I can’t quite believe it myself, but the summer is over, and autumn is well and truly here. It may seem strange to my child self, but I love this time of year. The new academic year is well underway, and now students and teachers have settled in, that means delivering lots more exciting workshops and science shows for schools at Braintastic! Science.
It’s also a great time to try something new, and what could be better than starting a fun science club?! Science workshops give students the chance to get hands-on, test their own ideas and experiment in a way there often just isn’t time for during the school day - nurturing the links between science and creativity. And they don’t have to be lots of work for you! Here are our top tips on how to start a science club at your school:
1) Pick a time & location.
Often science cubs run for 30mins to an hour after school, but you might be able to set one up in a lunch time if that fits better for your students. It's usually easiest to hold the club in a science lab, but you might be able to do it in a classroom, or even outside, if you choose your science club activities carefully.
2) Recruit some help
Maybe you could find a couple of science-minded parents to help you run the club? Or if you are in a secondary school, could one of the older students help run it for younger participants? This can be a great way to do things, as the senior students will get a chance to practice their communication skills, as well as something interesting to put on their UCAS forms, while younger kids often respond really well to being taught by someone who is a bit closer to their age!
3) Find your resources
There are loads of great ideas for science clubs' activities online. Wow Science has collected some of the best from all over the internet, and grouped them by topic, so is a great place to start. Another strong option is to sign up to run the Crest awards scheme, developed by the British Science Association. This gives young people the chance to design and carry out their own science fun experiments, in a structured way. There are different levels of difficulty available for different age groups, and costs start at just £1 per child. And for even more inspiration check out our post on exciting activities for Science Week - many of these can be run year-round too!
Plus there's always the option to book fun science workshops for schools with Braintastic! Science instead! Packed full of science fun, experiments and mind blowing illusions that highlight their amazing brains in action as we explore the surprising science of the senses. Available live in-person, as a package with our science shows for schools, or online where each of the 6 weeks includes an introductory video with demos and interactive activities for the kids to join in with, followed by creating their own experiments and illusions from our worksheets. The activities all use simple materials, and are designed to be easily followed by students in KS1 and KS2. Just get in touch to discuss the details.
And to help get you started we're offering a free taster show to anyone who joins our mailing list. You'll get a 10min video full of mind bending illusions and an activity pack for science club - just sign up below.
