SCIENCE YEAR NEWSLETTER - ISSUE 75 Week ending Friday, 12th July 2002 Welcome once again to another 10 course meal of science-related nuggets, news and nutrition. Here's what's cooking: • Science Year to be EXTENDED TO JULY 2003 • BRITISH GAS join the party • CDRoms SENT OUT TO PRIMARY SCHOOLS • TRAINS – freebies ahoy • PLANES – freebies ahoy • AUTOMOBILES – freebies ahoy • PEFECT TIMES TABLES – multiplication challenge • ICT IN PRACTICE AWARDS – last call • BIOLOGY NOW! Conference call • THE MAKING PLACE – 2 x science days • PFIZER SCIENCE & ARTS FESTIVAL • RECOMMENDED SITE of the week • SCIENCE LINE QUESTION of the week • JOKE of the week • AOB SCIENCE YEAR TO BE EXTENDED When is a (science) year not a year? When it's extended by another eleven months... This was the news that was officially announced by Education and Skills Secretary Estelle Morris yesterday, who commented, "Science Year has been a huge success and has already achieved a great deal, but there is still more that we can do. There is a tremendous desire among schools, the science community, business and key partners to build on its success. Extending Science Year until July 2003 will allow us to create a lasting legacy of resources and sustainable projects." Needless to say, Science Year's in-house team are delighted to have been given this vote of confidence, and to have the opportunity to build on the work that's been done so far. Particularly in the light of this week's report by the Science and Technology Select Committee which criticised the present school science framework (read more about this at http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/education/). But the most important thing is YOUR experience of Science Year and your input to the remaining 12 months. We hope you've already felt the benefit of KitPot, the extra teaching and web resources, and activities like the Giant Jump and 'Put Your Teacher on the Spot' - but please continue to feed us your thoughts and comments. >top BRITISH GAS BECOME A 'FRIEND' Wednesday saw another popping of the champagne corks, as British Gas became an official Friend of Science Year. British Gas are the sponsors of the Tomorrow's World Live roadshow and are also the people behind the 'Think Energy' fuel efficiency schools' programme, so there were already links between the organisation and Science Year. But to cement the new relationship, their Deputy Managing Director, Simon Waugh, came along to meet the team and our other sponsors for a celebratory glass of wine and observe one of the now-famous 'Ready Steady Science' demonstrations at the Tomorrow's World Live show at Earls Court. Simon appeared unphased by the slime and uncooked custard all over the SY stage, which proves he has the ideal temperament to be involved with Science Year. "We're absolutely delighted that British Gas are being awarded with 'Friend of Science Year' status," he said. "I believe it firmly underlines our commitment to energy efficiency and in particular, our Think Energy programme for schools, which we are continuing into the forthcoming school year." >top PRIMARY SCHOOLS RECEIVE THEIR SCIENCE CDROMS Following demand caused by the ASE’s CDRoms for secondary schools (have a look at http://www.sycd.co.uk) a set of resources for primary schools has now been collated and crafted, and a copy has been sent out with Primary Science Review to all English state primary schools, with other UK nations to follow. There are seven sections, full of imaginative stuff for teachers that makes full use of audio and video files, web links, games and quizzes to aid revision, so even computer games addicts should enjoy the ride. For example, the CDRom includes a programme where children learn about nutrition through making the favourite meal of Manchester Utd super-striker Ruud van Nistleroy and an interactive game where pupils learn about invertebrates through adopting a virtual slug. Another programme allows pupils to play at being journalists as they hypothesise about and report on subjects such as 'Eating Peppermints Makes You Bald!' and 'Eating Spring Onions Improves Athletic Performance'. TRAINS, PLANES AND AUTOMOBILES – free stuff you can WIN!! TRAINS: A family trip to Paris on the Eurostar is up for grabs if you know of a good – attention-grabbing, reliable, science-linked – experiment or activity that would be suitable for our forthcoming ‘Little Book of Experiments’ for Key Stage 2 teachers. PLANES: Anyone for Farnborough Air Show? We have four double passes for the show, which takes place on 27/28th July at Farnborough, right beside Gatwick Airport, 35 miles from central London. If you’ve ever been before, you’ll know it’s a great family (or plane-spotters’) day out, not just because of the amazing overhead displays of aeronautic prowess, but also because of the exhibitions, hands-on demos, and the plentiful