Fun, hands-on, educational science and engineering activities for primary school children

Established in 2005, we bring Science and Engineering to your school.
Hands - on Workshops
Our hands on, age appropriate workshops, are suitable for children from Junior Infants to 6th Class.  Each workshop lasts 45 minutes.    Every child gets to carry out an investigation/activity.

“Acids & Bases”  - Curriculum Strand—Materials & Change
Magic Painting with Junior classes
Acids & Bases in Nature
Indicators and the pH scale

“Bright Sparks” - Curriculum Strand—Energy & Forces
Junior Classes investigate static electricity
Make your own battery
Which batteries are best?

“Energy Awareness” – Curriculum Strand—Environmental Awareness & Care
The Sun & Solar Energy
Wind Energy & Energy Conservation

“Focus on Forces” - Curriculum Strand—Energy & Forces
Use Science to lift an adult
Make your own  Weighing Scales
Test the strength of jelly sweets

“The Mystery of Flight” - Curriculum Strand—Energy & Forces
Lighter than air flight
Investigate the Bernoulli Effect

Other topics available on request

Demonstration Lectures
Our demonstration lectures are suitable for 3rd to 6th classes and can be presented to groups of up to 120 children.  A number of children will be picked from the audience to assist with the experiments.  Each lecture lasts approximately 60 minutes.

“Bright Sparks” *
The Hair Raising story of Electricity
What do frogs and cola drinks have in common?
When was electricity discovered?
Why did Galvani and Volta fall out?
Can you make your own battery?

“The Mystery of Flight” *
Science or Magic
What is flying?
Air Air—Is there anything there?
Lighter than air flight
How do aircraft fly—magic or science?
Bernoulli –vs– Newton

“Science is a Roller Coaster” *
Mindless fun or a real life scientific experience?
Learn all about energy and forces and perhaps change the way you think about the fairground for ever.

“Fantastic Physics”
A range of experiments investigating forces and energy, electricity and magnetism. Can be adapted to suit children from 4—12 years.

* These demonstration lectures were presented as part of the R.D.S. Science Live Series. 

To book please contact Christine on 087-6749608 or 0404-40563
 e-mail info@anyone4science.com

For more information visit our website www.anyone4science.com

Exploring make and do activities in the Science Curriculum

This is a practical online course where teachers build their knowledge and confidence of science by viewing as well as participating in simple experiments. Teachers will learn to build a motor, a hovercraft and a compass.

In each section teachers will view videos of exciting science experiments and try some of the activities for themselves. The course is designed to encourage teachers to discuss the outcome of the activity, to photograph their work and use these activities in class afterwards. There is over 130 experiments and activites to try.

A collaboration between Mayo, Carrick on Shannon, Kildare & Laois Education Centre. The course is designed by Declan Holmes of Science Ireland, who performs hands-on science shows in primary schools around the the country.

For more information visit us at mayoeducationcentre.ie/primary_science.html

Science Ireland visits primary schools providing science shows designed to explain science principles using everyday objects. The shows are performed using all our own equipment which limits the disruption to teachers and their students. We offer three different shows, a science show, a rocket workshop and a weather show.

Science Show - Hands-on science show where students participate in activities and demonstrations. Flight, pressure, light, sound and electricity are among the topics covered in this interactive learning experience. This show is suitable for all classes from infants to six class but we have a short version of the show for infants.

Rocket Workshop - This workshop aims to raise interest in science by showing students the advantage of working in a team to design the best rocket possible. The students will work in teams to understand the science behind rockets. They will then design, build and launch water rockets to simulate a realistic rocket launch experience. This workshop is targeted at 3rd class and above.

The Weather Show - Create lightning, form rainbows, examine climate change and show the destructive power of extreme weather. This show will involve an interactive presentation covering principles such as atmospheric pressure, convection currents, sound, optics and electromagnetism. This show is targeted at 3rd class and above.

To book please contact Declan Holmes on 087 9176292 / 098 41007 or email declan@scienceireland.com. For more information visit us at www.scienceireland.com

Dear Teacher,

Last year the K’NEX Challenge* was brought to over 22,500 primary school pupils (750 schools) throughout the country. The demand has been so great in recent years that a new project called K’NEXperience was introduced to cater for an additional 750 schools. Both initiatives proved so popular, that the STEPS to engineering team have introduced a brand new programme for the ‘08/’09 school year.

‘Xperience Engineering’ is a project-based programme that will run from October 2008 to April 2009. During this period your class will develop a project in line with the theme ‘Engineers Save Lives’ and throughout the year there will be a number of additional activities you can participate in to avail of extra credits.

The project will be split into two categories. Third & Fourth class will be one category and Fifth & Sixth class will be the other. Only one class can be represented from each school and they can either be from third, fourth, fifth or sixth class.

By taking part in this new project, it still qualifies as part of Step 4 for the Discover Science + Engineering ‘Awards of Science Excellence’ (Replacing the K’NEX Challenge).

Timeline
1st April 2009 – Projects must be submitted
18th May 2009- Top 40 entrants will be announced
18th June 2009 – National Final

All projects must be posted to STEPS to engineering, 22 Clyde Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4 by April 1st 2009. Once all projects have been received and corrected; the best 20 projects from the Third & Fourth class category and the best 20 from Fifth & Sixth class will be chosen to represent their school in the National Final on Thursday 18th June 2009 in the Helix, DCU. Your class could potentially be crowned either the ‘Junior or Senior Engineering Class of Ireland’. Should you wish to have your project returned, please submit a stamped addressed envelope with your project.

