Excite… Inspire… Celebrate!
Newcastle University, 4th July 2012
Can you spare just one day to help celebrate and reward the hard work of budding young scientists and engineers from across the North East?
The Big Bang North East is the regional heat for the National Science & Engineering Competition. It’s going to be an amazing day! Students will be educated and entertained through science, engineering, maths and technology enrichment activities provided by the Science Museum’s Punk Science, STEM Ambassadors, local companies, universities and charities. Amongst all the activities, students will be pitted against each other to win nominations to the Big Bang National Fair, and the prizes that are on offer.
We need your help! Judges help us select the winners and encourage the competitors to greater things. We’ll be awarding 10 nominations to the Big Bang National Fair in March 2013, along with a wide range of prizes.
Judges are only required to attend on the day, and you can’t fail to be inspired by the fantastic young people who are exhibiting their projects. If you, or your organisation, want to get more involved, find out about other ways here:
Here is a fun video about preparing for, conducting and presenting a science project at a science fair by Kevin Temmer.
It might be a useful resource for those thinking of presenting their projects at The Big Bang UK Young Scientists and Engineers Fair. The deadline for entries for this years fair has passed, but it is never too early to start preparing for next year!
The challenge is aimed at young people aged 11 – 19 years old (key stages 3, 4 and 5), and involves 3 to 6 team members working together to design and build a radio controlled 4-wheel-drive (4×4) vehicle to set specifications, that can successfully negotiate a specially designed test track that emulates that of real life and what a full scale 4×4 vehicle can do. Teams entering the challenge will spend a number of weeks designing, researching, building and project managing their 4×4 vehicle to enter it into a regional heat to compete against other schools from their area. Regional winners will be selected via a judging process to go through to the National Final where they will compete again but this time against the other regional winners to challenge to become the 4×4 in school Technology Challenge UK National Champions.
Registration for the 4×4 in Schools Technology Challenge 2011/12 season is now open and the 2011/12 Rules & Regulations and Challenge Handbook are now available to download from the 4×4 in Schools website. I am delighted to announce that following the success and high standard of entry from the 2010/11 season, the 2011/12 Regional Finals will be held in February (dates T.B.C) and the UK National Final will be held at the Big Bang Fair on Thursday 15th March 2012 at the Birmingham NEC.
The Big Bang North East 2011
New College Durham, 12 July 2011
Book Now!
Join us for a celebration of science, engineering and maths in the North East
- Enter pupil project work to win cash prizes and places at The Big Bang 2012
- Bring a group of pupils for a fun, exciting and inspirational day out
Enter the Competition
Do your pupils have science, engineering or maths project work they want to show off? The Big Bang North East includes the regional heats for Young Engineers for Britain, CREST awards and the National Science & Engineering Competition. There is over £1500 prize money up for grabs and the best 10 projects will win a place at the prestigious national fair, The Big Bang 2012.
Find out more and register here www.thebigbangfair.co.uk/northeast
Visit the fair
Bring a group of pupils for a fun, FREE, day out. Visit the fair for a full, or half, day and enjoy an exciting science show, hands-on workshops and inspirational talks from young people who have succeeded in STEM. Groups will also tour the competition stands – perhaps it will inspire them enter The Big Bang North East in 2012!
Find out more and book here www.thebigbangfair.co.uk/northeast
Congratulations are in order for 10 projects from schools in the North East who competed in the regional Big Bang fair in July. They are going forward to compete in the National Science and Engineering competition at the Big Bang fair held at London’s ExceL on 10th – 12th March 2011. Shows including ‘Brainiac Live’, ‘Bang Goes the Theory’ and activities like ‘Amoeba to Zebra’, ‘The Ever Wondered Why Roadshow’, ‘Grow Your Own Body Parts’ and ‘Hydraulics for Frolics’ will be taking place at the event.
For more information on The Big Bang fair, to register your attendance and book tickets please visit www.thebigbangfair.co.uk.
