We are excited to announce the return of our FREE In-person Community Science Club. Students will delve deeper into the different aspects of STEM through interactive, hands-on learning.
In Winter 2026, Science Engagement will be hosting a four-day Saturday Science Club on campus for students in grades 4-6 (coed) and grades 5-8 (all-girls).
PROGRAM DETAILS
Grade Level
Online Clubs: Grades 5-8
In-person Clubs: Grades 3-8
Dates & Time
Online Clubs: TBD Fall 2026
In-person Clubs: February-March 2026
Location
Online Clubs: Online
In-person Clubs: In-Person
Pricing
Online Clubs: Free of charge
In-person Clubs: Free of charge
Winter 2026 Community Clubs
Join us as we explore Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) in-person onsite at York University Keele Campus!
Students will investigate different scientific properties and participate in many interactive hands-on activities. Activities are developed and delivered by undergraduate students at York University, and have been tailored to the interest of participants and specialized for the grade level of the participants.
Girls in grades 5 to 8 will participate in a multi-week 2-hour morning program over four weekends on Saturdays.
- Time: 10:00am-12:00pm
- Dates: Saturday, February 7, 14, 28, and March 7, 2026
- Location: Keele Campus, York University
Saturday, February 7, 2026: Civil Engineering
Come discover the importance of a strong foundation when building bridges in this hands-on interactive in person workshop! Learn about the process of Engineering Design and test your engineering skills by designing, building and stress-testing your very own model bridge.
Saturday, February 14, 2026: AI Detective
Step into the fascinating world of artificial intelligence and discover how machines recognize everyday objects. In this hands-on experience, you’ll train your own AI model and see how computers make decisions based on the data you provide. Whether you're curious about tech or eager to explore how AI shapes our world, this is your chance to dive in and start building!
Saturday, February 28, 2026: Genetics 101
In this fun and hands-on workshop, students will explore the building blocks of life and what makes every living thing unique. Through interactive activities, construct your own DNA model and learn how traits are passed down from generation to generation. Then unleash your creativity: mix and match genetic traits to design and build your very own imaginary creature!
Saturday, March 7, 2026: Space Science
In this interactive space-themed workshop, students will become junior rocket scientists as they design and launch their very own straw rockets! As they blast their creations into the air, they’ll explore the science behind propulsion, aerodynamics, and what makes rockets soar. Students will test different designs, tweak their rockets for better performance, and discover how real spacecraft overcome gravity to reach the stars. It’s a high-flying adventure packed with creativity, learning, and fun!
Join us as we explore Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) in-person onsite at York University Keele Campus!
Students will investigate different scientific properties and participate in many interactive hands-on activities. Activities are developed and delivered by undergraduate students at York University, and have been tailored to the interest of participants and specialized for the grade level of the participants.
Students in grades 4 to 6 will participate in a multi-week 2-hour morning program over four weekends on Saturdays.
- Time: 1:00pm-3:00pm
- Dates: Saturday, February 7, 14, 28, and March 7, 2026
- Location: Keele Campus, York University
Saturday, February 7, 2026: Robotics Revolution
Doodle Bot: Students will learn about circuits and be able to draw a circuit diagram and related symbols, through the creation of assembling a dancing bug using a photovoltaic cell while discussing the importance of renewable energy, types of solar technology, electrons and electricity.
Saturday, February 14, 2026: Coding for Creatives
Makey Makey Harp & Game Controller: Students will learn about simple circuits with an overview of Kirchhoff’s circuit laws. They will use this knowledge to create a harp that plays music when connected to a computer. Also, adding in the component of AI, they will teach a computer how to listen to their harp. AI will learn to recognize different ways of strumming and tell them which one they’re playing — just like how apps recognize your voice or music. Also, students will create a game controller that can be used to play Scratch and any game that uses the arrow keys, space bar and the mouse.
