Here's whats coming up…
- WELCOME
- ACTIVITIES - LOOK AFTER A 'MOUSE' AND CREATE SOME SCARY SHADOWS FOR 31ST OCTOBER!
- NEWS FROM OUR SUPPORTERS - CHEMISTRY FUN AT NAGTY SUMMER SCHOOL
- SPECIALIST SCHOOLS TRUST INAUGURAL MEETINGS
- CREATING A BUZZ AT THE SCIENCE MUSEUM
- MANAGING RADIOACTIVE WASTE IN THE UK - YOUTH VIEWS MATTER!
- RECOMMENDED WEBSITE - HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES AND SCIENCE SNACKS COURTESY OF EXPLORATORIUM
- ENTERPRISE WEEK 2005
- ASSOCIATION FOR SCIENCE EDUCATION (ASE) ANNUAL MEETING 2006
- EU CONTEST FOR YOUNG SCIENTISTS AND THE BA CREST SCIENCE FAIR 2006
- NATIONAL SCIENCE WEEK 2006 IS ON ITS WAY (10-19 MARCH)
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1. Welcome to the first YPP e-newsletter of the academic year 2005/06.
The BA had a hectic summer leading up to the BA Festival of Science (3 – 11 September) at Trinity College, Dublin. Many of you may have come across the media coverage from the week which ranged from identity theft, “virgin conception" embryos and gigantic flying reptiles.
The Festival allows us to reach thousands of young people through the young people's programme of events for the week. Children are encouraged to visit hands-on workshops, while teenagers can meet scientists face-to-face in the BAckchat sessions to discuss scientific progress.
To find out more about this year’s BA Festival of Science here
We hope that you all had a good summer. This issue includes some activities for the start of term and details of forthcoming events and workshops…
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2. Activities
It certainly feels like winter is looming hence hibernation and a Halloween themed activity seem appropriate for this term…
Animals and the weather activity (PDF 49KB)
For First Investigators at Halloween time…
Scary halloween shadows activity (PDF 48KB)
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3. News from our supporters
The National Academy for Gifted and Talented Youth (NAGTY) Summer School in chemistry was held at Bristol ChemLabs for the first time in the school’s summer break. Twenty students aged between fourteen and sixteen from all over the UK took part in the two weeks of activities under the umbrella of 'Chemistry in the Pharmacy'.
The students enjoyed a wide range of chemistry related activities both in the lab and away from it. The lab work included the synthesis of aspirin and antifebrin, the extractions of clove oil and caffeine and the analysis of the sugar content of soft drinks and iron tablets and how to make a blue print photograph. Many new lab skills were learnt including steam distillation, I.R. spectroscopy, recrystalising a product and solvent extraction.
As part of the programme the students gave presentations at the end of the two weeks on aspects of the drug chemistry and so earned the BA’s Silver Science Communicators Awards.
Find out more about BA Science Communicators here
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4. Specialist Schools Trust inaugural meetings
Following on from the DfES Welcome Conference the Specialist Schools Trust provides ongoing practical support to the Specialist Schools Programme.
The Trust is now organising a series of inaugural meetings for each of the specialisms in order to support schools in implementing their development plan.
The BA’s Young People’s Programme will be exhibiting at the following meetings:
London - Thursday 29th September Venue: Royal Society, 6-9 Carlton House Terrace, London, SW1Y 5AG
Birmingham – Thursday 6th October Venue: Aston Lakeside Conference Centre, Aston University, Birmingham, B4 7ET
Click here for further information
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5. Creating a buzz at the Science Museum
The BA’s Young People’s Programme team is teaming up with the Science Museum to run a one day course aimed at Classroom assistants, Primary teachers, Science coordinators, NQTs and Parents.
‘Creating a buzz: planning a primary science week for your KS1 and KS2 pupils’ will give plenty of advice and lots of good contacts for presenters and workshop providers to help you set up a science event in your school. Teachers who have already run a science week will share their timetables and experiences, giving you a realistic picture of the pleasures and benefits involved, with tips on how to avoid the pitfalls. You will have the chance to try some activities that can be included in your own science event. There will also be the opportunity to draw up a plan of action for your school based on what you have learned from the day.
Date: Tuesday 4th October 2005 Venue: Science Museum, London
For further information please visit http://www.sciencelearningcentres.org.uk/WebPortal.aspx?page=5
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6. Managing radioactive waste in the UK - young people's views matter!
