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Langley kids invited to take field trips from the comfort of their living room

Local mom and teacher offers daily Zoom-based program to explore Lower Mainland attractions
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Hayley Legassie hosts a weekly Zoom-based program called Learn Fort Langley, an platform for kids to wonder, explore, and connect – all from the comfort and safety of their own home. (Hayley Legassie/Special to the Langley Advance Times)

A Langley elementary school teacher and mother of two has created an innovative interactive platform to engage children in experiential learning during COVID-19.

Hayley Legassie hosts a daily Zoom-based program called Local Line-up, an platform for kids to wonder, explore, and connect – all from the comfort and safety of their own home.

”The idea of Learn Fort Langley has been in the works for a while – COVID-19 just sped up our launch as we recognized the challenges facing families and the need for connection,” Legassie explained.

Local organizations including the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre, Greater Vancouver Zoo, Aldor Acres, Fort Langley National Historic Site, Langley Centennial Museum, and the Fraser Valley Regional Library are answering questions and giving on-screen tours.

“At its core, Learn Fort Langley is a natural extension of the place-based curriculum I have been developing in my own classroom over the past few years,” she continued. “We are helping students understand their world through hands-on experiential learning opportunities.”

Legassie said offering free live programming with local organizations came out of a desire to provide kids with meaningful learning experiences at a time when they are missing out on so many of the things that fill them with joy and wonder.

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Along with providing daily engaging learning experiences, John Aldag, Township of Langley’s cultural services manager, said Learn Fort Langley is “working on a fascinating project to collect stories of the pandemic, capturing the perspectives of children.”

The Every Story Matters project is open to families throughout B.C. will be collected and curated in collaboration with the Fraser Valley Regional Library, the Langley Centennial Museum, and the Royal B.C. Museum.

“Like the Great Depression, the First and Second Word Wars , and 9/11 – school children of the future will be told the historic tales of the Global Pandemic of 2020,” the web description reads.

People are invited to be part of preserving these events for future generations by sending letters, drawings, poems, songs, photographs, artwork, anything – to be curated into a community exhibit when the time is right.

Teachers and parents can visit https://learnfortlangley.com for more information on how they can participate in the Every Story Matters project and subscribe to receive access codes for the Local Lineup programs.

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Email: ryan.uytdewilligen@langleyadvancetimes.com

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