Souris Field Trip

Last fall, a group of grade 11 and 12 physics and biology high school students from Souris joined us at our Test Site for a lesson on geophysical surveying methods and the opportunity to gain some hands-on experience. The students were split up into three groups, that rotated between stations every 20 minutes.

            Station one gave the students a quick explanation of Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) and how it is used in the search for unmarked graves. The students then had the opportunity to push the GPR cart around the Test Site (which is used by our team as a control site, therefore there are no unmarked graves in this area but rather objects that have been buried for comparative analysis) and look for ground disturbances in real time on the screen.

            The second station demonstrated the use of metal detectors. The students were then given the opportunity to use the metal detectors and search for metal objects that were buried previously by our team.

            The third station provided the students with a history of the residential school system in Canada and the Brandon Residential School. The students learned about the importance of archival documents in research and how this information helps to gives the children of residential school systems an identity, allowing for the proper honouring and memorization of the children. The students were able to visit the North Hill Cemetery and leave tobacco ties and candy as an offering for those who are buried there.

            Our team is grateful to have had the opportunity to share surveying methods, archival research, and a history of the Brandon Residential School with the Souris students and thank them for their respect and kindness during their visit.

            We would like to encourage high school science or history teachers to reach out to us at birsinvestigation@svdngovernance.com if they are interested in organizing a similar trip to the Brandon Residential School site to learn more about geophysical surveying methods and residential schools in Canada.

Thank you to the Souris high school classes! (faces blurred)