Showcase Your Talents!

Running an afterschool club, entered a competition or just have some excellent STEM curricular work? Have it showcased in the monthly Full STEM Ahead Round Up.

We know that celebrating success across the region is key in raising attainment and showcasing good STEM practice.  If you have a piece of work or activity you would like us to share with fellow learners and practitioners across Dumfries and Galloway, then send a photograph and short description (no more than 150 words) to gw08moyescarol@ea.dumgal.sch.uk and look out for yourself in next month’s issue!

• Resources aligned to CfE – they have identified the Ex&Os that are relevant to Chemistry at Early to Second level, and linked them to the most appropriate resources from Learn Chemistry for you to use with your class.
• Top Trumps: Elements – a fun way to learn about the elements with eye-catching images and fun facts.  Packs cost £6 each but they provide a free Top Trumps Primary Support Pack and Top Trumps Secondary Support Pack.
• Science Ideas Web Resources – ideas for teaching science (not just chemistry) through popular IDL topics, such as The Vikings, World War II, Ancient Egypt, The Victorians, Space, and more.   Each topic has a different web for Early, First and Second level.
• Mission Starlight – Sanquhar Academy have joined 500 schools across the world to take part in this year’s RSC global experiment – and you could too.  Suitable for primary and secondary pupils, there are 4 investigations to find out what are the best materials to protect astronauts from damaging UV light.  Once complete, you can upload the results of your investigations.  Great if you are doing a space topic, or, with summer approaching, to make pupils more aware of the risks of UV light.

There’s a lot more to explore, including CPD opportunities for you, so visit the site today.

Book of the Month

Hello Ruby – Adventures in Coding by Linda Liukas, published by Feiwel & Friends, ISBN: 978-1250065001

“The world’s most whimsical way to learn about computers, programming and technology”

Ruby is a mischievous 6 year old with a ‘huge imagination’.  In this book we meet Ruby and her father who is often away from home working and travelling.  In his absence he leaves her a challenge – to find 5 gems – and through the story we discover how Ruby uses her imagination to locate the hidden gems.  But it is much more than an engaging story book for young children (and possibly older ones!).  It also contains an Activity Book full of exercises linked to the story that introduce children to the key concepts and skills of computing science and computational thinking.

Written for parents to work on together with their child, it’s also ideal for use in the classroom at early and first level.  Indeed it has been recommended by some countries as part of their computing science curriculum, and their lessons plans are free to download on the associated website, www.helloruby.com.  The website also contains a range of additional activities to support Adventures in Coding and the second book in the series, Journey Inside the Computer; as well as printables to support the activities in the book.

Author, Linda Liukas, is an inspiration.  Digital Champion of Finland, she left her job with Codeacademy to work on Hello Ruby – which she funded using Kickstarter.  She is the founder of Rails Girls which teaches programming to young women everywhere.  She also believes that code will be the 21st century literacy, and that we all need to learn the ABCs of programming.  Find out more about her and why she was inspired to write Hello Ruby in this TEDTalk.

I’d say this book is definitely worth getting if you are teaching infants and are looking for ways to deliver the Computing Science Es&Os at Early and First level.  The illustrations are bright and fun, and while it encourages children to think like a computer you don’t actually need to use a computer – so you don’t spend half of your precious computer slot trying to get logged in.  At just under £10 on Amazon for a hardback book, it’s great value.

Coming Soon

16-21 April – Dumfries & Galloway Science Festival Week

20 April – Big Bang Festival at Easterbrook Hall, Dumfries

21 April – Science Festival at Easterbrook Hall, Dumfries

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Too often we give children answers to remember, rather than problems to solve.

Roger Lewin, Anthropologist