Schools and Kids

School Programs at The Rooms

Bring your class to visit our state-of-the-art facility for a hands-on, guided education program. Tied to learning outcomes, we have a variety of programs customized to various grade levels. Programs run from 90 minutes to 2 hours. To book one of the programs, please call 757-8090.

Information for Teachers

Special School Programs, October 2012 - May 2013
Back in the Day: David Blackwood’s Newfoundland and Labrador

Building on the images, objects, and stories contained within the Back in the Day: David Blackwood’s Newfoundland and Labrador, our education staff have developed new school programs to introduce students to the art of David Blackwood and to help them explore their own connection to these iconic images of our Province.

Back In The Day - Creating Future Archives: Who Am I Today?
Tuesday - Friday afternoons, 12:30 - 2 pm
Grades K - 3 (maximum 30 students)

In this program students discover the world around them and they will learn how history can influence our identity in present day. We will take a tour of David Blackwood’s exhibition and then head to the classroom studio for a hands-on activity. Through a combination of collage, drawing and printmaking, students will create their own archive for the future while expressing themselves creatively.

To find out more information about the content of the program, curriculum relevancy, the hands-on activities, please contact Joy Barfoot at 757-8092 or Anne Pickard-Vaandering at 757-8089. If you wish to book this program, please contact Visitor Services at 757-8090.

Back In The Day - It’s Time for Time Capsule
Tuesday - Friday afternoons, 12:30 - 2 pm
Grades 4 - 6 (maximum 30 students)

Bring your class to The Rooms and promote literacy through social studies. Students interact with David Blackwood’s exhibition Back in The Day, and create a time capsule that documents who they are today. By fostering creative expression and connecting with our collective history, students gain a deeper understanding of the heritage and culture of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Uncovering the Truth in Recorded History (Back In The Day)
Tuesday - Friday afternoons, 12:30 - 2 pm
Grades 7 - 12 (maximum 30 students)

How do we determine whether or not an event is significant? Do the trends of today become meaningful in the future? In this program, students are encouraged to think critically and gain an appreciation for artistic processes. Through a hands-on activity and an interpretive tour of David Blackwood’s exhibition, students deepen their understanding of the history, heritage and culture found in archives, objects and the media.

Back In The Day - Personal and Cultural Identity
Full-day Advanced High School Program
Tuesday - Fridays, 9:30 am - 2 pm
Grades 10 - 12 (maximum 30 students)

By learning about the significance of past and current events, students explore personal and collective identity. This all-day program is designed to teach the difference between objectivity and subjectivity during the research process. Students will explore the cultural and historical significances of events and understand how the roles of memory, nostalgia, perception and tradition help to determine the accuracy of recorded history.

To make the most of the full-day advance high school program, students are encouraged to complete a brief assignment before coming to The Rooms. To find out more information about the content of the program, curriculum relevancy, the hands-on activities, please contact Joy Barfoot at 757-8092 or Anne Pickard-Vaandering at 757-8089. If you wish to book this program, please contact Visitor Services at 757-8090.

What's in my Room? Large Group Tour
Tuesday - Friday afternoons, 12:30 - 2 pm or 1 - 2:30 pm
Scaled - grades 4 to 12 (maximum 75 students)

Through a combination of worksheets, activities, and interpretation students are introduced to The Rooms Provincial Archives, Art Gallery, and Museum. Great for out-of-town groups looking for a structured visit.

To find out more information about the content of the program, curriculum relevancy, the hands-on activities, please contact Joy Barfoot at 757-8092. If you wish to book this program, please contact Visitor Services at 757-8090.

People at Work (Archives)
Wednesday - Friday mornings, 9:30 - 11:30 am
Grades K - 3 (maximum 30 students)

In this gentle introduction to The Rooms Provincial Archives, students will analyze photos and other primary documents depicting people at work in the early 1900’s. Through exploration of ‘people at work’ of long ago, students are introduced to concepts of change, continuity, geography, and history in a local, immediately tangible context. Role play will round out the experience.

Your Passport Please! (Archives)
Wednesday - Friday mornings, 9:30 - 11:30 am
Grades 2 - 5 (maximum 30 students)

On this adventure, you’ll need your passport as students get a behind the scenes look at The Rooms Provincial Archives, including the vault. Travel back in time – explore maps, photos, diaries, and newspapers along the way – find out how these sources are clues to our past!

The Life and Times of …! (Archives)
Wednesday - Friday mornings, 9:30 - 11:30 am
Grades 6 - 9 (maximum 30 students)

In this program, students use copies of original documents from The Rooms Provincial Archives to explore the stories of individuals who lived in Newfoundland and Labrador during the late 1800s and early 1900s. From the Spanish Flu, the First 500, Chinese Immigration, and the Churchill River – they all have a story to tell. Find out about individuals who experienced first hand these historic events.

Adventures in Art (Art Gallery)
Tuesday - Friday mornings, 9:30 - 11:30 am
Grades K – 6 (maximum 30 students)

Bring your class to The Rooms for the morning and go on an art adventure! We begin in our studio classroom where students participate in a creative hands-on activity. After the workshop, we head up to the gallery for a guided tour of a professional exhibition. This engaging program encourages creativity and can be tailored to meet your specific curriculum outcomes.

To find out more information about the content of the program, curriculum relevancy, the hands-on activities, please contact Anne Pickard-Vaandering at 757-8089. If you wish to book this program, please contact Visitor Services at 757-8090.

Art without Borders (Art Gallery)
Tuesday - Friday mornings, 9:30 - 11:30 am
Grades 7 – 12 (maximum 30 students)

Artists are constantly responding to the world around them. In this school program, junior and senior high school students learn how to explore and interpret art, which fosters a deeper understanding of local and global issues. By participating in a guided gallery tour and a hands-on activity, students are encouraged to express opinions, work creatively and develop critical thinking skills. We will tailor this program to meet your specific curriculum outcomes.

The Inuit in Labrador (Museum)
Tuesday - Friday mornings, 9:30 - 11:30 am
Grades 3 – 6 (maximum 30 students)

In this program, students examine the relationship between Inuit culture and the environment including origins, settlement patterns, and traditional survival strategies. Hands on activities help students understand how the Inuit people developed technologies to fish and hunt, build homes, and travel on snow, ice and sea.

To find out more information about the content of the program, curriculum relevancy, the hands-on activities, please contact Laurie Roche at 757-8093. If you wish to book this program, please contact Visitor Services at 757-8090.

Home & School: Living in the 1900’s (Museum)
Tuesday - Friday mornings, 9:30 - 11:30 am
Grades 2 – 5 (maximum 30 students)

In this program, students are asked to imagine life before electricity and many other technologies we enjoy today. Through a series of hands-on activities – such as rug hooking, writing on slates, and washing clothes – students experience first hand what life was like over 100 years ago.

From the Ground Up: Introduction to Archaeology (Museum)
Tuesday - Friday mornings, 9:30 - 11:30 am
Grades 4 - 5 (maximum 30 students)

This program introduces students to the study of archaeology. Using tools and techniques, students learn how artifacts and sites are reconstructed to examine the culture of the people who left them behind.

School programs must be booked one week in advance. Unless noted, there is no fee for school workshops at The Rooms. Schools are responsible for transportation and adequate supervision.