Community Classroom

To book, please contact: Claudia Menecola at education@oakvillegalleries.com

• IN SCHOOL- (Available to Oakville schools only) JK – Grade 8

Oakville Galleries, which has been helping emerging artists create books and publications since the late 1980s, invites you to bring the world of artists’ books into your classrooms. Students will learn step-by-step how to make their very own accordion book. Led by our professional art instructors, students will create characters and themes, and use age-appropriate prompts, to help fill the pages of their very own book.

• In school program
• Duration: 90 minutes
• Max. 25 students

To book, please contact: Preeya Nayee at preeya.nayee@oakville.ca

ON-SITE- Available for Oakville HDSB and HCDSB students only.

We are all treaty people. When we learn about the historical and contemporary Treaties in Oakville, we grow into Debwewin—the Truth that guides us forward to honour the mutually beneficial agreements built on reciprocity, respect, and renewal.

This exhibit will:

• help students gain an appreciation of their role and responsibilities in renewing and maintaining treaty relationships;
• help students appreciate the need for allyship and reciprocity;
• provide students with a connection to the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation (Mississaugas) of the past and present through an understanding that through the treaties, the Mississaugas intended to create ongoing relationships beneficial to everyone;
• students will see and feel that the Mississaugas of today are vibrant, proud people who are maintaining their traditions—connection to/relationship with the land, harvesting skills, and language.

NOTE: Buses will not be provided. Schools are responsible for their own busing.

To book, please contact: Anelia Tichkova at programs@oakvillegreen.org, anelia@oakvillegreen.org

• IN- SCHOOL – (Available in person only to Oakville schools) Grades 1 to 5.

Maple and oak trees are a distinctive ecological and cultural feature for Oakville’s urban forest. These trees provide multiple benefits for human well-being and wildlife. Students will learn to identify maple and oak trees. They will find out what trees need to survive, how they communicate, and how trees help and support each other. Students will learn about the importance of growing and caring for native trees. Students will choose a maple or oak tree in their school community and will observe, investigate, and organize information about the chosen tree. Students will identify relationships between their tree and other organisms. They will make their own pledge of how to care for the chosen tree or contribute in other ways to the well-being of our urban forest. The program deepens students’ connection to nature and provides a greater understanding and appreciation of their local environment.

• Duration: 50 minutes
• In school.

**Maximum of 30 students.**

If you are a new school or require a replacement kit, please contact classroom@theocf.org

Developed by former Chief of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation Carolyn King. The goal of the Moccasin Identifier Kit is to develop a greater understanding of Treaties and Indigenous relationship to land for the benefit of reconciliation as well as to restore harmony between Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Peoples. The Kit includes 4 Moccasin Identifier Stencils reflecting the Indigenous linguistic diversity of Ontario: the Anishinaabe moccasin, the Cree moccasin, the Huron-Wendat moccasin and the Seneca moccasin.

Kits were delivered to all Oakville schools and are available through your school’s office or library.

To book, please contact: Bianca Chambers at office@oakvillesymphony.com

•  IN SCHOOL- (Available to Oakville schools only) Primary Grades

Bring the experience of live music to your classroom!  An Oakville Symphony musician will visit and teach students how and why their instrument works, different ways to play it, with some demonstrations and hands-on learning along the way.  Always a favourite with children and teachers alike.

• In school program
• Primary
• Duration: 30 minutes
• Max. 50-60 students

Steel Pan Demonstration and Mini Concert

To book, please contact: Dionne Downer at info@ccah.ca

• IN SCHOOL- Available for Oakville schools only. JK – Grade 8

In-person Steelpan Music Discussion and Performance: A live and in-school workshop with CCAH’s steelpan instructors where students learn about the steelpan and enjoy a performance; session is about 45 minutes. This session promotes diversity and inclusion and supports cultural development and learning.

• Duration: 45 minutes.
• In school performance.
• Minimum of 100 students.

**Limited performances available**

To book, please contact: Preeya Nayee at preeya.nayee@oakville.ca

• ON-SITE- Available for Grade 6 Oakville HDSB and HCDSB students only.

Through virtual tours, digitized artifacts, hands-on activities, stories, and a live video interactive presentation, this inquiry-based education program helps students immerse themselves into historical experiences that offer unique opportunities to experience our shared living heritage. Students will explore Oakville’s relationship with the United States in the context of the Underground Railroad. They will learn about how Oakville Harbour played a significant role in the journey to Canada for many freedom seekers. Key figures in the Oakville Underground Railroad story are introduced through the exhibition Freedom, Opportunity and Family: Oakville’s Black History, and excerpts from the multimedia presentation The Underground Railroad: Next Stop Freedom as well as more contemporary stories from the documentary Legacy Voices.