Congratulations and the best of luck to the following schools and their projects:
School
Project
Central Newcastle High School
EES Project
Emmanuel College
Automatic Curtain
Emmanuel College
The Nyctolight
Emmanuel College
Frequetherapy
Emmanuel College
Electronic Musical Keyboard
Emmanuel College
Electronic Safety Device for Bike Users to Wear
Newminster Middle School
Which Tattoos Last the Longest
Queen Elizabeth High School
Gun Barrel Movement on a Challenger Tank
Sacred Heart High School
Liver Disease
St Bede’s RC School
Safety First Warning Lights
STEM Outreach would also like to congratulate and wish the best of luck to Corylus Learning’s Colin Wilkinson and Sarah McLusky at Sparks Education who will be co-ordinating the Big Bang North East at New College Durham on 12th July 2011. For more information on next year’s regional Big Bang fair feel free to contact Colin at colin@coryluslearning.com or Sarah at sarah@sparkseducation.co.uk or visit www.thebigbangfair.co.uk/northeast/
The National Science & Engineering Competition is proud to announce The Lloyd’s Register Educational Trust Teachers Award is taking nominations for the 2011 prize.
This prize is open to any UK teacher (full-time/part-time, specialist advisor, AST etc) who teaches or supports Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) lessons in and out of school/college from primary to top end secondary.
The Lloyd’s Register Educational Trust Teachers Award is looking for a teacher who shows enthusiasm, passion and energy for their work, commitment and dedication and good subject knowledge / expertise, all of which have been used to enthuse the students they work with.
If you think you are this person, or if you know a teacher who deserves to have their hard work in STEM acknowledged, then please contact Ellie Chambers at Ellie.Chambers@britishscienceassociation.org or on 020 7019 4945 so you can be sent either a self nomination or nomination by another person form. Please take the time to fill either of them out and put your nomination forward (do make sure you let the nominee know first though!) You can return the form electronically, in the post or by fax on 020 7581 6587.
The winner will receive £500 and a certificate as well as being invited on an experience trip and many other benefits and perks for the coming year.
Teachers can either nominate themselves, or be nominated by another person.
From the pool of entries, five teachers will be shortlisted and have their travel costs covered to attend The Big Bang where they will be interviewed by a judging panel to select the award winner. The recipient will be announced at the National Award Ceremony on the same day in the evening of Friday the 11th March.
Do you teach some young scientists or engineers who deserve recognition? If they are 11-18 with a great project or invention…enter the National Science & Engineering Competition today. There is over £50,000 of prizes, including cash awards and trips abroad – plus the prestige of winning a high profile competition for your school or college and the teachers involved.
The lucky finalists will be invited to showcase their work to around 24,000 students, teachers, journalists and VIPs visiting The Big Bang: UK Young Scientists and Engineers Fair in London in March 2011. Here your students can mix and compete with the country’s best – and gather tips and advice from working scientists and engineers from all fields in business and research. With plenty of individual and team prizes up for grabs, there are lots of opportunities for all students, and the two winning individuals in the senior category will be crowned the UK Young Scientist of the Year and UK Young Engineer of the Year.
For the first time, NSEC is offering a prize for specialist schools, sponsored by the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust (SSAT). Eligibility is wider than simply schools who have student competitors and it has a separate application process (via SSAT). Any school with a STEM specialism (Maths & Computing, Science, Technology or Engineering) can apply. Details are on the NSEC website:
Here’s what Young Engineers have lined up for you in 2010/11:
Clubs – download our NEW Be Engineous activities (age 9-14)
A new activity programme, ‘Be ENGineous’, has been launched in time for the start of the Young Engineers Club year!
‘Be ENGineous’ has been designed to follow on from the ‘Get Them Going’ introductory programme and gives Young Engineers club leaders a ready-made programme to develop the engineering skills of club members that have already had an introduction to engineering. ‘Be ENGineous’ enables club members to progress further by working on more complex scenarios.
The programme provides an exciting mix of activities relating to different branches of engineering. Each activity has been split into 3 stages; the stages are indications of the difficulty levels of the activity:
* Stage 1 – Basic level; step by step instructions to complete the activity.
* Stage 2 – Intermediate level; follows on from stage 1 where students are required to build upon the completed stage 1 activity, not necessarily with instructions.
* Stage 3 – Higher level; students are required to research and develop the final stage of the activity, without instructions.
The activities included in the programme are:
• Hovercraft – General Engineering
• Bath Bombs – Chemical Engineering
• FM Radios – Electrical Engineering
• Water Purification – Civil Engineering
• Putt Putt Boats – Marine Engineering
• Cranes – Mechanical Engineering
• Rambling Robots – Robotic Engineering.
