January is nearly over, and that means it’s time to start thinking about something really exciting - British Science Week! This national science week runs every March - this year it’s from the 8th to the 17th with the theme ‘Time’. So how can you get involved? We know it can be overwhelming with so much on offer, so we’ve picked a few of our favourite science week activities, ideas and resources, to make your British Science Week 2024 go with a bang. And even better - these easy science activities won’t take too much of your time to plan!
1. Use the British Science Week activity packs
Cost: £ Effort: +++++
Every year, the team at the British Science Association put together activity packs for 3 age groups- early years (EYFS, under age 5), primary (KS1 & KS2) and secondary (KS3). These are crammed full of ideas for science week activities that you can run with your students, tied to their theme. This year’s Primary school activity pack features a Braintastic! Science activity for Dreamachine on ‘How we Learn’. And if you liked that, there are two more of our 60min lesson plans in the CREST Award accredited 'Power of the Brain' series from Dreamachine with fun science activities, follow-up investigation and reflection and loads of supporting resources for further reading and fascinating facts.
Cost: ££-£££ Effort: +
Another option is to bring in an external provider to inspire and engage your students with science shows for schools, while you take a well-earned break. There are loads of great options out there, and we may be a bit biased, but we think that Braintastic! Science shows are perfect for this! Watch the video below to get a glimpse of one of our most popular KS2 school science shows, That’s Non-Sense, or check out our full range of science shows for schools from KS1 to KS5. Don’t hesitate to get in touch if you would like to book us for your school science week - we're now almost fully booked but also have an on-demand offering and good availability either side of British Science Week 2024.
3. Enter the British Science Week poster competition
Cost: £ Effort: +++
Stimulate your students’ creative thinking and encourage them to explore their own interests by creating a poster related to the theme of Time. There are some great prizes to be won, with judges looking for creative approaches, clear STEM content and effective communication. For secondary schools, we love the idea of a poster on how our brains change over time through our lives, which is the basis for learning. For a starting point, why not watch our video on neurogenesis (how our brains make new neurons) or check out our blog on how memories stored in the brain through a process called neuroplasticity.
And here are some more creative ideas for British Science Week - we love highlighting the importance of creativity in science, like in our Science and Creativity workshop where art meets STEM
4. Explore real-life scientists with the ‘A Scientist Just Like Me’ resource
Cost: Free Effort: ++++
A Scientist Just Like Me is a resource created by the Primary Science Teaching Trust to show the diversity of people in scientific careers. As well as telling you about their jobs, you can filter the profiles to see, for example, LGBTQ+ scientists, or scientists with disabilities. This can be great for supporting relationships education (PSHE), helping students see that anyone can succeed in a STEM job, whatever their background. We love smashing stereotypes at Braintastic! Science - why not check out some of our posts on the wonderful women in STEM we profiled for Ada Lovelace day or our feature celebrating the amazing work of 5 black psychologists and neuroscientists for Black History Month.
5. Book a virtual visitor or online show
Cost: Free - ££ Effort: ++++
Virtual visitors can be a another great option - they can talk about their work or lead an online science workshop. STEM Ambassadors are volunteers who do just this, for free. Many of them offer virtual school visits as well as in person ones, and as they are practicing STEM professionals they can be great at giving students an insight into career options open to them.
And finally, we're offering a special British Science Week 2024 package 'Time to Learn'
Full-length version of our interactive Memory Games show, available on-demand
Homework worksheet with a fun, hands-on science activity
Lesson plan to introduce your students to the idea of brain plasticity
Activity pack for our Brain Art workshop, including printable handouts, a full kit list and top tips to make sure it runs smoothly
All for just £245 per school for as many classes as you like (ideal for KS2 / years 3-6).
Special bonus: The first 10 schools to book get a live Q & A session with one of our expert presenters, completely free, to ask them any questions about the brain!
