Science Shows and Workshops by Glenn Kachmar

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

I have known for some time that I need a website.  Until I have taken the time to purchase a domain name and design a website, I will use the wordpress site to share information about my science shows and workshops.

**** I made a prezi (it’s a work in progress).  Check it out when you have a moment:

https://prezi.com/secure/9f59c9c5012a4891388d737295f3049d5dd0e8d8/ ****

Are you bored?  Here is a crazy video I made with my science teaching friend, Michelle Twigg.  Don’t try this experiment at home.  Beaker and Dr. Bunsen Honeydew are trained experts.

***My email address changed.*** Sorry if you have been trying to reach me.  I switched from Shaw due to their decision to try to make their customers switch to UBB – usage based billing.  My new email address is below.

Click on the picture or the name of the show or workshop you are interested in hearing about.  Prices and other information is listed after each science show or workshop explanation and there is a price summary on the right hand side.

The Whiz Bang Show

The Dry Ice Show

The Bubble Show

The Water Show

The Whiz Bang Show

3 . . . 2 . . . 1 . . . BLASTOFF!

The Whiz Bang Show started off as a custom designed show, but eventually morphed into a show of my most spectacular experiments.  It is the principle of ‘onomatopoeia’ applied to a show.  In other words, “WHIZ” and “BANG” are sounds that are heard a lot during this show.  Things implode, explode, occasionally they explode first and then implode, disappear, spin around (including the audience), shoot up into the air, fly through the room (including raw eggs), support much more weight than seems likely and occasionally crash (harmlessly) into the audience.  Of course, the likliehood of doing some of these experiments depends on whether or not your building is hooked up to the Fire Department* (*I recently became well acquainted with the professional and good-natured members of the Saanich Fire Department and I plan to avoid future visits despite their forgiving nature.)

So if you want to WOW a big or even a small crowd, this is the show you want.

Cost and duration: I charge $200 for a 40 minute show. The Whiz Bang Show often ends up being longer if your schedule permits, but I guarantee 40 minutes unless we have decided otherwise.   Due to the amount of time spent in travel and preparation, shows of less duration are not less expensive.

Deposit Policy:  Having had many cancellations in the past, I have a policy requiring a non-refundable deposit of 50% of the cost of the show.  Once I have received the deposit, the date and time you have booked is set aside for you.  If you have just recently booked, I allow a reasonable amount of time to receive the deposit before I consider another booking during that time slot.

Contact information: I can be reached at 250 361 5461 or you can email me at glennfromx2 AT gmail.com  (*substitute @ for the word “AT” – I am trying to avoid spam).

Here are some more photos of the Whiz Bang Show.

UV light makes for some nice colours

Wowed by UV light

3 . . . 2 . . . 1 . . . BLASTOFF!

We can never seem to catch the actual rocket in the photo

A young victim caught in the (not so) deadly path of the dreaded AIR CANNON!

Bam!

If you are a bad audience, I shoot you!

Aiming at the camera!

She wanted to go for a spin!

I planned that, really!

If you have a soft spot in your heart for balloons, this show is not for you!

Satisfied home chemists after making their silly putty

The Dry Ice Show

The princesses are mesmerized by the cloud of fog.

Dry Ice is fantastic stuff.  It is frozen carbon dioxide and it is dry because it does not melt.  It goes directly from a solid to a gas.  Dry Ice is usually -78.5 degrees celsius.  That’s pretty cold.

In a typical Dry Ice Show I do hands-on experiments and these are some of them:
~ touching cutlery to the dry ice to feel the vibrations this will cause and to listen to the sound it makes
~ watching dry ice inflate a balloon
~ watching or holding the infamous ‘dry ice poppers’ that make lots of noise and even more excitement
~ putting dry ice pieces in coloured water and making predictions about the effects
~ watching the dry ice fountain
~ dropping lots of dry ice into a glass bowl of boiling water and observing the huge cloud of fog that results

Here are some more pictures of a Dry Ice Show:

This poor bird must have been very thirsty

In awe of the fog

Dry ice making bubbles

An experiment gone wrong, perhaps

The fog attacking these unsuspecting feet

Cost and duration: I charge $200* for a 40 minute show. The Dry Ice Show often ends up being longer if your schedule permits, but I guarantee 40 minutes unless we have decided otherwise.   Due to the amount of time spent in preparation, shows of less duration are not less expensive.  (*there may be an extra charge on Sundays or holidays due to the difficulty of buying dry ice on those days – it must be bought well in advance at a much higher cost due to sublimation over time)

Deposit Policy:  Having had many cancellations in the past, I have a policy requiring a non-refundable deposit of 50% of the cost of the show.  Once I have received the deposit, the date and time you have booked is set aside for you.  If you have just recently booked, I allow a reasonable amount of time to receive the deposit before I consider another booking during that time slot.

Contact information: I can be reached at 250 361 5461 or you can email me at  glennfromx2 AT gmail.com  (*substitute @ for the word “AT” – I am trying to avoid spam).

The Bubble Show

I use the force to make these bubbles!

