January 8, 2016
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Topical Science – Small cousin of the triceratops discovered.

A scientist who has been studying a dinosaur fossil found on the East Coast of North America says it is evidence that the continent was divided in half by a shallow sea 100 million years ago.

Dr Nick Longrich, from the Milner Centre for Evolution, has been studying the jaw fragments of a horned dinosaur about the size of a dog. It is believed to be the smaller cousin of the better-known Triceratops – both members of the Ceratopsia dinosaur family.

The jaw fragments are more slender than that of Ceratopsia found on the West Coast of North America, suggesting the dinosaurs evolved differently based on their diets.

Further information on this discovery and suggested resources are accessible via the Twig Newsdesk. Twig is available to all educators and learners in Scotland via the Glow Launch Pad.

You can also register to receive further e-bulletins from Twig Newsdesk and Tigtag Topical Science.

January 8, 2016
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Royal Institution STEM Enrichment & Enhancement Grant

The Royal Institu logo_STEM_home tion STEM E&E Grant Scheme offers UK-registered state schools a grant of up to £500 to experience a STEM activity taken from the STEM Directories. The scheme is designed to help integrate STEM Enrichment and Enhancement activities into school practice and to support teachers’ professional development.

For over 200 years the Royal Institution (Ri) has been at the forefront of public engagement with science and its mission is to encourage people to think more deeply about the wonders and applications of science. The Ri manages the STEM Directories, an online catalogue of STEM E&E (Enrichment and Enhancement) activities offered by organisations across the UK. The activities are described as Enrichment and Enhancement because they enrich or enhance (go beyond) the school curriculum. The activities are usually events or experiences that cannot be delivered with standard school resources.

The Ri receives funding from the Causeway Foundation to run and develop the STEM Directories and to enable wider access to its listed activities by offering the STEM E&E Grant Scheme.

What do the grants offer?

£500 towards any activity listed on the STEM Directories
This £500 can be used to cover fees and expenses of the activity provider as well as travel expenses incurred by the school. Any other expenses incurred by the school are not covered
All activities funded by this grant would need to be completed by the end of the 2016 summer term

What are the eligibility criteria?

In order to apply for a grant, you need to:

Be from a state-funded primary or secondary school, academy or sixth-form college in the UK
Be a member of the school staff who is involved in teaching a STEM subject in that school
Make contact with your activity provider before the application deadline

Please note that the assessment process gives priority to disadvantaged schools.

More information, along with how to apply, can be found here.

January 8, 2016
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Edinburgh International Science Festival – Careers Hive

Career eisf s Hive is a new flagship project by Edinburgh International Science Festival for all S1 to S3 students. This immersive event will focus on the vast range of exciting – and often unknown or underappreciated – opportunities available to those who study Science, Technology, Engineering or Maths (STEM).

This project will highlight that there are options available for everyone, irrespective of interest, in this rapidly expanding sector. By encouraging young people to discover where engagement with STEM could lead, Careers Hive will help address the rising tide of students not taking science from the end of the broad general education.

For more information, see the attached leaflet – Careers Hive

January 8, 2016
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Citizen Science & Curriculum for Excellence Guide

Want to discover a new quasar in deep space, count elephants in the Serengeti National Park from the comfort of your classroom or monitor invasive species in your local park? If so, then you will be joining forces with millions of people around the world who are discovering a passion for science through citizen science activities.

The new Education Scotland Citizen Science Curriculum for Excellence Guide is available to download from here.

Download it now to find out more about the many great local and national events you and your school community can be involved with. The guide also provides information about mobile apps that are available to help you bring science to life in your school and connect science learning to real-life issues in your community.

January 8, 2016
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TigTag Junior – Now accessible via Glow Launch Pad

A new tile has been added to the National Glow App Library by Twig World Ltd.

Discover jaw-dropping science resources for ages 4–6!

Tigtag Junior features hundreds of captivating short films, puzzles and games for younger learners.

Created specifically for use in schools, Tigtag Junior comes with support materials for teachers including ready-made lesson plans and topic background information.

You can add this free tile to your ‘My Launchpad’ for easy access to it at all times.

