Biosphère, Environment Museum

The Secret of Gilgamesh

Target audience: Elementary - Cycle 2
Duration: 90 minutes
Offered from September 1^st to December 14^th, and from January 14^th to May 31^st

King Gilgamesh seems to control the weather: when he's in a good mood, the weather will be fair, but if he's angry, rain and thunderstorms must be expected. Because of a series of extreme weather events, the King's friend Enkidou persuades him to reveal his secret to the people of Uruk. In the course of the activity, with the interpretative guides' help, students discover the usefulness of various weather instruments, learn about the water cycle and certain extreme weather phenomena. While playing an object-association games, they explore different ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, thus becoming Climate Guardians.

INFORMATION AND RESERVATIONS:
514-496-8282, 1-866-487-8282 (toll free), or
reservations.biosphere@ec.gc.ca, or online form

This activity is offered at the Biosphère only or combined with a Stewart Museum activity.

Target audience: Elementary - Cycle 3
Duration: 90 minutes
Offered from September 1^st to December 14^th, and from January 14^th to May 31^st

Biosphère activity: interpretative guides encourage students to learn about the economic and social importance of the St. Lawrence River. Following the Water Trail at the Biosphère, they see how humans have altered the river over the years, and they are introduced to the environment-related issues of navigation, ethical consumption and access to drinking water.

Target audience: Elementary - Cycle 3
Duration: 4 hours (including lunch period)
Offered from September 1^st to December 14^th, and from January 14^th to May 31^st

Activity combined with a Stewart Museum activity: in addition to the Biosphère activity, students take a trip through time at the Stewart Museum. They learn about their 19th-century ancestors' close relationship with the St. Lawrence. The marked walking trail (30 minutes) between the two institutions gives students a glimpse of water-related vestiges of past. An interactive map is provided to the teacher to facilitate travel along the trail.

INFORMATION AND RESERVATIONS:
514-496-8282, 1-866-487-8282 (toll free), or
reservations.biosphere@ec.gc.ca, or online form

Where Water Tells Tales

Target audience: All (except pre-school)
Duration: 4 hours (including lunch period)
Offered from September 1^st to December 14^th, and from January 14^th to May 31^st

The Biosphère, housed in Richard Buckminster Fuller's magnificient geodesic dome, provides guided tours tailored to your group’s age and interests. Discover the history of the dome itself and its famous designer. At your choice and depending on the availability of exhibition halls, your group can work through the challenges of the Water Wonders! exhibition, go on an excursion through the interactive activities of the Moving Giant exhibition, devoted to the St. Lawrence River and the Great Lakes, or explore the principles of sustainable development in the Planet Bucky exhitibion. To complete your tour, a number of activities are offered depending on all availability: theCreative Workshop, the Aqualab or the multimedia shows in the Connexions Hall.

INFORMATION AND RESERVATIONS:
514-496-8282, 1-866-487-8282 (toll free), or
reservations.biosphere@ec.gc.ca, or online form

THE BIOSPHÈRE AT YOUR SCHOOL

These activities, with links to the world of science and technology, explore one or more of the following themes: water, the St. Lawrence River, meteorology, climate change and responsible consumption.

A Change in the Air

Target audience: Middle school, high school and college (Grades 8-12)
Duration: 50 to 75 minutes
Offered from September 1^st to December 14^th, and from January 14^th to May 31^st (from November 1^st for the videoconference)

This unique educational activity fosters discussion about the very latest scientific information on air quality and climate change, their impacts on the environment and what we can do about it. It includes several visual simulations and provides an opportunity for exchanges between students and an expert facilitator. This free activity is offered through presentations in schools in Montréal and the surrounding area, and by videoconference in other Canadian educational institutions.

Videoconference:
To participate in this activity, schools must have the necessary videoconferencing equipment set up in a room that can accommodate one, two or three classes (maximum of 100 students). Several schools across the country can take part in a videoconference at the same time, thereby encouraging discussion among youth in different cities or provinces. The videoconference is offered outside of the Montréal area between 9:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. (Eastern Time).

In-school presentation:
The activity is offered to groups of 100 to 300 students in the Montréal area, but will also be presented in other Canadian cities during the 2007-2008 school year.

INFORMATION: 514-496-8282, 1-866-487-8282 (toll-free)
or edl-ede.biosphere@ec.gc.ca
RESERVATIONS

Too Late...

Target audience: High school
Duration : 75 minutes
Offered from November 1^st to December 14^th, and from January 14^th to May 31^st,only in Montréal and the surrounding area

Mounch, Mimi and Rou take up their high school principal’s challenge to go green. Despite Rou’s ambivalence and Mounch’s doubts, will they succeed in helping their school become the most ecological in Quebec?

