Communication and the Community
April 12, 2011 at 10:56 am | Posted in National Science and Engineering Week, Northamptonshire | Leave a commentThe first NSEW at Studfall Junior School took place in March, with a whole raft of activities planned in for the whole school as well as individual year groups. The concept was to create awe and wonder and provide lots of SC 1 opportunities for the 400 plus cohort.
Each year group was provided with a copy of the NSEW resource packs most relevant to the topics covered in their year. These resources were used to varying degrees for example Year 5 chose to use the full Saving the Bees resources and constructed their week around it. On the other hand year 6 opted to use their resource pack to add to their own activities and based their planning around the topic of transport.
As the theme of this year’s NSEW was communication, it provided a great opportunity to develop our community cohension. Parents were invited to join in an extended school day on the Wednesday, participating in a wide variety of activities with their children. The parent evaluations were wonderfully supportive and of the 126 evaluations received from the attendees, 100% of the parents said they would like to participate in another Science session. Comments such as:
I thought this was a great idea and a very enjoyable experience with the children.
I think it’s a fantastic opportunity for parents and children to have fun with Science.
It is great to see children so interested and to observe that with your own child. As well as seeing the teachers in less formal circumstances.
In addition to the extended day, two other opportunities to participate were offered to the Year 3 and Year 5 parents. They were invited to come in and join the workshops at the end of the day with their children. Year 3 worked with a company called Classroom Medics, who looked at keeping healthy and how science can help us to do that , blood pressure, heart metres etc . Year 5 took part in a Forensic Workshop taking fingerprints, checking for evidence etc.
Parental feedback from both sessions showed that 100% of the attendees would like to participate in the session.
Each visitor that came to school provided an assembly at the start of the day so that all the children could be exposed to their different areas of expertise and this created a real buzz throughout the week as they weren’t sure what was going to happen next. (see whole school timetable)
Additionally, the Studfall Infants School children were invited to Year 6 on the Wednesday to join in some experiments with the pupils, this included paddle boats, spaghetti towers and bridge- making once again developing our communication and links with the wider community and providing an opportunity for the teachers to exchange ideas.
At the end of the week an extended assembly allowed the children to share their science experiments and discoveries with the whole school. Finally, each class created a floor book of their activities, experiments, examples of maths and literacy, copies of planning and photographs. This evidence is now going to be submitted as part of the schools bid to gain its Primary Science Quality Mark.
Many, many, thanks to Julie Messenger for her advice and support and to Phil Brown, East Midlands NSEW for awarding the school a grant to fund some of the activities. And to all the staff, pupils, parents and governors for their hard work and support, which contributed to a truly Scientriffic week.
Angie Alloway
Science Leader
Studfall Junior School
How Does Your Garden Grow?
June 19, 2010 at 8:07 am | Posted in British Science Association East Midlands Grants, Chemistry, Nottinghamshire, Soil Testing | Leave a commentHow Does Your Garden Grow? A Cross Community Approach to Widening Participation
This is a report of an event run at Nottingham Trent University during National Science and Engineering Week 2010 with support from the East Midlands Greens Fund.
This national science and engineering week event was run by a group of PhD and undergraduate students with the aim being to develop an engaging and informative activity that could be used to introduce individuals to analytical science with particular emphasis being placed upon decentralized testing.
Soil testing, where participants would assess the relative health of their own garden soil, was chosen to introduce the topic because it is a non threatening subject area to which all participants could easily be involved. This topic also had the added advantage of being able to highlight a real world application of analytical science from which the benefits are readily understood and highlights the benefits that science can bring.
The main objectives of the project were:-
- To develop an activity that would allow individuals to gain hands on experience of soil testing whilst highlighting the importance of analytical science and decentralized testing.
- To create supplementary material that explains how the tests work, why they are carried out and why the results produced can be useful.
- To produce feedback material which could be used to gauge the level of engagement and understanding participants had with the activity.
- To develop a project that would form the basis of follow up events – either later in the year or in following years.
The project was evaluated throughout by feedback from the participants and the teachers involved. The activity was targeted initially at school pupils but with an aim to use them as a conduit through which to reach their parents and grandparents – through the provision of supplementary /follow up material and quizzes.
The activity was split into three parts. The first part was to provide an introduction to the subject area. This included delivering information on why soil testing is carried out and the activity should be performed. The second part of the activity was the actual task. It was decided that individuals would test the pH of and analyse the levels of key nutrients within their soil sample. The final part of the activity was to evaluate the findings and to draw conclusions on the task.
