Rocky Mountain House National Historic Site of Canada
What's New
Redevelopment Update – Winter 2008-2009
The Changes Continue at Rocky Mountain House!
Rocky Mountain House National Historic Site has been undergoing renovations since 2005. Major upgrades have been made to the Visitor Centre, including new washrooms, siding, flooring, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning, a new theatre and an expanded gift shop area. Landscaping complements the look and feel of the new facility.
Other work completed includes a new three-season shelter in the Playfort to serve as an interpretive theatre, a new entrance gate, a new well providing clean drinking water, and upgrades to the trails, campground and day use area.
As well, a herd of plains bison was reintroduced to the Site following a two year absence that allowed for work on the new well and waterline.
On May 17th, 2008, the renovated Visitor Centre, featuring a number of new
exhibits both permanent and temporary, was reopened to the public as part of
the Rupert’s Land Festival. Ongoing work is focused on the development
of new exhibits and interpretive media to better tell the story of this special
place. A number of new indoor and outdoor exhibits will be in place in time
for Rocky Mountain House National Historic Site’s reopening in May 2009.
Anthropology and Archaeology Digital Field Trip Pilot Project
Rocky Mountain House National Historic Site of Canada (RMHNHS) recently collaborated
on a pilot project with the Wild Rose Public Schools (WRPS)- Alberta Initiative
for School Improvement (AISI). Through a series of meetings initiated by AISI
Technology Instruction Coordinator Darin Larson, the WRPS – RMHNHS team
established mutual goals of integrating seamless technology with deliberative
inquiry to connect youth with their heritage. In February 2009, this project
was presented at the AISI conference where over 700 educators, administrators,
and trustees attended. It will be presented next at the Alberta School Board
Zone 4 meeting in March 2009.
Grade 5 French Immersion students of École Rocky Elementary
© Parks Canada
The Grade 5 French Immersion students of École Rocky Elementary were
chosen as first time participants. In this digital storytelling project, students
conducted research onsite, staged scenes and took photos to show what they learned,
then combined their images, music and narration with Photo Story software to
produce slideshows that truly “bring history to life” for them.
What was so striking about the project was how immediately engaged the students
were, how they took ownership of the project, how they put their research into
effect - asking deliberate questions and making connections to history through
their own efforts. Rather than providing all the answers, we mentored their
discovery of the answers - now that's learning!
The challenges of this project were four fold: 1) RMHNHS visitor season is
May to September with limited staff during the off-season. All props, costumes
and exhibits are placed in storage for the winter and the new exhibits are under
various stages of completion. How could this project be best facilitated under
the circumstances? 2) Regular school programming occurs during May and June
and all school programs are presented outdoors. Deep winter snow in January
prevents travel by foot to the archaeological sites of the four forts. How could
outdoor venues be best incorporated in this project? 3) There was no premise
for group use of costumes, props, and artefacts on a project of this magnitude
and safety of both children and the site inventory posed a concern. How to achieve
balance between rules and creative discovery? 4) The teacher expressed a desire
to develop team skills of cooperation, conflict resolution and consensus building
among her students. She saw the field trip as an opportunity for the students
to demonstrate these skills. How best to encompass relationship building and
teamwork with these students?
Digital Field Trip Pilot Project
© Parks Canada
Heritage Presenters Dorothy Stearns and Melissa Gray-Barry developed a flexible
framework for facilitating the challenges of this project. They created eight
discovery stations, six within the visitor centre and two outside. Each station
established a theme for discovery and contained an inventory of objects linked
to eight questions for deliberative inquiry:
- Why was Rocky Mountain House established in the place where it can be found
today?
- What are the stories of the Piikani (Peigan) people? Who are they and how
did they live?
- What are the stories of the Kainai (Blood) people? Who are they and how
did they live?
- What are the stories of the Siksika (Blackfoot) people? Who are they and
how did they live?
- Who were the coureurs de bois and the voyageurs?
- Who are the Métis?
- Who lived in the fur trade forts and what was their life like?
- Who were the North West Mounted Police?
Digital Field Trip Pilot Project
© Parks Canada
Each discovery station contained valuable, fragile, and in some cases potentially
dangerous resources, replicas, and artefacts. To achieve a balance between rules
and creative discovery, students were engaged in the role of museum curator
for a day where rules and consequences were simply and clearly defined. Together,
the students, parents, educators and administrators became stewards of the site,
with delight at being the first members of our community to partake in this
opportunity.
Digital
Field Trip
Bulletins