MindFuel (Science Alberta Foundation)
SCIENCE-IN-A-CRATE SALE
SALE DATE:
Friday April 22, 2016
TIME:
11am to 7pm
LOCATION:
MindFuel Office
260, 3512 – 33 Street NW
Calgary, AB T2L 2A6
COST:
Crates (as is) $75 to $200
Empty crates - $25
Miscellaneous items – various costs
PAYMENT METHOD:
Cash or Cheque only (payment made at time of sale).
CRATE GRADE LEVEL AND DESCRIPTIONS
GENERAL
SCI-TECH INVESTIGATIONS – specifically designed to help Girl Guides obtain their “Engineer” &
“Scientist” badges. Also appropriate for other community programs such as Scouts, libraries, camps,
schools.
ABORIGINAL WAYS OF KNOWING: THIRTEEN MOONS ON A TURTLE’S BACK – Through stories and
hands-on activities, participants learn about community, seasonal cycles, the significance of each month
and roles we play in nature. Learn about the science behind lessons in life that emerge through the
observation of living things.
THE BIG EQUATION: MAKING MATH RELEVANT – How do you make math relevant and intriguing? Use
real world applications! Try using 3D geometry and area to design a building and identify the materials
required. Use measurement and graphing skills to determine the height of an unknown person. This
crate ties to junior high math curriculum.
KINDERGARTEN
GOLD RUSH TO 10 – Join Mr. Lemon and his four-legged pal, Jenny, as they search the mountain regions
for his lost gold mine. This quest “to get to 10” invites students to count, build and compare sets of
objects, explore the patterns and relations in our numbering system, classify and describe the attributes
of objects, build 3D shapes, and represent number operations through play and the use of
manipulatives.
JR. PALEONTOLOGIST – EverWonder who studies dinosaurs? Dig into the world of
paleontology…excavate a fossil dig site, create a cast of prehistoric life, build a life-sized dinosaur
skeleton, design a dinosaur’s epidermis and see how long it takes to sprint the length of a diplodocus.
ABORIGINAL WAYS OF KNOWING: SHARING OUR ENVIRONMENT - The activities in this crate
encourage students to discover and deepen their understanding about the environment, investigate
ways natural and human-made things in our environment interact, and explore how we are a part of the
environment.
GRADE 1
ABORIGINAL WAYS OF KNOWING: THE SENSES – Traditional ways of knowing rely heavily on the use of
senses to learn about the world. Students will use their senses to make observations throughout all the
activities in this crate and learn how songs and music are linked to the traditions and histories of
Aboriginal people.
ABORIGINAL WAYS OF KNOWING: COLOUR TALKING CIRCLE – EverWonder how colour can be
extracted from plants and used to colour porcupine quills? This colourful crate is based on the Aboriginal
talking circle. Participants are encouraged to share stories as they explore coloured materials and their
properties.
GRASSLAND GATHERINGS - Become a junior wildlife biologist and explore the needs of plants and
animals in the grassland regions of southern Alberta. Observe and classify some of the different
species that make their home in this area and check out their habitats. Learn how they must adapt
to the conditions around them in order to survive and identify their interdependency upon one
another. Find out ways in which they are valued as living things and recognize how we must
provide for those plants and animals in our care.
GRADE 2
ABORIGINAL WAYS OF KNOWING: LITTLE MOCCASIN’S BOAT ADVENTURE – Hayley Little Moccasin is
going on a boat trip with her Grandpa. Along the way, they meet with friends who teach them about
building Voyageur canoes, umiaks and kayaks. They also discover how to set a fishing net using floaters
and sinkers. Build and test designs as you learn along with Hayley.
DOWN UNDER: DISCOVER CRAWLY CRITTERS – EverWonder about the critters in your garden? With
Ernie the Earthworm as your guide, examine real critters and plastic models to identify insect
characteristics. Investigate the importance of being inconspicuous and create your own camouflaged
critter.
PIRATES OF THE LODESTONE - Arr, matey! This pirate-themed crate has participants navigating a
treasure map with a compass, creating floating rafts and trying to trap the pirate Captain Repel as they
learn about magnetism.
GRADE 3
MAKING WAVES: HEARING AND SOUND – Follow Crash The Robot as he prepares to make a movie
about sound. Activities range from experimenting with instruments and monkeying around at the zoo to
soundproofing a recording studio and learning about how sound travels through solids, liquids and
gases. You will think about different forms of communications, sounds made by vibrations, the dangers
of exposure to loud sounds and the range of hearing among animals and humans. Although the crate is
focused on the Grade 3 Science Program of Studies, it also integrates components of the Social Studies,
Language Arts, Match, ICT and Music curricula.
