Did you know that this week is British Science Week? It marks a ten-day celebration of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) which this year takes place between the 10th – 19th March. It is organised by the British Science Association, a charity founded back in 1831 to push the importance of science at the heart of culture and society, whose mission is to support, grow and diversify the community of people interested and involved in science.
This week will see schools, families and STEM professionals all over the country getting involved by participating in STEM events and activities. Have a read on to find out more on how YOU can celebrate British Science Week!
What is the theme for this year’s British Science Week?
This year’s theme is ‘Connections‘. According to the British Science Association, almost all innovations in Science are built on connections between people; two (or more) heads are better than one! But as well as exploring the importance of connections between individual scientists, research groups and institutions, you could discover the different ways connections appear across all areas of science. Evolution, for example, shows us the ways that animals, plants and bacteria are all connected in a family tree stretching back millenia.
Perhaps you could explore the connection between science and technology, or the connection between human actions and climate change?
Celebrating British Science Week in the classroom
There are countless ways you can get your students, class, school and community involved this week. Your participation can be as simple as a classroom display or as complex as a science fair! Your events should be fun, focused on science outcomes, supportive of your science curriculum and should encourage the involvement in STEM! We have put together some great ideas for you to celebrate all things science at your school:
Science fairs
The beauty of running a science fair is that you can make it as big or small as you want! However, this is an ideal way to get the whole school AND local community involved. Holding a science fair is a great way to showcase and celebrate the excellent science work that children have completed in the classroom. You can set up interactive activities linking with classroom science topics so that students can actively engage. It’s also a great opportunity to invite some industry professionals or members of the local community to set up a stand and show how science is used in our everyday life!
Trip to a museum
British Science Week is a great opportunity to organise a school trip! Have a look if there are any science museums in your local area that accommodate class trips. It’s a great opportunity to get your students out into a new environment and let them engage with science on a whole new level. A good idea is to create a treasure hunt style worksheet for them to fill out whilst at the museum to really get their brains working!
Host a ‘dress up day’
Why not host a costume themed day to really get your students involved? Ask your students to come into school dressed as someone or something that excites them about science (for example a famous scientist like Einstein or even an astronaut!). Allow time for the students to present their costume to the class and tell everyone about their theme and why it is so important to science!
Everyone loves an experiment!
There is no denying that excitement levels in the classroom are always higher when it’s experiment time! This week is a great opportunity to spend time doing some really exciting experiments with your students. Why not ask some of your older students to help out with teaching younger years? Some of our favourite experiments include:
- Smartie Party – discover how Smartie colours spread but don’t mix straight away in water!
- Mini Volcano – vinegar, bicarb soda, detergent and food colour creates a lot of fun!
- Lava Lamp – oil, water, food dye and salt … oil and water don’t mix!
- Humpty dumpty – discovering the structural strength of eggshells
- Milky Rainbow – surface tension discoveries with milk, food colouring and detergent
British Science Week activity packs
The free activity packs for British Science Week 2023 are available to download. They offer an Early Years Pack, Primary pack, Secondary pack and Community pack. Each pack, created with the support of UK Research and Innovation, includes a wide range of fun, hands-on activities, and loads of useful information for planning your events.
Are you passionate about teaching STEM?
Are you passionate about STEM? Fancy working in a role where you can support students and develop their passion for all things science? Here at i-teachers, we are an education recruitment consultancy focusing on providing long term and permanent jobs in Primary, Secondary and SEN schools across the UK.
So, how can i-teachers help you to find a teaching job?:
- Our friendly and experienced education consultants are dedicated to perfectly matching our candidates to schools suited to their skills set and personal goals.
- We work with NQTs and experienced teachers across the UK, as well as graduates looking for teaching assistant roles prior to teacher training.
- For our job seekers we provide an approachable, responsible and easy to work with team of professionals, all driving towards finding the perfect role and ideal solution for the future.
What makes us unique:
- Caring and experienced team of education consultants (check out our 5* TrustPilot reviews to see for yourself!).
- We won’t rest until we have found you the perfect role in the ideal school.
- We are education experts, and offer industry leading, specialist advice.
- We work nationally, so we are ideal if you want to relocate.
- Our consultants are with you every step of the way, helping you to make the best decisions for your career before, during and after your placement.
Get in touch with one of our dedicated consultants to find out more on how to find teaching jobs, or have a look through some of our current vacancies!