A quiz was developed and used to see if the concept discussed throughout the activity had been understood and feedback questionnaires were completed. The feedback received was overwhelmingly positive with some participants commenting on the effectiveness of the activity to provide a fun and interactive way to learn about the topic area. By evaluating the results from the quiz, the feedback forms and because we achieved our primary aims we believe that our event was very successful and the intention is to run the programme next year as an adjunct to the BSc/MSc/PhD communication skills course.
As the event was developed and run by postgraduate and final year students it provided an invaluable experience through which students were able to develop there project management, communication and presentation skills.
Laura Newton
Nottingham Trent University
Construction Day at Buxton Museum and Art Gallery
March 25, 2010 at 7:50 pm | Posted in Derbyshire, Museum, National Science and Engineering Week | Leave a commentConstruction Day
Buxton Museum and Art Gallery
13th March 2010
When an enormous interactive model, demonstrating the principal behind the construction of the Forth Bridge was delivered, we knew we were under starter’s orders to begin our NSEW event!
Construction Day was designed to get people in Derbyshire thinking about Bridges (and have some fun along the way) in advance of he Bridging the Gap Exhibition opening at Buxton Museum and Art Gallery in April. As part of the exhibition the museum had already been working with STEMPOINT on a schools competition to design and build a large interactive bridge to form the centrepiece of the show. Through our ongoing contact with schools we were able to distribute a large number of posters and fliers (see attached) and were therefore looking forward to a busy day.
Lawrie Peck, our contact from STEMPOINT, arrived on Saturday morning with a car loaded with equipment, including a vast array of construction materials. Assisted by his son George we unloaded and spread out a dozen boxes of assorted k’nex components, a large, inviting pile of Lego and other, more basic, construction bits and pieces based around rolled paper, nuts and bolts, dowelling and elastic bands. Lawrie also bought two large hands-on interactives that demonstrated how to make an arched stone bridge and a suspension bridge.
When everything was laid out all we had to do was wait. At 11.00 we were quickly swamped and in the first hour we had almost 150 visitors, mainly made up of family groups with primary school aged children. The visitors were mainly from the local area, but we also welcomed families from across the county and as far a field as Belper, Ashbourne, Chesterfield and Duffield. Lawrie demonstrated a way of making your own construction kit simply by rolling A4 paper, punching a hole at each end of the roll and bolting the pieces together. Throughout the day, this low-tech approach to construction proved just as popular as the familiar plastic kits and many parents said they would try this method at home.
Although we attempted to get people to follow the basic theme of bridges, with a dinosaur exhibition still on in the main exhibition gallery we inevitably got a variety of strange creatures and subjects like Harry Potter and Transformers were obviously in some of the children’s minds. At lunch time, Lawrie and I were joined by Ed, an engineer from the County Council Environmental Services Department, who has been working on the schools project. Ed was able to demonstrate some of his bridge building skills and also help with a competition. As participants were not allowed to take their constructions home, people were encouraged to be photographed with what they had made. Ed has agreed to judge the constructions and two age group prizes of K’Nex kits will be awarded to the best entries. There will also be a number of consolation prizes.
By three o’clock, when Construction Day finished, we had welcomed 408 visitors. Everyone seemed to have enjoyed themselves, and if there was a criticism, it was that there was simply not enough space and equipment. The NSEW event seems to have been a great success and shows what can be achieved with a small amount of money, a simple idea and plenty of imagination!
This event was supported by an East Midlands National Science and Engineering Week Grant
National Science & Engineering Week East Midlands Briefing 2010
October 6, 2009 at 9:53 am | Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a commentThe briefing was held at Snibston Discovery Park on 5 October. The slide-show is available here.
Many of the documents which were distributed are available to download here, including a guide to funding.
The East Midlands Grants Scheme is now available for people who live or work in the East Midlands to claim up to £500 to run an event during NSEW 2010. You can find details and apply on-line at www.nsewem.org.uk
Further information is available from:
Phil Brown
East Midlands Regional Officer
British Science Association
T: 024 7671 7275
M: 07808 294 844
E: philip.brown@britishscienceassociation.org
East Midlands NSEW Grants 2010
October 1, 2009 at 11:20 am | Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a commentFor details of grants available to anyone running a National Science and Engineering Week event in the East Midlands between 12 – 21 March 2010, and for the on-line registration form, please click here.
Recycle Reuse Reduce
May 31, 2009 at 8:31 am | Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a commentThis event was organised by Drs Audrey Matthews and Angela OSullivan for pupils from Orchard C of E Primary School and Samworth Academy, all from Leicester, UK to present the work they had been doing with De Montfort University on recycling, reducing and reusing. It was held at the Salvation Army in Leicester.
