School programs

Located in Montreal, Sir George-Étienne Cartier National Historic Site is the perfect place to understand the birth of modern Canada and the 19th-century bourgeoisie.

Introduce students of different grade levels to educational programs and activities to be held on site or in the classroom.

These programs bring social sciences concepts to life in a stimulating learning environment.

 

On-site activity

“Dream into action!” guided tour

Suggested content: students will be inspired to dream of their own country and get involved, as did Sir George-Étienne Cartier (1814-1873), a reform-minded politician and a key agent of change in Canadian history.

• Guided tour of the Victorian house.
• Introduction to the rules of bourgeois etiquette.
• Interactive games and discussions on Confederation, Canada's political system and civic engagement.

Target groups: grades 3 to 6 of elementary school

Languages: English and French

Length of visit: 2 hours

Location: 458, Notre-Dame Street East, Montreal (Quebec) H2Y 1C8

Period: April to June and September to December

Fees: see costs per student in the Fees section.

Reservations et information: book by email at cartier@pc.gc.ca or by phone at 514-283-2282.

Facilities: bus drop-off area, Champ-de-Mars metro station nearby, basement luncheon room (reservation required), elevator and accessible restrooms. See Plan your visit for details.

Pre-tour preparation (optional): see the Readiness kit section, which includes two short educational activities.

Good to know: this activity is also offered in a virtual version in collaboration with École en réseau.

See the complete program in the Online school workshops section. On-site activity

“A Victorian Christmas” guided tour

Suggested content: students will dive into the magical world of a 19th-century bourgeois family and witness the final details of Christmas festivities.

• Guided tour of the Victorian house decorated for the festive season.
• Presentation of Christmas Eve, gift distribution and bourgeois traditions.
• Introduction to the origins of Christmas traditions dating back to the 19th century.
• Exchange about holiday traditions in different countries.

Target group: grades 3 to 6 of elementary school

Languages: English and French

Length of visit: 90 minutes

Location: 458, Notre-Dame Street East, Montreal (Quebec) H2Y 1C8

Period: November and December

Fees: see costs per student in the Fees section.

Reservations et information: book by email at cartier@pc.gc.ca or by phone at 514-283-2282.

Facilities: fbus drop-off area, Champ-de-Mars metro station nearby, basement luncheon room (reservation required), elevator and accessible restrooms. See Plan your visit for details.

Good to know: this activity is also offered in a virtual version in collaboration with École en réseau.

See the complete program in the Online school workshops section. On-site activity

French-Language Learning Groups

See the Group activities section for full details.

Financial support

Experiences offered by Parks Canada are part of the culture and education resource directory (in French only). Financial support from the Government of Québec can be provided. Please refer to the ministère de l’Éducation Website (in French only).

 

In-class activities

Online workshops

Parks Canada, in collaboration with École en réseau, is offering a series of free online workshops throughout the school year for elementary and high school students.

Subjects covered: history, outdoors and nature & heritage conservation.

Registration and full 2024-2025 program: see the Online school workshops section.

Other school programs to discover

Many sites offer educational programs in Quebec: The Fur Trade at Lachine National Historic Site, Manoir Papineau National Historic Site, Forges du Saint-Maurice National Historic Site, Fort Chambly National Historic Site, Coteau-du-Lac National Historic Site, and Obadjiwan–Fort Témiscamingue National Historic Site.