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Registration deadline for ESB Science Blast Belfast extended!
Due to popular demand the deadline to register for ESB Science Blast Belfast has been extended until April 3 giving classrooms of Key Stage 2 pupils even more time to secure their place at one of the island of Ireland’s BIGGEST science events.
Taking place at the ICC Belfast (Waterfront Hall) on June 5 & 6, primary school classes (aged 7 to 12) are invited to inquisitively think about the world around them and work together as a class, using scientific methods of discovery such as predicting, observing, measuring, etc., to investigate the puzzling, quirky or simply unknown.
All schools are then asked to bring their research to life by showcasing their findings away from the classroom amongst hundreds of their peers at the two-day event in the ICC Belfast. Every participating school will receive £75 towards their travel costs.
Typical investigations include: ‘How can we make the best slime?’, ‘Why does cake go hard but biscuits go soft?’, ‘Where do waves come from?’, and ‘Can I charge my mobile device with a fruit?’
ESB Science Blast is one of the biggest science events on the island with up to 10,000 primary school students and their STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) projects involved across three ESB Science Blast showcase events this year in Belfast, Dublin and Limerick.
With an underlying ethos of encouragement through whole-class participation, the constructive feedback received from judges who work across science, education and STEM industries will also give students the opportunity to engage with STEM professionals.
Managed and delivered by the Royal Dublin Society (RDS) and endorsed by CCEA (Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment), this non-competitive education programme calls on primary school students from across the Province to harness their natural curiosity and register their involvement via www.esbscienceblast.com no later than Wednesday April 3.
Chief Executive of the RDS, Michael Duffy, said: “Participation in ESB Science Blast introduces young students to the four Cs of STEM education: critical thinking, creativity, collaboration and communication – all vital 21st century skills for the next generation.
“Studies have shown that early positive experience of STEM can have a lasting impact, which is what we hope to bring about with the thousands of students that participate this year. We have found that the timing of the Belfast showcase event is particularly suited to P7 classes who already have their exams behind them, but any class that gets involved will really benefit and we would encourage as many as possible to register by our closing date.”
Teachers can use the ESB Science Blast Investigation Framework to help structure class investigations. This Framework aligns with the objectives of the primary curriculum and supports delivery of World Around Us requirements.
Pat O’Doherty, Chief Executive of ESB, said: “At ESB, we believe in empowering young people today to become the problem solvers of tomorrow to help tackle climate change and other global challenges. Through our Generation Tomorrow programme, we are committed to supporting events such as the ESB Science Blast in encouraging creative thinking, collaboration and critical thinking. This is a great opportunity for classes to investigate the world of science around us and we look forward to seeing the fruits of their work at the showcase event in Belfast in June.”
Schools can also keep in touch with the event via Instagram, Twitter & Facebook.
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