family-friendly picnic areas, indoor and outdoor catering. Plus of course there’s no shortage of top purveyors of ice-cream. Oh and they let children in free too. Check out the whole thing at http://www.farnborough.com, and if you’d like to go into the draw to win tickets for this amazing day out, simply send an email to our own in-house red devil David Tasker at david.tasker@scienceyear.com with ‘Farnborough Air Show’ in the subject heading, and the answer to the following question: How far is Farnborough from London? Hint: the answer is available on a screen near you… (PS at the same time if you have the energy, let David know your top tip for places to explore in the UK - he’s a visiting Aussie boy from Perth in Western Australia, so he needs to make the most of his two years in our lovely country!) AUTOMOBILES Or – even better - DRIVE-IN MOVIES to be precise. Yes, thanks to top promoter Brand Events and Toyota Corolla, this summer is going to be celebrated with a series of drive-in movies around the UK. One free car-ful of movie-lovers will be able to attend each of 18 screenings around the country, and there are some great films to choose from. Full times, locations and film schedules can be perused at http://www.toyota.co.uk in the Events menu. But in brief, the venues are as follows: Leeds – Roundhay Park: 26 – 28 July Southampton – Southampton Common: 2 – 4 August Oxford – Cutteslowe Park: 9 - 11 August Edinburgh – Murrayfield Bus Park: 16 - 18 August Cambridge – Coldhams Common: 30 Aug – 1September Newcastle – Newcastle Racecourse: 6 – 8 September The films range from the Matrix, to Moulin Rouge, to The Full Monty and the Shawshank Redemption, but the same film is never shown twice so it’s a location-lottery which ones you’ll get to choose from (they’re all blockbusters though.) As you’ll know from your exposure to American culture, what you do is: pile in a car with your mates, family or ‘close personal friend’ – park up in the venue, then watch the movie from inside your car on a giant 20 x 20m screen. As a modern twist, you pick up the audio in stereo through your car radio, having tuned it in to Toyota FM on 87.7FM. To win a ticket, just tell us the name of one of the stars of ‘Ocean’s 11’ – and as above email david.tasker@scienceyear.com, this time with ‘Drive-in Movies’ in the subject heading. And remember to say which venue you’d like to go to. >top TAKE THE TIMES TABLES CHALLENGE And so to more overtly educational matters. Wendy Fortescu-Hubbard, NESTA Fellow and TES Teacher Mathagony Aunt, continues on her mission to get the UK population wild about maths. She began by devising ‘Perfect Times’, a card game that since 1995 has been helping kids (and adults) to learn their multiplication tables, through the sneaky means of making it fun – and very addictive to practice. And now there’s an online version … and an online challenge, and you’re invited to take part. Yes YOU! As part of Live Lab, for the BBC Tomorrow's World Roadshow, she’s developed an online experiment using a highly addictive game, and the aim is to collect reaction times and time scores from people in all age groups from across the world. The time scores come from playing the nine times/divides tables and twenty-four times/divides tables online at http://www.perfect-times.co.uk . So what are you waiting for? Visit the website and play the game to contribute your data. A few deep breaths before you start and you’ll be fine! We’ll let you know what they results are when they’re compiled. >top ICT IN PRACTICE AWARDS – FINAL CALL The organisers of the ‘ICT in Practice Awards’ has been in touch to alert us to the imminent closing day for nominations - 26th July 2002. Here’s what they say: "Do you know someone who is transforming teaching, learning or leadership using ICT? Then nominate them for an award. "Each award winner will receive £2,500, with an additional £2,500 going to their institution. Each runner-up will receive £500, with an additional £500 going to their institution." About the Awards: The ICT in Practice Awards aim to identify models of excellent practice and use these to develop and promote effective practice in the use of ICT in teaching, learning and leadership. The Awards allow us to share this information with the wider teaching community while rewarding individuals who demonstrate exemplary practice in ICT. Categories: The categories are: Advice and Support, Inclusion (Primary, Secondary and Post-16), Innovation and Change, Leadership (Primary, Secondary and Post-16) and Teaching (Primary, Secondary and Post-16). For full details about the specific categories and criteria, go to: http://www.becta.org.uk/practiceawards/categories/criteria.html How to nominate: Find out more about nominating: http://www.becta.org.uk/practiceawards/nominate.html Find out more: Web site: http://www.becta.org.uk/practiceawards E-mail: