Express Class: guide for a 60-minute school workshop at Notre-Dame Basilica
For teachers planning an educational field trip, Montreal’s Notre-Dame Basilica offers an engaging activity that highlights both its past and present. This guide provides a flexible one-hour workshop scenario that allows students to explore the Basilica’s architecture, history, and role, while creating a tangible keepsake to bring back to the classroom.
Published on Aug 19th 2025 | Updated on Nov 7th 2025 4 min read.
Educational objective
Introduce students, from the 2nd cycle of elementary school to the 1st cycle of secondary school, to the concepts of Neo-Gothic architecture and intangible heritage, through an activity focused on observation, drawing, and oral expression.
Required materials (to prepare before the visit)
Printed “Detail Hunt” worksheet
Pencils and clipboards
Mini “Quick Glossary” sheet (10 key terms)
Stopwatch (via smartphone)
One camera per pair of students (optional)
Detailed timing (60-minute activity)
0 min: Welcome at the towers
Distribute activity sheets, review instructions and respectful behavior rules (silence, no flash photography).
5 min: Introduction (narthex)
Present the three missions: observe, draw, and share.
10 min: Detail Hunt
In pairs, students must identify five elements: pointed arch, rose window, stained glass, pinnacle, organ. They check the corresponding box and note the location.
25 min: Sketching (nave)
Each pair chooses a favorite detail and has five minutes to sketch it on the sheet. The goal is to capture the shape and texture rather than artistic precision.
30 min: Historical capsule (choir)
The teacher or guide shares five key points about the Basilica’s history; students complete the Quick Glossary.
40 min: Sharing circle (side chapel)
Each pair presents their sketch and explains why the detail stood out to them; one minute of speaking time per pair.
50 min: Group photo and sheet collection
Take a souvenir photo in front of the altarpiece; collect the worksheets for later review.
55 min: Quick debrief
Q&A session; reminder of links to digital resources (360° tour, organ videos, etc.).
60 min: Exit the Basilica
The activity ends and the group can take a moment to observe the Notre-Dame Basilica’s exterior once more.
Formative assessment
Before: a five-question digital “true or false” quiz on Gothic architecture.
During: observation of interactions, notes taken by the teacher.
After: oral presentation in class; sketches displayed on a themed “Notre-Dame Basilica” wall.
Tips and advice
Large groups: to avoid crowding, divide the Detail Hunt into four zones of the nave.
1st cycle, secondary school: add a “hidden math” component related to architecture or interior angles.
Art education: collect the sketches in order to create a classroom exhibition.
Efficiency tips
To save time, pre-fill student names on the worksheets.
Set the stopwatch with discreet sound alerts to pace transitions between activity segments.
Conclusion
In just 60 minutes, the teacher offers a sensory, collaborative, and interdisciplinary workshop. Students observe heritage, engage with architectural vocabulary, and take ownership of key elements. This “Express Class” format transforms a visit of the Basilica into an active experience, without costly materials nor extensive preparation. An ideal activity for school outings!