The whole booklet can be downloaded from our Complete Activity programme webpage. The individual activities are also available on the activity bank, and are suitable for using as standalone activities.
Young Engineers is grateful to Tomorrow’s Engineers for supporting the development of this programme.
D&T Show – club members needed! (age 12-14)
Following the success of last year, Young Engineers is again asking its club members (age 12 to14) to join us at the Design & Technology Show at the NEC in Birmingham for one of the days between 18th and 20th November. We are currently confirming the line up of activities we will be offering this year’s club members, but it will be along similar lines to last year’s event which included: trialling a brand new Rapid electronics project, making rocket cars on the Technology Enhancement Programme stand and showcasing their own club activities and taking part in one of our home grown engineering challenges on the Young Engineers stand. Register your interest stating which day you’d like to attend and we’ll send you the programme once its confirmed. Email us to reserve your place.
Showcase your club at national level! (age 12-18)
We are looking for 24 ‘STEM’ clubs who cater for secondary-school level to display their various projects and take part in The Big Bang: UK Young Scientists’ and Engineers’ Fair that is being held 10-12 March 2011 at ICC London ExCeL. This is an opportunity for Young Engineers Clubs who do purely engineering activities or a mix of STEM activities (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths).
Not only is this a great way to promote your club members’ talents but you will also have the opportunity to meet lots of celebrities, scientists and engineers. You will also be able to interact with some of the most cutting-edge companies in the UK and to showcase your projects to the UK media. There will also be plenty of opportunity for teacher CPD and networking amongst peers. The fair is a huge event, attracting 22,500 visitors last year. It will be a mass of displays, demonstrations, workshops and floor shows – a truly inspiring occasion for your club members to experience.
Apply by telling us about your club and the fantastic, interesting, unusual and creative projects that you have undertaken and explain why you feel your club will benefit from showcasing your efforts at the Big Bang. Closing date: 31st October 2010.
The 24 selected clubs will be invited to bring up to 4 students and 1 accompanying adult to exhibit for the full three days of The Big Bang and will receive significant subsidies for travel, accommodation and catering.
STEM Challenge Days (age 7-16)
“A great day was had by the students and teachers. It went very smoothly and we will recommend it to other schools.” Adrian Stannard, Kelmscott School. It has proved extremely popular in its first year, with over 4000 students experiencing one of our interactive challenge days. We have included some feedback from teachers to help you get a feel for what a STEM Challenge day is really about. 75% teachers gave their day an ‘excellent’ rating, with the other 25% considering it ‘above average’!
Our dedicated team have also included some new challenges for both primary and secondary school students. http://www.youngeng.org/index.asp?page=1260
Meet the Public
This project enables practising engineers to work alongside Young Engineers to engage the general public in inspiring bite-size engineering activities at local Science Festivals, County Shows and other public events across the UK.
Look out for Young Engineers at the next event in Manchester at Manchester Science Festival 19-20 October 2010.
Young Engineer for Britain (age 12-19)
Any student working on their own innovative, creative or novel inventions in either club time, part of the curriculum or as a hobby can gain important recognition for their project as they compete for some absolutely fantastic prizes and awards. http://www.youngeng.org/index.asp?page=66
National Science and Engineering Competition (12-19)
The National Science & Engineering Competition is open to 11-18 year olds in the UK who have completed a project or activity in any field of science, technology, engineering or maths. If you or your team have done an amazing project or invented something new then you should enter! http://www.thebigbangfair.co.uk/the_competition.cfm
The Lloyd’s Register Educational Trust Engineering Experience (age 16-19)
Selected students take part in a 3-4 day intensive engineering, social and cultural experience visiting international industrial facilities in October 2011. The selection process is simple and is good university/job application practice. The six finalists are selected by telephone/video interview. http://www.youngeng.org/index.asp?page=1178
The Lloyd’s Register Educational Trust Teacher’s Award
Details are still being finalised, but there will be a Teacher’s Award at the Big Bang Fair 2011. We will be informing all once we have details of the nomination process.
