2009 In Class Workshop Topics

Topics in bold italics are available in both 60 min and 100 minute variety. Topics with extra charges for more expensive takehomes are noted.
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Descriptions

Wiggly World of Worms – Preschool/Kinder

This workshop will provide preschoolers with an opportunity to get their hands dirty while learning all about worms. They will work with magnifying glasses to get an up close look at the lives and habits of worms. 

Pet Worms complete with Home & Food!

Bubbling Potions – Preschool/Kinder

Bubbles bubbles everywhere as kids explore the science of states of matter, and particularly the wonderful things that you can do with frozen kid breath! See the great big Burp, feel the fog, taste the burp gas – a great all senses experience.

Kool Kups

Space Frontiers – Preschool/Kinder

Take your class on a trip through the solar system and sign them up for the Mad Science Astronaut in training program where they will learn all about the elements of space. Students will even get to take their very own mini rocket home.  

Bouncy Planets

Animal Friends – Preschool/Kinder

Become an animal, identify animal sounds, and learn all about animal’s babies and parents. Students will camouflage their fish friends and learn all about animal prints!

Paw Prints

Lights On – Preschool/Kinder

What is light? Mix colors of light and explore the rainbow of light. Catch your shadow and create secret messages with our UV Light!

Rainbow Glasses   

Mad Materials – Kinder/Grade 1

Students will discover that objects are made from materials and how to use all 5 senses to gather information. Through a sorting activity, using their sense of touch, they will learn to identify some common materials such as wood, plastic and fabric. Students will also learn that different materials can be used for the same job. Finally, the students will learn how to make Mad Science Slime, demonstrating how materials can be mixed together to make an object and how the feel and smell can be changed by adding different materials. They will each make their own slime to take home

Slime 

Spectacular Structures – Kinder/Grade 1

Students are introduced to the characteristics of a structure and taught to recognize structures and non-structures, as well as famous Canadian structures. They will explore the strength and stability of structures by building with several different building materials. In this hands-on way, the students will discover that triangles, cylinders, and arches are several shapes that give structures their strength.

Mad Science Build Your Own Bridge

Sleuths on the Scene – Grade 1

Suspects, schematics and sleuths! Connect the dots using science to help solve a crime in this hands on investigation of the science of sleuthing.

Scene Solver

 Harnessing Heat – Grade 1

Witness a mini rocket launch while learning the properties of heat. Change the states of matter, and get warmed up with the science of friction!

Heat Sheet

 Watts Up? – Grade 1

Learn about electricity, its properties and its role in natural phenomena. Make indoor lightning while conducting hair-raising experiments with our electro-static generator.

Static Stick

 Detective Science – Grade 1

Discover how science is used to solve real crimes! Watch as the classroom is transformed into a crime lab for this exciting exploration of the fundamentals of forensics.

Personal Profiler

 Energy Burst! – Grades 1/2

Explore the energy of motion (potential versus kinetic energy), and how energy can be conserved.

Boink

 The Glow Show – Grades 1/2/5

Discover amazing things that glow bright in the dark and come to light! Probe the properties of light and explore some unusual applications of glow-in-the-dark technology!

Blacklight Writer

 All About Animals – Grades 1/2

Feathers, fins, fur and more! Explore the animal kingdom and learn about the habitats, anatomy and life cycles of your favourite creatures. Make your own animal track to take home.

Paw Print

 Mad About Matter – Grade 2

Mad about Matter uses water to focus on the different states of matter, primarily liquids and solids. The children will experiment with different solids to see how they dissolve, absorb, and/or float in water. They will learn about density with a liquid lasagna demonstration and make sparkle tubes to take home.

Sparkle tubes OR Slime

 Moving Machines – Grade 2

Moving Machines focuses on the six simple machines. The children will experiment with inclined planes, catapults, and rubber band race cars. They will make their own Mad Science Rocket Racers to take home at the end of the workshop.

Rocket Racers (additional $2/student)

 Che-mystery – Grade 2

Eliminate the mystery in chemistry! Explore one of the most exciting and fundamental sciences as you sublimate, transform and bind and break molecular bonds!

Slime

 Under the Sea – Grades 2/4

It’s better, down where it’s wetter! Check out some creepy creatures from under the sea. Explore buoyancy, and how fish swim.

Cartesian Diver

 Make it Move - Grade 3

Make it Move focuses on how energy is stored and used. Students will experiment with rubber band powered racecars and other energy toys to better understand the difference between potential and kinetic energy. They will see demonstrations on how friction affects movement and how energy is converted from one form to the next. They will finish the workshop by constructing Mad Science Rocket Racers (or rattlesnake scares!).

