Design and Build a Hovercraft in a Day

Country: United Kingdom
School level: General secondary education, vocational or technical secondary schools
Subject/s: Phyiscs, Mathematics, Tecnology, Engineering

The Design and Build a Hovercraft in a day project is a one day school event that is run with various schools throughout the UK. 70 students in teams of 10 work together to build a fully working hovercraft. The objective of the 'Design and Build a Hovercraft in a Day' is to allow students to take part in a fun activity based day with an aim to inspire and engage them into engineering, science, maths and technology. The initiative is a hands-on event, it allows students involved to actively take part in designing and building a hovercraft using math skills and everyday objects such as a 'leaf blower', foam board, tape and plastic. At the end of the day the students have the chance to race their hovercraft and compete for the grand prize.

Link: http://www.grid-network.eu/initiatives_view.php?id=1167&lang=en

Science 4 U

Country: United Kingdom
School level: General secondary education
Subject/s: Physics, Chemistry, Mathmatics, Natural sciences, Tecnology, Corss-curricular approaches

Science 4 U is a work related project that runs on an annual basis. The event involves 2 days in Industry and two days in Higher Education with a strong emphasis on Problem Solving and Skills acquisition. The event involves approximately 20 female students to raise awareness of STEM related careers for women and to give students an opportunity to work on a real world problem in an industrial environment. The event involves 2 major local utility companies: Yorkshire Water and United Utilities (formerly Transco). Students are split into groups of 5 and spend 2 days in industry at one of the partner companies. The 2 groups at Yorkshire Water have to design mixing systems for dead zones in reservoirs. The 2 groups at Transco have to design and work out the parameters for a 99% fail safe mechanism for a gas holder. The students then spend a day each at Bradford University visiting Science Departments, finding out about the research that was going on, solving some scientific problems and discovering the opportunities at degree level and in Science based careers. All students then spend the 4th day at the University learning how to produce high quality PowerPoint Presentations. On the final day the groups give presentations in a lecture theatre at the University of Bradford. The audience includes their parents, teachers, and governors, friends from industry, Setpoint staff and University staff. The focus of this innovation is to encourage girls to have the confidence and recognize their ability to pursue science and maths subjects at advanced level.

Link: http://www.grid-network.eu/initiatives_view.php?id=392&lang=en

Chamber of Challenges

Country: Ireland
School level: Primary school
Subject/s: Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Natural sciences

This was an initiative developed by CALMAST - The Centre for the Advancement of Learning of Maths, Science and Technology. The initiative encourages children to become interested in science and technology by introducing them at a young age to the wonders of science. Chamber of challenges involves a series of chambers connected by tunnels, minefields etc. To pass from one chamber to the next a science challenge must be solved. For safe passage through the minefields and tunnels, maths problems must be solved to show the safe zones. The Chamber of Challenges brings the excitement of James Bond and Harry Potter to the children. The Chamber of Challenges consists of five interconnecting chambers. In each there is a challenge that only science can overcome. Solving the challenge gives either the safe codes to move through a minefield, the codes for a safe where the next challenge lies or a piece of equipment that will be helpful for the journey through the other chambers. Shows science to be exciting and fun.

Link: http://www.grid-network.eu/initiatives_view.php?id=555&lang=en

Forensic Science for Transition Years

Country: Ireland
School level: General secondary education
Subject/s: Cross-curricular approaches

This initiative aims to develop an interest in young people for science through the use of forensic science. It can be adapted to suit students of all ages from primary to secondary. A crime scene is set up with the outline of a body drawn out, a "blood" covered knife is found at the scene of the crime, along with a note and some white powder. A coroner's report along with witness statements is given to the students. Each of the witnesses have given their pen in to the police and they have all given their blood type. The students must analyse the white powder, the blood found at the scene of the crime, the fingers print found at the scene of the crime, and the note to identify who did the murder. Volunteer scientists are on hand to show the students how to carry out the investigations. The activities are related to the science activities on the curriculum, but the activity aims to take science out of the class room, and to show that science can be fun.