Other Competitions
For all other Young Engineers Competitions, please keep checking our website for updates when latest competitions will be available. http://www.youngeng.org/index.asp?page=54
Club Activities
Available to Club Network members : (Membership is free – sign up now)
Activity Bank – need inspiration for your next club project? Search this ever growing resource. 11 new activities were added over the Summer between them catering for ages 8 to 16 – thanks to club leaders Caroline Alliston from Blue Coat Technology Club for adding “Bottle Rockets” and “Catapult to Fire a Water Bomb”, Paul Thomas from New Hall School for adding “Nuclear Engineering” and Andrew Bennett from St. Andrew’s Science Club for adding “24hr Clock”.
Don’t forget – we need Club Leaders’ help to keep this amazing resource growing! If you have run an activity which really worked well in your club, please do add it to the Activity Bank so that other clubs can try it also!
Go to Activity Bank Submit an activity
Club Grant – £50 to £100 available each year
Exclusively available to Club Network members: (Membership is free – sign up now)
Don’t forget we’re keen to get our hands on information for our sponsors on what your club got up to last year. To help us, fill in our 10 minute Club Report – and collect your £50-£100 Club Grant to help you run the club this year! (New clubs can also apply for a Club Grant by telling us what they are planning for the coming year). http://www.youngeng.org/index.asp?page=1122
Local Support Group Grant – £50 to £500 available each year
Exclusively available to Club Network members: (Membership is free – sign up now)
Funding is available to assist clubs who want to work with each other locally – purchasing of shared club resources, local events involving several clubs and joint club industrial visits are all eligible for support. Tell us who you want to work with, or ask us to put you in touch with clubs in your area. http://www.youngeng.org/index.asp?page=1294
Club Leadership Awards
Exclusively available to Club Network members: Is there an adult helper, company contact, or even student mentor whom you’d like to thank for their club support? http://www.youngeng.org/index.asp?page=139
Club Registration for 2010/11
Club Network members take note: Our club member numbers have been zeroed ready for you to enter this year’s figures, so please update your Club Profile with the number of students attending your club this year. Maintaining up to date membership information is an important element of keeping our sponsors up to date! In the coming months we will running a series of lucky dips and will be handing out more club merchandise as prizes, so get your club member numbers updated early so you will be put into each and every draw this year! http://www.youngeng.org/index.asp?page=100 (Email us if you have problems)
The Big Bang Fair – date for your diary (age 9-18)
Taking place in Manchester on 10-12 March, this high profile and free event promises to: Wow students with experiments, explosions, simulators and shows. Give them the opportunity to quiz scientists and engineers about their jobs and discover a dream career. Meet students from around the country and find out about the amazing projects they have brought to display.See cutting edge technology from many leading companies and get some great teaching ideas. We are also helping to plan a series of STEM related Teacher CPD opportunities which will be publicised once we have the full details. http://www.thebigbangfair.co.uk
Regional Big Bang Fairs
A number of organisations are bidding to host regional Big Bang Fairs in June/July 2011 and once the selection process is complete, we will let you know who has the lead in your region so that you can start planning to attend.
Other News
Remember, get all our news first on www.youngeng.org! Other recent news items:
* Be Engineous is launched!
* We have won e-Legacy Awards
* Showcase your club at national level!
* SmartPlanet joins the Support Pages
* Square Eyed Engineering
*Calling for Entries in to the National Science & Engineering Competition
We hope you’ll find something amongst all of this lot to keep your gang amused. Club Network members remember there is loads more information on other competitions and sources of activity ideas and tips on how to get your club running smoothly in the members’ pages of our website. (Contact us if you have forgotten your log in details)
I am writing to let you know some money has become available for funding STEM clubs to showcase at the regional Big Bang. Clubs can claim back up to £300 towards their costs for attending the event.
Funding is limited to ten clubs in each region. In the event that we are oversubscribed, priority will be given to:
clubs that have been established since September 2008
clubs that are demonstrably active
clubs that could not have attended without the additional funding being made available
This money is not available to ASSEC funded schools. Clubs will also need to complete a brief evaluation of the event on the STEM clubs network website before funding is released. Emails have very recently been sent to all non-ASSEC funded clubs that are affiliated to the STEM clubs network, inviting them to apply. If you know of a school where this money would be beneficial, then please press for them to apply.
The funding can also be made available to clubs that are not currently affiliated so long as they affiliate before they claim (they have to affiliate to complete the evaluation). If you know of a club that is not affiliated but you would like to invite please let me know their contact details and we will extend the invitation to them as well.
