Social Studies

Pathways


Paldi
Learn about this extraordinary community on Vancouver Island, established in 1917 by a man named Mayo Singh.
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Hope Meets Action
1In 1 playlists
This pathway is connected to the exhibition Hope Meets Action: Echoes Through the Black Continuum. The exhibition and pathway explores the connections between historical and contemporary Black experiences throughout BC.
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Democracy in BC
2In 2 playlists
British Columbia today is both a constitutional monarchy and a parliamentary democracy, which means that British Columbians elect people to represent them at the provincial legislature. These elected representatives are called members of the legislative assembly (MLAs). Each MLA represents a different area, called an electoral district or a constituency. It is their job to…
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Dominion Astrophysical Observatory
To celebrate its 100th anniversary, the Dominion Astrophysical Observatory (DAO) partnered with Royal BC Museum. Discover how this place of science helped the world understand astronomy and our place in the universe.
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Heritage Fairs
5In 5 playlists
The Royal BC Museum and BC Heritage Fairs both work to engage youth with BC’s history. Find out how and be inspired by student projects in this pathway.
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Object-Based Learning
2In 2 playlists
This pathway is especially for teachers who want to use object-based learning in the classroom. Includes lesson ideas and online support.
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La famille : Liens et appartenance (Niveaux 9e-12e)
L’histoire de la Colombie-Britannique est remplie de récits de famille — des familles de toutes les formes et de toutes les tailles ; des familles établies ici depuis des milliers d’années, des familles venues ici des quatre coins du monde. Ensemble, nous contribuons à la diversité de notre province.
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Family:  Bonds and Belonging (Grades 9-12)
British Columbia’s history is filled with stories of families—families of all shapes and sizes; families that have been here for thousands of years and families that have come from almost everywhere in the world. Together, we shape our diverse province. (Grades 9-12)
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Family (Grades K-3)
1In 1 playlists
Every family has a unique and special story. At the Royal BC Museum we have lots of stories—and histories—about British Columbia families. Come and explore! (Grades K-3)
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Residential Schools and Reconciliation
How do we reconcile past wrongs? Look at documents and objects from the Royal BC Museum’s ethnology collection and archives to learn about the effects of Indian residential schools and think about how we can reach reconciliation.
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Reading Photographs
9In 9 playlists
Every picture tells a story, but whose story? How can a single picture tell us a story about what happened long ago? To answer these questions historians have developed some thoughtful ways to read photographs.
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Acknowledging Past Wrongs
Look into documents and artifacts from the Royal BC Museum and Archives to uncover how the Chinese Canadian community was treated in BC’s past.
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Voices from the Past
6In 6 playlists
Oral history recordings are like time machines. They transport us to the past and help us learn about the people and places of British Columbia. They are uniquely personal accounts of the past from the people who actually lived it. What can you discover about British Columbia’s past by listening?
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Documents and Diaries
3In 3 playlists
It’s been more than 100 years since the beginning of the First World War. How can we now use artifacts, documents, and other primary sources to understand what life was like for people during this part of BC’s past?
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Webster Precisely!
1In 1 playlists
Jack Webster was a well-known British Columbian journalist. BCTV donated all of the Webster! episodes to the Royal BC Museum. What will you discover about BC's recent past from the Jack Webster collection?
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Species at Risk
5In 5 playlists
We're all in this together. An ecosystem is a natural community. When species disappear it can throw an entire system off balance, with far-reaching consequences for ecosytems, for the planet, and for us. What can we do about it?
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BC’s Gold Rush
6In 6 playlists
In 1858 word of gold rang out in the Fraser Canyon, setting off a dramatic migration of people and propelling this once remote region of western North American into the modern age. What can you discover about BC's gold rush?
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Emily Carr
3In 3 playlists
Emily Carr is British Columbia’s most famous artist, but she was also a colourful woman who lived a life full of adventure. Learn about Emily’s love of animals and explore her life through some of the museum’s vast Emily Carr collection.
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Our Living Languages
7In 7 playlists
Did you know BC is a language hotspot? Over 34 distinct indigenous languages are spoken here. Explore sounds, images, words and video about First Nations languages.
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Tradition in Felicities
Canada’s oldest Chinatown is in Victoria, BC. The Royal BC Museum exhibition Tradition in Felicities used video, photographs and the written word to celebrate the community of this national landmark. Teachers look for lesson plans in Watch!
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The Royal Treatment
1In 1 playlists
The role of the British Crown in Canada is mainly ceremonial, but the lieutenant-governor still plays a key part in the governing of British Columbia.
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Can You Dig It?
2In 2 playlists
Archaeology tells us that Indigenous people have been here a very long time. Evidence such as artifacts, house remains and animal bones are held in the Royal BC Museum collection.
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Finding Family
1In 1 playlists
You might be surprised at what a seemingly simple piece of paper can reveal. The BC Archives holds paper documents such as birth, marriage and death certificates. These and other records are important resources for family history researchers.
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Entries


Japanese Tea Garden in Esquimalt
Hayato Takata and Yoshitaro Kishida opened the garden on July 11, 1907. Two Takata brothers started to run the garden as a family business in 1922. The Takata family was interned in 1942. Their houses and the garden were vandalized and destroyed. The rest of their belongings were sold off by the government. [BC Archives-E-01902] Learn more about this image at BC Archives here.

Miners at the Awaya Ikeda Mine, Haida Gwaii
The owner of the Ikeda Mine, Arichika Ikeda, died in 1939 but the ownership of his mine came under the jurisdiction of the Custodian in 1942. His wife, Kaoru Ikeda, interned in Slocan, was made to release her rights to the property as well as their family house. She died after four years of internment in the spring of 1946. [BC Archives H-04580] Learn more about this image at BC Archives here.

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