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Activities sorted by subject
Get your ideas of what fun things to do in a classroom here!
You can find a complete list of all the materials we have in the office here.
Current and previous LTS Volunteers have also already shared the activities they have developed for their class visits. You are free to use (or adapt) these resources for your class visits -- or just have a look to get some ideas for developing your own resources! Send the result to us, and we will post your activities here, too.
Note: We are always adding to this page as new activities are developed, so please check back regularly for new ideas! Occasionally, our files disappear from their proper location (not sure why that happens!), so if there is something listed here that you really, really want to see, but the link isn't working, please
email us
and we will fix it for ya ASAP! Also, if you try one of the activities and have suggestions for improvement, please
let us know!
Thinking of bringing your class to UBC? Check out Things to Do on Campus with Your Class!
Other resources worth checking out: THE LAB on CRAM Science for more activities.
Topics
Scienctific Method
Biology
Botany
Ecology
Microbiology
Genetics/Biochemistry
Anatomy/Physiology
Nutrition
Chemistry
The Elements and Chemical Reactions
Food Chemistry
Physics
Electricity and Magnets
Robotics and Mechanics (check also Physics)
Material Science and Alternative Energies
Earth Science
Handicraft
Games and outdoor activities
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Scientific Method
The one and only all-UBC production: The Scientific Method and Research Training, SMaRT, produced by UBC LTS-PP and the UBC Learning Exchange. Get ideas for full-pre-prepared activities on electricity, pH, chromatography, bacteria, water quality, DNA, plants.
Full teaching manual 2009 and a handbook for participating kids .
Biology
- The Seeds and Growing Plants workshop provides a chance to explore topics such as the anatomy of seeds, how a seed becomes a plant, what plants need to grow and conducting an experiment on plant growth. This workshop includes a Power Point presentation , lesson notes for the presenter, a student workbook , posters (contact us to borrow the posters, they are all in the office).
- Grow a fruit or vegetable in a bottle
- Explore how plants need light to grow with this Amazing Potato trick.
Biodiversity Activity
- this is an activity outline for introducing basic concepts in biodiversity with the opportunity for students to look at specimens under a light microscope
Cooperative Fishing and the Tragedy of the Commons
- this game is used to introduce the concepts of the tragedy of the commons, free-rider problem, role of government and social rules in protecting the common good, sustainability, over-fishing and other resource overuse problems.
Sensing Spring
- for kindergarten to grade 1 kids, this activity uses the senses to explore nature
Here's a second file
Ecosystem Game
- using just some yarn, kids explore what ecosystems are and what they can do to help preserve the ecosystem
Take your students on a Field Trip To
Pacific Spirit Regional Park or to the UBC Farm
: Here are some handouts you can use if you take your class on a field trip to Pacific Spirit Regional Park.
Building Watershed Models
- build models of a watershed with your class and use it to explore how vegetation stabilizes soil, how land use affects water quality and much more!
Watersheds 101
- a compliment to the Building Watershed Models activity, this booklet, which you can printed out and give to the class, contains activities for students to complete
Rainforest Terrarium
- build rainforest terrariums with your class!
Rainforest and Bugs Activity Booklet
- a compliment to the Rainforest Terrarium activity, this booklet, which you can printed out and give to the class, contains activities for students to complete
Getting the Dirt on Dirt
- in this hands-on activity, students exam different kinds of soils and experiment with growing plants in different types of soils
Getting the Dirt on Dirt Activity Booklet
- a compliment to the Getting the Dirt on Dirt activity, this booklet, which you can printed out and give to the class, contains activities for students to complete
Making a Worm Farm
- grow a worm farm with your class and discuss how organic matter gets broken down into soil
Nature's Garbage Disposal Booklet
- a compliment to the Making a Worm Farm and Growing Bacteria activities, this booklet, which you can printed out and give to the class, contains activities for students to complete
Buggo
- use this bingo game to learn about bugs, and then take your kids on an
Insect Scavenger Hunt
(this booklet, which you can printed out and give to the class, contains activities for students to complete)have an insect scavenger hunt with your class!
