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Inviting children to discover the extraordinary power of the brain with this fun interactive quiz.
From Dreamachine made in collaboration with A New Direction, UNICEF UK, British Science Association and We The Curious.
A JOURNEY THROUGH THE SENSES WITH LIFE’S BIG QUESTIONS
Children aged 7+ across the UK are invited to take part in Life’s Big Questions: an interactive quiz and exploration of the amazing power of the human brain and the senses!
Created by Dreamachine, a one-of-a-kind programme setting the minds of the UK public alight with its magical journey to explore the extraordinary potential of the mind, this online activity series is hosted by Martin Dougan (CBBC Newsround), together with globally renowned neuroscientist and author Anil Seth and philosopher Fiona Macpherson.
Access on a computer, tablet or interactive screen with children at home or in the classroom, to explore big scientific and philosophical questions about how we experience the world and why our senses aren’t as simple as they seem.
Centred around five ‘big questions’ such as ‘Can I believe everything I see?’ or ‘ Are colours only in my mind?’, explore the different ways in which we experience the world around us through our senses and with our brain.
Each question includes simple step by step activities with mind-boggling illusions, engaging video explainers with world-leading experts, and the chance for children to join in the quiz and compare their answers with other children across the UK. Making this an activity guaranteed to inspire intrigue and curiosity in minds of all ages!
Rooted in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, Life's Big Questions connects children’s voices across the four nations, celebrates their unique differences, and gives voice to their perspective on what matters to them most.
NATIONWIDE ACTIVITY
Thousands of children across the UK have already taken part in Life’s Big Questions. How would you answer the following with your child?
• If you could pause time, what would you do?
• If you could see anything in the world, what would it be?
• How does your favourite colour make you feel?
Involve your children at home or in the classroom in this unique opportunity and let their thoughts and perceptions be heard. Guaranteed to make you think, wonder, ask more questions and even laugh!
Professor Anil Seth says: “I believe that children are intrinsically curious about consciousness and perception - about how we each experience the world, and why we have conscious experiences at all. By engaging with children about these fundamental topics, we’ll be able to cultivate this curiosity, build greater understanding and empathy, and foster greater wellbeing too - because understanding how we’re each different on the inside is an important part of bringing us together and forging connections.”
Want to know more? Watch this video!
PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS
Life’s Big Questions is perfect for a whole school or class assembly or as an introduction or finale to a brain, perception or senses topic. Created for flexible learning and easy for teachers to build into their lessons or enrichment sessions, use the pupil facing website in the classroom for a no prep lesson!
FREE LESSON PLANS
Delve further into the incredible potential of the human brain with Dreamachine’s FREE lesson plans, exploring the power of the human mind, our amazing brains and the big questions of perception and consciousness - our sense of self, how we see the world and how we connect with others. Explore over 30 lesson plans for students (ages 5-13), that offer a variety of exciting ways for schools to engage with important themes such as wellbeing, citizenship and STEAM subjects. All resources are linked to curricula across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Explore lesson plans here.
FAMILY ACTIVITY PACK
Discover the different ways in which we experience the world with a range of entertaining activity ideas for you and the family to take part in from home, including a photography challenge, how to create your own visual illusions and testing your sense of taste! Download here.
Life’s Big Questions is part of the Dreamachine Schools programme, a major programme developed by A New Direction in partnership with the British Science Association, UNICEF UK and We The Curious, commissioned as part of UNBOXED: Creativity in the UK.