Since 2017 and during the spring of the year, the FOSTER Science Program has welcomed on-campus visits to Memorial University labs in the departments of Biochemistry, Biology and Chemistry for Grade 8 student groups and their teachers within the Avalon region. These on-campus opportunities are designed to enhance and support scientific teaching and learning within local classrooms using hands-on activities aligned with curriculum outcomes as outlined by NLESD. The exact dates available for specific spring sessions are dependent on the winter and summer university semester end and start dates, respectively, in a given year.

Lab Visits

The objective of the Memorial University lab visits is to couple an experiential learning opportunity with classroom learning that has already taken place. The students are challenged with scientific exploration exercises and interactive demonstrations while interacting with undergraduate and graduate students and under the direction of seasoned laboratory instructors and professors. The departments within the Faculty of Science taking part in the FOSTER Science program aspire to make this opportunity available to as many teachers and students as possible by offering the program free of charge.

Junior High school Lab visits to the departments of Biology, Biochemistry and Chemistry were the feature of a Memorial University Gazette article, published in 2019.

Remote Interactive Hands-on Science Events (Spring 2022)

The FOSTER Science program is happy to announce remote interactive hands-on science events for spring 2022, between May 16 - June 17. Enjoy a virtual visit to your classroom from a scientist within the Department of Biochemistry, Biology or Chemistry for a curriculum and grade level appropriate science event. The face-to-face visits are planned as approximately one hour events involving interactive learning activities led by an experienced scientist as seen in the descriptions below. 

Most events include some hands-on aspect of learning with some materials and set-up required by educators. Instructions for required materials and any worksheets for completion of activities will be provided to educators following registration, and prior to the day of the event, to allow for collection/supply of the required materials for hands-on activities. It is important to note that materials required for hands-on activities are household substances and easily accessible materials. Note that some mention of required materials are summarized in the descriptions below with a more complete list to be sent to educators following registration.

Biology - Description of Events and Registration  (Registration closes May 13, 2022)

The Department of Biology will deliver one hour virtual learning opportunities appropriate for Grade 4 through Grade 12 focused on fruits and vegetables, including how and why fruits and vegetables get dispersed as well as adaptation of leaves for varying uses. The level of each session will be adjusted to be appropriate for the selected grade level.

The success of the session will require educators to collect/supply various fruits, vegetables, nuts, as well as gather various leaf types. The majority of these items are available from grocery stores, with house plants and outdoor plants useful to provide leaf samples, especially conifer needles. It is suggested teachers ask for help from their students/parents to help supply the required materials including house plants and outdoors plants. This may help the students to feel more “invested” in the event and their experience. 

Teachers will be sent instructions for a suggested list of materials and any worksheets required for completion of the activities prior to the day of the event to allow for collection/supply of required materials for hands-on activities. Sessions will require virtual interaction with the presenter. The students should be able to see and hear the presenter (projection on the classroom smartboard is ideal) and there be some means for students to interact with the presenter to ask and answer questions during the event. Prior to the day of the event, teachers will be sent a link for the session that can be used to connect to the event.

The registration button below will allow for the registration of remote interactive hands-on science events as described above and offered by the Department of Biology at Memorial University.

Biochemistry - Description of Events and Registration (Registration closes May 13, 2022)

The Department of Biochemistry will deliver one hour virtual learning opportunities for Grades 7-12. For these events, educators may choose the the topic of interest for their class during registration. 

For the Grade 4-6 students, registration for events will result in links being provided to the classroom teacher for their individual use in the classroom for the activities selected and for the date indicated during registration.    

Grades 4-6: Links will be provided to lead your students through fun, deep-learning activities to re-enforce curriculum-based science topics discussed throughout the year. Feel free to challenge your class in their understanding of the science happening around them every day using hands-on experiments including Blubber Glove, Magic Milk, Lava Lamp, Fingerprint Blow-Up and Depression Ice Cream.

The registration button below will allow for the registration to receive video and protocol links to carry out these activities in the classroom as described above and offered by the Department of Biochemistry at Memorial University.

Grades 7-12: Links will be provided by the Department of Biochemistry to provide deep-learning activities to re-enforce curriculum-based topics covered in science, particularly in biochemistry and nutrition-related areas. These links include experiment videos and protocols to guide your class through hands-on activities to support previous learning and discussion during the school year. Links will be made available prior to the session and are meant to be viewed in advance of the session. At the time of your event, scientists will guide you through your experiment and be available for question and answer sessions regarding the activities, at a grade appropriate level. Feel free to register your class for an appropriate time to discuss the science with a scientist.

