March 2012, PASCO Canada attended the Science on Stage Canada (SoSC) flagship event at Appleby College in Oakville, Ontario. The main goal of SoSC is to inspire young individuals to explore the fields of science and technology by providing educators with essential tools to help transform their classrooms into innovative learning environments.
This was a four day event that brought together educators including teachers, researchers and professors from different parts of the country to share their experiences. They were able to display their accomplishments during the science fair, and were also able to propose possible solutions to each others obstacles throughout their teaching course during the pedagogical discussions. Several of the teachers in attendance have our SPARK dataloggers and they were able to provide insight into how such technology-based labs better engaged their students.
This was a well organized event and helped the educators gain an understanding of how they can incorporate a number of different tools to develop exciting lesson plans. There were incredible keynote speakers and AYVA was honoured to be one of the partners.
For more information on Science on Stage visit http://scienceonstage.ca
[Pictured: A rendition of the Curiosity Mars Rover. Courtesy: Wikimedia Commons]
February: IBM’s Watson computer defeats Ken Jennings and Brad Rutter, two (human) Jeopardy champions. This year, Watson will begin using its analytical skills to help improve patient diagnosis and treatment options.
March: Following the Japan earthquakes, the nuclear reactor in the Fukushima power plant becomes compromised, sparking fears of a massive meltdown akin to Chernobyl. Thanks to the tireless efforts of plant workers, a large-scale disaster was averted – although it will take years to properly clean up the site.
June: Taking a page out of science fiction, scientists at University of Southern California (USC) and Wake Forest University were successfully able to “insert” memories into the brains of rats via injection. This may be applied to humans in the decades to come – making it theoretically possible to master a task in a matter of minutes.
October: Apple inventor and CEO Steve Jobs dies. Widely described as a “genius”, Jobs is likely to go down in history as one of the greatest inventors of our time. Praised as a trailblazer for his conviction that electronics can be functional and aesthetically pleasing, Apple was the first company to successfully market touch screen devices – and the iPhone has revolutionized the smart phone industry.
November: NASA sends Curiosity – a $2 billion unmanned robotic probe to Mars. Equipped with a lab to drill and analyze soil samples on the Red Plant, Curiosity will reach its destination in August, 2012.
December: NASA telescope Kepler finds this first planet in the “habitable zone”, which means the planet could harbour temperatures that allow for the formation of liquid water, and possibly human life. The planet has been named Kepler 22b, and it is approximately 600 light years away.
December was also the month that physicists at CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research) announced they are close to discovering the Higgs particle – which may provide information crucial to understanding the big bang theory.
World-renowned physicist Stephen Hawking is expected to travel to Waterloo, Ontario in mid-September to commemorate the opening of a new research centre bearing his name.
The Stephen Hawking Centre at the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics will celebrate its grand opening September 16-18, but the exact date(s) that Mr. Hawking will attend have yet to be determined.
The Stephen Hawking Centre represents a $29 million expansion on the original Perimeter Institute building which has nearly doubled its size from 65,000 to 120,000 square feet. This space will be used to create facilities for 150 new researchers, who will work with the Institute’s existing 80 researchers to study many aspects of theoretical physics.
The grand opening celebration will include a public tour and talks, although it is not known if Mr. Hawking will give a lecture.
For more information, visit: http://www.perimeterinstitute.ca/
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It may be summer, but that doesn’t mean the kids have to stop learning! There are a variety of science summer camps running across the country right now. Here are three great ones:
- The DEEP Summer Academy is sponsored by the University of Toronto’s faculty of applied science and engineering. It is an initiative that provides gifted and top-performing high school students from around the world an opportunity to explore engineering, business and science. According to its website, DEEP offers the most diverse range of pre-university science and engineering courses in North America.
- With a focus that includes the sciences, technology and entrepreneurship, the Shad Valley Summer Enrichment Program is described as an “academically stimulating, mind expanding adventure for top well-rounded students”. Celebrating its 30th year, Shad has provided more than 11,000 students with valuable learning experience. There are multiple Shad campuses located in Quebec, Ontario, Newfoundland and New Brunswick.
- With multiple locations across the country (and the world for that matter) Mad Science® promotes hands-on learning that is both entertaining and educational. The Mad Science® program promotes science literacy through a curriculum that strives to inspire and engage campers by providing them with interactive programs that demonstrate real-world applications of science.
Click here to see a full list of the science summer camps available across Canada.
Teachers: Are you looking for a way to get your students excited about science?
If so, you’re in luck. Smarter Science has recently announced plans for its second annual educator’s event at the Kempenfelt Conference Resort just outside of Barrie, Ontario.
Registration for the intense, two-day seminar closes on July 24th, and tickets are going fast. Last year’s event proved to be wildly successful and provided participants with valuable insight into how to better structure their science curriculums. This year’s event will have a strong focus on helping educators engage and motivate their students while promoting an interactive, “hands-on” approach to science learning. Topics covered will include: techniques on how to better engage students, assess their level of competency and develop a creative curriculum.
The seminar is divided into three strands:
Strand 1 – Introducing Smarter Science. This strand is designed for teachers who wish to learn the basic Smarter Science framework. It will provide educators with teaching activities and lesson planning templates. Participants will begin to design course content and learn how to assess and evaluate their students.
Strand 2 – Creativity, Innovation and Moving to the Next Level. Geared towards educators who are familiar with the Smarter Science program, Strand 2 is part brain-storming session, part practical application. Teachers will participate in innovation exercises that will help them plan and develop their curriculum in a creative manner.
Strand 3 – Consultants, Supervisors and Lead Teachers. In this strand, educators will learn how to implement the Smarter Science learning curriculum within their prospective districts while learning about available funding and support.
We hope everyone has a great time at this year’s Inquiry at the Bay! Click here to learn more about the seminar.
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