Our curriculum-based education programs bring to life the story of the Icelandic immigrants and how these pioneers built a vibrant community in central Alberta.
Programs are offered at Stephansson House Provincial Historic Site, Historic Markerville Creamery Museum, and Hola School. You may choose to visit 1, 2, or all 3 of these sites with your class. Located 30 minutes southwest of Red Deer, these 3 sites are within a 5-minute drive of each other.
To book a school program, please contact Historic Markerville Creamery Museum at 403-728-3006 or toll-free at 1-877-728-3007.
We are able to customize tours and programs to create a more specific experience. Please contact Stephansson House directly at 403-728-3929 or at Stephansson.House@gov.ab.ca to speak with us.
We also offer workshops during the summer season.
Education Programs
Our curriculum-based education programs bring to life the story of the Icelandic immigrants and how these pioneers built a vibrant community in central Alberta.
Arni the Troll (Kindergarten)
Explore the past by searching for Arni, the Icelandic Troll. Students experience the pioneer life of the historic Stephansson family through the eyes of this tiny, traditional folk character. They will make a treat in the kitchen and card wool as they learn about the environment, traditions, and culture of the past.
Grade: Kindergarten
Dates available: May 16 to June 27, 2018
Total time: 1 hour
Cost: $3 per student
Curriculum Connection
- Social Studies outcomes: K.1, K.2 - identity, Oral Traditions, Diversity, Community, the Past, Environment, Culture/ English Language Arts outcomes: 2, 3.1, 5.1, 5.2
Preparation Checklists
Find more information about the tour program at the Historic Markerville Creamery's website.
Icelandic Prairie Community (Grades 1-2)
Experience what family life was like in a 1920s Icelandic settlement community.
Using their imaginations, students will travel back in time as they participate in historic activities. They will learn how pioneers lived, how communities were built, and participate in an Icelandic saga.
Grades: 1-2
Dates available: May 16 to June 27, 2018
Total time: 1 hour
Cost: $3 per student
Curriculum Connections
Grade 1: Social Studies outcomes: 1.1, 1.2 - Community, Cooperation, Family, Traditions / English Language Arts outcomes: 2.1, 2.2, 4.3, 5.1
- Grade 2: Social Studies outcomes 2.1, 2.2 - Cultural Diversity, Rural Community, Human Geography / English Language Arts outcomes: 2.1, 2.2, 4.3, 5.1, 5.2
Preparation Checklists
Find more information about the tour program at the Historic Markerville Creamery's website.
Velkomin (Grades 4-5)
Using their imaginations, students participate in historic household activities and learn what life was like for an Icelandic immigrant family during the settlement era of the 1880s in central Alberta.
Students create a new identity by becoming a working member of this historic family, an early pioneer, and a community builder.
Grades: 4-5
Dates available: May 16 to June 27, 2018
Total time: 1 hour
Cost: $3 per student
Curriculum Connections
Social Studies outcomes: 4.2, 4.3 - Agriculture, Cultural Heritage, Multiculturalism,Immigration, Citizenship / English Language Arts outcomes: 4.
Preparation Checklists
Find more information about the tour program at the Historic Markerville Creamery's website.