Community Engagement and Events

Discover Biology Days
Dates: April 23, 24 and 25
Time: 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Suitable for Grades 8-12

Register via Eventbrite 

Activity descriptions:

Touch tanks & Microscopy
April 23-24
Suitable for Grades 9-11
Max 30 students/session

Students will get to play around with the touch tanks and learn how to use the microscope to view animals.

DNA Extraction & Gel Electrophoresis
April 23-25
Suitable for Grades 8-12
Max 60 students/session

Students will perform DNA extraction experiments from fruits and learn how gel electrophoresis is used to analyze DNA

Discover Chemistry Days
Dates: April 28, 29, 30 and May 1
Time: 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. 
Sutable for Grades 8-11

Register via Eventbrite 

Activity 1: Juice from Juice

Students will construct a dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) using blackberry juice as a light absorber. They will measure the voltage and current with different light sources and compare the results to a commercial silicon-based solar cell.

Activity 2: The Chemistry of Soap

Students will make a glycerin-based soap that they can take home. The molecules used to provide function, smell and color to soap will be discussed.

Discover Earth Sciences Days
Date: May 8
Time: 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Suitable for Grades 7-9

Register via Eventbrite 

During this workshop, students will discover and analyze the many ecosystem services that trees provide. Part of the session will be held outside.

Discover Economics Days
Dates: May 7 and 8
Time:  10 a.m. to 12 p.m. 
Suitable for Grades 9-11

Register via Eventbrite 

Students will get to explore the following topics:

• Short activities to showcase Marginal Utility and Marginal Product.
• Computer-based simulation of a country's economy; students decide the levels of key economic variables and observe the impact on the economy.

Discover Math Days
Dates: May 22, 23, 26, 27, and 28
Time: 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Suitable for Grades 5-9

Register via Eventbrite

Students will be given the opportunity to learn more about how to solve mathematical problems using board games and puzzles. Students will work individually and in groups to think outside the box to do these mathematical challenges.

Discover Microbiology & Immunology Days
Dates: May 7 and 8
Time: 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Suitable for Grades 10-12

Register via Eventbrite

Students will get to explore the following topics and activities:

• Microscopy of bacteria and other microbes
• Antibiotics and antimicrobial agents, bacterial drug resistance
• Viral/Microbial diversity and growth observations
• Bacterial fluorescence and luminescence
• Molecular microbiology activities

Discover Physics Days
Dates: May 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 20 and 21
Times: 10 a.m. to 12:40 p.m. & 1:00 p.m. to 3:40 p.m.
Suitable for Grades 6-12

Register via Eventbrite 

Activity descriptions:

Discovery Room 

Explores physics in action with 10-12 hands- on activities, covering a large range of topics, including air flow over balls, freezing motion with a strobe light, recording the intricate motion of coupled pendula, acoustics of the voice, and more.

Earth Sphere

This 2m-diameter sphere projects detailed images of Earth’s atmosphere, oceans and underlying crust, as seen from space. The dynamics of weather systems, atmospheric composition, ocean currents, geologic formations, etc. are presented based on satellite data. Some direct demonstrations of atmospheric and climate physics.

Liquid Nitrogen Show

A unique set of demonstrations of the behavior and properties of matter: mechanical, electrical, and magnetic at cold temperatures (77K/-196C).

Included are such effects as a low-temperature piston engine, ringing a lead bell, liquefying oxygen, and superconductivity. Students will learn about properties of liquids and gases.

Halifax Planetarium

Dalhousie maintains Nova Scotia’s original, permanent and popular planetarium; over 3,000 people visit it yearly. This show takes students on a tour of the changing night sky, including constellations currently visible and the sky they cannot see from Nova Scotia. Objects of astronomical significance, including planets and stellar objects, are presented via slides.

Discover Psychology and Neuroscience Days
Dates: May 2, 5 and 6
Time: 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Suitable for Grades 9-12

Register via Eventbrite 

May 2 activity: Brain Computer Interfaces (BCI)

Suitable for Grades 11 and 12

Students will get hands-on experience recording electrical activity from the brain using EEG (“brain waves” measured with electrodes placed on the head). We’ll highlight features of the brain activity we can see with EEG and demo some BCI applications. 

May 5 & 6 activity: Human-Human Interface

Suitable for grades 8-12

Students will challenge their perceptions, test their memory, learn about the brain, and even get a chance to take control of someone else’s mind.