First LEGO League Challenge Regional Finals

First® Lego® League Challenge is a global competition for young people aged 9 to 16, run in the UK by the Institution of Engineering and Technology.
See Science were once again delighted to support this season’s First® Lego® League Challenge, thereby inspiring young people to understand the basics of STEM by applying their skills in an exciting competition while building habits of learning, confidence, and teamwork skills along the way.
 

This year See Science delivered four regional tournaments at Ysgol Harri Tudur, Willowtown Primary School, Coleg Merthyr and the University of South Wales. Across all four events, forty teams of students from primary and secondary schools across South Wales took up the challenge on the infamous ‘Challenge Mat’ with their bespoke Lego® programmable SPIKE Prime or EV3 robots. All teams did an amazing job and congratulations to the winners who will be going onto the UK finals in Harrogate.
 

See Science were delighted and grateful to be supported throughout all 4 events by STEM Ambassadors who acted as referees and judges.  

Here’s what some of them had to say:

Karl Gilmore, Transport for Wales: “An absolute pleasure to support Cerian Angharad and other See Science colleagues this week at Merthyr College, along with other STEM Ambassadors to help with the First Lego League Challenge.

An impressive collection of talented young people from various Valleys schools, displaying their teamwork and coding skills.”

Lewis Davies, BDO Eaton Square: “I was blown away by the hard work and clever ideas from the ten teams who took part. They showed amazing teamwork and problem-solving skills.
 

Events like this are so important because they show students that STEM can be exciting and fun. They also help them learn to work together and think in new ways. Thanks to all the students, teachers, and organisers who made this day awesome!”

If you would like to consider taking part next year, you can find more information here.

Primary Science Practical - Making Toothpaste. Monday 20 May, 3.45pm. Online

Bring a chemistry experiment into your primary classroom with this fun, simple practical activity.

We will demonstrate how easy it is to make your own toothpaste and will suggest how your pupils can investigate the product by testing whether or not the toothpaste works!

Making toothpaste can be a stand alone activity or we'll show you how it can be the beginning of your pupils' CREST Awards journey.

If you can't join on the day, register beforehand and receive a recording of the online session along with a great video from a dental STEM Ambassador giving ideas on how you can link the activity to learning about oral health.

Register here.

National Numeracy Day. Wednesday 22 May

Join our community of schools and organisations in time for the big day on Wednesday 22nd May 2024 to celebrate the numbers we use in our everyday lives!

Whether you’re promoting numeracy in a school, at home, workplace or other organisation, when you sign up you will receive a toolkit with all the free materials you need to get involved and help the nation get on with numbers.

More information here

'Brilliant Poetry'!

This is a FREE global poetry competition where anyone is eligible to enter.

Write a poem that is 40 lines or less and related to science.

Prizes:  First - £1,000,    Second - £500.   Third - £250. Closing date, 21 June 2024.     Details here. 

Partnership Grants for students with special educational needs and disabilities

Schools can apply for funding to support investigative research projects that are specifically tailored for students with SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities).

The grant enables schools to purchase equipment to carry out investigative STEM research projects in science, mathematics, engineering or computing. By taking part in these projects, students will have the opportunity to develop essential skills, such as problem solving and data handling skills, readying them for the future world of work. 

There needs to be two project partners to the scheme with the lead applicant being a school and the second partner being a STEM professional from academia or industry. Funding should predominantly be used to buy equipment. As the project involves SEND students, there are a few key areas of added flexibility in the eligibility and judging criteria.

There are three submission deadlines at the end of April, June and November.

Details here.

Calling all Primary schools in Denbighshire, Newport, Torfaen

Have you applied for your grant yet?

The Edina Trust offers £700 primary school science grants and £500 early years science grants. Grants are available in a local authority area for three years, after which we move on to new areas.
 

It’s quick and easy to access as the grants are non-competitive, meaning you are guaranteed to get funding if you are in one of the current areas. 

Schools can use their grants for: 

• Science resources 
• Science weeks 
• Scientific visits (in or out of school)
• Improving the school's grounds for science
• Gardening equipment
• Science subscriptions

Details of the simple application process are here.