THE BA (BRITISH ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE).
Welcome to our existing readers and those of you who have just recently joined the Young People's Programme e-newsletter from the BA (British Association for the Advancement of Science).
1. YOUNG PEOPLE’S ACTIVITIES AT THE BA FESTIVAL OF SCIENCE
2. NATIONAL SCIENCE WEEK FEEDBACK
3. CELEBRATING NATIONAL SCIENCE WEEK IN SCOTLAND
4. NATIONAL WHALE AND DOLPHIN WATCH WEEK COMPETITION
5. TOUGH BALLOONS ACTIVITY
6. TOP UK YOUNG SCIENTISTS TO COMPETE IN INTERNATIONAL SCIENCE COMPETITION
7. CREATING THE SCIENCE STARS OF TOMORROW
8. RECOMMENDED WEBSITE
9. FINAL WORD
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1) YOUNG PEOPLE’S ACTIVITIES AT THE BA FESTIVAL OF SCIENCE
The BA Festival of Science is Europe’s largest celebration of science, technology and engineering. This year the festival will take place in Norwich (2-9 September). In East Anglia, the YPP programme of activities offers schools a rare opportunity to meet and be inspired by scientists, engage in talks, participate in workshops and experience the excitement of science, technology and engineering.
All schools located in East Anglia will receive a programme. If your school would be interested in attending the festival, please e-mail festival@the-ba.net asking for a school programme.
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2) NATIONAL SCIENCE WEEK FEEDBACK
National Science Week 2006 has now finished and we would like to thank everyone who either organised or attended one of the many fantastic events that happened around the UK!
The initial feedback from the events has been excellent and the ‘Click for the Climate’ campaign, which aimed to encourage people to reduce their carbon emissions by making a small pledge to change their behaviour, was a huge success. We received almost 25,000 individual pledges, which meant that people across the UK saved almost 1,800 tonnes of carbon dioxide - the equivalent of 1,200 hot air balloons - in one week alone!
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3) CELEBRATING NATIONAL SCIENCE WEEK IN SCOTLAND
Trees and pledges formed the first activities in National Science Week (10-19 March) for a group of pupils from Royal Mile Primary School, Edinburgh. Twelve upper primary pupils took part in the official launch of National Science Week at an event held in Our Dynamic Earth, Edinburgh. The pupils were formed into teams of 3 and the challenge for each team was to build a tree with just 4 sheets of card, scissors, pencils and rulers. This "Create a Tree" challenge was developed by Liz Robertson (BA Regional Officer for Scotland North).
The Deputy First Minister (Nicol Stephen MSP) and Sarah Boyack MSP, reviewed the pupils creations and discussed the task with them. Each pupil made a personal pledge on what he/she would do during National Science Week to reduce carbon dioxide emissions as part of the BA 'Click for the Climate' initiative. Throughout National Science Week, a large number of schools and other organizations took part in the ‘Create a Tree’ challenge.
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4) NATIONAL WHALE AND DOLPHIN WATCH WEEK COMPETITION
A national competition is being launched to highlight this year’s National Whale and Dolphin Week (12 – 20 August 2006). Young people aged 3-18 years are invited to research one of the 28 UK species of whale and dolphin and submit a fact file on their chosen animal. The winning entries will form a new ‘young people’s ID species guide’ as well as the opportunity to win a special prize dolphin spotting off the British coast.
To find out more, please visit Sea Watch Foundation.
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5) ACTIVITY
Summer is on its way (we hope) and students can have some fun and explore science at the end of the summer term by trying out the activity below:
Tough Balloons (PDF 48KB)
This activity was taken from the National Science Week 'Vertically Challenged' pack.
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6) TOP UK YOUNG SCIENTISTS TO COMPETE IN INTERNATIONAL SCIENCE COMPETITION
On Saturday 6th May two young scientists will fly to Indianapolis, USA, to represent the UK at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF). Lydia Arnold from Audenshaw School, Glossop, Derbyshire and Katherine Donnelly from Loreto College, Northern Ireland, will be joining young people from across the globe at this annual science competition.
The girls won the chance to attend Intel ISEF by impressing judges at the BA CREST Science Fair, held in February at The Royal Society, London. Lydia will be displaying a laser photonics robotic hand control that she designed and constructed while Katherine will be showing her project about how stereotypes affect grading of the 11+ school exam in Northern Ireland. Students from over 40 countries will attend ISEF and compete for over £1.5 million in scholarships, tuition grants, scientific equipment, and scientific trips.
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7) CREATING THE SCIENCE STARS OF TOMORROW
The BA is pleased to announce a new award scheme generously supported by GlaxoSmithKline to promote and support primary science school clubs. CREST STAR Investigators will replace BA First Investigators and Young Investigators to provide primary schools with motivating science activities to run in after school clubs. CREST STAR Investigators is being piloted in Southwark and Hertfordshire schools this year and will be rolled out to primary schools across the UK in 2007.
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8) RECOMMENDED WEBSITE
Wonderville - Fun Science Activities for Kids is a website which features lots of activity ideas for end of term time and summer holidays. The ‘content map’ in the teacher resources section includes; science experiments, cool science facts, and a careers section.
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9) LAST WORD
Over the next few months, we will be featuring schools and science clubs on our website. We really want to celebrate the work of our members so if teachers/science club leaders could send in any news, examples of work, photos of students taking part in the award activities, we can include them on the website and future e-newsletters. Please email ypp@the-ba.net or call 020 7019 4943.
The next e-newsletter will be emailed in September
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