Boinks OR Rocket Racers (additional $2/student)

 Structures and Levers – Grade 3/Grade 5

Structures and Levers focuses on the strength of structures. Students will build different structures using various shapes and experiment to find out how strong they are. The will build a bridge out of straws and a lever out of legos. Mad Science will provide the teacher with a classroom set of Magnet Joints!

Build Your Own Bridge Set

 Super Structures – Grade 3

Discover the strengths of triangles, cylinders and arches. Learn how combinations of these shapes make for sturdy homes and skyscrapers! Use teamwork to build your own super structures.

Build Your Own Bridge Set

 Rocket Demo – Grades 3/6

Explore the science of flight and aerodynamics. Launch a Mad Science rocket and discover the fun of friction and air resistance. This program fits in well with the Grade 6 Properties of Air and Characteristics of flight unit.

Rocket Balloons OR Mad Science Rocket (additional $4/student)

 Science of Security – Grade 4

Become a super spy and discover clever ways of performing tasks in this hands-on view of the science that spies use.

Spy Glasses

 Pulleys and Gears - Grade 4

Students will gain an understanding of the power of simple machines such as pulleys. They will perform a series of experiments using gear trains to discover the characteristics of these useful tools. Then they will use pulley riggings to investigate the direct relationship between number of pulleys and effort. Students will make their own paper clip pulley system and take it home. 

Paper Clip Pulley System

Light – Grade 4

Students will be introduced to light as a form of energy. They will see for themselves how light travels in waves through air. They will experiment with various light sources and phosphorescence to reveal the dark world of shadows. The students will make patterns of light that do not really exist and separate white light into its spectrum of colours. They will learn about lasers and have their very own Laser show to end the program!

Rainbow Glasses

Sonic Sounds – Grade 4

Discover sound, sound waves and the way household items can be used to create amazing movie effects. Use our multi-effects processor to alter your voice, with lots of cool special effects.

Sonic Horn

Dry Ice Capades – Grade 5

Manipulate matter in all of its three states! Melt metal in boiling water and freeze water with just a breath of dry ice!

Thermocolour Cup

Earthworks – Grade 5

Discover what the Earth is composed of and how various forces combine to create rocks and minerals. Uncover the forces that create earthquakes, the natural faults in the Earth’s crust and even how mountains are formed. See minerals fluoresce before your very eyes.

Sedimentary Stacker

Be Tobacco Free – Grades 5/7/8

The grossest of all Mad Science programs. Explore the physiological impact of tobacco use. Beware of the lung of grossness! Be prepared for smelly gross science of your insides. This program fits in well with the Grade 5 Human Organ Systems Unit!

Mad Mucus 

Changes – Grade 5

Students will be introduced to the nature of the three states of matter by participating in a dramatization of the effect temperature has on matter. They will discover the differences between physical and chemical change and perform a series of experiments to “solidify” the concept. Students will be exposed to the basic concepts of liquid volume and buoyancy through demonstrations.

Slime

Air & Aerodynamics – Grade 6

Students will explore the properties of air that allow planes to fly. Through demonstrations and experiments with equipment that moves air, including a leaf blower, they will discover how moving air can provide lift, which will give them the background they need to investigate the four forces of flight; lift, drag, propulsion, and gravity. The students will build a paper plane designed to illustrate these opposing forces. They will take home a fantastic stunt plane that they assemble at the end of the program.

Stunt Plane

Electricity – Grade 6

Students will be introduced to the concept and common types of electricity. They will see demonstrations, play games, and perform experiments that will show electricity in action. Students will build their own electric circuits and test them to help them grasp the idea of electricity as flowing electrons. They will also perform a series of experiments using their newly made circuits and a voltmeter, to discover the nature of voltage. They will learn how an electromagnet uses electricity to create a magnetic force.

Electromagnet 

Stunt Planes & Gliders – Grade 6

The Wright Brothers would be proud as we follow in their footsteps and learn the fundamental principles of flight. Build your very own loop-flying stunt plane. You’ll be a Top Gun after this class!

Stunt Plane

Shutterbugs – Grades 7/8

Learn all about the science behind optics, lenses and photography. Give light a workout – bending, twisting, bouncing!

Camera Obscura (additional $1/student)

Dem Bones
What do bones and skeletons tell us? What can we learn from bones we dig up? How many bones are in your body and how do they fit together – can you build a better person?
Mini Skeleton 

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