Métis + the Fur Trade
Division: II
Location(s): St. Albert Grain Elevators, 4 Meadowview Drive, St. Albert, AB. (view on Google Maps) + Little White School, 2 Madonna Drive, St. Albert, AB. (view on Google Maps)
Duration: 1.5 Hours
Activity/Products:
- Grade 4 Social Studies – Students will examine the role of the fur trade in the development of Canada through hands-on activities and object-based learning. Students will sign on as a fur trader with the Hudson Bay Company, follow the trade routes from York Factory to Fort Edmonton, model the fur trade system procedures, and compete in a land portage.
Volunteers: 3–4 recommended
Additional information for In-School programs: N/A
- Social Studies – Through the fur trade, furs were shipped from North America to Europe, where supply was low; and manufactured goods were shipped from Europe to North America, where demand was high.
- Social Studies – Competition for control of the fur trade motivated Europeans to establish the Hudson's Bay Company and the Northwest Company to expand farther north and west by building more trading posts and forts.
- Social Studies – Trading posts and forts were centres for interactions such as meeting and bartering, warehouses for goods, supplies, and medicines and lodgings.
- Social Studies – Roles of First Nations, Métis, and Europeans that contributed to the fur trade included hunters and trappers, interpreters and guides, clerks, coureurs des bois and voyageurs.
- Scheduling Requirements:
Schools must schedule a minimum of two programs on the same day with a lunch break in between. If booking three programs in one day, the school must provide a designated room for classes to rotate through for the full day. Please note that we may not be able to accommodate your in-school program request if these requirements are not met.
* To schedule a field trip, you'll need to have a teacher account and log in. If you don't have an account yet, you can easily register for one here.
Teacher Feedback
My students loved the field trip. There is a good mix of teaching about the history and hands-on activities.
Perfect project to complement our learning in Science.
The presentation was engaging and informative. It fit in wonderfully with our kindergarten curriculum and was a positive and meaningful experience for my students.
These were valuable and engaging programs for the students. They enjoyed learning a new skill and at the river lots they were encouraged to think critically and reflect carefully.
My students loved it and couldn't wait to go home and show their creations!
This program was fantastic. The students loved the opportunity to be in council chambers.
I have done clay projects with you for as long as I can remember. Once again, everything was AMAZING! We have a new grade partner this year who had never been, and she absolutely loved it! The instructors are always excellent, They explain and guide the students in manageable chunks to make it easy for the kids to follow along. I love that you allow extra parents to come and assist. I especially like that the projects are always connected to the curriculum! Thanks again.
The Peru and Indigenous Peoples of Canada program perfectly connected Gr 3 Social Studies content with some Gr 4 Social Studies content. We had lots to talk about after.
The instructor was amazing. She engaged the students in the Métis culture. The activity was hands on and informative.
Amazing program with a knowledgeable instructor who engaged my students and me too! Thanks so much for offering this field trip.