During COVID-19, the Brant Historical Society is adapting its programming to deliver online daily programming. Over May 2020, this webpage will be updated to provide you with a schedule and materials that you may need in order to participate. Some of these online events will be tied to the Ontario Curriculum to assist parents teaching at home, crafts to keep kids occupied and much more.
May 29th – 7 PM – Adult Book Club
In our last Book Club of May, we will read the works of Tekahionwake (pronounced Dageh-eeon-wageh) – or known by her colonial name Pauline Johnson – who was born on the Six Nations Reserve. Part of the ‘New Women’ movement, Tekahionwake’s stories and poetry celebrate her mixed-race heritage and the feminist movement while deeply criticizing the colonial treatment of First Nations’ Peoples.
May 29th – 1 PM – Children’s Story Time
End your week on a relaxing note and listen to another historic children’s story.
May 28th – 2 PM – Backyard Birding
Grades 1+ – Science (Biology)
Slightly less historic but no less relevant to Brant Historical Society, to celebrate the hatching of our Robins (who nested on the museum), we would like to guide you through an introduction to backyard birding. Learn the basics of identification and how to build bird feeders to attract them to your lawn! Go forth with some great resources to begin your birding journey!
https://www.audubon.org/news/how-identify-birds
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/browse/shape
https://www.audubon.org/get-outside/activities
May 28th – 11 AM – Make Your Own Fashions
Grades 4+ – Visual Arts
Through paper dolls, learn about the history of 19th and 20th century fashion from the collection. Colour in the provided designs while listening and then go on to design your own styles! Cut them out to fit your paper doll!
May 27th – 2 PM – Printing with a Potato Press
Grade 1+ Language
Hurley printing was a local Brantford company which produced text-based graphics for more than three generations. Learn about the history of the printing press in Brantford and how it operates – by making your own press with potatoes!
May 26th – Star Navigation – 2 PM
Grades 6+ – Science
The North Star played an important role for those seeking safe refuge in Canada via the underground railway. As Brantford was one of the stops for those making this harrowing and courageous journey, it is fitting to teach about how star navigation worked and what constellations you can see from your own backyard! Download the disk and the sleeve needed for this activity. You will also need a flashlight, a stapler and scissors.
May 26th – 11 AM – Sew Your History
Grades 6+ – Visual Arts
Learn some basic embroidery stitches so you can decorate your own clothes (with permission). Then, be taken back in time in the history of textile production. These skills would have both been entertainment and chores for girls in Brantford’s early history (luckily for us, it is now a hobby)!
May 25th – 2 PM – Myrtleville Monday
Grades 3+ – History
Once again be transported back in time at Myrtleville! See the different kinds of material they made textiles from and then learn how to launder them the old fashioned way!
May 22nd – 7 PM – Adult Book Club
Come listen in as we read highlights and discuss Brantford’s connection to Sara Jeannette Duncan and to her novel, The Imperialist!
May 22nd – 1 PM – Story Time for Kids
End your week on a relaxing note and listen to another historic children’s story.
May 21st – 11 AM – Firefighting Math
Grade 5+ – Mathematics
This is the first of a series using an early 20th century fire ledger to compute statistics! In Part 1, we explore the concepts of mean, median and mode, using data on the number of fires and the cost of damages for each year in Brantford over the course of a decade.
Look forward to subsequent parts: Graphing, Standard Deviation and Using Microsoft Excel
May 20th – 2 PM – Make your own History Textbook
Grade 5+ – Social Studies, Language, and Visual Arts
Become a junior historian! Learn how to cut a piece of paper into a small book to turn into your own small textbook (or age the paper and make an old fashioned journal!). Then, listen to how to research to fill in data for your text. Finally, decorate your textbook to make it fun and unique!
May 19th – 2PM – Brantford Rocks!
Grade 4 – Science and Technology
We are pleased to offer historic related science programming! Learn about the types of rocks and how to identify them (including how they are made) while learning about local geology and the history of mining in Brant County! Thanks to the Brantford Lapidary and Mineral Society for their donation of the rock set.
May 19th – 11 AM – Build Your Own Brantford!
