Calling all future detectives! STEM Discovery Detectives is the perfect program for curious kids who love to crack codes, solve puzzles, and uncover the secrets of the world around them. In this hands-on, interactive club, children become “science detectives,” using observation, logic, and experimentation to investigate a series of fun, STEM-based mysteries. Each session is packed with exciting challenges where kids will use tools like magnifying glasses, test tubes, and measuring instruments to collect clues and solve problems. From analyzing fingerprints and designing secret codes to performing simple chemical reactions and exploring the properties of everyday materials, kids will discover how science, technology, engineering, and math come together to unlock real-life mysteries. By the end of the program, your child will have cracked the ultimate “detective science” case—and gained a whole new appreciation for the power of STEM!
This is a Science-based, multi-disciplinary program, making it all the more exciting and engaging for participants and Instructors alike. Some weeks in these programs may more science heavy, while others will be more crafty – but all are full of exploration and inquiry.
Instructors should get to know their students and use the lessons that are best suited to the energy and interests of the group.
Remember: In any Explore It! program, it is important that the Instructor come prepared, having reviewed any relevant information and instructions prior to the lesson and understanding the experiment fully. Sometimes – it may be helpful to arrive early and try/test the activity yourself. Also, where crafts are involved, it’s important to note that the process and product hold equal importance. Children should be actively learning about the skill or technique that is being taught as well as engaging in the peer-to-peer support that is inherent in a crafting community. Instructors should take the time to explain that any craft or skill demands patience and positivity while we learn.
If you have any concerns or questions about what quality means in this program, please discuss with your Senior Instructor or email Liz or Randy to confirm.
All multi-disciplinary programs should actively engage through the STEAM method.
STEAM is an approach incorporating Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics as access points for guiding student inquiry. In an effort to provide quality programming, we want to ensure that our lessons carefully and thoughtfully incorporate the core components of the STEAM philosophy:
- STEAM experiences involve two or more standards from Science, Technology, Engineering, Math and the Arts to be taught in and through each other,
- Inquiry, collaboration, and an emphasis on process-based learning are at the heart of the approach,
- Utilizing and leveraging the integrity of the arts themselves is essential.
Students and teachers engaged in STEAM understand that we are always learning, always growing and always experimenting.
See the Detectives Programs Program Lesson Ideas/Options Here.
Detectives Programs Packing List:
✏️ Writing & Drawing Supplies
- 200 pcs — White paper
- 1 pad — Tracing paper
- 50 pcs — Graph paper
- 50 pcs — Index cards
- Medium bag — Pencils
- Medium bag — Pencil crayons
- Medium bag — Water soluble felt tip pens (different brands & colours)
- Medium bag — Ballpoint pens
- Medium bag — Sharpies
- Medium bag — Markers
✂️ Tools & Stationery
- 6 rolls — Scotch tape
- Medium bag — Scissors
- 18 — Rulers
- 3 — Calculators
- 6 — Magnifying lens
- 6 — Tape measures
- Medium bag — Pipettes
🎨 Art & Science Materials
- 1 container — Red tempera paint (fake blood)
- 9 — Colour mixing trays
- 1 container — Corn starch
- 1 container — Baking soda
- 1 container — Baking powder
- Large bag — Coffee filters
🎲 Games & Activities
- 1 — CSI Senses board game
- 1 — Headbandz board game
- Selection of objects (balls, bandanas, small jar, animal toys, etc.)
- 1 shoebox with extra blindfolds (for lining box to make it not see-through)
- 3 — Blindfolds
🖨️ Printouts
- Observation Activity
- Eyewitness Basics
- Investigations : Fingerprints
- The Link Between Fingerprints and Personality
- Private Eye School Robbery At The Groaning Restaurant
- The Pizza Delivery Joke Mystery
- Stealing The Spotlight
- The Great Electric Train Robbery
- Write Your Own Mystery!
🍽️ Tableware & Coverings
- 12 — Table cloths
- 50 — Plastic cups
- Medium bag — Dixie cups
- 30 — Styrofoam cups
🧹 Cleaning & Miscellaneous
- 2 rolls — Paper towel
- 1 — Vinegar spray (for cleaning)