Heritage Detectives: A Window to Our Past
The Pointe-Claire Heritage Preservation Society is proud to offer “Heritage Detectives,” our immersive, project-based learning kit designed for Grade 6 students. This educational tool is offered free of charge to local schools and community organizations.
Our goal is to transform students from passive learners into active “Heritage Detectives” on a mission to uncover, document, and share the secrets of our local built heritage. This kit is designed to meet the high standards of the Quebec school curriculum, integrating social studies, language arts, and visual arts in a fun and engaging way.
An Immersive Learning Experience
Over approximately seven 60-minute periods, students will investigate historic buildings, decipher architectural styles, and present their findings, developing critical thinking, collaboration, and communication skills along the way.
The project is structured in three distinct phases.
- Phase 1: In-Class Preparation: Students form “Detective Agencies,” learn key architectural vocabulary, and review the historical context of Pointe-Claire.
- Phase 2: The Field Trip: A trained guide from the Historical Society leads the student agencies on a walking tour of the historic village to gather their primary evidence.
- Phase 3: Synthesis & Presentation: The detective agencies analyze their findings and present them to their peers in a final “Press Conference”
Download the Complete Educator’s Kit
Everything you need to bring this project to your classroom is available for free download.
Teacher’s Kit
This comprehensive kit provides educators with everything they need to lead the “Heritage Detectives” project, including a full lesson plan, learning outcomes, curriculum connections, and printable resources.
Heritage Detective’s Notebook
This engaging notebook transforms students into active investigators. It includes “training missions,” a detective’s glossary, and “case files” for them to complete during their field investigation.
Bring Heritage to Your Classroom
Are you an educator or a community group leader interested in using our Pedagogical Tool? We would love to partner with you to bring local history to life for your students. Please contact us to learn more or to schedule a field trip.