Inspiring Science Education and Universe in the Classroom teamed up yesterday to give pupils from Ysgol Pencae primary school a double dose of astronomy! The pupils went on a journey through space, starting in the Solar System and then zooming out to the cosmic wonders beyond!
Year 5 pupils from the Welsh Medium school in Cardiff invited the outreach team from Cardiff University, made up of Chris North, Sarah Eve Roberts, and interns Franziska Zaunig and Emma Foxell.
The afternoon workshop covered a number of concepts, including the Scale of the Universe and missions to space, using a complementary mix of Universe in the Classroom’s hands-on materials and ISE e-learning resources.
Hands-on resources are all about learning by doing, this pedagogical method allows students to directly observe and understand what’s going on, and encourages students to practise key skills and do things for themselves.
However, e-learning is now a key priority in education, using ICT in the classroom helps students to develop the skills they need to thrive in the 21st century. Additionally, students are shown to be more engaged during lessons using e-learning tools and platforms such as ISE allow teachers to provide personalised learning to their class.
A collaboration between ISE and Universe in the Classroom allows us to provide the best of both these worlds to pupils, with the added boost of a uniquely inspirational and engaging subject: astronomy.
If you’re a primary school in Wales interested in participating with Universe in the Classroom, contact the project coordinator at robertsS38@cardiff.ac.uk.
