This week, 5th class got the opportunity to take part in Science Apprentice, a project whereby pupils experience science through hands on activities, role-playing and testing theories that connect to the Primary Science curriculum.
The theme of this year's project was on medical devices and the muscloskeletal system. The children were introduced to the idea of bones and tendons. They created a hand using art materials, and then they damaged the hand (using a scissors to cut one of the tendons). Once damaged, they worked on repairing the hand using biomaterials available in a 'biomedical engineering kit'. This introduced them to the idea of medical devices, which they explored with researchers during a visit to the Curam labs in NUIG.
The children then got to take on a similar challenge of creating a surgical device to help cure Parkinson's Disease in the brain. We toured the labs, met scientists, got to view cells on a microscope and see a 3-D printer in action. The children's work will now be use as material for a series of books published next November and some got to record video clips describing their experience.
It was a thrilling trip and really encouraged the children to look at science as an exciting career for both men and women. Hopefully Merlin Woods will produce some great scientists in future!
No comments:
Post a Comment