Working with schools - rewarding!

[Helen]

A couple of weeks ago I spent the day with two Year 5 classes in the Leeds primary school which our 9 year-old Godson attends.  They are doing Space this half term, and as 'Auntie Helen knows a lot about space...' the teacher contacted me.  We decided that I would do a more formal version of the stuff I did with the kids at SGL last year.  So I again borrowed the meteorites and rocket making kit (from the Faulkes Telescope Project and AstroCymru) and paired them with 2 x 1-hour powerpoint sessions on meteorites/impacts in the morning and then rocket science in the afternoon.  I must admit I was rather stressed in the week leading up to the Friday - informal with friends and kids in a field is one thing, but formally in a school with 60 kids is another!!

I must say though that I thoroughly enjoyed it once I got going.  The kids were a credit to their parents and teachers, and asked so many intelligent questions that at one point the teacher had to call a halt to ensure we had enough time for practical!  (And the teachers seemed as enthused as the kids with being able to handle real 4.5bn year old meteorities, and fossils!).  I do think that the star of the show for many kids probably wasn't dinosaurs or meteorites but..... the lego Saturn V rocket I'd also taken 

Thankfully the horrendous rain of the morning stopped in time for the end of day rocket launching.  Thankfully all launched successfully, although with various altitudes.

Everyone engaged, seemed to have fun and learn things.  I'd certainly do it again now (with a few modifications based on experience!).  Very rewarding!

This has now arrived - made me smile SO much!  It is going on my office board 

Helen

[orion25]

Thanks for sharing this wonderful experience! Working with children is truly rewarding, especially when it involves science

Reggie

[John]

Really enjoyable report Helen

I agree 100% that working with schools is great fun and very rewarding. Last week a society friend and I ran a solar observing event at a local primary school as part of their science week. We picked a morning that was forecast to be clear (and it was !) and set up white light and Ha scopes in the playground. We ran 4 x 30 minute sessions with the year 5 classes at the school and then stayed on so younger pupils could also view through the scopes. We had loads of intelligent questions and some challenging ones as well. In total I reckon 200+ people observed the Sun that morning through our scopes, including school staff.

This was the 2nd such event that we have run at this school but last years was clouded out so we had to fall back on practical demonstrations of the scale of solar system objects and other subjects but this year we picked the right day !

What was really nice was that many of the pupils remembered our session last year and even better, had retained quite a bit of the information that we covered then. We must have been doing something right

It was rather an exhasuting morning though - I'm full of admiration for those who work in education, and for the energy that they must have !

 

 

[Helen]

Thanks Reggie and John    I'm glad you got sunshine John!  I'd offered that option to the teacher - just as well she chose something else, given we had rain and then snow.  Kids are sponges at that age - I find their questions often more challenging than older people too!  But it was so lovely to see their unguarded reactions too eg when I said we had real meteorites and bits of dinosaurs, and then when I said we were going to build and launch rockets!  But what was funniest was the kids who sauntered down the corridor and then stuck their head around the door, with wide open mouths, to see the Saturn V rocket (it is 3 foot high!).

Our Godson's sister is 2 years younger, so I anticipate another visit in a couple of years... 

I've now used it as an excuse to buy my own rocket launching kit - soooo much fun  

As you say, rewarding but exhausting - much admiration for teachers from me too!!!

Helen

[JOC]

Helen (and others), if you enjoyed it, and I find inspiring kids about the most rewarding thing I get the chance to do, then please do consider becoming a STEM Ambassador (if you aren't one already - see my signature for a link).  The application process def. isn't onerous and you only have to do one outreach thing each year to stay on-board.  They then email round lists of places that would like talks from certain subject areas and you can volunteer for any you feel able to deal with.  I have enjoyed some great days in local schools talking to kids about my area of science.

[Helen]

Yes, I'm signed up to the STEM Ambassador scheme - it is a great way to get involved, and with the added bonus of DBS checks and insurance cover!  Thoroughly recommend it too

 

[Beulah]

Brilliant, Helen. We're really looking forward to you and Astrocymru coming up later on this year to do your stuff!! I think you are a natural at this...

 

 

[Mark at Beaufort]

Fantastic report Helen and the children have sent you lovely messages.

[bingevader]

Fab, well done Helen.

The children in school still talk about the session we had for the solar eclipse, great fun!

[johnfosteruk]

Good work, the thank you messages are fabulous.

[Peter Drew]

Couldn't agree more that giving science presentations to schools is very rewarding, this is something we do on a regular and increasing basis.