Teachers will be sent instructions for a suggested list of materials and worksheets required for completion of all activities prior to the day of the event to allow for collection/supply of required materials for hands-on activities. Sessions will require virtual interaction with the presenter. The students should be able to see and hear the presenter (projection on the classroom smartboard is ideal) and there be some means for students to interact with the presenter to ask and answer questions during the event. Prior to the day of the event, teachers will be sent a link for the session which can be used to connect to the event.

Biochemistry is providing three sets of activities addressing the following questions for Grades 7-9:

What is unique about you? How to isolate DNA and how to determine blood type. You will isolate DNA from different fruits/vegetables and use fake blood to discover 'Who-dunit?'

Have you ever wondered how some animals survive harsh environments? How do seals sit on ice pans for so long? Activities will highlight insulating properties of blubber and one way animals can prevent their blood from freezing.

What’s actually in that food and “C” how we measure Vitamin C. You will actually see the breakdown of certain components in snacks/food and how it relates to a healthier you. Also you will measure an ingredient just as a scientist would.

The registration button below will allow for the registration of virtual events as described above and offered by the Department of Biochemistry at Memorial University. 

Chemistry - Description of Events and Registration (Registration closes May 13, 2022)

The Department of Chemistry will deliver one hour virtual learning opportunities. The events being offered are topic specific by grade level as follows: Grades 4-6 (Acids and Bases), Grades 7-9 (Chemical and Physical Properties and Changes) and Grades 10-12 (Polymers) with discussions during the event aligning with in-class level scientific learning.  

Teachers will be sent instructions for a suggested list of materials and worksheets required for completion of all activities prior to the day of the event to allow for collection/supply of required materials for hands-on activities. Sessions will require virtual interaction with the presenter. The students should be able to see and hear the presenter (projection on the classroom smartboard is ideal) and there be some means for students to interact with the presenter to ask and answer questions during the event. Prior to the day of the event, teachers will be sent a link for the session which can be used to connect to the event.

Grades 4-6 (Acids and Bases): This session will focus on the differences between acids and bases with a hands-on activity involving using cabbage juice as a color indicator for acids and bases. Various demonstrations will be included in the session as well. Discussions during the session will include level appropriate discussions of scientific topics including, but not limited to, acids and bases, solids, liquids and gases, mixtures, solutions and chemical reactions.

The success of the session will require educators to prepare the cabbage juice indicator prior to the session and supply it for use during the event. Other materials required for the event can be supplied by students/parents and include household substances for testing (a list of suggested substances will be provided), styrofoam cups and plastic spoons, containers of water and water buckets for disposal, as an example. It is suggested  teachers ask for help from their students/parents to help supply the required materials as this may help the students to feel more “invested” in the event and their experience. 

Grades 7-9 (Physical and Chemical Properties and Changes): This session will focus on the physical and chemical properties and changes with a hands-on activity that investigates mini-experiments of the such. Various demonstrations will be included in the session as well. Discussions during the session will include level appropriate discussions of scientific topics including, but not limited to, physical and chemical properties and changes, signs of a chemical reactions, solutions, mixtures and heat transfer and chemical processes.

The success of the session will require educators collect/supply a variety of materials for the mini-experiments for use during the event. All the materials include household substances which, it is suggested, can be supplied with the help of students/parents and which may help the students to feel more “invested” in the event and their experience. A list of materials will be supplied to the teacher and may include household items such as wax paper, pepper, styrofoam, plastic spoons, plastic drink bottles, chalk, small chunks of meat, cabbage juice indicator, and other materials. 

Grades 10-12 (Polymers): This session will focus on several different aspects of polymers in the world around us with several hands-on activities to re-enforce the topic. Various demonstrations will be included in the session as well. Discussions during the session will include level appropriate discussions of scientific topics including, but not limited to, molecular mass calculations, chemical bonds, chemical and physical properties related to chemical composition, and environmental impacts and concerns.

The success of the session will require educators collect/supply a variety of materials for several hands-on activities used in the event. All the materials include household substances which, it is suggested, can be supplied with the help of students/parents and which may help the students to feel more “invested” in the event and their experience. A list of materials will be supplied to the teacher and include household items such as paper clips, inexpensive baby diapers, water and salt. The success of this session will also requires the completion of a very simple lab experiment prior to the event which could be conducted at school or as an at-home assignment. This experiment will include the use of gelatin, glycerin, water, parchment or wax paper, cookie cutters or candy molds, a pot/beaker, spoon/stir rod and use of the stove/heating source.  

The registration button below will allow for the registration of virtual events as described above and offered by the Department of Chemistry at Memorial University.

Students trying interactive demonstrations in Biochemistry.