BIGScience ISSN 1920-9932 BIG Science (Print) ISSN 1920-9940 BIG Science (Online)

In This Issue

Girls Robotics Day Camp

Face of the Moon

Popsicle-Stick Bridge Contest!

Christmas Break Camp

Upcoming at the BIG Little Science Centre

Volunteer at the BLSC

Join an after school Club

Visit us

Speakers Series: Hunters of the Grasslands: Badgers vs. Rattlesnakes

Publisher

Big Little Science Centre

Society

Mail: Box 882 Stn Main

Kamloops BC V2C 5M8.

Location: 655 Holt Street

Kamloops BC V2B 5G2

Phone: 250 554 2572

Website: blscs.org

Newsletter Editor

Big Little Science Centre

E-mail: editor@blscs.org

BIGScience back issues

Big Little Science Centre

Newsletter

Issue #272 Jan 2016

Join the

BIG little Science Centre

Robotics Club

Are you interested in Robotics?

Join the BIG little Science Centre robotics club. We have two clubs, one

runs Wednesdays after school and the other runs Fridays after school.

Build a robot and them program it to react to its environment. You can

design you own robot or follow one or our designs. Check out the

Robotics Cub link or our website (blscs.org) for more information and

registration forms.

Gordon Gore

Photos

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Girls Robotics Day Camp

January 7, 2016

More on the next page

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On January 7th, we had a group of amazing girls who came in to construct and

program their own robots. The kids started the day by putting different parts

together to form a robot. Each had their own design and we could see lots of

creative ideas going around the room. They added sensors to the robots and

then programmed the robots to react to the sensor input. The sensors can

detect sound, touch, temperature, distance, movement, colour, light, and more.

For example, one of the girls used a loud sound as a stop command, so when

the robot heard a loud clap, it stopped. The camp ended with everyone

completing their robots, and it was definitely an enjoyable day.

All photos are courtesy of Gordon Gore.

A big thank you to the 100 Men Who Care of Kamloops for sponsoring this

wonderful event.

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We see the same side of the moon every full moon, but over time we see slightly more than 50% of its surface. This is because of a slight wobble called libration. Can you see evidence of the slight wobble?

Until space probes orbited the moon, no one knew what the back side of the moon looked like.

The moon rotates on its axis once in the same time that it revolves around Earth.

For this reason the same face is always toward us. Gordon Gore—Text & Photos

Do We Always See the Same Face of the Moon?

May 14, 2014

August 9,2014

December 25,2015

October 8, 2014

September 27, 2015

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APEGBC South Central Branch

&

Thompson Rivers University

Present

The 13th Annual Popsicle-Stick Bridge Contest!

Location: Plumbing Lab - TRU Trades & Technology Centre

Date: Saturday March 05, 2016

Time: 09:30 – 3:30 PM

The Contest:

The goal of the contest is to construct the strongest bridge possible with 100 Popsicle sticks and white glue. The bridge must span a 500 mm gap; otherwise, the design of the bridge is left up to the competitor.

Anyone is welcome to participate. You are encouraged to register early. Contestants may enter bridges individually or as a team.

Want to learn about the fundamentals of bridge design?? Download the Westpoint Bridge Designer. It’s free.

For more information, please visit:

http://www.tru.ca/science/news/annual/popsicle.html

This event is sponsored by Thompson Rivers University and APEGBC South Central Branch.

http://www.tru.ca/science/news/annual/popsicle.html

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Winter Wonderland Day Camp

Wednesday December 23, 2015

With a Winter Wonderland theme, this camp explored many fun activities inside and outside. Crystals were observed in many ways. The children used hand lenses and microscopes to see the beautiful patterns in everyday crystals such as sugar and salt and discovered other very unusual ones. We all loved watching silver crystals grow under the microscope, coming out of a silver nitrate solution onto pieces of copper. Snow and ice crystals were super cool and had to be observed outside while fresh snow fell. Along with many other activities, we hid animals (Stuffies!) in the snow, while we learned how animals survive winter.

And as always, the children loved to play and learn in the hands-on Exploration Room. The favourite exhibit was the Vacuum Tube. Everyone loaded the ping pong balls in many different combinations and played with the air flow to stop and start their movement.

The Torque Handle showed how tough everyone is, as they tried to support the weight as it was placed further away from the handle. It is a real challenge! Can you lift the weight when it is right at the end of the stick? It is the same weight, but it is so much harder to lift!

