GEEKS UNITE- Joint Math & Science Conference

This session will help you use climate change education to empower the 21st Century Learner. We’ll go into the science of climate change, showcase environmental stewardship and action initiatives from across the province, and discuss how to implement engaging curriculum-connected projects in your classroom (school!)

Water Rockets can be a useful teaching tool at any level of science to help meet specific curricular objectives or teach the scientific process. Learn how you can use and make high powered water rockets and their launchers in your class.

Continue your spectacular science journey with Michael and his staff as he brings you the fourth of his ten part Classic Demo Lecture Series. These fun, easy and inexpensive science demonstrations will not only wow your students but will bring back that love of science on magic, clouds, balloons with “pointy things”, floating objects, party tricks, and bubbles in a bubble with a person inside! Spectacular!

Every year, Rose starts her classes with this three day introduction to the scientific method. Students examine how Sherlock uses the method to solve crimes, and then use this knowledge to create a video about an experiment of their choosing that highlights the scientific method. Teachers attending this session will have access to all of the electronic files that will allow them to implement this lesson the day they return to classes.

Biology-the study of life.  What is a characteristic of living things?  Movement!!!!  Using stop motion video applications have your students capture the processes taught in Biology such as parturition (from conception to birth), transpiration, and cell division by physically building each stage and putting processes together into a short video clip.  Connect visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learners through project based learning activities.

Many aspects of basic astronomy are in the curriculum, and it is an appealing topic that can promote interest in science. The high quality freeware astronomy program Stellarium gives simulations of the sky that can teach many concepts in a stimulating way that relates to reality. Basic concepts will be illustrated with demos that can be used in class or assigned as homework.

Annual General Meeting

Looking for some unique ideas to try in your classroom. I will introduce and get you to try some simple hands on activities that can work in a variety of areas including heat, energy, chemistry and space.

Come join Ian Doktor as he shares his passion for constructing Science. Explore different ways to build science demos and experiments in your garage or around your house. Learn to build your very own photospectroscope, telescope, Van de Graff Generator and much more! Ian will also discuss different ways he has incorporated these tools in his classroom including calculating the efficiency of a Trebuchet or using a cell phone to determine the muzzle velocity of a potato gun.

If you are a grade 6 or 9 science teacher you are lucky to be able to teach sky and space sciences, but what about the rest of us?   Come and discover how to bring the universe into your science classroom no matter what level you teach.  Learn how to utilize the educational supports that the Canadian Space Agency and NASA have to offer educators.  Explore how life aboard the International Space Station, a giant biosphere with hundreds of scientific experiments being run with every mission, can be applied to just about any lesson you teach.  There are so many resources including the Tomatosphere and potentially growing plants on Mars, to the physics of the launch, light and optics, environmental monitoring, robotics and so much more!  We can use technology like Ustream to watch spacewalks and launches live in our classrooms, Twitter to interact with fellow space-enthusiasts and celebrities like Chris Hadfield, Skype with active astronauts like our very own Jeremy Hansen or David Saint-Jacques, or even apply to have one of your own student's experiments done aboard the ISS!  We will also take time to collaborate with peer groups, develop mini-PLC’s and share ideas of how to become “all about that space” together!

“Good morning, Earth!” That is how Colonel Chris Hadfield—writing on Twitter—woke up the world every day while living for five months aboard the International Space Station. Through his 21-years as an astronaut, three spaceflights and 2600 orbits of Earth, Colonel Hadfield has become a worldwide sensation, harnessing the power of social media to make outer space accessible to millions and infusing a sense of wonder into our collective consciousness not felt since humanity first walked on the Moon. Called “the most famous astronaut since Neil Armstrong,” Colonel Hadfield continues to bring the marvels of science and space travel to everyone he encounters.

Colonel Hadfield is a pioneer of many historic “firsts”. In 1992, he was selected by the Canadian Space Agency as a NASA Mission Specialist—Canada’s first fully-qualified Space Shuttle crew member. Three years later, aboard Shuttle Atlantis, he was the first Canadian to operate the Canadarm in space, and the first Canadian to board a Russian spacecraft as he helped build space station “Mir.” In 2001, aboard Shuttle Endeavour, Colonel Hadfield performed two spacewalks—the first Canadian to do so—and, in 2013, he was Commander of the International Space Station—the first and only Canadian to ever command a spaceship—so far.

During his multi-faceted career Hadfield has intercepted Soviet bombers in Canadian airspace, lived on the ocean floor, been NASA’s Director of Operations in Russia, and recorded science and music videos seen by hundreds of millions.

A heavily decorated astronaut, engineer, and pilot, Colonel Hadfield’s many awards include receiving the Order of Canada, the Meritorious Service Cross, and the NASA Exceptional Service Medal. He was named the Top Test Pilot in both the US Air Force and the US Navy, and has been inducted into Canada’s Aviation Hall of Fame. He is the author of two internationally bestselling books, An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth and You Are Here, and has been commemorated on Canadian postage stamps, Royal Canadian Mint coins, and on Canada’s newest five dollar bill (along with fellow astronauts Steve MacLean and Dave Williams).