ROCK STARS AND MINERAL SUPERHEROES – EverWonder how geologists make sense of nature’s
foundation? In this crate, students will discover the processes involved in rock formation, along with the
differences between rocks and minerals. They will also have the opportunity to test for colour, hardness
and luster.
FARMS: FARM ANIMAL RELATIONSHIP MONITORING SYSTEM - With hands-on activity centres,
this crate immerses grade 3 students into farm life where they help Jo observe some common and
not-so-common animals found on her farm. Students discover and deepen their understanding
about animals – animal adaptation to different environments, life cycles, and requirements for
their care. Let’s help Jo out on her farm!
GRADE 4
WASTEWORLD – The president of WasteWorld, a large waste company, has a challenge for your
students. With this crate students will form companies and compete to win a contract to find solutions
to waste issues in their community.
WANTED: ENGINEERS FOR SALAZAR’S CARNIVAL – Did you know that mechanical engineers are behind
the rides you love at the carnival? Using simple machines such as pulleys, levers and gears, students
analyze carnival rides and are asked to improve upon their design.
LEONARDO’S ENGINEERING ACADEMY OF LIGHT & SHADOWS - Leonardo da Vinci was an
architect, scientist, and engineer who combined scientific intellect with artistic creativity to
produce hundreds of designs. As optical engineers training at Leonardo’s Engineering Academy of
Light and Shadows, you will learn the basic concepts of light and shadows and test Leonardo’s
theories.
MATH-A-MAGIC – Explore the intrigue of mathematics! Have fun with puzzles as you learn about logic,
geometry and probability while exploring activities that solve practical problems.
GRADE 5
POWER PRODUCTIONS – Power Productions is a large theatre company that needs help! Students take
on the role of electrical apprentices hired to complete a to-do list of seven jobs in order to get the
theatre in working order, ready for the show.
ABORIGINAL WAYS OF KNOWING: TEACHING TIME, WEATHER ON THE TRAPLINE – Join Clifford and his
Mooshum out on the trapline to learn about weather. Students will test different fabrics, describe the
effects of the sun’s energy on seasonal changes, learn how important observations is when forecasting
weather, understand and recognize different climates, describe how dew comes from the air, use digital
equipment to measure and track local weather, and describe how uneven heating and cooling affects air
movement.
WHOOPS: UNEXPECTED DISCOVERIES IN CHEMICAL ENGINEERING - Today’s chemical engineers
are spearheading new discoveries in energy, materials, manufacturing, consumer products,
medicine, biotechnology, microelectronics, and environmental solutions… sometimes those
discoveries are unexpected and surprising! Within this crate students will observe, investigate,
infer and question while completing experiments introduced by seven chemical engineers and
their serendipitous “whoops!” discoveries.
WADING THROUGH WETLANDS – Join Pete and Cathy as they encounter mysteries in Alberta’s
wetlands. They need your help to identify different types of wetlands, examine plant and animal
adaptations, investigate pollution and review the destruction of a marsh. Find out how wetlands
help watersheds.
ABORIGINAL WAYS OF KNOWING: TRICKSTER’S JOURNEY – Chemistry and the changes created by
chemical reactions are integral to the Aboriginal way of life. Through hands on activities,
participants discover basic chemical reactions that occur in nature and identify natural substances
that interact to produce change.
GRADE 6
ENVIRO-FILES – Join Brooke and Sandy as they meet with a series of disturbing environmental events.
Are the incidents natural events or have crimes been committed? Search for clues and draw conclusions
based on evidence. Test water and soil quality, match bullets and examine autopsy reports.
ENVIRO-FILES II – EverWonder how environmental scientists analyze unusual occurrences? Help Emily
and David solve eco-mysteries. Examine oxygen content in water, conduct a population sampling study,
view tissue samples and review autopsy results to determine the cause of wildlife death.
CRASH LANDING: AERONAUTICAL ENGINEERING – Can you explain how living creatures and heavierthan-air machines fly? Discover answers to “How do they do that?” by exploring the principles of flight,
the four forces that affect objects moving through the air, and the concepts of aerodynamics and design.
ABORIGINAL WAYS OF KNOWING: LESSONS FROM THE SKY – In seven beautifully illustrated activities
students will use models and stories to develop their understanding of astronomical objects in the sky.
