Lancashire science week case studies

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Archbishop Hutton's Primary School, Lancashire

Archbishop Hutton's jam-packed science week included a whole range of activities, from workshops run by the local secondary school to visits from PhD students. Some of the children even took part in a climate change survey for the Met Office! The Study Lab visited on one day, running a 'Flash Bang Pop' assembly and a selection of workshops for the whole school. The workshops included 'Science Miracles and Magic' - "An unforgettable workshop which inspired and engaged the pupils with science." "Pupils had to think creatively, predict, observe, analyse and explain the amazing scientific phenomena" (Science Co-ordinator, Archbishop Hutton's Primary School)

"I enjoyed science week because it was fun trying new things and expanding my knowledge of science"
(Pupil, Archbishop Hutton's Primary School)

Burscough Village Primary School, Lancashire

Burscough Village Primary School held a science week where pupils and teachers alike could explore science and have fun. During this week their design and manufacture of bath products developed into an enterprise project that they named ‘Blush’ - inspired by a visit to the Lush store in Preston and co-ordinated by pupils in Year 5 & 6. The Blush Project group planned their ingredients, carried out market research with parents, designed and manufactured the products before packaging them using recycled materials and selling them to parents at the end of science week. In total, they raised Ł412.80 for the Japanese Tsunami fund!

"Adrian Bowden did both Infant and Junior science shows that were outstanding"
(Science Co-ordinator, Medlar-with-Wesham CE Primary School)

Medlar-with-Wesham CE Primary School, Lancashire

Medlar-with-Wesham organised a special science week called 'Let's Investigate' which focused on teaching pupils how to carry out scientific investigations. All pupils participated in an outdoor science day, an environmental green science day, an investigation day and a science fair and attended a workshop with Adrian Bowden - it was definitely a very a busy week! Investigations included a crime scene investigation, to solve a break-in staged by the local police, and building working lighthouses using circuits. The whole school also took part in the challenge to go without electricity for a whole hour on their annual eco-day.

"Adrian Bowden did both Infant and Junior science shows that were outstanding"
(Science Co-ordinator, Medlar-with-Wesham CE Primary School)

Bolton by Bowland CE Primary School, Lancashire

Bolton by Bowland Primary School's science day covered a variety of hands-on science activities for the children to try, including designing and making hoop gliders and marble runs and investigating bubbles. The school also received a visit from a very special visitor - a senior bio-medical scientist from Blackburn Hospital. He spoke to the children about how he became interested in science and what he does in his job as well as giving a presentation about the body and diseases and bringing along several samples - the dead tapeworm was a particular success with the children!

"It was very fun because a lot of it was hands on science - I really loved it!"
(Year 6 pupil, Bolton by Bowland CE Primary School)

"Many of the children said they did not have a favourite part because they loved it all."
(Science Co-ordinator, Bolton by Bowland CE Primary School)

Eccleston Primary School, Lancashire

Eccleston Primary School covered a wide variety of activities with the whole school during their two day science event. It was opened with an assembly by Mad Science, which was free in return for Mad Science running an after school science club. Other activities, such as a van der graph generator, were also kindly provided free by Cumbria and West Lancashire Institute of Physics. The event ended with a parent's science workshop run by the children.

St. Anne's and St. Joseph's RC Primary School, Lancashire

St. Anne's and St. Joseph's RC Primary School held a Wow science week packed full of activities for the pupils to engage and enthuse them about science and its uses in the "real" world. They rounded off their week with a science fair to which at least 200 parents and members of the wider school community came. They also succeeded in getting Press coverage to their fair and securing help from local businesses - A local Tesco store provided a Ł20 gift voucher, used to purchase rewards and the Lush company provided a large number of recycled containers. The children also performed a play based on changing materials and various Super-Duper Scientists carried out demonstrations, talking very confidently and in appropriate scientific language about the processes involved.
All in all, the science week and fair left the children greatly enthused about Science!

