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Calgary Herald

Heritage Park pilot program 'immersing students in history' in teaching applied science, math

A new program at Heritage Park in Calgary aims to help students apply science and math through the lens of history. Article content Developed beginning January this year and meant to tie into the Grade 7 curriculum, Heritage Park's Resource Ridge Program allows students to apply knowledge from the classroom at various spots in the historical village. Article content Article content The program takes the historical basis of Heritage Park and integrates aspects of science and math, according to Cheyenne Henderson, a Grade 7 teacher at the Calgary Board of Education's John Ware School. Article content Tiffany Aubin, an education program specialist at Heritage Park, said the premise is that students come to the park as 'scientists' in the mid-1800s to early 1900s. Article content Article content 'We aim it around . . . after Alberta becomes a new province, a fledgling province, and the kids are here to evaluate certain things,' Aubin told Postmedia on Wednesday. Article content They look at things like temperatures of different buildings, a variety of structures and forces. There's also an ecology component, where students evaluate different flora, both native and invasive. Article content The historical precedent for the program is settlers coming out west and exploring the conditions here, particularly the Palliser Expedition, when the government sent geologists and surveyors between 1857 and 1860. Article content Every component also has an Indigenous perspective, said Aubin. Article content 'A lot of people who came here relied on (Indigenous) knowledge because they're not familiar with this area,' said Aubin, adding that a component of the program looks at the temperature regulation of tipis. Article content Article content Heritage Park's replica mine also allows students to look at mineral resources, and students can analyze a coal sample. Article content The mine was among the highlights for students, according to Henderson, who noted more than 100 Grade 7 students from John Ware were the first to experience the new program on Tuesday. Article content 'They were really, really loving the mine experience . . . measuring it with tools that you know aren't a measuring tape,' she said. Article content Henderson commended the efforts of Heritage Park on the program. Article content 'They are really just completely immersing students in history and in such innovative ways,' she said Tuesday afternoon.