Science centre aims to stem lockdown boredom with online sessions for all the family
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ABERDEEN Science Centre is bringing a scientific twist to lockdown with its new STEM series, Stay Home Science.
Every Thursdaynew videos will be posted on the centre’s Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube profiles.
Aiming to aid home schooling, the online programme offers members of the public the chance to digitally experience some of the new centres ‘content from the Energy, Space, Make It, Test It, Life Sciences and Under 6 zones.
The informative videos will also feature ‘how to’ elements so the audience can create their own science experiment at home, giving parents the chance to show how STEM features in everyday life.
The first two videos in the series are now available to view online. Concentrating on the study of birds, ASC’s first video features the Life Sciences zone and includes simple experiments which can be carried out with household objects, to show how birds fly and how they survive during winter.
Offering something for all ages, content themed from the Under-6 zone is also online now, where the whole family can learn how to make a rain cloud in a jar.
Coming up in the Stay Home Science series, virtual audiences can expect to learn how to make their own bouncy balls, inspired by the centre’s Energy zone and receive a ‘how to’ guide to create their own papier mache planets, reflective of the Space zone.
The Make It zone will provide a scientific breakdown of popular lockdown activities such as baking a cake, and a digital visit to the Test it zone will make sure the audience knows to check their experiments work, by learning to grow their own rock candy.
Head of Operations at ASC, Elaine Holland said: “Our online videos proved popular last year before our new centre opened, so we were keen to create fresh content, using the new zones at the centre as inspiration.
“Not only are the videos short and clear for younger viewers, but it provides the families with activities to do while the children are at home all day, which we hope keeps the family entertained while learning about STEM at the same time.”
“So far, the Stay Home Science videos have been well received, with our first upload reaching more than 4,000 people on Facebook.”
Aberdeen Science Centre will continue to upload various content to its platforms, as it promotes and encourages STEM education.
Ms Holland added: “This is a difficult time for many, and parents now have the added job of home schooling. We hope our videos not only inspire an interest in STEM but add some fun and creativity to the pupils’ education.
To watch the videos, visit ASC Facebook page here https://www.facebook.com/aberdeensciencecentre/
The content is also available on YouTube here https://www.youtube.com/c/aberdeensciencecentre
The ASC, known as Satrosphere until being rebranded three years ago, has been an important education resource in the North-east for nearly 30 years. Established in 1988, ASC was the first science centre in Scotland and its ethos of interactive science discovery is still a cornerstone of everything it does today.