Once registered, the Oakville Museum will be in touch regarding program details. NOTE: Busing will not be provided. Schools to book and pay for own busing.

To book, please contact: Gemma Hagerman at gemma@arthousehalton.com

• IN SCHOOL- (Available to Oakville schools only) JK – Grade 8

Dance with the Stars – from warm-ups to cool urban dance steps to a finale performance, you and your school mates will have a blast!  It’s all about coordination, creativity, a healthy mind and body and a whole lot of fun!

• In school program
• Duration: 45 minutes
• Max. 75  students

To book, please contact: Sundus Hussain at workshops@haltonenvironment.ca

• IN SCHOOL- (Available to Oakville schools only) Grades 1 – 6

Where does our food come from? Who grows it and how does it get to us? What transportation is required for the food to travel to us? Who are the people involved in this process? Students will be introduced to different steps in the food system, and students in older grades will learn about the concept of food miles. This workshop will involve a mix of work in small groups and as a whole class.

•  In classroom
• Duration: 60-80 minutes

• JK – Grade 8

We invite you to enjoy the videos below with the Yuan Yin Group, in connection with the Halton Region Chinese Canadian Association, for some special performances as well as a special Chinese New Year celebration featuring traditional Chinese instruments GuZheng (Chinese Zither) and the Gu Qin (selected by UNESCO as an Intangible World Cultural Heritage).

Timestamps:

• 00:51 to 7:35 Chinese New Year Stories
• 07:35 to 16:23 Five Examples of Chinese Musical Instruments (GuZheng, Chinese Lute/Pipa, ErHu, GuQin, BianZhong)
• 16:23 to 27:56 Performance featuring instruments of GuZheng and Guqin, with the songs represent spring, summer, fall and winter
• 27:56 to 29:38 Playing western songs on a traditional Chinese musical instrument (i.e.Twinkle twinkle little star, Mary had a little lamb, etc.)
• 29:38 – End: Traditional Chinese music that represents the elements from the nature (wind, cloud, river)

Bhangra with Gurdeep Pandher

Gurdeep Pandher is known for posting Bhangra dance videos filmed in the beautiful scenery of the Yukon and has created a special video just for Community Classroom! 

Bhangra is the traditional dance of Punjab. It is native to the Punjabi nation. A long time ago, Punjabi-Sikh farmers started to use different aspects of farming to create a dance form. This farming influenced style of dance celebrates food-growing, harvesting and relationship to the land, which they later called Bhangra.

• Available to all Halton Schools. JK to Grade 8.

We are all treaty people. When we learn about the historical and contemporary Treaties in Oakville, we grow into Debwewin—the Truth that guides us forward to honour the mutually beneficial agreements built on reciprocity, respect, and renewal.

• Available to all Halton Schools. JK to Grade 8.

In the tradition of the Anishinaabe (the Original People), and the Haudenosaunee (People of the Longhouse), this journey follows the elements of their traditional teachings and Thanksgiving Address in which we acknowledge and express our collective appreciation for what the Creation provides for us. In addition to the Creator and his Spirit helpers, both the Anishinaabe and the Haudenosaunee as do many First Nations, give thanks for the People, Mother Earth, Water, Plant Life, Fruits, Medicines, Fish, Trees, Birds, Four Winds, Grandfather Thunder, Elder Brother the Sun, Grandmother Moon, and the Stars.

Join Indigenous Knowledge Keeper Stephen Paquette and take a virtual walk along Oakville’s trail system, specifically Lion’s Valley Moccasin Trail. Explore the local interrelationships between people and our natural environment.

• JK – Grade 8

Check out this chat between Hockey Night in Canada host Ron MacLean and Olympic Gold Medalist Donovan Bailey as they chat about high school, sports and Oakville!

• JK – Grade 8

Elder Peter Schuler is a grandfather and Elder of the Mississaugas of the Credit and a member of the Minweyweygaan Midewin Lodge in Manitoba. An amateur writer and artist, Peter tries to pass on traditional Ojibwe teachings through storytelling, art and craft making. Since retirement he has taken these stories to elementary and high schools and works to educate the public in an effort to fight racism and to promote understanding of First Nations history and culture.