the First Nations People. Students will be encouraged to participate and provide suggestions during the presentation. Please remind them of appropriate etiquette under these circumstances.