practiceawards@becta.org.uk >top BIOLOGY NOW! – CONFERENCE FOR AS/A2 STUDENTS The Wessex Branch of the Institute of Biology would like all interested teachers to have advance details of their Biology Now! Conference Thursday 24th October 2002. The day’s programme features a wide range of biology-based talks, on topics from marine mammals to molecular machines. Two of the talks are being given by Professor Steve Jones, award-winning author and science communicator, and also supremely famous of course for giving the 2nd in our series of Science Year lectures . The transcript and background information for which is still available in the lecture archive on the Science Year website. If you would like to book places, email Linda Garratt on lgarratt@stvincent.ac.uk and she’ll send you a form. Both student and teacher places cost £4.00. >top SHAPING SCIENCE IDEAS Meanwhile, on the 9th & 10th August 2002, ‘The Making Place’ in London are presenting two days of science exploration for 5-12 year olds. It’s called ‘Shaping Science Ideas’ and the idea is that participating kids will learn about science through ‘making’ projects which can be taken home at the end of the day. Science communicators will be on hand to guide them through a wide selection of activities. Participants can drop in any time between 11am – 4pm, and the cost for each child is £5 in advance or £6 on the door per day – adults go free. Please note, they will be doing the same activities on both days. For further information telephone: 020 8964 2684 . >top PFIZER SCIENCE & ARTS FESTIVAL Last week we brought you an inspirational 'serious science, serious fun' event idea sent in by Jenny Leaver from Saltdene Primary School. And this week, it's hats off - and not for the first time - to John Adams (picture in action here!) and his team at Pfizer UK in Kent. Not content with running their annual Pfascinating Pfizer Science Jamboree, they've just held their first 'Science and Arts Festival'. Primary, secondary and special schools in the area all attended, and a good time was had by all - including the organisers. The 29 schools involved had been told there was no restriction on what type of 'art' they could do - so long as it involved science in some way. And the result was a 4-day melange of music, drama, dance and both 2- and 3-dimensional artwork. Even Mexican waving - as you can see. >top RECOMMENDED WEBSITE OF THE WEEK Thank you, Doctor Bee, for sending in the following recommendation! It's called Switcheroozoo and if you want to know eg what you'd get if you crossed a polar bear, zebra and elephant ... this is the spot for you! It's a kids' site (in that 'kids from 7-107' sense of the word), with all sorts of animal-morphing and other activities to have a go at. The graphics are beautifully done, and there are lesson plans for teachers (for an American audience, but still helpful). Doctor Bee says, "We have had several hundred Y6 pupils access this site as part of our Monsters Transition project and they've loved morphing the animals, making weird and wonderful combinations and spotting all the jokey bits." Have a play! >top SCIENCE LINE QUESTION OF THE WEEK Here are two Q&As to enable you to cut through the chit chat that surrounds the British weather, and enlighten your friends with a couple of bits of real science: Why are clouds different shapes? Find the answer at: http://www.sciencenet.org.uk/database/Geography What causes wind? (Meterological that is.) Find the answer at: http://www.sciencenet.org.uk/database/Geography Science Line are the people who researched and wrote up those answers for curious callers. And they'll do the same for you too if you'd like to send them a question. There's no charge for their service, just give them a ring on 0808 800 4000 any time between 1pm - 7pm Monday to Saturday. Or visit their website at http://www.sciencenet.org.uk and post your question there. >top JOKE OF THE WEEK There were two guys working for the city council. One would dig a hole, he would dig, dig, dig, then the other would come behind him and fill the hole, fill, fill, fill. The two men worked furiously. One digging holes, the other filling them up after him. A man was watching from the sidewalk and couldn't believe how hard these men were working, but couldn't understand what they were doing. Finally he had to ask them. He said to the hole digger, "I appreciate how hard you work, but what are you doing? You dig a hole and your partner comes behind you and fills it up again!" The hole digger replied, "Oh yeah, it must look funny, but the guy who plants the trees is sick today." >top A.O.B. And so to bed. Or at least a cup of tea. Please ensure that you have a great week, with at least 20 good laughs per day. And in the meantime send any contributions you have for the next newsletter along to anne.mcnaught@scienceyear.com. Bye for now! >top