Summerland Museum Youtube Videos
Summerland Stories:
An Oral History Series
This series aims to highlight the locals of Summerland and their stories of living here.
Summerland Museum Presents:
Cemetery Tour
Since it opened in 1908, many members of Summerland pioneer families have been buried at the Anglican Cemetery. Each gravestone will reveal a new detail of Summerland’s beginnings, through the stories of the orchardists, politicians, ranchers, artists, and more who made up this community.
Summerland Museum Presents:
Fruit Industry in Summerland
In this video our Summer student, Hanna is investigating the interesting story of how the fruit industry came to be in the Okanagan and Summerland in particular.
Activities:
Activity #1
B.C. Apple taste test
Supplies:
Several varieties of apples grown in BC. One or two apples of each variety depending on the method of sampling used. When you purchase them make sure you record the price.
Printable handout: BC Apple Tasting Handout
Pencil
Method:
If there is only one apple of each variety, discuss the color and shape and the price so that you can fill those columns in the chart. Drawing the shape rather than describing it often works well.
Once an apple has been discussed, cut the apple in half so that the interior color can be discovered and inputted into the chart (try to be specific, ex. White with a green tinge, creamy, or yellowish)
cut the apple into small pieces so that you can sample and describe the taste and texture.
Discuss the common uses of the various apples Golden Delicious is an excellent all around cooking apple Jonathan holds its shape well so is good for open faced tarts and pies McIntosh tends to break down when cooked so it’s best suited for double-crust pies, cobblers, and crisps Spartan is well suited to sauce, pies and baking as well as eating fresh Fuji is suited for making applesauce or eating raw Galas are great for salads or eating fresh Red Delicious is best for eating fresh
answer the questions on the handout
Activity #2
Supplies:
Several examples of apple juice – tetra pack, frozen, bottled, made in BC, imported, organic, etc. When you purchase them make sure you record the price.
Glasses or Dixie cups for sampling
Student Handout: Apple Juice Taste Test and Consumer Comparison
Pencil
Method :
set up stations for each of the different apple juices.
Remind of the type of information to look for in each column of the handout.
Rotate from station to station filling in the Apple Juice Taste Test and Consumer Comparison table.
Discuss the following: Which of the juices were pasteurized?
Why is that important?
How much juice is required to make a serving according to Canada’s Guide to Healthy Eating? (100ml-125ml)
Why is this such a small amount?
Were any of the samples organic?
What does this mean?
What other information was on the label?
Which juices were produced in BC?
Activity #3
Gain experience preparing food that has local apples in it as an ingredient to understand how delicious our apples are here!
Supplies:
Student handout – Lab: Apple Breakfast Bar
necessary tools
125ml of flour
2 ml salt o 2 ml baking soda
80ml brown sugar
250ml rolled oats
155 ml butter
1 L apples, peeled, cored and sliced
French Vanilla yogurt for topping
Method:
View on printout
Activity #4 GRAPES TO RAISINS
In the beginnings of the fruit industry in the Okanagan the farmers and many others experimented with different ways to preserve fruit so that it could be exported around the world - they canned, made jam and even made maraschino cherries
One of the simplest ways to preserve fruits is to to dry it and you can do it at home with some grapes
Supplies:
Grapes
Cooking sheet
Wax paper
A dry, hot area
Method:
Cut grapes in half then place on cookie sheet
Place cookie sheet in a hot place and wait 4-5 days
Once they look all dry and shriveled you have raisins!
Summerland Museum Presents:
Mary Spencer, Bill Miner and the History of Photography
Learn about photography in the 1900s and how far we’ve come. As well as gain an understanding of Mary Spencer and the photograph she took of Bill Miner.
Activities:
Activity #1
Pinhole camera/Camera Obscura
Pinhole cameras were one of the earliest types of cameras. They use the principle of "camera obscura," in which light travels through a small hole in a dark box to form a picture. It's the same science that today's cameras use. Follow these instructions to make a pinhole "camera" and learn how real cameras work.
Supplies:
Sharp pencil
Empty shoe box with a lid
X-Acto knife (Ask an adult for help with this item!)
Scissors
Ruler
Wax paper
Tape
Blanket
Method:
Use the point of a sharp pencil to punch a hole in one of the shorter ends of the shoe box.
Ask an adult to use an X-Acto knife to cut a square in the opposite end of the box, directly across from the hole. The square should measure 2 inches on each side.
Use scissors to cut a square of wax paper that measures 3 inches (7.62 centimeters) on each side.
Place the wax paper directly over the square you cut in the box. Tape the edges of the wax paper to the box.
Take the camera box to a dimly lit room and turn on a lamp. Stand about 5 feet from the lamp.
Cover your head and pinhole camera with a blanket. Be sure that the end with the wax paper is facing you and the end with the pinhole is facing the lamp.
Hold your pinhole camera at arms length from your face and aim it at the lamp. Keep it steady until you see an upside-down image of the lamp.
WHAT'S HAPPENING?
In a real camera, the lens is like the tiny hole you made in the box and creates a backward, upside-down image. Like the little hole, the lens lets in light. The wax paper is like film in a real camera, which has special chemicals on it. When the light hits the film, the chemicals start changing and turn the image into a photograph
Activity #2
Make your own polaroid photo!
The instant camera is a type of camera which uses self-developing film to create a chemically developed print shortly after taking the picture. Polaroid Corporation pioneered (and patented) consumer-friendly instant cameras and film, and were followed by various other manufacturers.
The invention of commercially viable instant cameras which were easy to use is generally credited to American scientist Edwin Land, who unveiled the first commercial instant camera, the model 95 Land Camera, in 1948, a year after he unveiled the instant film in New York City. The earliest instant camera, which consisted of a camera and portable wet darkroom in a single compartment, was invented in 1923 by Samuel Shlafrock.
Supplies
Printout out
Colouring Pencils
Creativity
Method
Act like early photographers and draw a polaroid photo of whatever you want!
Summerland Museum Presents:
Summerland Research Station
Learn how the Summerland Experimental Station began, the gardens (now ornamental gardens), the numerous characters who worked at the station and the annual farm picnic.
Activities
Bean dissection
supplies
Large beans (kidney, pinto or lima beans for example) soaked in water for 12-24 hours
Magnifying glass (optional)
Recording sheet
Procedure
Pick up a soaked bean and examine it.
What do you think the inside of the seed will look like? Why? Illustrate your prediction on your paper.
Rub the soaked bean between your fingers. The seed coat should rub off. Why do you think the seed coat is important?
Now split your seed in two. (There is a slit going down the middle of your seed where it should come apart with a little help.)
Observe the inside. (Use a magnifying glass if you’d like). Describe and/or draw what you see. Were your predictions correct?
Garden Journal
Supplies
A garden of some type either in your neighbourhood or your backyard
Drawing and writing supplies
A good eye
Procedure
Download and print the garden journal
Hole punch the papers and tie together with string or ribbon or use in a binder. You can also staple the pages together to create the journal.
decorate the cover with crayons, markers or colored pencils.
Create your first entry
Here are some ideas of what to write in your garden journal!
Write down the names of the flowers and vegetables we plant.
Record the weather. Was it sunny? Did it rain?
Note when you water the garden and weed it.
Make up stories about the earthworms, beetles, butterflies, fairies and gnomes that live in the garden.
Record what you harvest.
Draw pictures of the seeds, sprouts, plants, flowers, vegetables or even the whole garden.
Sketch trellis designs for climbers like beans and peas.
Draw the insects and birds you discover in the garden.