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Summer Daily Discovery Series

Virtual

Student
Grades
: 4-6
Time
: Weekly, from the week of July 15 to August 19
Date:
July 15, 2024 - August 23, 2024
Cost
: FREE
Outdoor science class

This summer, Let’s Talk Science is inviting youth ages 9 to 11 years old (Grades 4 to 6) to spend time getting out of their seats, exploring their surroundings, and discovering the amazing world of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) during the Summer Daily Discovery series.

Join us weekly, for short daily activities and a new theme each week. These activities are hands-on and designed to be done at home, outside, or with family and friends using easy-to-find materials. Hosted by STEM role models from across Canada, the Daily Discovery series encourages children to be the innovators of tomorrow from the comfort of home.  

Note: while these activities are geared towards families, classes and community groups are also encouraged to participate.  

When you sign up, you'll receive an e-mail each day featuring a new hands-on STEM activity. There are no live sessions to join, so you can complete the activities whenever is most convenient for you. Material lists will be shared with you at the start of your discovery week.  

Weekly Themes and Descriptions 

You can register for as many or as few weeks as you want. 

Week 1: Chemistry at Home (July 15 to 19) 

Discover the magic of chemistry, where mixing, fizzing, and bubbling turn ordinary ingredients into extraordinary fun, sparking curiosity and igniting young minds with colorful experiments and exciting discoveries, all from the comfort of your own home!  

Daily Activities and Materials

Monday: Keeping the Rink on Ice
  • Access to internet (via phone, tablet, computer)

Tuesday: Crystals
  • Heat-resistant jar (for example a mug or jar) 

  • Salt (1/2 cup) 

  • Boiling water (one cup, adult supervision needed) 

  • String (~15 cm) 

  • Spoon  

  • Pen 

  • Freezer 

  • Food colouring (optional)  

Wednesday: Why do oil and water not mix?
  • Access to internet (via phone, tablet, computer) 

  • Cooking oil (125 mL) 

  • Blue food colouring 

  • Small objects of various materials and sizes 

  • Clear container or drinking glass 

  • Water (125 mL) 

Thursday: CO2
  • Baking soda (one to two tablespoons)  

  • Vinegar (one cup) 

  • Ballon 

  • Clear bottle  

  • Tablespoon  

  • Funnel (optional)  

Friday: Coloring Clothing with Bacteria

Access to internet (via phone, tablet, computer) 

Week 2: Climate Action (July 22 to 26) 

Join the adventure to save our planet with climate action! Discover how small changes can make big differences as we explore renewable energy, protect wildlife, and work together to create a healthier, greener world for everyone to enjoy.  

Daily Activities and Materials

Day 1: Living in a Warming World

Access to internet (via phone, tablet, computer) 

Day 2: Biodiversity 
  • Paper(s)

  • Writing utensil (like a pen or a pencil) 

  • Colouring tools (optional) 

Day 3: What are the effects of acid rain on rocks?
  • Access to internet (via phone, tablet, computer) 

  • One or two pieces of chalk 

  • One clear container (of any size) 

  • Vinegar (enough to fill half the chosen container) 

  • Measuring cup (any size) 

Day 4: How Would you Replant a Forest? 
  • Access to internet (via phone, tablet, computer) 

  • Writing utensils (optional: multiple colours) 

  • Paper (as needed) 

  • Scissors 

  • Measuring tape (or a ruler or string cut to a certain length) 

  • Glue and/or tape  

  • Recycled materials (such as: bottles, caps, cardboard, cans, etc.)  

  • Elastic bands and/or string 

  • Aluminum foil 

  • Craft sticks and/or toothpicks.  

Day 5: Recycling Paper
  • Two sheets of used paper 

  • Mixing bowl 

  • Warm water (enough to fill up the container)  

  • Parchment paper  

  • Scissors and sieve (both optional) 

Week 3: Human Biology (July 29 to August 2) 

Embark on a fascinating journey through the human body with human biology! From how your heart beats to how your brain thinks, explore the incredible mysteries of life inside you. 

Daily Activities and Materials

Day 1: All about organs
  • Chalk 

  • Safe space to draw on the pavement (alternatively, a large piece of paper, and writing utensils) 

Day 2: Why do we Need Two Eyes to See? 
  • Access to internet (via phone, tablet, computer) 

  • One piece of paper 

  • Pencil 

  • Table 

  • Chair 

Day 3: Heart Relay
  • One piece of paper  

  • Writing utensil 

  • Timer/stopwatch 

  • Calculator (optional) 

Day 4: Career exploration

Access to internet (via phone, tablet, computer) 

Day 5: What is in Our Blood?
  • Access to the internet (via phone, tablet, computer) 

  • Clear cup/container (any size) 

  • Water (enough to fill half of the container) 

  • Yellow food colouring 

  • Kidney beans (dry, enough to fill the container) 

  • One tablespoon of rice (dry) 

  • One white lima bean (dry) 

Week 4: Physics (August 5 to 9) 

Embark on an exciting journey through the wonders of physics, where the laws of nature become your playground! Join us as we unravel the mysteries of motion, light, and energy through hands-on experiments and mind-bending demonstrations.  

