Adopt-a-Scientist Volunteer Program
This unique program pairs classroom teachers with volunteers who have an engineering, science, or a technical background. Most volunteers are retirees from the local petrochemical industry.
The goal of the group is captured in the program mission statement: To foster a greater interest in science at the elementary school level.
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There are several ways that A-a-S volunteers can help in your classroom:
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You can obtain more information and/or book a volunteer visit by contacting Wendy at (519) 541-0107 or via e-mail at hooghiwe@lkdsb.net.
Adopt-a-Scientist visits are scheduled according to the availability of volunteers. Currently there are 8-10 volunteers active at any given time in the school year, each with their own preferences and specialties. Not all volunteers conduct all demonstrations, so bear in mind that you may have to be flexible in your desired time window for their visit.
Once you've made arrangements to have an Adopt-a-Scientist visit, you should take the time to meet with your volunteer prior to the classroom visit to discuss expectations, acquire handouts for photocopying, discuss material you may have to review, or preparations that should be done prior to the volunteer's visit to your classroom.
Note: All current A-a-S volunteers are based in the Sarnia Lambton area. The Science Education Partnership Steering Team is working to expand this program to the Chatham Kent region of the school boards for which we provide resources. Your patience while we work toward this goal is appreciated.
Adopt-a-Scientist Demonstrations
This grid is from page 8 of the Ontario Science and Technology Document published in 1998. Highlighted regions are where a corresponding volunteer demonstration exists. Click on the box for a description of the presentation.
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Strand Grade |
Understanding Life Systems | Understanding Structures and Mechanisms | Understanding Matter and Energy | Understanding Earth and Space Systems |
| 1 | Needs & Characteristics of Living Things | Materials, Objects and Everyday Structures | Energy in Our Lives | Daily and Seasonal Cycles |
| 2 | Growth and Changes in Animals |
Movement
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Properties of Liquids and Solids | Air and Water in the Environment |
| 3 | Growth and Changes in Plants | Strong & Stable Structures |
Forces Causing Movement
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Soils in the Environment |
| 4 | Habitats and Communities | Pulleys | Light and Sound | Rocks, Minerals and Erosion |
| 5 | Human Organ Systems | Forces Acting on Structures & Mechanisms | Properties of and Changes in Matter | Conservation of Energy and Resources |
| 6 | Biodiversity | Flight | Electricity and Electrical Devices | Space |
| 7 | Interactions In the Environment | Form & Function | Pure Substances & Mixtures | Heat in the Environment |
| 8 | Cells | Systems in Action | Fluids | Water Systems |
Demonstration Descriptions
| Demonstration Title | Simple Machines | ||
| Grade | 2,3,4,5 | Strand | Understanding Structures and Mechanisms |
| Number of Visits | 1 | Duration of each visit | 30 min to 2 h depending on grade level |
| Description: This demonstration follows the same format for all grades, but as grade level increases, the detail and complexity of the explanation will increase. The volunteer will bring a large demonstration lever, inclined plane and winch. These models will be used to show students how a 20 kg load can be lifted with relative ease. Students can actually "feel" the advantage of using these machines. In the higher grade levels, force measurements are taken and the theory is discussed. | |||
To find out how to book this demonstration click
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| Demonstration Title | Light and Sound | ||
| Grade | 4 | Strand | Understanding Matter and Energy |
| Number of Visits | 2 | Duration of each visit | 2
hr
for Light component
1 hr for Sound component |
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Description: There are two separate
demonstrations; one for light and the other for sound. It is
recommended that the class be split into two groups that will attend the
presentation separately. Light - An introduction to the properties of light, lasers, and bar codes & scanners, begins this session. The class is then divided into two groups and students participate in a hands-on demonstration on reflection and refraction. Students learning about reflection will see how astronauts used a corner mirror to measure the distance to the moon, use periscopes, experiment with convex/concave mirrors, learn about fiber optic cable and understand why polarized sunglasses block glare. To learn about refraction, students use light boxes, make a telescopes, and make a coloured "oil slick" which shows examples of camouflage in nature. Sound - A discussion of the nature of sound and sound sources will open the session. The volunteer will have students capture and preserve sounds using a microscope and tape recorder and will then show how the sound can be visually displayed on an oscilloscope. |
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To find out how to book this demonstration click
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| Demonstration Title | Pulleys and Gears | ||
