Evolution involves a lot of randomness, but how can that change a population?

 

In this workshop, we will explore the concepts of evolution and variation.

 

Have a look at cats and variations that may (or may not) be inherited by their kittens.

 

Play a board game that explores how random changes in individuals may lead to long term changes in populations – all squeezed into one lesson!

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Main subject: Biology

Main topics: Evolution, inheritance, variation

Key stages: Upper KS2, KS3 

What are the difference between the three states of matter?

 

This show explores the chemical changes that can be reversed, and those that cannot.

 

Describe the three states of matter and explore how materials can change between them. Then see how some changes cannot be undone.

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Main subject: Chemistry

Main topics: States of matter, separating mixtures, reversible and irreversible changes

Key stages: KS2 & KS3

Ever wondered what it was like for Tim Peake? How do you get into space, and what is it like to live and work there?

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Learn how physics got us into space and back home again. Experience some of the dangers of going into space with our vacuum chamber and our blowtorch – find out how we used science to overcome these challenges, and have a ride on a hover board.

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Kindly supported by ASDC and Destination Space

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Main subject: Physics

Main topics: Space, Forces, Materials

Key stages: KS2 & KS3

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Forgotten your sea legs? Don’t worry you’ll be rolling up your sleeves and creating a land yacht while learning about materials and forces.

 

This workshop gets pupils to build, test and modify their own land yacht.

 

Design a sail from everyday materials and ride like the wind in an exciting finale where pupils can compete in an exciting race! Along the way, you’ll learn about materials, forces and design.

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Main subject: Physics

Main topics: Forces, materials

Key stages: KS1, KS2 & lower KS3

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Have you ever wondered how our eyes actually see?

 

This hands-on workshop explores the way we think human eyes have evolved. Follow the likely stages of the evolution of the human eye while making a pinhole viewer to highlight the crucial steps – from how we tell light from dark to focusing with a lens.

 

This is an illuminating introduction to the anatomy of the eye will highlight the different types of eyes we see in animals today.

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Main subjects: Biology, Physics

Main topics: Anatomy of the eye, Evolution

Key stages: KS2 & KS3

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What goes up must come down – but how do you predict where things land?

 

Especially vital to know if you’re an astronaut or a human cannonball. In this show-stopping workshop, teams collaborate to fire projectiles – working out angles, distances and trajectories to make sure their cannonball lands on target. This workshop looks at real-life examples of when humans themselves are the projectile – from astronauts to human cannonballs.

 

We explore how scientific modelling and physical forces explain why astronauts like Tim Peake didn’t fall to Earth, and how human cannonballs make sure they land safely.

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Kindly supported by Mathworks 

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Main subject: Physics.

Main topics: Projectiles, forces.

Key stages: KS3 – KS5

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What makes a bullet proof vest so strong – what keeps firefighters safe and what does this have to do with custard?

 

This interactive show looks at the engineering behind some of the most amazing materials that keep us safe when we’re in danger. We look at the super-strong fabrics that protect firefighters from heat and flames, and we explore how clothing can protect us from on-coming bullets and the hazards of dangerous sports.

 

With lots of chances for audience members to volunteer – introducing concepts including staying safe, forces and materials.

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Kindly supported by Mathworks 

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Main subjects: Physics

Main topics: Forces, materials, keeping safe

Key stages: KS1 & KS2

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Want to recycle more? Look to nature to find out how it’s done.

 

We look at inspiring examples from nature to illustrate why recycling is so important for our environment. Meet Horatio the Hermit Crab, who makes his home in recycled shells, and watch a cloud form in a bottle to illustrate how the water cycle works.

 

This inspirational show introduces the concepts of water cycle, carbon cycle and recycling.

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Main subject: Biology

Main topics: Environment, water cycle, carbon cycle, recycling

Key stages: KS2 - KS4

What is electrical energy and how can we generate and use it?

 

This workshop gets pupils to build and test a simple circuit, an electromagnet, and a miniature wind turbine. Understand the intrinsic link between electricity and magnets and what that means for powering our world.

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Main subject: Physics

Main topics: Electricity

Key stages: KS2 & KS3

How balanced are the groups of living things around us?

 

This show explores the way living things interact with each other in a balanced ecosystem.

 

Investigate how humans organise the complex world of living things and how food webs keep everything in balance.

 

Find out about the important roles of the ecosystem superheroes, such as pollinators, and what we can do to support them.

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Main subjects: Biology

Main topics: Biodiversity, ecology, classification

Key stages: KS2 & KS3

You are what you eat – or are you?

 

Find out how the body breaks down and rebuilds the proteins in our diet through this hands-on workshop. Experience digestion as if you were a protein molecule.

 

Find out how the body makes what it needs from what you eat. Working in teams, you’ll breakdown and rebuild your own protein model to help understand how we get nutrients from our food – as well as getting your head round healthy eating and digestion. Awesome!

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Sponsored by Amgen

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Main subject: Biology

Main topics: Healthy eating, digestion, molecules, protein

Key stages: KS2 & KS3

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Which materials will stand up to the job? Ever thought about the ground under your feet?

 

Get on the road for this interactive workshop about making roads, using real-life examples from the A14 along the way.

 

In this three-part hands-on workshop, you’ll go on an inspiring journey to learn all about road building. Play the role of an engineer, a materials scientist and an environmental scientist to probe the layers of materials that make up a road. Then, working in teams, explore how to minimise the environmental impact of road building – learning practical skills including measuring, weighing and engineering as you go.

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Kindly supported by Cambridgeshire Community Foundation

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Main subjects: Physics, Chemistry

Main topics: Engineering and environmental science Key stages: KS3 & lower KS4

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Have you got what it takes to be an astronaut or a space scientist, a mission controller or space engineer?

 

Put your skills to the test in interactive workshop preparing you to become part of an imaginary space mission. It takes a whole galaxy of people to send an astronaut into space – from scientists to mission controllers and from doctors to engineers. In this interactive workshop, young explorers can find out what it’s like to work in the space industry – preparing the next generation of inter-galactic adventurers.

 

Working in small groups to solve problems, you’ll learn how to control a robotic arm and work out how to deal with floating liquids in space, with a strong focus on forces and materials.

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Kindly supported by ASDC and Destination Space

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Main subjects: Physics, Chemistry

Main topics: Space, forces, materials

Key stages: Upper KS2 & KS3

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Learn about forces and energy as your pupils work together to build a joined up chain of crazy contraptions.

 

This high-octane interactive engineering workshop gets teams working together to create one big, wacky chain reaction. Using pulleys and levers, bits of string and ping pong balls, this is a chance to really get your hands on science to learn about energy and forces at the same time as getting to grips with teamwork – with lots of fun along the way.

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Main subjects: Physics

Main topics: Engineering, forces (levers and pulleys), Conservation and transfer of energy

Key stages: KS2 - KS5

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Ever wondered how sound travels?

 

Discover sound and what happens when it reaches your ears in this supersonic show. Sounds are all around us but how does sound travel through air to reach our eardrum?

 

Using hands-on activities to show how sound waves work, we explore everything you need to know about sonic science and the anatomy of our ear – using vibrating ping-pong balls, smoke rings and more.

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Main subjects: Physics, Biology

Main topics: Sound, anatomy of the ear

Key stages: KS2 & KS3