Habitat Activities
Bear Habitat Game
-- this game introduces concepts of adaptation, carrying capacity, habitat needs (food, water, shelter) of animals, competition, cooperation, and natural selection.activity, students build dioramas as they learn about the features of animal habitats
Habitat Dioramas
-- in this hands-on activity, students build dioramas as they learn about the features of animal habitats
Habitat Activity Book
- a compliment to the Habitat Diorama activity, this booklet, which you can printed out and give to the class, contains activities for students to complete
Intergalactic Habitats
- in this activity, kids develop thier own planets and animals, and in the process learn about how animals adapt to their habitats
Ruminant Nutrition
PowerPoint Presentations
#1
and
#2
- a couple of PowerPoint presentations put together by an LTS volunteer whose research at the UBC Dairy Education & Research Centre focuses on this topic
Intertidal Marine Biology Scavenger Hunt
- take your class to the beach to learn about intertidal marine biology
Microbiology
Growth and Spread of Germs
- A series of activities on the growth of bacteria and a simulation of how germs are spread. Here is also a second set of instructions .
Introduction to Practical Session on the Growth & Transmission of Germs
Note to UBC LTS PP volunteers -- we have access to the UV light and UV-sensitve dye needed for the simulation of how germs are spread part of this activity --
contact us
if you would like to borrow this for a class visit
Growing Bacteria
- grow bacteria from samples the students take from around their school
Bacteria Experiment Handout
- a worksheet to give to students completing the bacteria growing experiment
Nature's Garbage Disposal Booklet
- a compliment to the Making a Worm Farm and Growing Bacteria activities, this booklet, which you can printed out and give to the class, contains activities for students to complete
Exploring Plant and Animal Cells
- in this activity, students examine cells from onion skins and from the inside of their cheek under the microscope in order to compare and contrast plant and animal cells. They also discover the benefits of using stains to help examine cells under the microscope. Worksheets included.
DNA PowerPoint
- this PowerPoint presentation includes activities on extracting DNA from onions, making models of DNA from candy and a crime-solving game using DNA fingerprints
Play-dough Pig Genetics
- a fun way to learn basic genetics (how traits are passed on)
Natural Selection Game
- use the game Paper, Scissors, Rock to illustrate the concept of evolutionary choices
Marshmallow Meiosis
- use this hands-on marshmallow activity to teach about meiosis and genetics
Gummy Bear Genetics
- use different colors of gummy bears to teach about dominant and recessive genes
Genetics
- have the kids examine things like attached/unattached earlobes and widow's peak to discover whether they are dominant/recessive for a number of features. Want to find out if you are a super-taster or not?
Contact us
to pick up some PTC paper!
Transcription/Translation Game
- use this game to explore how DNA is transcribed to mRNA and then translated into protein
DNA Alias
- kids learn about how DNA is coded while making beaded strings
DNA Extraction
- students extract DNA from common foods (e.g., wheat germ, bananas) using common, household products (e.g., dish detergent, a blender) - this one does not work as well as our new recipe.
DNA Extraction - New recipe
- students extract DNA from Kiwi using dish soap and ethanol.
DNA Extraction - New recipe Handouts
- fun education in the classroom (s)mashing Kiwis.
Gene Traits Activity
- find out more about your genes.
Genetics Number Extraction Activity
- find out more about your genes.
Air In My Lungs
- construct "breathing bottle" models of the lungs to demonstrate how lungs work; you can make the bottle "smoke" a cigarette to demonstrate the effect of smoking on the lungs.
The Digestive System
- By acting out the different components of the digestion sytem, they learn how each section of the digestion system plays a distinct role in getting the nutrients in the food we eat into our bodies.
The Digestive System
- By acting out the different components of the digestion system, they learn how each section of the digestion system plays a distinct role in getting the nutrients in the food we eat into our bodies.
Chemistry
Making gemstones from eggshells
- Take the shell of an egg, or a shellfish, and grow malachite on the surface! can be left in the classroom for many weeks. check out the PDF.
Testing pH
- A primer on using pH indicators AND use cabbage juice to see your how the air you breath out is acidic!