The very first shows I did professionally (so to speak) were bubble shows.  For many years, I only did bubble shows unless someone specifically requested a ‘science show’.  Now I think of the Bubble Show as just one kind of science show.  All my shows and workshops incorporate science on many levels.

A bubble show typically consists of three parts:  The first part involves doing bubble tricks such as making a long snake bubble, putting bubbles inside bubbles, making a bubble trampoline complete with a bubble that bounces up and down on it, making a cube-shaped bubble and much more.

The second part is always the most exciting.  I put all the kids inside bubbles.  In the event of a show involving hundreds of kids, I usually try and work out a way to include all the kids or as many as possible.  I often run into adults who had been put inside a bubble by me when they were children.  They don’t remember much about the rest of the show, but going inside a bubble is something they don’t forget.

The third part (weather permitting) is to go outside (*yes the bubble show must be done inside) and let the kids make bubbles.  This is a highlight as well especially because up until this point the kids have been watching me make bubbles.

Cost and duration: I charge $200 for a 40 minute show. The Bubble Show often ends up being longer if your schedule permits, but I guarantee 40 minutes unless we have decided otherwise.   Due to the amount of time spent in preparation, shows of less duration are not less expensive.  Once again, the bubble show must be done inside.

Deposit Policy:  Having had many cancellations in the past, I have a policy requiring a non-refundable deposit of 50% of the cost of the show.  Once I have received the deposit, the date and time you have booked is set aside for you.  If you have just recently booked, I allow a reasonable amount of time to receive the deposit before I consider another booking during that time slot.

Contact information: I can be reached at 250 361 5461 or you can email me at glennfromx2 AT gmail.com (*substitute @ for the word “AT” – I am trying to avoid spam).

Here are some great bubble show pics:

Look in the middle and you will see a (rounded) cube-shaped bubble!

A bubble bouncing on the bubble trampoline

Surprise!

Two people can fit in a bubble!

Warning: you may be subject to floating away!

Alright, who says I can’t put myself in a bubble?

I use the force to make these bubbles!

The Water Show

This show is a little more ‘academic’ than my other science shows that are aimed more at entertaining with a science focus.  The water show is based on one developed with my friends, Michelle Twigg and Brenton Driscoll, both of whom, are pictured above. We created a science show focusing on water as our presentation for Iron Science Teacher 2008.  The Water Show as I present it now focuses on properties of water including the three states water is found in, the composition of water, the importance of water and some experiments that you can do with water.  Some examples of experiments areas follows

~ an experiment in which water is held precariously over a brave volunteer using mostly differences in pressure and surface tension

~ the molecule game – an activity in which children become the molecules and act out all three states of matter

~ an experiment in which water is put into a can, turned to steam and pressure implodes the can dramatically

~ we experience the excitement of electrolysis and turn water into hydrogen and oxygen – of course, I cause an explosion with the hydrogen

~*depending on the time of year and the setting, the water show can include looking at pond water under a microscope or even an experiment concerning water’s ability to reduce friction (AKA a water slide)

Cost and duration: I charge $200 for a 40 minute show. The Water Show often ends up being longer if your schedule permits, but I guarantee 40 minutes unless we have decided otherwise.   Due to the amount of time spent in preparation, shows of less duration are not less expensive.

Deposit Policy:  Having had many cancellations in the past, I have a policy requiring a non-refundable deposit of 50% of the cost of the show.  Once I have received the deposit, the date and time you have booked is set aside for you.  If you have just recently booked, I allow a reasonable amount of time to receive the deposit before I consider another booking during that time slot.

Contact information: I can be reached at 250 361 5461 or you can email me at glennfromx2 AT gmail.com (*substitute @ for the word “AT” – I am trying to avoid spam).

Here are a few pictures of the water show: (I don’t have more photos because I don’t do this show very often and I am usually too busy to take photos.)

Somebody is about to get soaking wet!

Sorry Science World, I butchered your frisbee, but it was for a good cause – electrolysis!

If you look closely, you can see the bubbles of hydrogen and oxygen starting to form.

Science Shows and Workshops Overseas

My travels have taken me to 47 countries and I have often found the materials and the time to perform my science shows in orphanages, churches, schools and even on the street from time to time.

These entranced children were living in an orphanage, Cuidad de los Niños y las Niñas de La Paz*, in La Paz, Mexico (*the name is not a grammatical error as some have tried to point out – they are making a point of including the girls).  I have actually performed bubble shows there on two separate occasions, in 1991 and twelve years later, in 2003.

If I haven’t bored you yet, you can read a blog I kept while teaching in Tuxtla Gutíerrez, Chiapas, Mexico.  I mostly wrote about my experience living and working in Tuxtla.  Occasionally, I wrote about other things too.  The blog is called Life in Chiapas. (I started you on a post about my favourite city in Chiapas – San Cristobal de Los Casas.)

Similarly, I have some photos posted on Flickr.com.  Here is a link to my Flickr page (“cauchemar” is the French word for nightmare and nearly an uncanny match for my actual last name).

Here are some more pictures.  I have yet to find one of a science show in Egypt, But I have been looking.