Also present were students from the European MSc in Environmental Technology & Management Environmental Studies course within the Health & Life Sciences Faculty at DMU, researchers from the Institute of Energy and Sustainable Development, recycling representatives from Leicester and Leicestershire and speakers from the Womens Institute.
The event was supported by the British Science Association.
Music OL MAN by Lee Douglas.
Lumbertubs Primary School Science Week 2009
April 22, 2009 at 11:09 am | Posted in British Science Association East Midlands Grants, National Science and Engineering Week | 1 CommentScience Week Activities
Lumbertubs Primary School had a whole school focus looking at ‘forces’ through the theme of PIRATES during National Science and Engineering Week 2009. The children enjoyed dressing up and joined in with many different ‘pirate’ themed activities.
Foundation Stage
In Foundation Stage the children played ‘Walk the Plank’! to find out which objects would float or sink.
We also used searched for ‘pirate treasure’ using giant magnets.
Key Stage One
Key Stage One found out about pushes and pulls speeding things up, slowing things down and changing direction. They were Pirates in PE – twisting, turning, climbing, jumping pushing and pulling!
Key Stage Two
Key Stage Two investigated magnets with these questions
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‘Which is the strongest magnet?’
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‘What is the maximum distance that a magnet can be attracted?’
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‘How many paper clips can a magnet hold in a chain?’
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‘Are all metals attracted to magnets?’
They also made a Magnetic Obstacle Course!
We had a Parent’s Welcome Afternoon when parents and family could come and join in with Science Activities in each year group.
Thinktank Visit
Our Science Week ended with a visit from Birmingham ‘thinktank’ Museum of Science and Discovery (thanks to NSEW for funding this visit).
They performed PIRATES, PUSHES AND PULLS for Foundation Stage and Key Stage One – a story based adventure to help ‘Pirate Pete’ claim the treasure using knowledge of forces.
For Key Stage Two there was FABULOUS FORCES – to examine how forces can make things move and find out more about magnets, friction, air resistance, gravity and much more!
Certificate
Each child received a ‘Super Scientist’ Certificate at the end of the week, just like the one below.
Reaching out to Science – Science in the Community
April 6, 2009 at 8:27 pm | Posted in British Science Association East Midlands Grants, CETL, Leicester University, Leicestershire | Leave a commentNational Science and Engineering Week Event
Event held on the 14th March 2009
‘Reaching out to Science’ was a fun interactive event to encourage parents to take an active role in supporting their children to pursue science subjects. The event was organised and run by GENIE, Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) in Genetics, and was supported by a National Science and Engineering Week East Midlands Grant.
This Saturday event ran from 11am to 3pm and was held in a local community centre in Leicester, with a total of 134 people attending. The audience consisted of people and children from all ages and from different ethnic groups. As this event was held in the Highfields area in Leicester where the community is predominately made up of Muslims, the majority of people who attended were from this religious group. To encourage people to attend this NSEW2009 event, it had been advertised in various formats, e.g. internet, posted on the GENIE CETL and University of Leicester websites; local media, mentioned on BBC Radio Leicester and in the local newspaper (Leicester Mercury); posters and flyers, with posters displayed at the University and in numerous community, health and voluntary organisations in and around the area and over 400 flyers dropped off door-to-door at local residents’ homes.
The day consisted of workshops and hands-on activities on:
- Finding out how healthy your lifestyle is
- Finding out how unique you are
- Looking at the confusing world of food labelling
- Seeing how well you wash your hands
- Learning about DNA by building a DNA model
- Learning about DNA by making a DNA bracelet from your favourite animal
- Finding out about DNA fingerprinting by solving a ‘crime’
- Playing an interactive DNA quiz
- Learning about basic genetics and inheritance
- Stop smoking information (External organisation present)
During the event, there was a lively atmosphere in the community centre. There were also some light refreshments served and many people stayed for many hours to look at all the different displays and activities. Some even stayed for the full 4 hours.
There were many parents and children that commented how much they enjoyed the activities. Some of these comments were mentioned on the completed evaluation forms:
“It’s fun and I look forward to coming next year”
“… It was really interesting and fun. I liked solving the murder, even about washing your hands, I didn’t know how much germs I had!”
“It is really interesting and when I grow up I want to be a scientist”
In total 65 people filled in the evaluation form. In order to encourage attendees to fill out the evaluation forms, people who did so were entered into a prize draw to win book vouchers or a family-ticket to the National Space Centre in Leicester.
This NSEW2009 event brought the university into the community; it brought science to the people!
