Young people can learn about science and enjoy nature with new online program happening over what was supposed to be the April Break.
Royal City Science is inviting kids and their families to participate in free virtual science events through Mission STEM-possible, taking place April 12-16.
Orbax Thomas, the co-founder of Royal City Science, explains these events are aimed at offering inexpensive projects for kids to get outside and have fun learning.
“These are all focused a lot more on getting outside and observing the natural world and seeing the things going on in the natural world,” said Thomas about Mission STEM-possible.
The way it works is young people can go online at 10 a.m. to the Royal City Science’s website to learn about the ‘Daily Assignment,’ or science activity, scheduled for that day.
When 3 p.m. comes around, young people can go back onto the website to participate in a virtual chat with one of Royal City Science’s STEM experts to learn more about the activity they did earlier.
“There are things as diverse as bird watching, tree identification, there’s some stuff about soil science that’s involved,” said Thomas.
He also mentions there will be a stargazing activity and participants can learn how to make bottle rockets.
“There’s kind of something there for everyone.”
During this time, Thomas explains this is a flexible program to meet the diverse needs of people within the community.
“If one day is better suited to going out and doing three or four things, rather than one thing, then there’s the option to do that as well,” he said.
To cover this wide variety of topics, Royal City Science has partnered with Guelph Museums, Creative Encounters, Nature Guelph, Wild Ontario and the Ontario Agricultural College.
By drawing on different science disciplines, Thomas hopes the program can help form young people’s interest in the field.
“You can turn them off to science pretty readily, or you can get them excited about science,” said Thomas, “And just because someone’s not necessarily great at math, it doesn’t mean that they won’t be a great biologist, and vice versa.”
“Part of it is showing the length and breadth of what sciences have to offer to people and there’s a place for everyone there.”
For more information go to royalcityscience.ca.
