On-Site School Programs

Experience daring demonstrations and hands-on experiments with enthusiastic science educators

Add an On-Site School Program to your field trip. Our programs cover a variety of subjects—from flight and physiology to the science of feeling anxious—and align with the Ontario Science and Technology 2022 Curriculum. 

There are two types of On-Site School Programs:

  • Hands-On Workshops: Students work in teams on engaging STEM activities and challenges during a 45- or 90-minute workshop or lab. A 105-minute Space Mission Simulation in the Challenger Learning Centre and a 6-hour DNA Fingerprinting workshop are also available. 
  • Interactive Presentations: These 45-minute lecture hall-style presentations incorporate student input and participation.

Please select the relevant grade(s) below to see which programs are currently offered, as well as their details, schedules and curriculum connections. Some programs have later start dates than others. Please note the start date on each program page.

Select programs are also available in French—please click here for more details.

Select your grade level:

A student peers at a beetle specimen with a magnifying glass.
Science Investigators

Work with your team to gather information, sort data and communicate results to solve a mystery.

  • All
  • Kindergarten
A child moves a fragment of a photo of a flower into position in front of two mirrors to create a whole image of a flower.
Fun with Geometry

Explore 2D shapes and 3D figures using magnets, puzzles and mirrors.

  • All
  • Grade 1
  • Grade 2
  • Grade 3
A student holds a pufferfish specimen while an educator tells them about it.
Living Things and the Environment

Explore how living things adapt to their environments through real specimens, models and hands-on activities.

  • All
  • Grade 1
  • Grade 2
Three students experiment with structures.
Structures

Explore structures in nature and experiment with designs of your own.

  • All
  • Grade 1
  • Grade 3
An educator assists a student using a large lever to lift another student.
Simple Machines and Forces

Learn about the forces of motion as you experiment with simple machines.

  • All
  • Grade 2
  • Grade 3
A vibrating tuning fork splashes water in a transparent vessel being held by a student.
Light and Sound

Investigate the properties of light and sound energy spectra, including how humans perceive these phenomena.

  • All
  • Grade 4
Hands using a large nail as a chisel on a rock
Rocks and Minerals

Explore the properties of rocks and minerals, and investigate the differences between them.

  • All
  • Grade 4
An educator adjusts a pulley lifting a weight
Inquiry: Machines and Mechanisms

Explore how different mechanisms transmit motion and transform forces.

  • All
  • Grade 4
A student wearing protective gear holds and inspects organs.
Body Works

Take a closer look at some real human and animal specimens as you explore the interconnected world of body systems.

  • All
  • Grade 5
An educator wearing a safety mask initiates a spectacular combustion while students cover their ears.
Fun with Chemistry

Marvel at the power of chemistry by exploring both physical and chemical changes.

  • All
  • Grade 5
  • Grade 7
An educator presents a bed of nails.
Fun with Physics

Study stability, mechanical advantage and more as you examine the science of forces, structures and mechanisms.

  • All
  • Grade 5
  • Grade 7
  • Grade 8
A Science Centre educator demonstrates to a student while holding a lit blow torch.
Destination Space

Do you have what it takes to survive the wild extremes of space?

  • All
  • Grade 6
Several students work at their workstations in Mission Control in the Challenger Learning Centre
Expedition Mars

Join a crew of space explorers to look for water and evidence of Martian life.

  • All
  • Grade 6
  • Grade 7
  • Grade 8
  • Grade 9
  • Grade 10
  • Grade 11
  • Grade 12
Two students construct a glider in a workshop
Maker’s Challenge: Flight

Design a strong, stable flying structure that uses the properties of air to lift an unconventional payload.

  • All
  • Grade 6
An auditorium full of students raise their hands in response to two educators on-stage.
Mental Health Jr: The Science of Feeling Anxious

What’s going on in your brain when you feel anxious?

  • All
  • Grade 6
  • Grade 7
  • Grade 8
Two students at a table examine a hand print on thermographic paper.
Inquiry: Heat in Action

Explore conduction, convection, radiation and heat transfer.

  • All
  • Grade 7
An educator holds a Magdeburg Sphere while 4 students attempt to pull it apart.
Serious Science

Investigate particle theory, heat energy and states of matter through some seriously fun experiments!

  • All
  • Grade 7
  • Grade 8
An educator holds out a smoking beaker to a group of students for inspection.
Chemistry Concepts in Action

Study chemical reactions, elements and more while making connections to everyday life and the environment.

  • All
  • Grade 9
  • Grade 10
  • Grade 11
  • Grade 12
An educator presents a demonstration using 5 coloured blocks sitting on a table.
Mental Health Sr: The Science of Feeling Anxious

How does stress affect your body, and when can stress be a good thing?

  • All
  • Grade 9
  • Grade 10
  • Grade 11
  • Grade 12
An artist's rendering of the Milky Way
You in the Universe

Embark on a cosmic journey through the universe.

  • All
  • Grade 9
An educator positions a thermometer in a small tank of water
Climate Change

Examine the complex connections between human activity, greenhouse gases, heat transfer and climate change.

  • All
  • Grade 10
Two students make adjustments on a mechanical device.
Light and Optics

Investigate light and optics with fibre optics, lasers, infrared cameras and more.

  • All
  • Grade 10
An educator displays the cross section of a heart.
Human Anatomy and Physiology

Explore the anatomy and physiology of the human body.

  • All
  • Grade 10
  • Grade 11
Three petri dishes with two of them showing colonies of glowing bacteria
Way to Glow

Use state-of-the-art biotechnology tools and protocols to transform E. coli bacteria using a gene from a bioluminescent jellyfish.

  • All
  • Grade 11
  • Grade 12
A student wearing a lab coat and safety goggles uses a pipette while two other students in safety equipment observe the process.
DNA Fingerprinting

Use biotechnology techniques and equipment to extract and amplify your DNA using the polymerase chain reaction.

  • All
  • Grade 12