Workshops

 

We connect with youth through classroom or community group visits, virtually and in-person. Free of charge, our Outreach volunteers arrive on-site to incorporate hands-on/minds-on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) learning activities for your programs or events. Normally, our volunteers come in for a class period to do a hands-on/minds-on activity with your students, or we could run larger events bringing students onto campus for a full-day event.

To request a visit, please contact us.

Kit

Description

Grade
Matter Matters

What are the states of matter? How are the properties of solids, liquids, and gases different from one another? What happens when you mix a solid and a liquid? Students will answer these questions in various hands-on stations. Paired with a demonstration of a self-inflating (vinegar and baking soda) balloon!

K to 2
Budding Biologists

How are living things adapted for survival? Through hands-on activities, students will learn about the form and function of insects and birds. Try eating like a bird and build or become an imaginary insect!

K to 3
Playful Machines

Students investigate simple machines using levers, wheels and axles, and inclined planes to build their own model playground.

K to 4
Bright Lights, Big Science

Students investigate the properties of light and learn how it is transmitted, reflected, refracted or absorbed by various materials.

3 to 5
The Bone Zone
 Experience our "bone-ified" activities to discover how our skeletal system provides protection, support, and movement through challenges, demonstrations and role-playing activities. Students build a model hand and test it for strength and stability. 3 to 5
Tomatosphere
 TomatosphereTM uses the excitement of space exploration as a way to teach the skills and processes of scientific inquiry. In the Seed Investigation, students examine the effects of the space environment on the germination of tomato seeds. 4 to 6
Space-cial: Constellations & Moon Phases

Students learn about space science, with a special focus on constellations, moon phases and the environmental conditions of the moon.

 4-6
Let’s Talk Plants
 Students learn about types of leaves, capillary action and plant growth. They will identify leaves and create their own, complete a capillary action experiment, and they will have the opportunity to grow their own bean plant! 4-6
Math Mystery: The Case of the Dual Jewel

Students solve a crime investigation by solving a series of math-based problems. Students develop a basic understanding of shapes, coding and patterns.

 4-6
Let’s Talk Forces

This workshop includes fundamental lessons to introduce the topic of forces that act on an object, specifically the forces that cause an object to move. It includes discussions of push and pull forces, stored energy, kinetic energy, and gravity.

 4-6
Are you Ex-Static?

Students obtain a fundamental understanding of static electricity through a series of hands-on activities.

 4-6
Crime Lab

Armed with a list of suspects and clues collected from the scene of the crime, students become forensic scientists trying to solve a mystery. Techniques used include chromatography, fingerprinting and chemical analysis.

 6 to 7
Hydration Nation
 Students will join the best hydrological research team in Canada, to survey a newly discovered island. They will determine drinking water quality on the island through testing the chemistry and physical properties of the main bodies of water and comparing results to the Canadian drinking water guidelines. Students will make recommendations on which water source could be used for drinking and what should be done with the island. 6 to 9
Exploration Mars
 In this workshop, students will learn about and experience the challenges of Space Exploration using un-manned space probes, with specific focus on exploring Mars. Students will learn about the different types of space probes: Orbiters, Landers, and Rovers and how each spacecraft explores space. They will learn about scientists who work at the Canadian Space Agency and act as an agent of the CSA themselves as they build their own model of a Lander or Rover! 6-9
DNA Discoveries
 Students will extract DNA from a strawberry or banana using simple household ingredients (and some smashing). 8 to 10
H2 OH NO!

Students will uncover the effects of toxic compounds when released into our environment through pollution. Students will examine how the acidification of our ecosystems impacts wildlife and the role that carbon emissions plays in the formation of acid rain.

 10 to 12