School Programs

Guided School Programs
Grades 4 to 8

Probing the Skies

(Grades 4 to 6)
Explore the physical characteristics of the Solar System and compare the relative size of planets through hands-on activities. Touch real meteorites and identify cycles of day, night and seasons. In our inflatable planetarium, learn to recognize the major constellations, solar and lunar eclipses and phases of the Moon. Visit the Helen Sawyer Hogg Observatory and Canada in Space exhibition to identify Canadian contributions in the field of space technology and allied sciences.

Equinox and Solstice: The Sun and the Seasons (Grades 4 to 8)

December 18-21, 2007
and March 18-20, 2008
How are the first days of Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter decided? This seasonal program is a great way to understand the meaning of solstices and equinoxes. View the surface of our own star! Use our telescope equipped with a solar filter to observe the Sun safely (weather permitting). In our inflatable planetarium, investigate and plot the Sun's annual progression in the sky and see how days are shorter in Winter.

Space Exploration Workshop UPDATED (Grades 4 to 8)
What’s up with the International Space Station? Do you feel the effects of gravity there? How do astronauts adapt to the rigours of space flight? Explore these concepts and test your skills in the museum’s hands-on activity stations. Find out if you would qualify for Canada’s astronaut training program! Discover and see technological tools that have helped us explore space including a full-sized Canadarm, and
satellites Alouette, Hermes, and Anik. (ST11)

Looking at Light
(Grades 4 to 6)

Explore how light is produced and transmitted as you experiment with different materials to study light reflection, refraction and absorption. View the world through instruments such as a microscope, a telescope, a periscope, and a kaleidoscope. Special filters are also used to explore the world of colour.

Introduction to Electricity Workshop
(Grades 4 to 6)
Build an electromagnet with different core materials and record observations on tables. Design, build and test simple circuits and create circuit diagrams using proper electrical symbols with our hands-on activity boards. Learn about the applications of electrical energy with a look at motors and generators as they relate to the production of electricity in Canada.

Science Surprises
(Grades 4 to 6)
Whet your students' scientific appetite with our series of unique experiments and demonstrations. Experience colourful chemistry, and watch a solution change from liquid to solid before your eyes! Experience the realm of the super-cold and discover how energy changes from one form to another.

Properties of and Changes in Matter
(Grades 4 to 6)
Discover the properties of matter through hands-on experimentation. Explore the three basic states of matter. Amusing scientific experiments and demonstrations illustrate the differences between reversible physical changes and non-reversible chemical reactions.

Sound Connexions
(Grades 4 to 6)
Through hands-on activities, see, hear and feel how sound is produced by vibration. Discover how sound travels through a substance. Use an oscilloscope to explore the relationship between wavelength, frequency and amplitude With a sound generator, investigate the range of sounds that humans can hear. Learn about the telegraph, the telephone and the television during a fact-finding tour of the Nortel Connexions exhibit.

How's the Weather?
(Grades 4 to 6)
Hands-on activity centres encourage students to discover of the wonders of meteorology. Investigate how clouds are formed and how wind, rain, and tornadoes are produced. Use various measuring devices such as barometers, anemometers, and psychrometers and find out how they are used in weather forecasting. Explore how acid rain is produced and its impact on the environment. The workshop ends with a visit to the Canada in Space exhibition where students will discover how advances in technology and science have enabled humans to predict weather.

Earth and Mars Revealed: Crusts and Water Systems
(Grades 5 to 8)
Investigate geological processes and natural events common to Earth and Mars in this hands-on discovery program. Identify common features using imagery obtained from Pathfinder and Canada's RADARSAT. Use our custom-designed activity tables to see how uplift and subsidence have shaped landscapes. Investigate how flowing water has shaped Earth and Martian surfaces with our stream trays. Compare factors that affect the polar ice-caps of both planets. The program caps off with a look at Canada's contribution to Mars exploration.

Canadian Inventions and Innovations to Discover
(Grades 5 to 8)
Take pride in your heritage by learning about Canadian inventions, discoveries, and innovations. Take part in our challenging Museum treasure hunt in small groups to explore in depth one of the many contributions made by Canadians in the field of international science and technology. Follow-up by designing a new product or service and discovering which steps are involved in becoming an inventor.  On-line activities on Canadian Innovation

Pulleys and Gears: Wonderful Machines
(Grades 4 to 6)
Discover why pulleys, gears, the wheel and the axle are such clever inventions and compare them to other simple machines. Build gear trains using hands-on activity boards. Examine various applications of these devices as you discover simple machines in action throughout the Museum.

The Many Faces of Energy
(Grades 4 to 6)
Discover the principle of energy conservation in this hands-on program. Experiment with devices that produce light, sound and wind energy to identify energy transformations. Measure electrical energy consumption and discuss ways to consume less. What impact do renewable and non-renewable sources of energy have on our natural resources? What impact have developments in technology had on energy use in the home?

Forces Acting on Structures
(Grades 4 to 6)
Explore the concept of force in this hands-on workshop. Learn the difference between tension and compression and the ways simple machines can reduce the force necessary to move an object. Practise what you have learned by building load-bearing cantilever, suspension and arch bridges.

Science Solutions: A Day in the Life of "Bert"
(Grades 6 to 8)
Help "Bert" (our "prominent" scientist) solve some problems he encounters as he struggles through a "normal" day! A fun way to learn how science helps us deal with problems from leaky car radiators to acid indigestion. Duration: 1 hour; participants: 40 to 150 (held in Auditorium).

Toying with Science and Technology
(Grades 5 to 8)
Explore the properties of polymers. Discover how and why substances and mixtures become pure in space and what benefits this brings us. Learn about pogo stick science and why the Canadarm was tested using hovercrafts. Make static electricity with a Van Der Graaff generator and discover what snowshoes and our real bed of nails have in common! Our newest one-hour show culminates by testing the strength and stability of one of the worlds strongest structures - the egg! Duration: 1 hour; participants: 40 to 150 (held in Auditorium).

Science and Engineering Olympics
(now adapted for Grades 7 and 8 as well as Grades 9 to OAC)
February 19, 2008
Be a part of this fun, hands-on cross-curricular competition designed to inspire students to consider careers in the various science and engineering disciplines. Students work in teams in one of six events to conceptualize, create, design, build and test their projects. On Olympics day, teams bring their entries for testing before a panel of judges.

Questions about school programs should be sent to scorbeil@technomuses.ca.