| Grade | 4 | Strand | Understanding Structures and Mechanisms |
| Number of Visits | 1 | Duration of each visit | 1 hr 15 minutes* |
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Description:
Science Kit Help: Our Adopt-a-Scientist volunteer will come into the classroom to help your students use the Gears at Work mini kit and the Pulley kit available through the Science Centre. The activities chosen have been streamlined to provide pupils with a grasp of the basic concepts of this unit. |
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To find out how to book this demonstration click
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| Demonstration Title | Forces Acting on Structures and Mechanisms | ||
| Grade | 5 | Strand | Understanding Structures and Mechanisms |
| Number of Visits | 3 | Duration of each visit | Intro-45 min, Design Review-1.5 hr, Testing 1.5h |
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Description: This demonstration
consists of three sessions. The introductory session will include a
review of definitions (compression, tension, truss, deck, beam etc.), a
discussion of the advantages of different construction materials, a review
of different types of bridges, the relationship between shape and strength,
and the assignment of a toothpick bridge building task. The bridges
will be built by teams of two or three students. On his/her second
visit, which will occur about a week after the first, our volunteer will
review the bridge designs of each team. The duration of this visit
will depend on how many students you have in your class. The final
visit will be to test the completed structures.
Printed notes for both the teacher and students can be made available for both the teacher and student. |
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To find out how to book this demonstration click
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| Demonstration Title | Microscopy | ||
| Grade | 8 | Strand | Understanding Life Systems |
| Number of Visits | 2 or 3 | Duration of each visit | 2 hrs |
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Description: Volunteers will set up
to 15 microscopes and work with half of your class at a time.
The Grade 8 microscopy demonstration will have students compare, size and draw cheek and onion skin cells. They will also perform an experiment demonstrating osmosis. Note that you do NOT have to book the microscopy kits separately. If you book the A-a-S demonstration, the scopes will automatically be sent to your school. The volunteers will bring the additional necessary equipment. |
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To find out how to book this demonstration click
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| Demonstration Title | Flight | ||
| Grade | 6 | Strand | Understanding Structures |
| Number of Visits | 1 | Duration of each visit | 3 hrs |
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Description: This demonstration is
divided into three parts. 1) Properties of air are discussed using air bags, plastic bottles, and a vacuum pump. 2) Bernoulli's Principle is explained using marbles and then demonstrated using a wing model and an air blower. 3) The concept of "thrust" is studied as students build rockets out of film canisters. Small pellets of dry ice inside the sealed canister will act as a propellant. Students will see that variables such as rocket body size, wing size, and amount of fuel affect how far the rocket will fly. |
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To find out how to book this demonstration click
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| Demonstration Title | Electricity | ||
| Grade | 6 | Strand | Understanding Matter and Energy |
| Number of Visits | 1 | Duration of each visit | 3 hrs |
| Description: The session begins with a short demonstration showing the relationship between magnetism and electricity. Five different activity centres are set up and the class will rotate through these stations in small groups. Each activity centre takes about 30 minutes to complete. Experiments within these centres focus on comparison of light bulb efficiencies, making electricity with magnetism, comparison of electrical and magnetic properties of materials, and making parallel and series circuits. | |||
To find out how to book this demonstration click
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| Demonstration Title | Heat | ||
| Grade | 7 | Strand | Understanding Earth & Space Systems |
| Number of Visits | 1 | Duration of each visit | whole day activity |
| Description: Volunteers will bring liquid nitrogen, dry ice and super balls to give a fun demonstration showing the effects of extreme cold on the properties of materials. Imagine using a banana as a hammer! Students will carry out experiments to determine the bounce of rubber balls at 100º C, room temperature and 0º C. This data is plotted and the students are asked to predict the bounce at -100º C and -200º C. Their hypothesis will be tested using the special coolants. Students will work in teams, plot their results and calculate averages. The wrap up dialogue will include discussion of experimental scatter and the relevance of this rubber behaviour to the real world. | |||
To find out how to book this demonstration click
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