January – April 2014
Education newsletter Dear colleague, I am conscious that teachers at every key stage have a lot on their plate this year, so we continue to develop activities which support exciting and engaging education at all levels. These include our ever-expanding Mathstastic programme (see p.3), additions to our extensive choice of workshops (see p.3), and our annual National Science Week offer (see p.3). We are very excited about hosting BODY WORLDS Vital, a journey through the human body which makes its UK debut here at Life in May 2014. Controversial, awe-inspiring and educational, you can judge the exhibition for yourself at our Teacher Premiere (see p.2). Yours faithfully
Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2013 Open until Sunday 2 March 2014
Photograph: Snow moment (c)Jasper Doest (The Netherlands). Image taken from the 2013 competition.
Students can enjoy the winning entries from the 2013 competition, which aims to showcase outstanding creativity and photographic skills, inspiring wonder at the natural world and highlighting the need for wildlife conservation. Awe-inspiring images and fascinating biology makes for an inspirational visit. We are using some of the images as a basis for a maths trail too (see page 3). Included in your Science Centre ticket. To book call (0191) 243 8223.
Wildlife Photographer of the Year is co-owned by the Natural History Museum and BBC Worldwide.
Skating@Life Until Sunday 23 February 2014 Reinforce the positive learning experience of your workshop and Science Centre visit by taking your class for a spin on the ice. Workshops linking the ice rink to the curriculum are available for all key stages. For information and to book, call (0191) 243 8223.
Noel Jackson, Head of Education
Supported by:
BODY WORLDS Vital
Opens Saturday 17 May 2014 Teacher Premiere Join us after school for a guided tour of BODY WORLDS Vital and our teaching laboratories, led by our Education staff, with a chance to ask questions about the exhibition. If you can’t make the Teacher Premiere, we’re happy to organise a show-round for you on a date that suits - just let us know!
BODY WORLDS Vital, an awe-inspiring journey through the human body, celebrating its complexity, beauty and potential, makes its UK debut at Life. BODY WORLDS Vital brings together a collection of real human bodies, specimens, organs and body slices preserved through plastination, a ground-breaking preservation method invented by Dr. Gunther von Hagens.
V I T A L The Original Exhibition of Real Human Bodies
Students will learn about anatomy, health, lifestyle choices and the body’s full potential by viewing real human bodies. BODY WORLDS Vital is also of interest to art and design students, and as a starting point for ethical debate. Extensive educational materials are available to support your class visit to BODY WORLDS Vital, and we are currently developing curriculumlinked workshops on bodies and health for every age group which can be booked alone or in combination with an exhibition visit - get in touch for more information. Included in your Science Centre ticket. To book call (0191) 243 8223.
Inside DNA
Brick City
Opens Saturday 15 February 2014
Saturday 8 March – Monday 22 April 2014
Man or monkey? Girl or boy? Innocent or guilty? A little DNA can make a big difference! Our new permanent exhibition, Inside DNA, will explore developments in the fast-moving field of human genomics, and the ethical issues they raise.
An exhibition of international architecture built in LEGO© with over 60 scenes including the Colosseum in Rome, Berlin’s TV Tower and the London 2012 Olympic Park. Students can see how real engineering challenges are overcome in miniature and be inspired to create their own constructions using LEGO pieces and imagination!
Included in your Science Centre ticket. To book call (0191) 243 8223.
Included in your Science Centre ticket. To book call (0191) 243 8223.
On-Point Dancer Copyright: Gunther von Hagens' BODY WORLDS, Institute for Plastination, Heidelberg, Germany, www.bodyworlds.com
Thursday 15 May 2014 Suitability: KS2 and above
Bookings: (0191) 243 8223 Information: (0191) 243 8211 education@life.org.uk life.org.uk/education
Maths Festival of Maths Delivered in partnership with Newcastle University Thursday 30 January 2014 Building on the success of last year’s pilot festival, our second Festival of Maths will see trainee maths teachers and Life staff running a range of exciting activities to show that maths is both useful and fun. This year’s Festival was booked up in less than 24 hours. To hear about future maths events first, register your interest with our Education Department by emailing education@life.org.uk or calling (0191) 243 8211.
Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2013 Maths Trail Maths is everywhere, including in our exhibition! Our newest maths trail uses the stunning images in Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2013 to stimulate an interest in maths. Visit life.org.uk/maths-trail to access the downloadable questions before you visit.
FREE Science Centre entry this March! To celebrate National Science and Engineering Week, schools who book a workshop or presenter-led planetarium session (£3 per pupil) to take place in March can enjoy a day in the Science Centre for FREE. For more information and to book, please call (0191) 243 8223.
Festival of Microbiology Supported by the Society for Applied Microbiology Wednesday 5 – Tuesday 18 March In our first ever Festival of Microbiology, 10 groups of secondary school students will explore algae, protozoa and bacteria using research grade microscopes, learning to set up microscopes and make slides using stains and oil immersion. Students will then create a design based on their microbial discoveries, ready to paint onto the walls of the Education Foyer to welcome future visitors. This year’s Festival sold out very quickly. To be involved in future events, register your interest by calling (0191) 243 8211 or emailing education@life.org.uk
New workshops We are pleased to announce three new workshops for KS4 and post-16 classes: ■ Fluid Balance looks at the effect of water loss and gain on cells, with a chance to dissect kidneys and observe the effects of hypotonic and hypertonic solutions on red blood cells. ■ Urine Analysis uses qualitative analyses to test ‘urine samples’. Students identify the abnormalities and match the samples to patient cards. ■ Food Tests allows students to analyse a ham and cheese salad sandwich to work out whether it is a balanced meal. For more information visit life.org.uk/new-workshops or call (0191) 243 8223 to book.
Primary CPD If you’d like extra support to improve your school’s science provision, particularly in line with the Creative Curriculum, we can help. Just identify the year groups and themes you’d like to focus on, and we’ll present a variety of hands-on activities and investigations so you can adopt the ones that suit your teaching style. For more information and to discuss ways we can help, contact our Education Department by emailing education@life.org.uk or calling (0191) 243 8211.
Bookings: (0191) 243 8223 Information: (0191) 243 8211 education@life.org.uk life.org.uk/education
Maker Faire UK Saturday 26 - Sunday 27 April Maker Faire UK – ‘the greatest show (and tell) on Earth’ returns to Life in April. THE main Maker Faire in the UK, the event attracts Makers and attendees from across the world, bringing together a diverse group of individuals bound by a common desire to create. A primary aim of Maker Faire is to inspire young people to launch projects, develop products and take up careers in STEM - please help us spread the word!
www.MakerFaireUk.com
Outreach If you can’t come to us, we can send two of our graduate Science Explainers to run activities at your school. Current favourites are the inflatable planetarium, the Animal Adaptation Roadshow and Dinomaths, which uses dinosaurs to promote facility in maths. For a full list of options visit life.org.uk/outreach Price: £300 for one day. To book call (0191) 243 8211.
Changes in the Centre in 2014 From Monday 6 January – Friday 14 February, Monday 3 – Friday 7 March 2014, and from Tuesday 22 April – Friday 16 May 2014, some areas of the Science Centre will be closed as we prepare for new exhibitions. There will still be plenty to do for school groups including the planetarium, Science Theatre, Curiosity Zone, various exhibitions, 4D Motion Ride and Young Explorers’ Zone for under 7s. Call us for full details on (0191) 243 8223.
Prices Workshop + Science Centre visit + skate £9 per pupil Science Centre visit + skate £6 per pupil Playful Science (Early Years workshop) £5 per pupil Workshop only £3 per pupil Outreach £300 per day CPD £120 per person per day Teachers FREE
Your visit to Life A school visit to Life typically includes time to explore the Science Centre (including current exhibitions) plus a workshop of your choice and, until 23 February 2014, a session on our open air ice rink. Special events and activities are charged separately: visit life.org.uk/education-prices for full details.
Sign-up To receive a copy of our Education newsletter, please email education@life.org.uk with your full name, position and school (stating email or post as a preference). We like to save paper where possible, so if you would prefer to recieve this newsletter electronically, please email education@life.org.uk or call (0191) 243 8208 and let us know. Follow @scienceatlife on Twitter to get the latest news and updates from the team at Life.
Times Square Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 4EP Bookings: (0191) 243 8223 Information: (0191) 243 8211 education@life.org.uk life.org.uk/education
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