*The K’NEX Challenge will still be operating this year. However, it will be part of the ‘Xperience Engineering’ project and used as an extra activity to gain bonus points for the new project. There will be depots in place in different locations throughout your County, where the K’NEX kits will be in storage. For further information on how to have a K’NEX Challenge in your school along with a visit from an engineer please log on to our website www.steps.ie.

To find out more about this please contact Mark Noonan (STEPS to engineering - Project Coordinator) on 01-6651329 or email at xperience@steps.ie.

The Extreme Engineering Show, formally known as the Magical Science and Engineering Show, aims to stimulate curiosity and imagination within pupils and open their eyes to the wonderful world of science and engineering.

With more Engineering being introduced to the show, our scientist-turned-magician, Sue McGrath, delivers an even more captivating, wacky and fun show allowing for real experiential learning opportunities. Our innovative and interactive demonstration show has been developed specifically to support the Social, Environmental and Scientific Education section of the Primary School Curriculum. The show is energetic and explosive, thus maintaining the attention of pupils for the full hour of the show!

The Extreme Engineering Show makes engineering and science simple, relevant and exciting for 4th, 5th & 6th classes. We see the impact of engineering and science on our daily lives, as students learn through experiment and discovery and, most of all, fun! The show will visit various venues around the country in 2008-2009.

Availability is on a first-come first-served basis. If you have any queries about bookings please contact the STEPS to engineering team on 01-6651340.

From the 11th to the 15th of February 2008, young people across the country are invited to discover the engineer within! Do you dream of designing spacecraft to travel to far away places? Could you grapple with problems that have defeated mankind for centuries? Can you imagine creating whole new technologies to advance the human race? If so, you will love the bridge building contests, design challenges and robot competitions that make up the interactive events and activities of the Week of Wonder. These electrifying hands-on activities will highlight the ingenuity, teamwork and creativity which lie at the heart of a life in engineering. The STEPS to engineering K’NEX challenge allows you to earn points for STEP 4 of your Discovery Primary Science Awards of Excellence. Log on to www.weekofwonder.ie for more information. Taking part in Engineered! A week of wonder allows you to earn points for STEP 4 of your Discovery Primary Science Awards of Excellence.

For more information on any of the STEPS to engineering activities log on to www.steps.ie or call 01 6140010

The MAMBO, "Me and My Body", course is an interactive, hands-on initiative, specially designed for primary school students (8 - 12 year olds). The course aims to, not only satisfy some of the requirements of the primary science curriculum, but also to stimulate an enduring interest in science and technology at primary level through the medium of diagnostic technology.

The course duration is four weeks and consists of one hour of class time per week with a BDI instructor. For further information please visit www.bdi.ie/MAMBO.

Sustainable Energy Ireland is teaching kids the reality of climate change and letting them know how they can each make a difference - all while using up plenty of their own energy!

There are two dynamic and interactive workshops: the Guzzler (Junior) workshop, aimed at senior infants to 2nd class, and the Energy Challenge (Senior) workshop, which caters for 3rd-6th class. Workshops are given by two experienced science facilitators.

At the Junior workshops, kids meet our friendly green monster Guzzler and help him realise the error of his energy-guzzling ways. Senior workshops commence with a short presentation on how carbon emissions are contributing to climate change, followed by some fun energy experiments. For example, did you know you can make a battery out of a lemon? Try putting that in your mobile phone! After that, students play Guzzler's Energy Challenge, where the aim of the game is to collect as many energy points as possible - and avoid the dreaded Sin Bin!

Currently Guzzler workshops are restricted to schools in the Dublin area. To book a Guzzler workshop or to find out if there are Energy Challenge workshops planned for your area, please contact Aoife Flynn at seiworkshops@globalactionplan.ie or phone (01) 862 5846.

The Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre (APC) now offers 3 different presentations, each involving hands-on activities for the children.

Teachers are requested to fill out a Feedback Form after each visit.

All children participate in a written multiple choice Quiz related to the presentation topic. Prizes are awarded to three children from each group who have answered all the questions correctly.

The presentations currently available for primary school are -

"Bacteria - the Good the Bad and the Ugly" which relates to living things and the digestive system, and including a number of activities and experiment on digestion of starch done by the children. This was awarded a Discover Science Science Week Bursary.
"The Body's Defence System - How we Stay Healthy" which covers the immune system and includes an experiment demonstrating how easily germs are spread and how effective handwashing is in reducing infection. This presentation was awarded a RDS Science Live Bursary.
"The Circulatory System -what keep's you ticking?" - this year's presentation, again awarded a RDS Science Live Bursary, and involving hands-on experiments for the children and a quiz.

The Application Form for school visits can be found on our children's website. Visits may also be requested through SFI's Education and Outreach Page on http://www.sfi.ie [Primary Schools Talks listed under Sally Cudmore, APC].

The contact person for primary school visits is Ms Andrea Doolan, Room 5.12 BioSciences Institute, University College Cork - Tel: 021 4901406, E-mail: apc@ucc.ie.

We offer additional activities, competitions and educational material, including multimedia games on our children's website - http://microbemagic.ucc.ie and in our schools' newsletter Microbe Magic which is circulated to all schools in county Cork and throughout Ireland by request.