The Royal BC Museum is making online resources for lessons and activities available to teachers, educators and home-schooling parents as pupils are now being educated at home while the COVID-19 pandemic continues.
An online support program called RBCM@Home (Office Hours) launched April 6, making learning resources from the museum available to those who need it.
“Cultural institutions, school boards, teachers and parents are all rising to the challenge of identifying and sharing the best resources to teach children,” said Royal BC Museum chief executive Jack Lohman. “The Royal BC Museum’s learning team is here to help teachers navigate the museum’s online resources, explore curriculum connections and provide a welcome online community space to exchange ideas.”
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RBCM@Home is a virtual meeting with Royal BC Museum staff on hand to walk educators through online resources and answer questions as well as offer live support through Zoom and by phone.
The office hours take place every second Monday and Friday with the first sessions on April 6 from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m., April 20 from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. and April 24 from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.
The program includes a monthly educator webinar with the first on April 21 at 4 p.m. focusing on Sikh Heritage Month. Registrants join author Steven Purewal to explore ways to link Sikh heritage to curriculum and weave it into learning experiences.
The RBCM@Home (Office Hours) joins three others launched by the museum last week – RBCM@Home, RBCM@Home (Kids) and RBCM@Outside. The at home webinar is designed for youth and adults and features members of the curatorial and collections staff who are working from home where as the kids webinar is like an online museum playdate. The outside webinar is a series of themed virtual field trips to local outdoor destinations.
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“The doors of the Royal BC Museum might be closed but access to museum experts is wide open through these online resources,” said Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Lisa Beare. “This is a great way to bring our lessons to life – wherever you are in the province.”
If attendees miss a live stream, they can catch a recorded session on the Royal BC Museum’s YouTube channel.
Find more museum programs at royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/engage-us-home.
To join zoom meetings, head to royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/visit/calendar.
