We have been working with the Falkirk STEM Officers, Laura McCafferty and Barbara Hanning, to extend our range of STEM resources and develop new resources to support STEM Through Stories. This year’s COP26 in Glasgow has meant many schools are covering Learning for Sustainability and we have produced new resource boxes to support this at early, 1st and 2nd levels.
Each box has a story book with a planner developed by the STEM Officers:
Our teacher book group is continuing to read, discuss and review a range of new books for children and we want to share this as widely as possible. Here we review ‘When the sky falls’ by Phil Earle and ‘The small things’ by Lisa Thompson
Welcome to the Flood Risk in Falkirk STEM Activity Box
Inside the Teacher’s Guide below you will find all the information you need to deliver a jam-packed STEM lesson with a hands-on activity, local heritage links and future career inspiration for your pupils! The learning materials included are best suited to pupils aged 8-14 years.
You can use the resources any way you please! In addition to the core lesson and activity there are plenty of optional extras, extension ideas and links to external resources to use at your disposal
Welcome to the Wind Power in Falkirk STEM Activity Box
Inside the Teacher’s Guide below you will find all the information you need to deliver a jam-packed STEM lesson with a hands-on activity, local heritage links and future career inspiration for your pupils! The learning materials included are best suited to pupils aged 8-14 years.
You can use the resources any way you please! In addition to the core lesson and activity there are plenty of optional extras, extension ideas and links to external resources to use at your disposal
Click here for a video of Charlotte Strang-Moran – Electrical Engineer – Charlotte Strang-Moran answers questions in relation to her career pathway to becoming an Electrical Engineer at ORE Catapult.
This video interview was created by ORE Catapult in partnership with Great Place and Falkirk Science Festival, and presented as part of a digital learning STEM Activity Box resource: ‘Wind Power in Falkirk’.
Click here for video of Tony Fong – Engineering Manager – Tony Fong answers questions in relation to his career pathway to becoming an Engineering Manager at ORE Catapult. This video interview was created by ORE Catapult in partnership with Great Place and Falkirk Science Festival, and presented as part of a digital learning STEM Activity Box resource: ‘Wind Power in Falkirk’.
Explore Further
Below you will find additional helpful links and resources from our partners at ORE Catapult
Welcome to the Blue Carbon in Falkirk STEM Activity Box
Inside the Teacher’s Guide below you will find all the information you need to deliver a jam-packed STEM lesson with a hands-on activity, local heritage links and future career inspiration for your pupils! The learning materials included are best suited to pupils aged 8-14 years.
You can use the resources any way you please! In addition to the core lesson and activity there are plenty of optional extras, extension ideas and links to external resources to use at your disposal.
Click here to watch an overview and introduction to ‘Blue Carbon’, video made and narrated by Marcelina Lekawska, detailing the ‘Blue Carbon’ and how to protect it. Originally produced for a Falkirk Science Festival workshop in 2021:
https://vimeo.com/636076877
Click here to watch a guided video of a local Blue Carbon heritage site, conducted and presented by Professor William Austin, when exploring the Saltmarshes and the work of researchers RSPB Skinflats. Film Originally Produced by Schedule D Productions:
https://vimeo.com/635377136
Click here to watch a detailed introduction to the importance of Saltmarshes by the RESIST Project. Produced by Cambridge Filmworks and Voice over by Julia Lee
Click here to watch an instructional video made and narrated by Marcelina Lekawska, detailing the ‘Teabag Experiment’ used by scientists and the wider community to compare decomposition between a saltmarsh and regular soil environment. Originally produced for a Falkirk Science Festival workshop in 2021:
https://vimeo.com/636071628
Click here to watch an interview of Professor William Austin, conducted by Marcelina Lekawska, detailing the career path and work of a scientist, researcher and academic within the world of Blue Carbon. Originally produced for a Falkirk Science Festival workshop in 2021:
https://vimeo.com/636077203
Additional links:
Click below to learn more about Blue Carbon projects around the world:
The You Can Be Book Audit is a chance for ELCs and nurseries to win £100 worth of books by taking part in an audit of their book collections. The idea is to bring greater gender balance and challenge old-fashioned gender stereotypes that can be harmful to children and stop them achieving their full potential.
Check out the link above for more information and book ideas.
We have also put together book recommendations that challenge the gender stereotypes:
Looking for inspiration to make your picture book collection more inclusive, diverse and with better gender role-models? I’ve put together some suggestions to get you started.
Our last round of books focused on LGBT+ families and inclusive stories. All children deserve to see their own lives represented in the stories we share and books are a fantastic way to build empathy and understanding of others.
The discussion was very positive and one of the most interesting points raised was that the LGBT+ family books were just accepted by the children as books about families in general and that we, as adults, can put our own preconceptions onto books. The children didn’t see a label, they just saw families and children like them.
My Friends and Me by Stephanie Stansbie is wonderful as it shows a whole range of different families: LGBT+, single parents, foster parents, step families and many more.
Ketchup on your Reindeer by Nick Sharratt
Another absolute winner from the brilliant Nick Sharratt. With split pages so the children can make up their own crazy story combinations. The children adored sharing this book with each other—a real Christmas cracker!
Too Much Stuff by Emily Gravett
Children loved this gentle story about consumerism, advertising and the desire we have to accumulate ‘stuff’. When the magpies lay eggs they feel they need to get lots of things to make their family perfect when all they really need is each other. Heart-warming and sweet with beautiful illustrations.
Up Next
We are very excited as our next focus is STEM through stories and the group are working with RAISE Falkirk to develop resources around the books.
The authors will join the young people in each Falkirk Council secondary school at the digital Award Ceremony on Wednesday 19th May 2021. The Award Ceremony will feature creative interpretations of each of the shortlisted books by the young people and a Q & A session with the authors before the winning book is revealed.
The RED Book Award ceremony on the 19th May 2021 was attended by all the shortlisted authors and the S2 RED classes from 6 of our secondary schools. The authors gave us interesting and insightful guidance on writing, there was dancing and prizes were awarded for best alternative ending and front cover designs of the shortlisted books and the Q and A session was really interesting.
Congratulations to all the authors for reaching the RED shortlist.
Somebody Swallowed Stanley by Sarah Roberts
Below you will find additional helpful links and resources from our partners at 
The RED Book Award celebrates its 15th anniversary and to mark this achievement, the wonderful shortlist focuses on a BAME theme:
