R. J. Haney Heritage Park ~ Programs ~ Teacher's Guide

Museum (n) - an institution devoted to the procurement, care, and display of objects of lasting interest or value. Archives (n) - a place in which public records or historical documents are preserved.	Heritage (n) - what is or may be handed on to a person from his ancestors; inheritance.
A Little History
The Salmon Arm Museum and Archives Association was formed in 1963. By 1967 the Association had built the community's first museum located next to the cenotaph in Salmon Arm. For the next seventeen years the museum collected Salmon Arm's history both in artifact and archival form. By 1984 the museum was bursting at the seams. When the forty acre R.J. Haney property was offered to the association by the District, the museum leapt at the opportunity. What better way to show the history of the community than in the context of a pioneer farm?	Since 1984, the museum association has slowly expanded its operations at the R.J. Haney Heritage Park. We now have a fully restored, heritage-designated farm house (Haney House) of 1910 vintage, two log houses indicative of the styles of log construction in pioneer times, a fully restored church and school rescued from certain destruction, a modern museum and archives building, and the start of a re-construction of the village of Old Salmon Arm, with a blacksmith shop and firehall in place.
A Classroom Heritage Day at Haney Park
It is within this concept that we are establishing a program of guided heritage learning experiences for children in Grades 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. These experiences have been planned around 1/2 day and full day modules depending on the time needs of your class. These modules grew out of our increasing concern with the quality of information and experience requested in the I or 2 hour packages. These time constrictions did not allow us to adequately present our story and to give the class a genuine heritage experience. These modules are based on the past experiences of several classes that spent the day at the park dressed in period costume and participated in a turn of the century classroom experience offered in the North Broadview School.	Part of the day was spent in the classroom under the supervision of an old fashioned "school marm" while the rest of the time was organized into period games, a tour through Haney House, a walk along our Nature Trail with some plant interpretation, a gold panning demonstration, and a blacksmith demonstration. The experience for the children is priceless. You can see in the photos provided the expression on the faces is one of enthusiasm and enjoyment.
A Dress Up Day
The dressing in period costumes is an added bonus. The "dress up and pretend" aspects of this activity makes the experience all the more real for the children. Included in this folder are excerpts from catalogs of that period that show costume possibilities. Mothers may enjoy making these items for your class and the costumes could possibly be kept for other classes to use on their field trips as well. Other accessories that may be used are cloth caps, sun bonnets, pinafores, suspenders, collarless shirts, etc	A great classroom activity for the kids would be to identify these items based on what they could see in the catalog pages and/or books they found in the library or at home. In one of the classes that came out to the park for a day, the children all chose identities and names to assume for the day. They had to make up a history of that child; what his/her father did for a living, whether they lived in town or on a farm, what type of hobbies did they have, etc. They then had to maintain that identity for the day. The children had a lot of fun trying to trip each other up in their 'pretend' roles.
Period Games and Other Activities
A topic of great interest to the children of today is the games that were played 90 years ago. Part of the heritage experience at Haney Park is participating in these activities. We offer in this folder some activity suggestions that the students could research and practice before they arrive at the park.	From playing Cat's Cradle, to shooting a game of marbles, to running in egg and spoon and sack races, the children will have a wealth of play experiences. We even have sets of old fashioned stilts. Students learn walking on them with the help of an adult. Of course, much of this activity depends on time considerations.
Other activities that we offer are:
A guided walk on the 2.2 kilometer Nature Trail. This trail wanders through four climactic zones with good examples of the plants that the natives and pioneers used for food and medicine. A sample of the Trail Guide is included in this folder. Knowledgeable staff take the children in small groups and acquaint them with the flora of the Shuswap region. Much of this, of course, depends on the season so not all the plants featured in the Trail Guide may be out. A "good as gold" experience. Sam, our prospector, gives a brief history of the search for gold through the Columbia/ Shuswap region. He shows children how to pan for gold and then swears them to secrecy. Most walk away with a piece of "real" Haney gold.	A blacksmithing demonstration. The Newnes family generously assisted us in building a 2/3 scale replica of the original Newnes Blacksmith Shop. We hope to have a blacksmith demonstrating the craft including making nails, bending horseshoes and sharpening old tools. The sounds, the smells, and the heat will make the experience memorable. This activity is dependent upon the availability of our blacksmith. Pony rides to the various locations in the park. We make arrangements for a pair of ponies and a wagon to transport children from the school to the Nature Trail and past the blacksmith shop. The ponies are gentle and the driver is a character. It's lots of fun!
So What's Our Point?
The reason we are sending you this information package is that we would like you to seriously consider bringing your class out to the R. J. Haney consi Heritage Park for a day of learning and fun. And because we really want you to try us out we are offering to do most the work for you.	In consultation with you we will provide all the planning and staffing needed for the events to occur; the school teacher, the games supervison, the gold panning and the blacksmith (depending on availability). The only thing you will need to do is arrange transportation plus we ask that you and your parent volunteers be available for some supervision.
And Now For Your Grade 4s
An interactive program is offered in June of this year. "Introduction to Archaeology: the physical evidence of pre-contact history" addresses how surviving artifacts tell the story of Canada's First Peoples. This social studies module consists of three, one hour components. The first component is a slide show of the reconstruction of a kekuli, or winter dwelling, sponsored by the Kelowna Centennial Museum on Neskonlith #3 Band property. Next is a set of pictograph slides of the Shuswap, an art project and writing assignment. A reading from We Are The Shuswap by Heather Smith Sisk follows. The second component is an exciting session of games and drumming.	Facilitated by a person of First Nations ancestry, the students are exposed to simple games and drumming techniques that are representative of Secwepemc culture. And finally, the archaeology component. Students learn basic archaeology skills, how a dig is set up, mapped and excavated. Students take part in a mock dig. Participants uncover, record and screen a pit in a controlled environment. Students will find replicated material culture salted in large, one meter bins. Facilitators: Project coordinator is Deborah Chapman, curator/archivist at the Salmon Arm Museum since 1990. Deborah has a degree in Anthropology, specializing in New World Archaeology.
A word from Safisfied Customers
"On September 30, 1999 my grade 3/4 class from Salmon Arm West was fortunate to take part in an Archaeological Dig at the Haney Heritage Park. The class had been studying the history of Salmon Arm and this field trip was a tremendous support to our curriculum. The children learned about the local geology, the history of the First Nations people (including slides of some of our local elders) and then an authentic archaeology dig using the appropriate tools and artifacts. The children learned a wide variety of skills and also began considering new career options. We have a large number of First Nations students at Salmon Arm West and this presentation really reinforced the important role they have played in our local history. I feel very grateful to the Museum staff for this resource." Hanne MacKay, Salmon Arm West.	"Children love to dress in pioneer costumes and become totally involved in the heritage activities at Haney Heritage Park. Through this wonderful 'hands on' experience, they gain a stronger sense of their roots and an increased appreciation of the past." Donna Adams, Sorrento. "Haney House Field trip is wonderful because it ties in well with the S.S.I.R.P. program." Frieda Sorge, Hillcrest School "I have taken grade three classes to Haney Heritage Site. I have found the activities to be loads of fun, educational and well thought out. I have found the staff to be enormously organized and helpful." Bonnie Jackson, Hillcrest School.