"I would not change anything!"
(Science Co-ordinator, St. Anne's and St. Joseph's RC Primary School)

Coupe Green Primary School, Lancashire

Coupe Green school took part in a whole variety of science based events during their science week, from Amazing experiments, Brain and body day, Construction day, Developing a product and Environment day. It's as easy as A..B..C..D..E!
One of the highlights of the week was an evening for children and parents to work together on various science-based products which was enjoyed by children and parents throughout the school.
Another success was the Year 6 Wow-Science Road Show, in which Year 6 children were taught and shown a range of experiments. Groups of children from other classes then came round and joined in, giving the Year 6 children a great opportunity to try to teach younger children. One parent also came in to start a Gifted and Talented Science/DT project - working with a group of children to design, test, and make a product for the playground.
At the end of the week, parents came in to purchase products made by the different classes. The products sold out within 10 minutes and the money raised was used to buy prizes for winners of different challenges throughout the week.

"The engagement and participation was very rewarding and the interactions between parents and children were really good"
"After the week, there was an obvious 'buzz' around school about Science"
(Science Co-ordinator, Coupe Green Primary School)

View Coupe Green's science week plan
View Coupe Green's science week poster

Laneshaw Bridge Primary School, Lancashire

Laneshaw Bridge Primary School held a fun-packed science week, kicked off by a visit from 'Mad Science' who provided workshops for KS1 and KS2. In these workshops the children participated in experiments on pressure, smoke rings and hovercrafts, and afterwards got to make their own 'goo' from mixing different chemicals.
This 'wow' opening to Science Week was very successful and was followed by a week of fun activities, visits and visitors to school. Pupils went on trips including the local engineering works to learn about structures and the Maritime Museum. The Science Week covered a wide variety of topics and activities such as pond dipping with the local park ranger, building volcanoes and making air fresheners. Finally, the week concluded with a bird display for the whole school; allowing them to see, and even touch, owls and other birds of prey.
The children's enthusiasm for science was further demonstrated by an American style 'Science Fair' conducted later in the term, where pupils brought in their own science experiments from home. Parents were invited to the science fair and expressed their pleasure at the interest and enthusiasm their children had developed in science. A fantastic day was had by all (except the cleaner)!

"The children had a wonderfully stimulating week"
"Absolutely Fantastic"
(Science Co-ordinator, Laneshaw Bridge School)

View Laneshaw Bridge's science week plan

Arkholme CE Primary School, Lancashire

Arkholme Primary School held a science day, with 'Mad Science' providing the workshops. Each class had a different topic to focus on and learn about, including dinosaurs, sound, forces and sticky materials. Each class really benefitted from the experience, not only by enjoying the workshops but also by the enhancing of their observational and practical skills.

"I wish all science lessons were like that!"
"I enjoyed making sound"
"My favourite bit was the goo contest"
"It changed my mind about science!"
(Pupil comments, Arkholme Primary School)

Sherwood Primary School, Lancashire

Sherwood Primary School used their Edina grant to purchase a wide variety of resources for their 'WOW' Science Week. Equipment purchased included a thermometer, pushmeters, a polymer kit and a slime kit!

"All the children, staff, parents, governors and visitors were extremely impressed and WOWed. I bought lots of equipment which I normally would not have been able to purchase."
(Science Co-ordinator, Sherwood Primary School)

St Mary's RC Primary School, Haslingden, Lancashire

St Mary's RC Primary School held a science week which covered a wide range of topics and the use of many scientific skills. The children explored forces and were asked to make a rocket using wind or chemical power. The school also had a 'Crime Scene Day' within the science week, which enabled children to explore human variation and gave them opportunities to try out new techniques such as fingerprinting and chromatography. Other days within the science week included a 'Challenge Day', where children developed their thinking, listening and negotiating skills and 'Magical Science Day', which allowed the children to explore kitchen chemistry and have fun making slime and lava lamps.

"The buzz and excitement throughout the school was evident to all and the parents, teachers and visitors all commented on how much the children enjoyed the week"
(Science Co-ordinator, St Mary's RC Primary School)

View St. Mary's science week plan