Exhibits that played with light, colour, electricity and magnetism were a big hit too! We encourage you to visit to enjoy these exhibits and more. Find out what these children already know: Science is FUN.

More photos on the next page.

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Winter Wonderland Day Camp.

More photos.

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Upcoming at the

BIG Little Science Centre

Saturday January 30 Stories & Activities about Nature all day long, Free entry

Science Literacy Day at the BIG Little Science Centre

10:30am The Wide Mouthed Frog, an interactive story

11:30am Raven Finds the Sun, a legend from the Haida, Northwest Coast and Construct our Solar System, using people, after the story

1:00pm *How the Bat Came to Be, a legend from the Anishinabe, Eastern Woodlands and play Bat and Moth Hunting Game after the story

2:00pm *How Grizzly Bear Climbed the Mountain, a legend from the Shoshone, Great Basin and Build a Star Cup to take home after the story

3:00pm Stella, Queen of the Snow, Marie-Louise Gay and Make snowflakes from paper and by drawing.

*Stories are based on those told in the book “Keepers of the Night, Native Stories and Nocturnal Activities for Children” Michael J. Caduto and Joseph Bruchac

Saturday, February 6: Marvelous Magnetism Show at 11am and 1:30pm

This amazing Magnetism Show is an interactive, fun show that explores magnetism and gives

you some magnetic magic tricks to try out at home!

Wednesday, February 10: Lecture at the Centre at 7:00pm, Details on back.

Hunters of the Grasslands: Badgers vs. Rattlesnakes

Dr. Karl Larsen, Professor, Department of Natural Resource Sciences, TRU

Saturday, February 13: Super Static Electricity Show at 11am and 1:30pm

The amazing Static Electricity Show is an interactive, fun show. Is it time for your science

centre hair-do?

Saturday, February 20: The Light and Colour Show at 11am and 1:30pm

The beautiful and enlightening, Light and Colour Show is an interactive, show. Help us split

light and put it back together again. Discover different ways of making light and how the

energy works.

Friday, February 26: FREE Family Literacy Night at Northills Mall

6:00pm to 7:30pm, organized by KELLI

Join us at the BIG Little Science Centre travel booth. For children of all ages; a free book per

family!

Saturday, February 27: Sound and Waves Show at 11am and 1:30pm

Sound is made with waves and vibrations. Good vibrations make music! Explore and discover

sound, waves and music during this interactive show. Expect to try out some unusual musical

instruments.

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Robotics Club Update:

Next robotics club sessions start the week of Jan 11th 2016. Registration forms are available

on our website blscs.org. You can join the club mid session if you like.

New! 3D Design and Printing Club:

Look for the New 3D Design and Printing Club starting February 2016. Look for

announcements and registration details soon.

Thanks to the 100 Men Who Care of Kamloops for their support of the Club.

Birthday Parties:

Remember to book your Birthday Party at the BIG little Science Centre early. Spaces fill up

quick. Details on our website blscs.org.

Volunteer at the BIG Little Science Centre Want something fun and exciting to do? Volunteer at the BIG Little Science Centre. We need volunteers for a variety if tasks.

Some examples:

Persons able to work behind the scenes on maintenance and repair of demos,

Persons able to work with marketing

Person with financial abilities

Persons with event planning skills

Persons who can present shows

Person with volunteer coordination skills

And more…

Join us for some fun!

BLSC Wish List

Would you like to help out the Big Little Science Centre?

Here is a wish list of donations we are looking for:

Any Legotm Mindstorms parts Plastic photo film canisters

A 12,000+ sqft building

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The BIG Little Science Centre is open to the public

Tuesday to Saturday 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

CLOSED SUNDAYS and HOLIDAYS

Phone: 250 554 2572 E-mail Gord@blscs.org or Susan@blscs.org

For more information check out our website “Calendar” link

(blscs.org), our Facebook page, or follow us on Twitter

BIG Little Science Centre

Spring 2016

Speaker Series Doors open at 6:30 PM, FREE entry Reception Included; for

children & adults

Coming Up

Hunters of the Grasslands: Badgers

vs. Rattlesnakes

Dr. Karl Larsen, Professor, Department of Natural Resource Sciences, TRU

Wednesday, February 10, 2016

Much of Dr. Larsen’s recent research has focused on the conservation challenges facing the North American badger and the Northern Pacific rattlesnake, two smaller predators inhabiting

the grasslands surrounding Kamloops.

These two animals, both amazing in their own right, create havoc for common prey species such as rodents. Dr. Larsen will talk about how the major physiological differences of these two

animals shape their hunting strategies.