SEEDLING: A pilot program to bring student ideas to SNOLAB

A view down the main hallway at SNOLAB. Photo by Terrance Hayes.

The SNOLAB education team is excited to be piloting a new program at that will bring the questions of Canadian students in grades 4-8 into our deep underground lab space. The pilot will be developed for launch in September, 2025.

SEEDLING (Science & Engineering Experiments at Depth: LearnING) at SNOLAB will provide the inspiration and support for students to ask their own questions and use scientific inquiry to reach an answer. The program will encourage students, working as a class or on their own, to consider the unique conditions of SNOLAB and design experiments that could be tested at the underground facility. Selected projects will be matched with SNOLAB mentors to provide feedback on and then perform the experiments via live broadcast from the underground laboratory. Where applicable students will perform a control in their classroom or learning space. 

We know that students get the most authentic and impactful learning experience when they can take control of their learning. Since this program is not limited to a particular stream of science, students will have many possibilities for the types of questions they can ask. This freedom will allow for basic and advanced experiments that are inspired by the lived experience and curiosity of students. 

SEEDLING is designed to develop participants’ knowledge of the scientific process in a way that acknowledges their experience and world view. This program will introduce students to the unique environment of SNOLAB and support them to turn their curiosities into a scientific question and experimental procedure.  

Support materials will include animations, presentations, educator guides and worksheets that can be used for brainstorming and project planning, all housed on the SEEDLING program website. Over time as the program develops, past student projects will be collected to both share their work and act as inspiration for future ideas. The program team will provide call presentations and connect with educators through professional development opportunities.

Are you interested in learning more about the SEEDLING program at SNOLAB?  Does this sound like something you would like to pilot in your class? Email outreach@snolab.ca to bring this to your class or to stay up to date on the program!

We are grateful for the support from NSERC PromoScience to develop this program.