To add an app or tile to your Launchpad(s) you may find the following video useful:

https://glowhelp.wikis.glowscotland.org.uk/Adding+TigTag+Tiles+To+Glow

December 21, 2015
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The Feynman Lectures on Physics

Caltech and The Feynman Lectures Website are pleased to present this online edition of The Feynman Lectures on Physics. Now, anyone with internet access and a web browser can enjoy reading a high quality up-to-date copy of Feynman’s legendary lectures.

However, we want to be clear that this edition is only free to read online, and this posting does not transfer any right to download all or any portion of The Feynman Lectures on Physics for any purpose.

This edition has been designed for ease of reading on devices of any size or shape; text, figures and equations can all be zoomed without degradation.

The lectures are accessible via this link.

December 17, 2015
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So you want to be a space biologist or rocket scientist? (thanks to Tim Peake)

Of the many and various items that British ESA astronaut Tim Peake has taken aboard the International Space Station, you may not have considered 2kg of rocket seeds being among them. The seeds are staying with Tim for 6 months and packs will be allocated to registered schools on their return to Earth.

Schools can register interest in packs which will contain some of these space rocket seeds and a comparative set of seeds that have stayed on Earth. It will give pupils the chance to be space biologists and investigate how space effects the growth of plants.

Along with the seeds, schools and other educational organisations will be able to use a comprehensive suite of teaching and learning resources that are being developed by the RHS Campaign for School Gardening and Science and Plants for schools. Resources for both primary and secondary schools will be available, and will include suggestions on scientific investigations and experiments inspired by the project and even details on how to design and build a table top Mars greenhouse.

Follow the link below to find out more about getting involved!

https://schoolgardening.rhs.org.uk/Competitions/Rocket-Science-Application-Form

December 15, 2015
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Principia Live!

Watch the launch live of ESA astronaut Tim Peake, NASA astronaut Tim Kopra and Russian commander Yuri Malenchenko to the International Space Station on 15 December at 11:03 GMT (12:03 CET).

Tune in again at 18:45 GMT (19:45 CET) for the hatch opening and press conference with the whole Space Station crew, including the new arrivals.

Tim, Tim and Yuri will spend six months in space working and living on the International Space Station.

Follow the whole mission with live updates via the Principia mission blog and on Twitter via @esaoperations

Connect with Tim at: timpeake.esa.int

December 14, 2015
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Education Scotland Sharing Practice event – Sciences

Sharing Practice Event – Meeting Learners’ Needs – Wednesday 27 January 2016. Tynecastle High School, Edinburgh.

This network was set up to investigate strategies for learning and teaching in classroom where more than one NQ level is being taught at the same time. Our first meeting learners’ needs network event was on 31st October 2014. At that event, delegates chose a strategy to develop and trial over the next few months. At the follow up event on 8th June, as well as some examples of interesting practice, returning delegates gave short presentations on their findings. This event will look at further developments made, celebrating success and learning from our experiences.

December 14, 2015
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Lighting the Future: Brighter, Smaller, Faster!

The next in the autumn series of Institute of Physics Scotland public lectures in Glasgow will take place on Thursday, 17th December, at 7.30pm in Room 222 of the Kelvin Building, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Glasgow.

Janet Milne, of the Intelligent Lighting Centre at the University of Strathclyde will give a talk entitled “Lighting the Future: Brighter, Smaller, Faster!”

This lecture will continue the theme of light-related talks that marks International Year of Light 2015, and is also appropriately festive (just think Christmas lights…)

“Solid state LEDs are revolutionising the lighting industry and are now considered by some to be the future of wireless communications. This event will discuss the development of LEDs for lighting, their benefits and limitations, and current research that is developing both the lighting and communications potential of these versatile and energy efficient light sources.”

Janet Milne graduated with a first class honours degree in Physics from the University of Glasgow and has since developed a broad base of commercial business skills during 17 years in high-technology product development, manufacturing and commercialisation. She has Executive Director level management experience in both early- and late-stage SMEs and currently provides strategic direction to the Intelligent Lighting Centre through connections with industry, government and end-users.

Lecture is free and open to all, and begins at 7.30pm in Room 222 of the Kelvin Building. For more information see http://www.tinyurl.com/glasgow-iop/