Chemistry Magic Show
- A must-have for every flashy outreach show - a variety of activities using chemistry to make a magic show!
Water Cycle Interpretive Dance
- explore the water cycle using this interpretive dance!
Putty - from White Glue and Borax
Awesome for every age and classroom setting. Messy too, the kids love it.
Dry ice and Slime - title says it all...
Baking CDs
- Strip the CDs of their colorful coat, and the metal. this looks already cool, but you can further use those polymer discs to create art.
Density Demonstration
- using food coloring, salt and water, make a cool density demonstration!
The Elements & Chemical Reactions
The Magic Blue Bottle Experiment
- use this cool activity to teach the concepts of oxidation and reduction
Here's a (A href ="
http://ubclts.com/files/Bluebottle.doc
"> second description .
Periodic Table of the Elements Song
- learn about the elements in the periodic table with this song
Turning Water into Wine into Milk into Beer
- in this cool chemistry demo, you appear to be turning water into wine, wine into milk, and milk into beer. A neat way to introduce the concept of chemical reactions!
Carbon Snake
- this cool demonstration shows the reaction of sugar and sulfuric acid
Reaction in a Bag
- chemistry in a Ziploc!
Let's Talk Metals
- Find out fun stuff to do with metals. Thanks for Louis Schilder from Yukon College for this activity.
Fun with COLD - Liquid Nitrogen, Ice-salt mix, Dry Ice and Making Ice Cream
- make ice cream in Ziploc bags with your class, make liquid nitrogen ice cream, explain heat capacity, heat transfer, atmospheric composition, gas expansion on heating, freezing point reduction of mixtures (salt + water), sublimation vs. melting (dry ice), and let the children have fun with making their own ice cream, either in a slow zip lock, or in a fast LN2 process.
Here is a second description for LN2 ideas.
Make your own delicious pun(s)ch
- learn about the chemistry of grass and various herbs while making a delicious punch .
Health Science & Nutrition - A novel ppt presentation and the activity writeup .
- show how eating right can make a healthy lifestyle.
Homemade pH indicator
- use red cabbage juice to make a pH indicator and use it to test household substances for acidity/alkalinity
Another Homemade pH indicator
- use a red radish to make a pH indicator and use it to test household substances for acidity/alkalinity
Testing for Vitamin C
- use cornstarch and iodine to test for vitamin C content
Testing for Polysaccharides (Starch) in Foods
- use iodine to test for polysaccharides content of foods
Measuring the Fat Content in Food
- Using a simple homogenization and separation technique, you can measure the amount of fat in your food!
Fat Content in Food (Simpler Method)
- You can demonstrate the amount of fat in your food simply using some paper!
Testing for Iron Content in Food -- Method #1
- use tea to detect for iron in food
Testing for Iron Content in Food -- Method #2
- use a magnet to detect for iron in food
Measuring Calories
- Burn calories -- literally! Students build a calorimeter and use it to determine the amount of calories (i.e., energy) in different foods
Physics
Soap Bubble Fun
- explain surface tension, and produce intricate 3D structures with the kids. Great fun designed by Heidrun Spohr and Ali Baghani.
Plasma Globe
- See what science you can do with the cool new plasma globe we have in the office.
Emancipating Electrons
- Explaining electrons and atoms to an elementary classroom.
Melting Ice Experiment
- learn about factors that affect the freezing/melting of ice in this demonstration
Chromatography with Chlorophyll
- Explain the of composition of colors and their elementary building blocks by separating the molecules contained in plants.
Egg Floating in Salt Water
- use this hands-on activity to introduce the concepts of buoyancy, weight, volume, density, solids, liquids, dissolving, evaporation and conservation of matter
More egg!
- An assembly of tons of stuff to do with and about eggs, ideally suited to be presented during a visit to the UBC farm.
Drum up a Cannon Ball
- Fluid Dynamics sounds like something for universities only? Nope. Here we go.
Build a PET bottle rocket
- Forces, acceleration, motion. And lots of fun. An outside activity.
Wheelbarrow Wonder
- A neat physics experiment.
Fun with Nickel
- Explain Friction and inertia. Sounds boring? Mustn't be!
Let the Penny Dance
- explain heat expansion of air etc demonstratively.
Will the test tubes fall?
- use only liquids to hold test tubes in place an surprise your audience.
Buoyancy and Surface Tension
- explore the concepts of buoyancy and surface tension using these hands-on activities (including a competition to create the "best" aluminum foil boat!)
More Buoyancy and Surface Tension
- another approach to surface tension
Evaporation And Solubility Of 3 Unknown Liquids
- this activity provides exposure to the idea of trying to identify unknown substances based on their properties, as well as exploring the idea of evaporative cooling
Ballistics
- using toilet paper rolls and yarn, demonstrate how investigators identify which gun was used in a crime
The musical rod
- make warm sounds with a rod - and explain propagation of sound waves and acoustics easily!
Outlandish Sounds with Paper
- great sounds with a single sheet of paper.
Electrocute A Pickle
- make a pickle glow!
Energy:
Energy
- activities to explore energy include making a soccer ball pendulum, making a water wheel and making a catapult
Energy Take-home Handout
- after doing the in-class energy activities, give your students this hand-out, which includes instructions for making a pin wheel, so they can continue to explore energy!
Fireproof Balloon
- use this demonstration (complete with popping a balloon) to demonstrate heat capacity and explain how the ocean moderates Vancouver's temperature
Making Movie Glass
- explain the structure of amorphous solids, like glass, while making breakaway glass like that used in the movies -- you can smash it over someone's head (always fun!), and you can eat it too!
Electricity
- kids role play as atoms to learn about electricity
Building Electrical Circuits
- kids build electric circuits and kids role play as atoms to learn about electricity
Magnets and
more magnets (kit)
- kids learn about magnets - loads of activities from fishing to a liquid magnet, and a hovering globe & friction free bearing.
Electromagnetic Motors
- kids build electromagnetic motors
UBC LTS PP volunteers: you can borrow our
Electric Circuit Kit
or our Magnets Kit; the Electromagnetic Motors Kit, DNA kit or any of the other packaged activities in our office.
Inquiry-Based Learning - electricity, magnets & light
: Use inquiry-based learning techniques to explore electricity, magnetism & light with your class. Materials for this include:
The Activities
:
Electricity
(note: "Prediction Sheet 1" can be used with younger grades and both "Prediction Sheet 1" and "Prediction Sheet 2" can be used with older grades)
Information about Inquiry-Based Learning
:
Notes on Inquiry-Based Learning
Primer on Inquiry-Based Learning
Questions That Help Children Understand Elementary Science
Robotics, Mechanics
Robotics Activity
: Use simple materials and these Labview programs to mimic robotic control - with your hands! Thanks to Kevin and Hermanth from Materials Engineering for sharing these programs they made for a visit to Langley Science Center:
Material Science & Alternative Energies
Fuel Cell Demo
: Requires a fuel cell demo kit from NRC-IFCI and Heliocentris (contact Lars). can be combined with this fuel cells 101 PowerPoint demo . Check out youtube for some ideas of how to conduct this.
Alternative Energy House KIT
: This is a house that you build with your students. Show what is possible with an alternative energy house, and how it improves our sustainability. You can also just take the solar cooker. Most of these constructions take a long time.
Earth Science
Make Your Own Fossil!
Available as either a
pdf
or a
Word document
, this hands-on activity shows kids how fossils form
A surprising property of pumice
- discover a surprising property of pumice!
Erosion
- this demonstration shows how erosion occurs
Cookie Mining
- use chocolate chip cookies to teach about the economics of mining
Cake Core Drilling
- geologists take core samples to figure out what the inside of the earth is made of. In this activity, you use cupcakes to model core sampling techniques to figure out what type of layers are in the cake.
Handicraft
Origami
Make Lady Bugs or Rocking Horses
by folding paper
Outdoors and games
Outdoor Games and Relays
Have fun in the outdoors
part 1 and part 2 .
Shoestring Science Preparation - What can you as an educator do to make science with a minimal financial effort? Learn it here.
Copyright on these resources belongs to the volunteer(s) who created them.