I can’t remember if they liked the show or were just trying to get a close look at my bad hair (Palmeira Bay, Sal, Cape Verdes).

A pre bubble show activity for the little ones who I think were too young to go to school (Palmeira Bay, Sal, Cape Verdes).

My grade three students making bubbles (Tuxtla Gutíerrez, Chiapas, Mexico).

Every age loves bubbles (Tuxtla Gutíerrez, Chiapas, Mexico).

Yes, that is (nearly) an entire grade three class being held up by these poor balloons.

Magic mud combines disgusting with fun!

I went to Manuel Aguilar Juarez School in Las Granjas, on the outskirts of Tuxtla Gutíerrez to do a science show. It ended up being 5 shows!

Hands-on experience with a polymer (Las Granjas, Tuxtla Gutíerrez, Chiapas, Mexico).

These are some of the wonderful children of Manuel Aguilar Juarez School in Las Granjas (Tuxtla Gutíerrez, Chiapas, Mexico).

This was probably the second bubble show in remote Pitcairn Island’s entire history (I did the first one too).

A spontaneous bubble show on the street (Golfit, Costa Rica).

The children of the orphanage in La Paz, Mexico.

Workshops for Home Learners

I am not doing workshops for home learners at the present time.

 

Tutoring

I am currently tutoring four different students:

A student in grade 4

Two students in grade 6

A student in grade 7

Tutoring Fees:

I charge $30 to tutor any subject.  To the many people who feel this is too expensive and who often remind me that there are people tutoring for $20 (there are a lot of unemployed teachers), I would like to (arrogantly) point out that you get what you pay for.  There is a reason they only charge $20.

I can tutor students in the following subjects:
Math, Reading, English, English as a second language, Writing, French as a second language, Science, Social Studies, but definitely NOT dancing. So don’t even ask!

References:

References are available upon request.  Email me if you would like further information or you would like to contact my references.

Science Ideas and Experiments to Try

Halloween Science Ideas

Huge Spider Web – Take one whole corner of the room and use masking tape to make a huge rectangle (or even a pentagon). The web can be made inside the rectangle following the pattern in the picture (just use straight lines to make the lines that meet in the centre). To be scientifically accurate, you can even make the tape face away from you on the lines that meet in the centre. The short lines that go between the lines that meet in the centre can be sticky side out. Place a huge toy spider in the centre of the web.

Note the lines that serve as a frame for the web

Spider and Fly Game – You can do a scaled down version of the above web and make sure to follow the direction about which way the tape faces. It can be placed in a doorway. Kids are given cotton balls which are the flies. The kids have to throw the ‘flies’ through the web. If you want to make it competitive, a person can win all his or her flies make it through the web. Credit goes to Swan Lake Nature Sanctuary for this idea.

Touch Real Webs – Building on the last two ideas, you can have kids touch actual webs and try to notice which strands are sticky and which are not. The spider usually walks on the non sticky strands. Remember to tell kids not to destroy the web as the spider may not have enough protein to make a new one, especially if you remove the web. Some spiders eat the web if it is wrecked so that they can make a new one.

Dry Ice Cloud – If you have someone dressed as a witch, you can make a cauldron of hot water with some plastic insects floating in it. Adding pieces of dry ice will make a huge cloud of fog. Chanting something witchy will add to the effect, of course. Be careful never to touch the dry ice.

Pumpkin effects – 1. Put a cup of warm water inside a pumpkin and occasionally put pieces of dry ice in the cup to have fog come out of the pumpkin. A light will add to the effect.
2. You can put blinking lights inside a pumpkin as well for a different look than usual.
3. Try illuminating the pumpkin with glow sticks for an eerie kind of light.
** Dollar stores have good prices on blinking LEDs and glow sticks.

Moving Ghosts – A small fan can be used to make a ghost move eerily. Obviously, the bigger the ghost, the bigger the fan needed.

Teach about spiders, bats, skeletons, etc. – I don’t think many people do this, but it is great time to simple teach kids some facts about the animals and things associated with Halloween. The more hands-on, the better.

Flapping Flying Bat – Bats that are attached to the ceiling with a string and flap around, flying in a circle are quite cheap and a lot of fun.

Floating Sphere

Some materials for this science activity

Materials:  glass jar (sans label), rubbing alcohol (99% is better, 70% works), vegetable oil, food colour, eye dropper, water, pencil, eyedropper (or a spoon)

Procedure:  Fill the glass jar half or three quarters full of rubbing alcohol (less if it is 99%).  Drop one drop of oil into the mixture.  The oil will sink to the bottom.  Keep slowly pouring water until the drop of oil is a sphere floating in the centre of the mixture.  Now add more oil and use a pencil to bring the drops together to form one giant oil sphere.

Some oil spheres hanging out!

Why is it a sphere?  Move it around.  Can you change the shape?  Why does adding/taking away water make it rise or fall?

Drop a drop or two of food colour onto the oil sphere.  Do they mix?

I used dark colours so you can't see the sphere (oops).

Now if you are thinking I am going to answer these questions for you, you’re wrong.  Science is about trying stuff and discovering things.  Have fun and let me know how it goes.