Link: http://www.grid-network.eu/initiatives_view.php?id=1248&lang=en

La scienza amica / Physics on show

Country: Italy
School level: Primary school
Subject/s: Physics

The project involves teachers and students of two levels of school - primary and higher secondary - in activities which deepen physics subjects. The point at issue is to make students of both levels discovering together the mechanic, magnetic, acoustic and optic phenomena which regulate the everyday life. Teen-aged students are asked to play the role of tutors, in order to show to the youngest physics phenomena by means of simple and telling experiments. The primary pupils are led by their teachers to discover and experience "How an object works", whether it is a common object or a didactic object expressly created for the occasion. In the end, children of primary school discover through playful approaches some important physics laws. At the same time elder students "learn by teaching" and "peer-to-peer education".

Link: http://www.grid-network.eu/initiatives_view.php?id=99&lang=en

Portale Chimica - Web Portal for Chemistry

Country: Italy
School level: Primary school, General secondary education, vocational or technical secondary schools, further education
Subject/s: Physics, Chemistry, Cross-curricular approaches

The web portal for Chemistry and Science Education is a complex project of shared work and experiences, cultural and scientific animation, experimentation of new learning and teaching techniques. A number of activities have been realised by the school working group and documented on the web site: experiments, discussion and solution of scientific problems, realisation of performances about the magic of science, translations of scientific articles and realisation of conceptual maps, documentation of activities linked to other science projects. Some of the meetings in the afternoon are dedicated in a particular way to the organisation and preparation of science performances called "The Magic of Sciences". The science performances are carried out by students of higher secondary school in front of pupils of primary school, with the objective to foster clear improvements in the attitude of pupils towards science, thanks to the amazement, the surprise and the curiosity generated in the science performance.

Link: http://www.grid-network.eu/initiatives_view.php?id=174&lang=en

Option Sciences / The Science Option

Country: France
School level: General secondary education
Subject/s: Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Natural sciences

The science option is an "enseignement de détermination" (a guidance subject), which is proposed to pupils when they enrol on their first year of upper secondary school (15- to 16-year olds). Lessons are designed to give pupils a "taste" for science, in a multidisciplinary manner. They must therefore teach pupils how to use a scientific approach by seeking to develop qualities such as organisation, autonomy, initiative and imagination, while presenting science in an interesting and motivating fashion. The involvement of teachers from several disciplines in the project (mathematics, life and earth sciences, and combined physics and chemistry) makes it possible to use a mix of approaches to specific situations, research assignments or local problems. It is aimed at students who are interested in science but not necessarily already determined or very enthusiastic to do it. The goal is to help students adopt a positive approach to science and, even if they are not going to continue studying it, to give them a positive image of science and a real "scientific culture" as future citizens.

Link: http://www.grid-network.eu/initiatives_view.php?id=314&lang=en

Ecologie pratique / Practical ecology

Country: France
School level: Primary school
Subject/s: Natural sciences

Practical Ecology concerns projects aimed at all the primary and lower secondary schools in Meurthe-et-Moselle which wish to run a practical activity for the environment with a view to promoting sustainable development. This mainly concerns activities which are carried out within the school grounds: managing natural resources (energy and water), creating compost, planting an orchard, designing and making a pond for learning, cultivating an eco-friendly flowerbed, an insect-friendly garden, and so on. Schools simply have to fill in a registration form at the beginning of the year. The Environment Centre selects the most suitable projects in terms of ecology and sustainable development and can provide an assessment by telephone or on the premises. It gives technical support as the projects are carried out, providing technical and educational advice, making available thematic packs, showing groups round the Environment Centre, making the resource centre available, and so on. Each school can participate in an Environment Day organised by Meurthe-et-Moselle County Council in order to talk about the various projects carried out during the school year.

Link: http://www.grid-network.eu/initiatives_view.php?id=433&lang=en