The Government have set up a Committee on Radioactive Waste Management (CoRWM), to look at the options for managing the UK’s radioactive waste and to recommend a long-term solution that will protect people and the environment.
A discussion guide has been developed to help groups of young people and adults from all over the UK talk about the issues and tell CoRWM their views and concerns. The discussion guide contains instructions, information cards about radioactive waste and the options for dealing with it, and a series of questions to discuss and then answer on a reply form.
The guide can be used for self-managed discussions by anyone aged 16 and over, but students aged 14+ will be able to use it with a little more guidance from a teacher.
Students can enter the results of their discussion online - a good way to incorporate ICT into the session! Also participation counts towards a BA Science Communicators award.
To find out more please contact Amy Sanders at Dialogue by Design on 020 8683 6602, or email facilitators@dialoguebydesign.com
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7. Recommended Website
Online since 1993, the Exploratorium was one of the first science museums to build a site on the World Wide Web. The site now contains over 15,000 Web pages exploring hundreds of different topics. The ‘educate’ section contains tools for teaching including hands-on activities.
Here’s the URL: http://www.exploratorium.edu/educate/index.html
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8. Enterprise Week 2005
Enterprise Week 2005 will take place from 14-20 November. Now in its second year it is a UK-wide week of activities inspiring young people to be enterprising - to make their ideas happen.
In line with last years event the emphasis during the campaign will be on encouraging the development of enterprising skills, confidence and a positive 'can do' attitude among our young people, precisely the themes around which Scotland's strategy for enterprise in education Determined to Succeed (DtS) is built.
Be part of Enterprise Week 2005 - run an event to catalyse the energies of young people, build recognition for the work of your department and join this national celebration of innovation and success.
Completing a BA CREST project as part of Enterprise week would be an opportunity for your students to explore real scientific, engineering and technological problems for themselves. Through a mentoring system, the CREST scheme facilitates links between schools and industry or higher education.
Find out more about BA CREST and access over a hundred different project ideas here
For further information about Enterprise Week please visit:
http://www.determinedtosucceed.co.uk/dts/dts_display.jsp?pContentID=4548&p_applic=&p_service=Content.show&
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9. Association for Science Education (ASE) Annual Meeting 2006
The ASE is holding its annual meeting from Thursday 5th - Saturday 7th January 2006 at the University of Reading.
The BA's Young People's Programme will have an exhibition stand at the event and will run the following workshops:
1) Citizen Science: Resources to Discuss and Debate Contemporary Science Issues Date: Thursday 5th January 2006 at 09:30
2) Creative Investigations with BA CREST Awards Date: Friday 6th January 2006 at 09:30
3) Fizz Pop Bang! Activities for Science Week and Science Clubs Date: Saturday 7th January 2006 at 11:30
For further information about the conference please visit: www.ase.org.uk
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10. EU Contest for Young Scientists and the BA CREST Science Fair 2006
On 16 September five British teenagers flew to Moscow to take part in the EU Contest for Young Scientists. Teams from Hutcheson’s Grammar School in Glasgow and King Edward VI School in Morpeth are representing the UK at this international competition.
The EU Contest for Young Scientists takes place from 17 – 22 September at Bauman Moscow State Technical University and hosts 126 young people from 35 countries. The students, aged between 15 and 20, display innovative science projects in disciplines ranging from medical research to mathematics. The contestants will compete for prizes totalling €28,500, with the top prize being €5000.
The Hutcheson’s team will be displaying their project ‘How Fishy are Prawn Crackers?’ and the King Edward VI’s team will take their project ‘Advance Warning of a Lubricated Bearing Failure System’. These students won the chance to go to Moscow at the BA CREST Science Fair held in London in February 2005.
The BA CREST Science Fair is a national celebration of outstanding science projects carried out by young people. Next year’s event takes place on 27th February at the Royal Society in London. Students will have the chance to display their work to a panel of judges and to compete for top prizes including money and international trips. Students aged between 15 and 19 can self-nominate themselves to attend the fair. Please see our website in due course for application details.
Find out more about the BA CREST Science Fair here
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11. National Science Week 2006 (10-19 March)
National Science Week (10-19 March 2006) is a UK-wide celebration of science, which sees families, adults and school children taking part in, and organising, huge numbers of science events.
In March 2005, an estimated 525,000 people took part in 1,644 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 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.
Find out more about National Science Week here
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The next issue will be delivered to your inbox on 01/12/05