Shooting a child riding a giant hockey puck into a net, perhaps surprisingly, actually has great educational value!

By Tommy Osborne

Science of Sport

Giant hockey pucks and leaf blowers: this isn’t your typical science lesson

Dec 9, 2025 | 4:07 PM

PRINCE GEORGE – The Spruceland Community School of the Arts hosted a unique science presentation today, and to say it isn’t your typical lesson would be underselling. In an event that ended with a student riding a giant hockey puck being shot into a net, “The Science of Sport” hosted by Science World allowed students to learn scientific ideas and concepts through a unique and engaging presentation.

“This is not your traditional science class necessarily. We love bringing an element of play and exploration and curiosity into the show, so we do a very wide range of demonstrations. We try to bring up students to be our volunteers,” explained Gabrielle Parent, the Science World on the Road Team Facilitator.

Zipping around on a giant puck was one of many interactive moments during the presentation

Among the interactive moments was shooting a giant hockey puck into a net, while a student rode it. While this was the highlight of the show for many students, Parent explained it’s not just for fun, it’s able to teach concepts like friction and general physics laws surrounding exertion and force. This, on top of other events like demonstrating gravity with bouncing balls, and shooting balloons into basketball hoops with leaf blowers, all help create an unforgettable experience where students are learning about science in a fun way.

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“We explore many different concepts like gravity and drag, which is when air or liquid is acting against an object that’s moving through it. We explore like things like energy transfer, which is present in every single sport,” Parent explained.

Using a leaf blower to shoot a ball into a basketball net

The students certainly enjoyed the show, and with so many highlights to choose from the choices on what their favourite part was had great variety.

“I really liked all of it, but I liked the hockey puck and that they got to shoot the kid into the goal,” said Robin Johnson, one student in attendance.

“I liked the hockey thing when the person went on, and when they dropped the basketballs,” added fellow student Scarlett Hagblom.

For Scarlett Green another student, her favourite part was a demonstration on how lungs work.

“Because I was wondering how they blow up and how they get all the air out, so it’s kind of cool,” Green explained.

Demonstrating how lungs work using balloons.

Hearing how much the students loved it is always a huge highlight for the presenters themselves, with Parent explaining that the fun, engaging nature of the show doesn’t just make it a good time, it makes it a valuable educational opportunity.

“Many kids, and myself included, can learn from a book, yes, but seeing it and exploring it, or seeing your classmates explore it, you’re really going to stick with it,” Parent explained.

“Having that element of play and exploration helps kids truly sink into the knowledge more,” she continued.

These Science of Sport presentations will continue across School District 57 up until December 12, touring nine different schools in total.