topical science

What’s New on the Site

We have a new page on the site for Case Studies, which you’ll find under General Support & Reference in the top menu. We have also added links to: The STEM Education and Training Strategy for Scotland (October 2017); Internet safety for children and young people: national action plan (April 2017); Plickers; Topical Science Updates; Science on the Web; Reach Out CPD; Reach Out Reporter; Really Small Science; Early Years Science Ideas; Terrific Scientific; STEM Learning

Sharing Good Practice

We are great believers in not ‘reinventing the wheel’, and will shamelessly steal good ideas when we find them. From time to time we will be sharing examples of good practice via case studies; we hope you’ll find them a source of ideas and inspiration. You’ll find them on the Case Studies page of our site, and also in the Files tab of our Yammer group ‘D&G Full STEM Ahead’. This month’s case studies are: Case Study – STEM in Action at Shawmhor Early Years Centre; Case Study – Code Club

STEM Strategy Published

The STEM Education and Training Strategy for Scotland, which plans for “Scotland to forge a future of excellence and equity in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)” has been published. “The strategy, spanning 2017 to 2022, outlines actions designed to inspire enthusiasm for STEM among all sectors of society. Key measures include strengthening the delivery of STEM education, addressing unconscious bias and gender stereotyping, and ensuring the development of skills that meet employers’ needs.” You’ll find it on our Education Scotland & Scottish Government page.

Latest SSERC Bulletin

The Winter 2017 bulletin is now available from SSERC. This month’s focus is on the reflection of light and the activities included will support not only science at second level, but also maths from early to third level.

This Will Make You Think!

If you are looking for an example to share with your 2nd/3rd level pupils to highlight science skills and scientific method then take a look at the experiment done by a group of Dutch pupils . It’s really quite remarkable and has attracted the attention of universities who are now planning to replicate their work. It would be very simple to try it with your own class, and it will certainly make you look at your phone and modem in a whole new way!

Christmas Shopping STEM Style

Looking for the perfect gift this Christmas for a budding young engineer … then how about some Lego celebrating the Women of NASA. Nice to see a toy company addressing the gender gap in STEM. Why not see if Santa will bring some for your classroom?

This month why not share the following with your class: Drones being used to search for water leaks

Up For A Challenge?

Applications are open for two Young Engineers and Science Clubs Scotland competitions:

Don’t Waste A Drop! is their annual STEM challenge for 2017-18. Suitable for both primary and secondary schools, teams have to design and build a pump and pipeline to transfer water from a reservoir at ground level to a container positioned on a platform … while minimizing any leakage! (Could be a possible link to the work by Anglian Water, sponsors of this competition, who are using drones to search for water leaks.) There is a small free starter kit and guidance notes available (one per school). Schools will be invited to test their model at one of the Regional or National Celebrations of STEM, where prizes will be awarded.

Another computer for both primary and secondary is Knots to Watts, which aims to inspire schools to research
innovative offshore wind technologies and use this knowledge to design, build and test a floating wind turbine which generates electricity. Schools will be invited to present their research portfolio and test their models at their National Celebration of STEM which will be at the Glasgow Science Centre on 8 June 2018.

You can find out more about both of the competitions and register here.

If you have P5 or P6 pupils, you may also be interested in the Glasgow Science Festival: Creating Engineers Challenge 2018. (You may know this one better as the K’nex Challenge.) Applications are now open and the closing date is Friday 12 January 2018. Find out more and register here.

Reach Out

Tig Tag, in partnership with Imperial College London, have developed Reach Out Reporter and Reach Out CPD. These are free to use and don’t depend on you having an account with TigTag/Twig. The Reporter is a weekly e-bulletin that share topical science updates along with suggested activities; and, Reach Out CPD is a free online resource to help primary school teachers with the science curriculum.

Quote of the Month

Our current expectations for what our students should learn in school were set fifty years ago to meet the needs of an economy based on manufacturing and agriculture. We now have an economy based on knowledge and technology.”

Bill Gates

(obviously before the introduction of the refreshed Technologies outcomes!)