Students will learn about the motion and characteristics of stars, and the moon; explore the relative
position and motion of objects in space; and model seasonal cycles and phases of the moon.
THE GRIFFIN INQUEST - A pipeline explosion. A late night phone call. A threatening letter. Six
Suspects. Use forensic techniques in the areas of fingerprints, fiber analysis, footwear impressions,
tire impressions, soil analysis and questioned documents to help Sergeant Richardson and her
forensic team discover the true identity of the perpetrator in “The Griffin Inquest.” Three levels
allow you to differentiate instruction!
GRADE 7
JOURNEY TO THE CENTRE OF THE RESERVOIR – Join superhero Joules Therm and become a technology
expert in enhanced oil recovery. Learn about heat transfer by conduction, convection and radiation;
check out the effect of heat on the motion of particles in matter and the viscosity of fluids; investigate
the thermal conductivity of different materials and digitally graph the differences between insulators
and conductors.
GEOLOGIST’S BOOT CAMP: DISCOVERY AT MINE #909 – New minerals and rocks have been discovered
in an abandoned mineshaft in northern Alberta and the town council has asked budding geologists to
identify three unknown minerals and rocks. But to learn about the unique properties of rocks and
minerals and how they are formed, you will first attend geologist’s boot camp!
ABORIGINAL WAYS OF KNOWING: OUR ENVIRONMENT – Aboriginal peoples have always had a close
relationship with their environment. Investigate how living things interact and are interdependent, from
the structure of a cell to a large ecosystem. Explore Aboriginal uses of plants for food and medicine and
how good stewardship of the environment ensures ongoing sustainability.
SCHOOL YARD ECO-SYSTEMS - Get your hands dirty with worms and dandelions as you learn the
techniques used by ecologists for collecting data in the field. Once you’ve mastered the skills, get
outside for some applied research and collect data as you study the ecology of your own
schoolyard. Your data will be collected and used by other schools for years to come.
GRADE 8
GET FOCUSED ON LIGHT AND OPTICS – EverWonder how your optometrist knows what lenses to use in
your glasses? Explore the nature of light and optical systems through the eyes of an optometrist. Use
observation skills to see into the human eye. Discover how lenses correct vision and investigate
properties of light with lasers, lenses and mirrors.
MEGA MACHINES – Take a hands-on look at the principles of simple machines. Participants examine and
manipulate levers, pulleys, gears, hydraulics and inclined planes to see how these simple machines make
up the heart of some of the massive machinery found in the oil sands today.
MADE TO MEASURE – EverWonder what adventure, history, the outdoors and your own backyard all
have in common? Math! Use problem solving skills and other math concepts to explore Alberta’s past
and present through the practical work of a lands surveyor.
GRADE 9
EXTREME ALBERTA CHALLENGE – EverWonder how planning a multi-leg adventure race might affect
plant and animal species in Alberta’s natural spaces? Students perform the necessary environmental
assessments and analyze the outcomes. Activities showcase real-life examples of field research
techniques, species at risk in Alberta and species/habitat management practices.
ENVIRONMENTAL ER – There has been a pipeline breach. Discover the importance of science during an
emergency response to an oil spill by becoming a specialist in disciplines including chemistry, wildlife
biology, aquatic ecology, hydrogeology, soil sciences, environmental toxicology and oil recovery. Use
this knowledge to decide on the best options for clean-up and long-term study of this oil spill.
GRADE 10
COLLISION SCENE INVESTIGATION – This is CSI for teenagers! Assume the role of a collision
reconstructionist, employing the scientific principles and mathematical practices used at present-day
collision scene investigations. After evidence has been collected and analyzed, students will answer
questions that challenge them to make interpretations of the data obtained.
GRADE 11
E-FACTOR: COMMON ENERGY CONVERSION SYSTEMS – From finding out about alternative energy and
fuel efficiency to counting calories and comparing chemical reactions, E-Factor examines all aspects of
energy in our everyday lives. Using a series of magazine articles, and showcasing career choices,
students tackles topics that include budgeting their energy use to experimenting with generation of
alternative energy, calculating their maximum daily caloric intake to measuring fuel-efficiency of cars,
and even inventing a unique energy-saving appliance.
YOU’RE HIRED – Have you got what it takes to run a successful recording studio? Apply understandings
of mathematical concepts in the areas of number operations and finance to compete in challenges
relating to this real-worlds scenario. The team that makes the best overall business decisions has
bragging rights and inherits the title of “Heir” to fictional Siren Records.