World Environment Day - Quartet Community Foundation
Lightyear Foundation’s environment-themed ‘Virtual Lab’ for disabled children hailed a ‘SENsation’
To celebrate World Environment Day, we are pleased to showcase the success of our latest group of budding young scientists. All with special educational needs (SEN), the group of 24 young people aged 11-16 have been taking part in a unique environment-themed virtual lab.
The labs, which take place on Zoom, offer a fun, accessible and interactive way to participate in sensory scientific experiments at home or at school.
Hailed a ‘SENsational’ success by students, teachers, parents and carers alike, the labs are led by Lightyear’s STEM Lead - children’s science writer and presenter Dr Sarah Bearchell.
Dr Bearchell explains, “The initial idea came from wanting to support parents home-schooling as well as special schools who faced huge pressures teaching key worker children in school as well as children at home.
She adds, “Our unique style of delivery, supported by a host of communication aids such as Widgit symbols and Makaton – a sign and language programme used by the learning disability community -was ideally suited to this. The Labs were an instant hit and they’ve rapidly grown from there. We have had enquiries from the north of Scotland to the south of England!”
Each Virtual Lab takes the format of a short course, each with a different scientific theme. The most recent is all about the environment and funded by the Quartet Community Foundation. Participants were from New Fosseway Special School in Hartcliffe.
From making their own wind turbines to aid understanding wind power and renewable energy to using smartphone microscopes and testing out thermochromic thermometers, the aim of the Lab is to use science to teach life skills and encourage the children to be more aware of the world around them.
The students loved exploring the Virtual Lab kit box of science equipment they use for their experiments. Each participant also got their own white lab coat to get the full experience of being a real scientist.
"I felt like a real Scientist wearing my lab coat. I was proud of what I was able to do, it was really interesting and I think that helped me concentrate and do more with my hands which I can find hard. I'd like to do it again." Virtual Lab participant aged 14 who has cerebral palsy.
The Lab had a big effect on the teaching team too. Stefanos Katsikarelis, Head of Science and teacher of the Key Stage 4 class said: “It was great to see what our students can achieve and can do. Sometimes I think we assume that things may be too tricky so it was inspiring to have a fresh pair of eyes to push our students. Importantly, all teachers and support staff now feel more confident to deliver science after having the Virtual Lab at our school. We look forward to integrating the techniques we’ve observed into our teaching. It has really helped us a lot.”
Key Stage 3 lead, Leslea Thomas, agreed: “It blew my mind what the pupils could do and how engaged they were. There was such a buzz afterwards! They really loved it and feel more positive about science.”
Lightyear Foundation is grateful for the funding received from The Quartet Community Foundation, which helped make the online science labs a reality.
Suzanne Rolt, CEO of the Quartet Community Foundation, said, “We’re delighted to support this valuable project in our local community. Climate and community is at the heart of our focus for 2021 as we work towards a fairer, greener future in the West of England.”
“More must be done to promote equal learning opportunities for all children living in our communities and give everyone access to the learning and tools they need to reach their full potential.”