Teachers will need to fill in a short application form which they can get by requesting one from support@stemclubs.net and completing and returning it by no later than 5.30 pm on Tuesday 9th June 2010.
Hookergate School, Rowland’s Gill, Tyne and Wear, NE39 2BX
Engineer ambassador who could help design and build a hover craft at STEM club
STEM day at Hill Top School (special school) 23rd June
The structure of the day could be five 45mins sessions and was hoping to include all the students, considering we are a Special school the abilities range from P levels to level 4, and was hoping to mix the groups.
The school day starts at 9.00 with an assembly so if the ambassadors could arrive around 9am to set up.
9am set up and introductions
9.45 first session
10.30 break
10.45 Second session
11.30 Third session
12.15 lunch
1.15 4th session
2.00 5th session
2.45 thank yous and good byes
The type of students we have include autistic, behavioural and general leaning difficulties. Each group would have a teacher plus support assistant to support the ambassadors and the size of each group would be around 15 to 20 students.
STEM day at Ryton Comprehensive School, Ryton, NE40 3AH 15th July- all day
Holding annual Year 10 careers event in school on Thursday 15th July. Have 213 students in Year 10. We break the year group down into 2 x groups of 106 approx. Half the year group take part in an event in the main hall in the morning, the other half attend a carousel of workshops/employers. 20-25 students in each group.
After lunch 12.00 – 1.00 the students swap. The ambassador(s) would therefore be needed in school for the whole day, probably to repeat their sessions twice or more. We would provide refreshments and lunch for him/her/them. Start 9.45- 10.45. 15 min break. 11-12pm. Lunch 12-1pm. 1-2pm and 2-3pm. finish (4 times do workshop)
Science and Engineering Careers at the Dryden Centre On Wednesday 7th July from 9am to 1pm.
For year 8 students
All schools in Gateshead. 10-15 students in each group- total of 180 students. 9 secondary schools and one special school. At the Dryden Centre, Gateshead. 3 or 4 stands. Workshop/practical- talk and activity. Money will be available to do workshops.
The areas of STEM they would like ambassadors from are:
Biotechnologies
Chemical Engineering
Construction
Motor Vehicle Technology
Environmental Futures
Electronic Communication and Computing
Engineering
Food Production
Health and Medical
Forensics
If possible they would like two people from the same company so that whilst one is doing the workshop with the students the other can chat to the teacher. However, this is not essential.
STEM Themed Mornings at St Thomas More High School in North Shields Wednesday 21st and Thursday 22nd of July 3 hours in the morning
For year 7 students. The idea is organise about 10 activities that can be one in the main hall of the school and for pupils to rotate around the different activities, spending about half an hour at each one for the duration of the morning, about 3 hours. I was wondering whether there might be some STEM ambassadors available to run a few activities.
Please let me know if you can do either date.
Big Bang North East Event on the 2nd of July at the Discovery Museum – schools throughout the North East invited.
The Big Bang North East is an event which gives students from schools across the North East the opportunity to show off their projects and hard work in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM), compete for prizes, the opportunity to compete to go to the national event and be crowned Young Scientist or Young Engineer of the year, meet professionals from STEM, see displays from organisations and attend entertaining STEM workshops.
What we need are individuals/businesses for:
· Providing a workshop related to your business will broaden students knowledge of the career paths open to them through STEM study.
· Helping to judge student projects (guidance / assessment criteria will be provided).
· Provide industry input for the students’ projects (where could they go next, what could they explore differently next time?)
· Talking about careers in your field will give students a clearer picture of possible career routes and the benefits of studying and working in STEM.
· Industry displays: ranging from banners and representatives to brining along interesting and entertaining demonstrations of what has been or is in current development.
Do you think that this might be something you could be involved with? The website with more information and where you can register is www.thebigbangfair.co.uk and you can click to the North East. We expect lots of schools to be involved and are hoping the local media will come along too (I’ve been chatting to the BBC) so if you can be involved fantastic.
Things are really hotting up for Big Bang North East! Blue Peter science presenter Steve Mould will be presenting the awards ceremony, featuring regional finalists of the Young Engineer for Britain Competition and CREST Awards. Steve will also be performing some of his favourite experiments in front of a live audience of school pupils from the North East.
See Blue Peter science presenter Steve Mould on YouTube:
