The University of Alberta grounds were bustling with Alumni Weekend festivities this weekend, but one Arts grad was busy inspiring young minds off campus.
With an Arts degree in English and a passion for science, Shar Levine ('74 BA) is an award-winning and bestselling author of more than 70 children's science books and science kits.
Known as "the Science Lady," the author and 2015 Alumni Honour Award recipient has spent the last two decades making science fun for kids all over the world.
On Friday, September 25, she stopped by Ben Calf Robe elementary school to wow a group of grade four and five kids with her hands-on, silly - and sometimes gross - science facts and experiments.
The kids settled into the school's library space, cross-legged and clearly enthralled as Levine talked about snake farts, static electricity and the power of a pit viper's spit.
Pointing to a photo of what appeared to be a microscopic creature with tentacle-like appendages, Levine asked the kids to narrow down what the subject of the photo could be.
The group consensus? Definitely a sea animal of some kind.
A good guess, explained Levine, but way off.
"It's an ant's anus," she declared, raising eyebrows and giggles from all over the room. "Did you know creatures as small as ants have to pee and poop too? Well, they do. Kind of cool and gross right?"
The kids agreed.
"It was definitely gross, but not like the grossest thing ever," said Ben Calf Robe student Drayden Pruden with a grin.
Whether doing science experiments, or writing about them, Levine's love for the subject shines through, along with her ability to think like a kid.
It's no secret kids in Canada love hockey, so Levine penned a Hockey Science book filled with experiments based on hockey training and playing. On Saturday, she demonstrated several for the group at Ben Calf Robe, and of course, the kids loved it.
"If you can inspire kids to see that everything around them is science, not just in a school setting, they'll take the curiosity and go out and explore the world with it," said Levine. "There's no greater feeling than having a kid come up to you [after a presentation] and saying, 'you rock.'"
Lesley Oleksiw, Grade 4/5 teacher at the north Edmonton school, was thrilled with Levine's presentation and the impact it had on her students.
"This kind of hands-on learning is so important, because it really stays with them," she said. "The kids are already talking about looking up other experiments to do. They thought it was really cool."
Ben Calf Robe Elementary School is one of the many schools in Edmonton currently participating in UAlberta's U School Program, run by the Office of the Senate. U School offers a week-long, on campus, curriculum-focused program for classes in Grades four to nine from socially vulnerable, Aboriginal and rural communities.
For more information, visit the U School website, and to read more about Shar Levine and her many books and science kits, visit thesciencelady.com.