Daily Activities and Materials

Day 1: Friction
  • Access to the internet (via phone, tablet, computer) 

  • A ramp 

  • Objects with different textures and surfaces 

  • Toy car (or something similar) 

  • Sheet of paper 

  • Writing utensil  

Day 2: Light Refraction
  • Glass of water 

  • Piece of white paper 

  • Direct access to the sun 

 Day 3: Career Exploration

Access to internet (via phone, tablet, computer) 

Day 4: How Can I Make my Own Weighing Scale?
  • Access to internet (via phone, tablet, computer) 

  • Small plastic yogurt cup (or similar) 

  • Rubber band 

  • ~45 cm thin string 

  • Nail or thumbtack 

  • Paper clip 

  • Small objects that will fit inside the yogurt cup  

  • Scissors 

  • Ruler 

  • Piece of card or paper 

  • Pen 

  • Thin stick or craft stick 

  • A horizontal surface 

Day 5: Water currents
  • Transparent or light-colored mixing bowl 

  • Room-temperature water 

  • A pinch of cornmeal or crushed crackers 

  • Transparent or light-colored baking dish 

  • One cup of cold water with ice 

  • One cup of warm water 

  • Spoon 

  • Two colours of food colouring

Week 5: Innovation (August 12 to 16) 

Welcome to the world of innovation, where creativity knows no bounds! Join us on a thrilling exploration of groundbreaking ideas and inventions that are shaping the future. Ignite your imagination and become a problem-solving pioneer!  

Daily Activities and Materials

Day 1: Innovative Jobs

Access to internet (via phone, tablet, computer) 

Day 2:  Design a wind powered elevator

      Access to internet (via phone, tablet, computer) 

  • Writing utensil 

  • One piece of paper 

  • Optional: Tape, scissors, recycled paper and/or sticky notes, string, drinking straws, craft sticks, scrap cardboard, fine yarn or thread, pipe cleaners. 

Day 3:  Egg Drop Challenge
  • One uncooked egg (or something of similar shape) 

  • Straws 

  • Roll of tape 

  • Scissors 

  • Tarp or something that can get dirty 

  • Something to cushion your egg (Styrofoam, balloons, cups, sponges, cotton balls, etc.)

Day 4: Marine Design
  • One piece of paper 

  • Writing utensil 

Day 5: How can we build a structure that protects toy people from the wind?
  • Access to internet (via phone, tablet, computer) 

  • Two small toy people (approx. 5 cm (2”) tall) 

  • Craft sticks 

  • String 

  • Paper 

  • One small piece of stick tack (about the size of your fingernail) or tape 

  • One piece of cardboard 

  • Scissors 

  • One electric fan 

Week 6: Space (August 19 to 23)  

Embark on an out-of-this-world adventure into the vast expanse of space! Join us as we journey through the cosmos, exploring planets, stars, and galaxies beyond imagination (no space-traveling experience needed). 

 Daily Activities and Materials

Day 1: Career exploration

Access to the internet (via phone, tablet, computer). 

 Day 2:  Crater Formation
  • Cake pan or any deep container (size medium to large) 

  • Flour (enough to fill up half the container) 

  • Cocoa or cinnamon (a few tablespoons) 

  • Spoon or sifter 

  • Sprinkles or gravel 

  • Three rocks of different sizes and shapes 

Day 3: How Can I Make a Bottle Rocket?
  • Access to internet (via phone, tablet, computer) 

  • 600 mL pop bottle 

  • Circle tracer 

  • Writing utensil 

  • Plasticine 

  • Cotton swab (e.g. Q-tip) 

  • Scissors 

  • Scrap paper 

  • Straw 

  • Tape 

Day 4: Constellations
  • One sheet of paper 

  • One sheet of construction paper of dark colour

  • Scissors 

  • Tape 

  • Marker or crayon (blue or dark colour) 

  • A sharp pencil 

  • Something round, like a lid (not too big) 

Day 5: Can You Design a Rover That Can Survive on the Moon?
  • Access to the internet (via phone, tablet, computer) 

  • Writing utensils 

  • Paper 

  • Scissors 

  • Glue and/or tape 

  • Recycled materials (bottles, caps, cardboard, cans, etc.) 

  • Something to allow your rover to roll (such as water bottle caps like wheels) 

  • Elastic bands and/or string 

  • Aluminum foil 

  • Craft sticks