Saturday, February 28, 2026: Forensic Science CSI
Blood Typing & Who is the Prime Suspect?: Students will learn about the different blood types people have, and how forensic scientists use the information to determine which suspects were present at a crime scene. Through an understanding of finger print and bite mark analysis, students will determine who the most likely culprit is that committed the crime of stealing a cookie from the Teacher’s cookie jar?
Saturday, March 7, 2026: Chemistry in the Kitchen
Iron Content in Food: Students will learn the importance of iron in nutrition, and where iron is most found in different types of foods (fruits, vegetables and cereals); in addition to the many factors that affect the body’s ability to absorb iron. The workshop will end with a super fun Sherbet Punch activity where students learn why bubbles and foam are formed when punch is poured into sherbet; and an understanding of what an acid/base is and their corresponding pH range.
In collaboration with Driftwood Community Centre, Science Engagement will be leading a series of workshops with their high school programming to introduce students to concepts of Artificial Intelligence and Physics.
Dates:
- Wednesday, January 14, 2026
- Thursday, January 22, 2026
- Wednesday, January 28, 2026
- Thursday, February 5, 2026
- Wednesday, February 11, 2026
- Wednesday, February 18, 2026
Fall 2025 Community Clubs
- Dates: Select Monday and Wednesday evenings in November
- Time: 5:30pm-7:00pm
- Open to girls and gender-diverse youth in grades 5-8
All-girl online science workshops are a great way to keep girls excited about science by providing a safe, supportive space just for them! In these workshops, girls can freely explore science without worry and can connect with our inspiring female role models and new friends from different places, helping them feel part of a larger science community. These workshops build confidence, nurture curiosity, and show girls that they belong in science, encouraging them to keep learning and dreaming big in STEM!
- Monday, November 10, 2025: Civil Engineering
- Come discover what makes bridges strong in this interactive online workshop! Learn about the Engineering Design Process and test your skills by designing, building and stress-testing your very own model bridge.
- Wednesday, November 12, 2025: AI Detective
- Step into the fascinating world of artificial intelligence and discover how machines recognize everyday objects. In this hands-on experience, you’ll train your own AI model and see how computers make decisions based on the data you provide. Whether you're curious about tech or eager to explore how AI shapes our world, this is your chance to dive in and start building!
- Monday, November 17, 2025: Fight the Hacker 2.0
- Hackers are trying to break in! Will your defenses hold? Students will team up with Actua to take on fun challenges to test password strength and protect secret information on networks. It’s a hands-on, fast-paced adventure in the world of cybersecurity!
- Wednesday, November 19, 2025: Genetics 101
- In this fun and hands-on workshop, students will explore the building blocks of life and what makes every living thing unique. Through interactive activities, construct your own DNA model and learn how traits are passed down from generation to generation. Then unleash your creativity: mix and match genetic traits to design and build your very own imaginary creature!
- Monday, November 24, 2025: Health Sciences
- What makes viruses so unique and sometimes so powerful? Come dive into the fascinating world of these microscopic invaders. Build your own virus models, explore how these tiny invaders sneak into cells, and find out what makes some of them so powerful. It’s a fun and interactive way to learn about biology, immunity, and the invisible forces that shape our world!
- Wednesday, November 26, 2025: Space Science
- In this interactive space-themed workshop, students will become junior rocket scientists as they design and launch their very own straw rockets! As they blast their creations into the air, they’ll explore the science behind propulsion, aerodynamics, and what makes rockets soar. Students will test different designs, tweak their rockets for better performance, and discover how real spacecraft overcome gravity to reach the stars. It’s a high-flying adventure packed with creativity, learning, and fun!
Our Science Community Club is a place for curious minds to explore, experiment, and discover the wonders of science together. Through fun, hands-on projects, members learn how science connects to everyday life and sparks creativity. It’s a welcoming space to share ideas, ask questions, and build confidence in scientific thinking. Join us to experience the excitement of learning in a collaborative and engaging environment!
