BASF and Earth Rangers help children learn about science and agriculture with hands-on chemistry program
VAUGHAN, ON, and MISSISSAUGA, ON, OCTOBER 23, 2014
BASF Canada and Earth Rangers are expanding BASF Kids’ Lab, a series of hands-on chemistry workshops developed by BASF for students in grades four through six, to rural schools across Western Canada. The program has already reached more than 1,200 Canadian students and is now expanding into additional communities in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba with a new agriculture-focused workshop.
From October to December 2014, the program will engage more than 800 students at approximately 30 Western Canadian schools, at no cost to the schools or participants. The 45-minute session, entitled “We Dig Soil,” will include an earth as an apple demonstration to illustrate the amount of land available for agriculture, as well as a fun hands-on activity to illustrate how soil acts as a filter. Participants will also get to take home a BASF backpack including safety goggles, an apron and farming activity placemat.
“Earth Rangers educates children about the importance of maintaining healthy environments where they live. Rural communities have a strong connection to agriculture, so delivering BASF Kids’ Lab to students in these communities provides an excellent opportunity to educate children about the science behind agriculture and the important role it plays in our natural world,” said Peter Kendall, Executive Director, Earth Rangers.
Established at BASF’s global headquarters in Germany in 1997, Kids’ Lab invites children to explore the world of chemistry through safe and fun experiments that are designed to foster an interest in science-related hobbies and, eventually, explore its career possibilities. Over the years, the program has been successfully delivered in more than 16 countries worldwide.
“Since bringing the program to Canada, we’ve received very positive feedback from both students and educators,” said Ron Kehler , Business Director, BASF Canada. “We’re excited to expand it to children in rural communities this year with a special focus on agriculture.”
This fall, BASF Kids’ Lab “We Dig Soil” experiment is coming to schools in the following communities:
- Alberta: Lethbridge, Red Deer, Leduc
- Saskatchewan: Saskatoon, Regina, Swift Current, Moose Jaw
- Manitoba: Brandon, Portage La Prairie
For more information about Earth Rangers visit: www.earthrangers.org.
For more information about BASF Canada visit: www.agsolutions.ca.
Earth Rangers
Earth Rangers is a conservation organization dedicated to educating children and families about biodiversity and inspiring them to become directly involved in protecting animals and their habitats. To strengthen children’s inherent connection to wildlife, Earth Rangers communicates a positive science-based message about the importance of protecting animals by preserving the natural spaces they need to survive and adopting more sustainable behaviours. Through an award-winning children’s website,www.earthrangers.com, national School Outreach Program and a variety of family engagement initiatives, Earth Rangers reaches, inspires and enables millions of Canadians each year to take action to help ensure the lasting survival of species in Canada.
About BASF
BASF Canada, headquartered in Mississauga, Ontario, is a subsidiary of BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, Germany and an affiliate of BASF Corporation, Florham Park, New Jersey. BASF has nearly 17,000 employees in North America, and had sales of $19.3 billion in 2013. For more information about BASF’s North American operations, visit www.basf.us. To find out more about BASF’s activities in Canada, visit www.basf.caor follow us on twitter www.twitter.com/basfcanada.
At BASF, we create chemistry – and have been doing so for 150 years. Our portfolio ranges from chemicals, plastics, performance products and crop protection products to oil and gas. As the world’s leading chemical company, we combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. Through science and innovation, we enable our customers in nearly every industry to meet the current and future needs of society. Our products and solutions contribute to conserving resources, ensuring nutrition and improving quality of life. We have summed up this contribution in our corporate purpose: We create chemistry for a sustainable future. BASF had sales of about €74 billion in 2013 and over 112,000 employees as of the end of the year. Further information on BASF is available on the Internet at www.basf.com.