YUKON
Stay-A-Day
PURPOSE: To provide students with an orientation at Colleges and postsecondary institutions.
MINISTRY
Department of Education, Government of Yukon
DESCRIPTION
Grade 7 classes are invited to Yukon College for a day of hands-on activities led by College instructors. Two topic areas are offered in the day-often with an outside component. Subjects can include courses such as: chemistry, GPS, water resources, biology, first aid, carpentry, health, physics, geology, and research.
Chemistry was the first session topic and has it been offered since at least the mid‐1990s. The Chemistry instructor at the College created a hands-on session for the Grade 7 curriculum that had a combination of hands-on activities and demonstrations covering a range of topics including metals, salts, ions, solutions and reactions.
The official Stay-A-Day at Yukon College program was sparked by a teacher in 2003 who wanted to make the most of bussing costs. He asked if there was anything else that could be done at the College when they came for Chemistry.
The topics to date have been Biology, Chemistry, First Aid, Research, Health, GPS, Water Resources and Carpentry.
Each session is led by College instructors and more recently, the Nursing and Research instructors have successfully engaged their own students to help run the sessions.
RESULTS
In the last 12 years we have had on average two full days of sessions each spring, With two classes per day, that adds up to well over 1,000 Grade 7 students reached.
We have had successful partnerships over the years with staff members from the Yukon Government Health & Social Drug and Alcohol, Yukon Government Forestry and the Yukon Archives have all helped to lead sessions.
Teachers and the presenters are asked to fill out feedback forms after each session. Invariably, teachers comment on the engagement of the students and the sustained interest. They want to keep coming back!
Classes are exposed to the College environment; they learn about potential future instructors and they are given the “space” to start thinking about postsecondary learning.
There is potential to expand to Physics, Mining, Geology, Culinary, Heritage, Electrical and Fisheries. Our only limitation is the availability and time for preparation of the College instructors.
FURTHER INFORMATION
http://www.yukoncollege.yk.ca/research/pages/science_adventuresReport(s)