Time: 6:30pm-8:00pm
Location: York Woods Public Library, 1785 Finch Ave W, Toronto, ON M3N 1M6 (This is not a Toronto Public Library event)
Dates:
- Thursday, November 20, 2025
- Thursday, December 4, 2025
- Tuesday, December 9, 2025
- Tuesday, December 16, 2025
Fall 2024 Community Clubs
- Dates: Select Monday and Tuesday evenings in November
- Time: 5:00pm-6:30pm
- Open to girls and gender-diverse youth in grades 5-8
All-girl online science workshops are a great way to keep girls excited about science by providing a safe, supportive space just for them! In these workshops, girls can freely explore science without worry and can connect with our inspiring female role models and new friends from different places, helping them feel part of a larger science community. These workshops build confidence, nurture curiosity, and show girls that they belong in science, encouraging them to keep learning and dreaming big in STEM!
- Monday, November 4, 2024: Secret Codes
- In this workshop, students will work with Actua and learn about cryptography and how to protect your data. This workshop aims to aid students not just in developing their cybersecurity skills, but also push students to challenge their digital literacy knowledge.
- Tuesday, November 5, 2024: Fight the Hacker
- In this hands-on workshop, team up with Actua to dive into the exciting world of cryptography and data protection. Actively build cybersecurity skills by tackling challenges that boost your digital literacy and equip you to safeguard personal information in a connected world.
- Monday, November 11, 2024: Starry Night (Astronomy 101)
- Explore the night sky as we uncover how the moon’s phases impact life on Earth. We will dive into the mysteries of famous constellations, learning why they’ve captured human imagination for centuries, while observing and discussing the night sky in a fun, hands-on way.
- Tuesday, November 12, 2024: Body Systems
- In this fun and interactive workshop, kids will explore how their bodies work by learning about two important systems—the respiratory and skeletal systems! They'll discover how breathing happens and how our bones help us stand, move, and play, with exciting hands-on activities that show how these parts of our body work together.
- Monday, November 19, 2024: Food Science
- In this tasty and creative workshop, students will discover the science behind food! They’ll learn how polymers interact with what we eat by making plastic from milk, and explore the natural process of food fermentation by pickling their own food. Along the way, they’ll see how our bodies break down food for digestion with fun, hands-on experiments!
- Tuesday, November 20, 2024: Medical Science
- In this exciting workshop, dive into how the heart powers the body! Learn to measure your pulse rate, explore how different activities affect heart rate, and discover how to calculate your maximum heart rate and target heart rate zone. Track and graph your heart rate while engaging in fun physical activities, while gaining a deeper understanding of how the heart keeps us going strong!
Winter 2024 Community Clubs
Join us as we dive into the creative development of websites. Students will have the opportunity to research a scientific topic of their choice and then learn how to create a website in a visually appealing way that can be easily interpreted by the public.
Learning Objectives:
- Coding a Website using HTML
- Setting the tone using CSS
- Researching a topic of choice
Time: Wednesdays from 5pm-7pm
Dates: January 24th to February 21st, 2024
Exclusive program for girls and gender diverse youth
Explore the basics of coding and its applications by building their own coding games and user interactive codes that will enhance students experience. Gain confidence in coding their own future projects.
Learning Objectives:
- Introduction to Python
- Structures of loops and functions
- User interactive code
Time: Thursdays from 5pm-7pm
Dates: January 25th to February 22nd, 2024
Exclusive program for Black youth
Fall 2022 Community Clubs
Wednesdays in October from 4:30pm-6:00pm
Safe Walk service provided from Driftwood Community Centre to the York University campus and back
Wednesdays in November from 4:30pm-6:00pm
Safe Walk service provided from Driftwood Community Centre to the York University campus and back
Frequently Asked Questions
Visit our FAQ Page for more information, including location, refund policies and financial assistance.