Welcome to the very first Young People's Programme e-newsletter from the BA (British Association for the advancement of Science) which will be delivered to your inbox every term!
Here's what's coming up...
- AWARDS PRIZE WINNER ANNOUNCED
- SCIENCE COMMUNICATORS AWARD - NEW WEB RESOURCES
- BA/ROYAL INSTITUTION SMALL TALK EVENT
- ASSOCIATION FOR SCIENCE EDUCATION (ASE) ANNUAL MEETING 2005
- NATIONAL SCIENCE WEEK
- ACTIVITY - CHRISTMAS WITH A "BANG"
- RECOMMENDED WEBSITE
- LAST WORD
*************************************
1) PRIZE WINNER ANNOUNCED
At BA HQ we were delighted with the response to our letter requesting registration details for this electronic newsletter.
We are pleased to announce the winners of our free prize-draw (drum roll please)...
New Hall Preparatory School, Chelmsford
New Hall Preparatory School is a supporter of the BA Young Investigators Scheme and will receive £75 of awards - that is 30 free certificates and badges.
*************************************
2) BA SCIENCE COMMUNICATORS AWARD - NEW WEB RESOURCES
The BA Science Communicators scheme (for 11-19 year olds) helps students to develop the skills and confidence to communicate on scientific issues. Here are a couple of ideas to get you started...
Are you receiving a robot dog for Christmas? You may like to discuss with students the risks, benefits and moral implications of such thinking machines with our new thinking machines activity!
Or
You may like to perform a rap based on a scientific word with our Poetry Activity devised by the Wellcome Trust.
*************************************
3) BA/ROYAL INSTITUTION SMALL TALK EVENT
Make Small Talk and get credits towards a BA Science Communicators award.
You may have heard the mysterious word ‘nanotechnology’. But what exactly does it mean? Is it something to do with tiny robots waiting to turn the world into a pool of grey goo? Or is it to do with new ways to give people medicines that doesn’t involve injections? Why should we care?
A half day session of talks and discussion exercises for students aged 16+ will help to clear the mists of confusion about what nanotechnologies will mean for medicine, engineering and technology. Students attending the Royal Institution in London will get the chance to be involved with scientists actually working in the field of nanoscience, to ask them about the ethical implications of their work and quiz them about the risks and the potential benefits of these new technologies. Not only will this day be a chance to learn at first hand about the latest hot topics, but also it will develop communication skills and extend students’ knowledge.
Students can count participation in Small talk towards the live presentation of a BA Science Communicators award. Science Communicators awards help students to develop a broader understanding of the role of science and technology in today's society and the ability to communicate relevant issues in an informed and confident way.
To complete their award, students must have used three different ways of communicating science.
These are:
- live presentation, e.g. performing a drama, taking part in a debate, making a radio programme on a scientific issue;
- practical science communication skills, e.g. organising a science exhibition, building a model or helping with a primary schools science club;
- text-based communication, e.g writing a poem, producing a poster or writing a newspaper article with a scientific theme.
The awards complement the AS Level in Public Understanding of Science, as well as Science AS and A2 levels.
*************************************
4) ASSOCIATION FOR SCIENCE EDUCATION (ASE) ANNUAL MEETING 2005
The Asociation for Science Education is holding its annual meeting from Thursday 6th - Saturday 8th January 2005 at the University of Leeds.
The BA's Young People's Programme will be attending the meeting and we will have an exhibition stand (No. D36).
Also we will be running the following workshops:
1) Communicating science – Resources for delivering citizenship in the secondary science curriculum.
Time and location: Friday 7th Jan 2005, 2-3 pm, Roger Stevens Building, Lecture Theatre LT13.
This is a practical session and a chance to try out some creative techniques taken from the BA Science Communicators award scheme to engage secondary students in communicating science. A variety of activities will be covered from running debates and discussions on social and ethical issues, to role-play and critical analysis of science in the news. This session will also show you opportunities for accrediting students' learning and communication skills while they are participating and having fun.
2) Science Investigations: Rise to the challenge with the BA CREST Awards.
Time and location: Saturday 8th Jan 2005, 2-3pm, BioChem Lab C.
Want to get students excited about real science and technology investigations, but unsure where to start? Help has arrived! Come along to this interactive session where you can get tips on managing student-led investigations and find out more about the new online BA CREST resource, with over 250 inspiring ideas for project work in science and technology.
For those attending the ASE annual meeting 2005 please come and say hello to us at our stand and/or take part in our workshops.
*************************************
5) NATIONAL SCIENCE WEEK
National Science Week (11-20 March 2005) is a UK-wide celebration of science, which sees families, adults and school children taking part in, and organising, huge numbers of science events. Last year, over 300,000 people took part in 1,500 events across the country.
Co-ordinated by the BA, National Science Week aims to inspire and engage people of all ages directly with science and technology, and to understand their role within our lives. We offer free resources which support, advice and activity ideas for all those organising and publicising events and provide up-to-date information about the events happening in your area.
Einstein Year
Einstein Year is the UK and Ireland's contribution to the World Year of Physics and marks 100 years since the publication of three of Einstein's groundbreaking theories. These theories provided the foundation of modern physics, and activities throughout Einstein Year will explore ideas in contemporary physics as well as showing how our everyday lives are influenced by Einstein's legacy.
The Einstein Year website contains lots of fun games, experiments and information on how to get involved.
Universe
To tie in with National Science Week and Einstein Year, the BA is launching UNIverse, a competition based around the work of the celebrated physicist.
Budding poets are invited to submit poems on the themes of time, space and energy to this UK-wide competition. Poems may be in any style, from rhyme to sonnets, haiku to limericks, and must be no longer than 40 lines. Winning entries will receive a fabulous prize – check the website in January to find out more!
*************************************
6) ACTIVITY
The unbreakable balloon activity (PDF 40KB)
If you would like to try out some more activities please download the National Science Week challenge packs ‘Vertically Challenged?’ and ‘Einstein’s Birthday Party Pack!’ .
*************************************
7) RECOMMENDED WEBSITE
sciZmic, the science discovery clubs network, links together science clubs, science centres and partner organisations. The website details activities, project ideas, suggestions for different ways of running a science club and the opportunity to register your science club.
*************************************
8) LAST WORD
We want to hear about what our members are up to! Please send in any news, examples of work, photos etc which we can include in future e-newletters. We want to celebrate the work of our members.
The next newsletter will be emailed on 15/02/05.
Finally the YPP Team wishes you a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year. Have fun!