Too late ... encourages teenagers to adopt more responsible consumption habits. They will surprise themselves by wanting to take steps to save the environment, like Mounch, Mimi and Rou… This travelling play is presented in schools in Montréal and the surrounding area.
Script: Anne-Marie Olivier. Production: Reynald Robinson. A Théâtre Ébouriffé production, in collaboration with the Centrale des syndicats du Québec (CSQ).

INFORMATION AND RESERVATIONS: 514-605-6435 or evebouchard@videotron.ca

IN CLASS OR IN THE FIELD

In class or in the field, students take part in concrete observation and ecoaction projects. They collect data on water quality, climate change, water conservation, fish health, frogs and other indicators of ecosystem health, or observe their own life habits with a view to making changes to them. For certain activities, training, activity guides, materials or field guides are offered to teachers. Many of these projects are directly accessible over the Internet. The projects last at least two hours and many extend over the whole school year. Some of these activities are co-ordinated by Biosphère’s collaborators.

Project Agent X

Target audience: Elementary - Cycle 2 to middle school
Duration: Minimum 15 hours
Offered from September 1^st to December 14^th, and from January 14^th to May 31^st,only in the province of Quebec

On the general theme of climate change, students are given various environmental missions of their teacher’s choice. These missions give them an opportunity to find and apply solutions to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. They thus become multiplying agents whose role is to help their peers reduce their energy consumption. The Agent X Projectuses a dynamic approach and captivating equipment* on loan from the Biosphère. Training and scientific support provided. This is a classroom activity, and enrolment is limited.

INFORMATION: 514-496-8282 or 1-866-487-8282 (toll free)

* The equipment is free if the teachers agree to share the results of their research with the Biosphère.

Project H₂O

Target audience: Elementary - Cycle 3
Duration: minimum 10 hours
Offered all year

After reviewing their drinking water consumption at school or at home, students look for ways to cut down on the amount of water they use. Three missions are offered, at the teacher’s choice. A Web site has been put up so that the results may be shared with schools here and elsewhere. This is a classroom project.

INFORMATION: www.on.ec.gc.ca/reseau/watercalculator/login_e.html

Adopt a River

Target audience: Elementary - Cycle 3 to Sec. - Cycle 1
Duration: 25 hours

Students evaluate water quality in a river in their community by identifying benthic macroinvertebrates and/or by analysing six physicochemical and bacteriological parameters. In that way they succeed in understanding their environment and identifying action they can take to improve it. Training and scientific support provided. This is a field project.

This project is co-ordinated by the Comité de valorisation de la rivière Beauport (CVRB) [Beauport River enhancement committee] with the support of the Biosphère.

INFORMATION AND RESERVATIONS: www.cvrb.qc.ca

Frog Watch

Target audience: All
Duration: Variable
Offered all year

Observation of frogs and toads may help us understand the changes taking place in the environment. The participants choose a lake, pond or wetlands area close to home, learn to recognize the cries of frogs and toads, then post their findings on a Web site. This project is part of NatureWatch, a series of voluntary monitoring programs designed to try and identify ecological changes that may be affecting our environment. This is a field project.

This project is co-ordinated by Environment Canada’s Ecological Monitoring and Assessment Network.

INFORMATION AND RESERVATIONS: www.naturewatch.ca

Plant Watch

Target audience: All
Duration: Minimum 3 hours
Offered all year

Blooming times are excellent indicators of climate change and its effects. On a Web site, the participants track these changes by recording the flowering dates of selected plants. These plants include certain wildflowers, lilacs and even dandelions. This project is part of NatureWatch, a series of voluntary monitoring programs designed to try and identify ecological changes that may be affecting our environment. This is a field project.

This project is co-ordinated by Environment Canada’s Ecological Monitoring and Assessment Network.

INFORMATION AND RESERVATIONS: www.naturewatch.ca

Ice Watch

FINANCIAL SUPPORT

“Soutenir l'école montréalaise” [Support Montréal Schools] Program
This program of the ministère de l’Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport du Québec [Quebec Department of Education, Recreation and Sport] is intended for schools considered disadvantaged and affords them better access to cultural institutions. To find out whether you are eligible, call 514-596-7977.

“La culture à l'école” [Culture in School]Program
The ministère de la Culture, des Communications et de la Condition féminine du Québec [Quebec Department of Culture, Communications and Status of Women], in partnership with the ministère de l’Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport du Québec[Quebec Department of Education, Recreation and Sport] offers various school assistance programs combining culture and education. For example, it is possible to get a discount on school bus transportation. Click here for more information.