Grade 1+ – Visual Arts and Social Studies
Foster and Partners, an architecture firm, has released a series of challenges in the form of activities for kids. I challenge you to recreate your favourite parts of Brantford – be it your own neighbourhood or the Historical District (using the Create Your Own City challenge). Post it with the hashtag #architecturefromhome!
May 18th – 2 PM – Myrtleville Monday – Victoria Day
Grade 1+ – Social Studies
Bake with Myrtleville from the comfort of your own home! Though we are not working on the Holiday, we have ensured that you will have some pre-recorded fun – baking historic Empire biscuits and watching the answers from the Victoria Day Quizzes (Adult and Children’s versions) posted last week! Post your scores!
May 15th – 7 PM – Reading Time for Adults
Listen to the first chapter of a historic novel by a local author. See if it interests you to read on! Keep your ears open to hear several Brantford references in Son of a Hundred Kings by Thomas B. Costain.
May 15th – 1 PM – Story Time for Kids
End your week on a relaxing note and listen to another historic children’s story. This week’s story is Old Mother Hubbard and her dog!
May 14th – 11 AM – Making Pottery (Part 2)
Grade 1+ – Visual Arts
Take your handmade pots, or pre-made garden pots and get your paint out! Learn the history of decoration on Brantford pottery, as it inspires your own decoration.
We have also released two special Victoria Day themed Quizzes one for adults and one for children. Try your version of the quiz before we reveal the answers on Monday!
May 13th – 2 PM – Write, Design, and Age your Own Newspaper!
Grade 4-8 – Language
Familiarize yourself with the various components of a newspaper and tips for how to write your own! Use a prepared template (in Microsoft Word or OpenOffice) of a historic newspaper, write your own articles and see how to make it looked aged!
Three examples of Aged Newspapers 
Crumple your paper before soaking for maximum effect. 
An example of tea stained paper.
May 12th – 11 AM – Making Pottery (Part 1)
Grade 1+ – Visual Arts / History
Learn about the history of production of local pottery. From the companies that made it to the kiln process, come out as a (not really) certified pottery expert. Then, learn how to make salt dough and pinch pots in order to create your own! Leave them to dry and we will return to them Thursday. Get your parents have the ingredients premeasured!
Ingredients List:
1/2 cup of salt
1 cup of flour
1/4 to 1/2 cup of water
1 large bowl
Fork and spoon for shaping and detailing
If needed for heating 200F for 10 minutes.
May 11th – 2 PM – Myrtleville Monday – Tour
Grade 3+ – Social Studies, History, and Geography
Learn about the history of Myrtleville house and farm. The Good family is an excellent example of the life of early settlers in Brant County. Watch a virtual tour of the house, as you see and experience life from ye olde days.
May 8th – 1 PM – Historic Story Hour
Join us for an online reading of Hansel and Gretel that we found in the archives. Good fun for the whole family!
May 7th – 11 AM – Grooving to the Music at the Temple
Grades 1-6 – Music and Dance (Arts)
Get your listening ears out and your dance shoes on! We will learn about the history of music in Brantford, while also learning about how music can express emotions. Then, we will learn a simple line dance to Brantford’s Centennial song! Bring an egg shaker, drum, or sealed pasta box (or just your hands!) as we find the beat and our groove!
Mystery Track 1
Mystery Track 2
Mystery Track 3
Mystery Track 4
May 6th – 11 AM – Bending the Curve
Grade 4 – 8 – Languages
How did Brantford respond to the Spanish Flu? Enjoy this Creative Writing exercise by writing your own proclamation to read to residents of your household.
May 5th – 2 PM – Learning Latin
Grade 9 – 12 Classical Studies and International Languages
Update your language skills by Learning some Latin and relevant to high school students who may be taking language courses. We will be reviewing pages 3-8, as well as pages 14 and 15, from this historical textbook during this time. You will also need to download this reference material from Lingua-Latina.
May 4th – 2PM – Cool off with Fans
Grades 1 – 4 – Visuals Arts
See some of the historical fans from the Brant Historical Society collection and make your own stylized paper fan. Download and print off this fun colouring activities for before or after the program!