For more details contact
Dr. Cas Kramer
University of Leicester
GENIE CETL
Department of Genetics
Leicester LE1 7RH
phone: 0116 2523477 or 3319
fax: 0116 2523378
ck53@leicester.ac.uk
www.le.ac.uk/genetics/genie
Derby Science Festival 2009
March 31, 2009 at 4:18 pm | Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a commentDerby University held a very successful Science Festival on 14 March 2009 to celebrate National Science and Engineering Week and the Darwin 200 year.
Nottingham’s Darwin 200 Celebration
March 31, 2009 at 3:55 pm | Posted in British Science Association East Midlands Grants, Darwin 200, Nottingham University, Nottinghamshire | Leave a commentOn Saturday, 14 March 2009, the University of Nottingham, School of Biology hosted a Darwin 200 Celebration at the University of Nottingham Portland Building. 275 people came out for the event which ran from 11 am to 4 pm and included a range of evolution-themed activities and information stations.
Photo1: ‘Darwin’ explains his theory of evolution
The highlights of the day were two 30 minute talks by “Charles Darwin” (Prof. John Brookfield) in which he outlined his theory of evolution and how his experiences led him to develop it. Darwin discussed his voyage on the HMS Beagle and described the Tree of Life during his lectures (photos 1 & 2).
photo2: ‘Darwin’ explains his theory of evolution
Following his talk, members of the audience asked Darwin questions such as where he might travel if he were to take a big expedition today. The first lecture, as well as an interview with Prof. Brookfield, is available for podcast from the University of Nottingham website (http://communications.nottingham.ac.uk/podcasts.html).
photo3: Museum specimens provided insight into the diversity of life and the clues which helped Darwin to develop his theory
Before and after Darwin’s talks, there was plenty to keep people busy. A large exhibit of zoological museum specimens was on display, including butterflies, birds, fish and even a duckbilled platypus (photos 3 & 4).
photo4
Microscopes and computers allowed visitors to see into the world of single-celled organisms (photo 5). Visitors also had the chance to examine snails under a microscope and learn about their reproduction.
photo 5: Microscopy stations offered an up-close look at single-celled life (protozoans) and snails
The Frozen Ark hosted a station to raise awareness of its aim to preserve genetic material and tissue samples from endangered species (photo 6).
photo6: The Frozen Ark aims collect, preserve and store DNA and viable cells from threatened and endangered animal species.
The Open Air Laboratories (OPAL) station told visitors how they could explore nature while helping to generate valuable scientific data about our environment, and then invited them onto the lawn and take part in a soil and earthworm survey (photos 7 & 8).
photo 7: The OPAL project provided information about how people can get involved with nature and offered the opportunity to take part in a soil and earthworm survey.
photo 8
A variety of activities for children and families were on offer. Family activities included making chromosome models to illustrate mitosis and meiosis, trying to guess whether the next organism in a sequence has more or fewer genes than the one before it, building a genetic code with beads or sweets, matching species to habitats, looking at adaptive radiation in sticklebacks, a computer game examining the evolution of mimicry, and the chance to get an up-close look at a tarantula (photos 9 & 10).
Photos 9 and 10: Visitors tried to guess whether the next organism in a sequence has more or fewer genes than the one before it and built genetic codes with beads or sweets.
photo10
Activities for young children invited them to explore the connections between lifestyles and body shape; and also to consider the ways in which humans have overcome the limitations of our bodies (photos 11 & 12).
Photos 11 and 12: Children were invited to explore the connections between lifestyles and body shape; and to consider how humans have overcome the limitations of our bodies.
photo12
Academics were present to answer questions and discuss their research, and all the research groups from the School of Biology displayed posters explaining their work. A Graffiti Wall gave visitors a chance to let us know what they thought and respond to questions such as “Can there be an alternative theory to evolution?” and “Are we still evolving?” (photo 13).
Photo 13: The graffiti wall encouraged people pose and respond to questions about evolution
Feedback forms were received from 21 children (under 14) and 33 young people and adults (over 14). The children gave the event an average of 8.6 marks out of 10 and listed the most interesting things they learned about as being chromosomes and genes, DNA, giant sloths, adaptation, stickleback evolution, how to look for worms, what the Frozen Ark is, and that spiders are hairy. All adult respondents rated the event as fairly or very satisfying overall (Fig 1).
Figure 1: Adult feedback forms asked them to rate how satisfying, participative, informative, interesting and enjoyable the event was. Responses were overwhelmingly positive with no negative ratings in any of the categories.
Recommendations for future events included better acoustics/microphone for talks and better advertising. Visitors said the event was “great”, “good fun”, “really enjoyable”, “very well organised”, “exciting”, and “perfect”. The event was supported by a National Science and Engineering Week East Midlands Grant with additional funding from the British Science Association Nottinghamshire Branch.
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