Science News

Coding and Computing Fun

Mrs Wilson’s class have had a day of “cool stuff”, according to pupils! Xander H invited Dr Martin Bateman, a lecturer at UCLAN who previously visited Y5/6 last year, to spend the day in the class as an end of term treat – with lots of fantastic learning – and he was delighted to come back to Fishergate for a second time, this time bringing with him some young assistants.  Xander’s big brother – a former Fishergate student himself – also came along to lend a hand supporting the children’s learning.

This morning we wrote Minecraft mods using a programming language called Python, running on Raspberry Pi computers.  This afternoon we have been exploring Virtual Reality using the HTC Vive and taking on a whole range of coding and problem-solving challenges on the laptops as well as continuing with Minecraft, creating new worlds and writing mods.  It was particularly fantastic to see the support and mentoring given to the pupils by our young volunteer helpers, who were excellent role models as well as wonderful STEM ambassadors!

A MASSIVE thank you to Dr Bateman, from the School of Physical Sciences and Computing at the University of Central Lancashire, who drove all the way from Preston, together with his two marvellous assistants, to spend the day working with the class.

If you’d like to have a go at some of the coding and problem solving challenges, you can click on the links below!

Yr 3/4 STEM Parent Workshop

In Yr3/4, we invited the parents to join us with a STEM workshop, the challenge being to build a 3D structure out of a maximum of 40 cocktail sticks and 20 midget gems, to hold the weight of a dictionary. During the session, we also learnt some top tips about stable and strong 3D shapes like tetrahedrons.

What fun we had and look at all these amazing structures!

Clean Air Week 2018

We had an amazing Clean Air week with fantastic and motivating workshops run by fellow parent and outreach specialist Rick Peltier.

Our homework was to write a pledge on how we could help make the air we breathe cleaner.

On the 28th June, we collected the pollution monitoring test tubes that we sent away for from Friends of the Earth. Two weeks ago, we put one on the fence at the back of the school field beside Cemetery Road and the other on a pipe outside the Yr 3/4 and staff entrance in the playground. Now we have sent them off to be analysed and we are due to get the results in four weeks. We have a team of enthusiastic Yr 4s who will report back on this in the Autumn so keep looking!

Science Day Assembly – WOW!

We are so very fortunate to have such interesting, enthusiastic and knowledgeable people in the Fishergate community – our Science Day assembly was AMAZING!

More pictures from Science Day 2018 to follow soon!

Howsham Mill Science Fair

To celebrate British Science Week, Howsham Mill are inviting families to take part in a Science Fair, and even sign up to display your own science project!

There will be a variety of family-friendly science activities suitable for all ages available for you to take part in from 1pm-3pm.  From 3pm-4pm, the Science Fair will take place; spot prizes will be awarded for super scientific projects!  This year’s British Science Week theme is ‘Exploration and Discovery’.  For more information, why not visit their website?

Fun – and Science!

There is so much science to investigate with snow… friction, temperature, changing states, weather and precipitation are just a few things to think and learn about.  Of course, it is also great fun!