outreach

Outreach

The Program

High-school science education in Manitoba largely neglects the geosciences. To broaden the scope of high-school science curricula, The Department of Geological Sciences is co-operating with Dr. Anne Walker, a teacher at Glenlawn Collegiate. The aim is to enhance curricula in the physical sciences (i.e., chemistry and physics)for students in grade 10 through 12. The students work within the department in an active research environment. At the same time, Glenlawn Collegiate has developed a program that links their students with industry, government and academia.

The objectives of the outreach program were:

Increasing high-school students’ appreciation of science and its applications in understanding the Earth

Facilitating education of motivated students under school-developed concepts of outcomes and advocacy

Development of pedagogical techniques to better facilitate delivery of geoscience awareness programs

Establishing links between high-school curricula in chemistry and physics and the geological sciences.

How it Works

When beginnning the program students were given the broad background of the project and assigned specific, but challenging, research objectives. The students then had the chance to participate in geologic and geophysical field work. Which, in this particular case, included gypsum sampling, characterization of the textural relationships between gypsum and host clays using a binocular microscope and geophysical (electromagnetic and seismic) surveys. They also had the chance to experience labratory work, including sample preparation for petrography and scanning electron microscope, and identification of clay minerals using powder X-ray diffraction methods. This “hands-on” experience provided the students with a chance to operate state-of-the-art field and lab equipment, and to learn the proper techniques for sampling, analyses, etc. Which are very valuble skills to have if the student(s) decide to continue on in any of the geosciences.