We thank the following schools for visiting The Manchester Museum between 9th and 13th November 2009
Posted by: Nora on: November 13, 2009
Image, The Manchester Museum by Night
Batteyford Primary
Bowlee Park Primary
Bury College
Divine Mersey Primary
Feniscowles Primary
Green Mount Primary
Grosvenor Park Primary
Heybrook Primary
Lacy Green Primary
Lisburne School
Loreto High
Midcheshire College
Millview Primary
Myers College
Our Ladies Sports College
Pendleton College
St Edwards Primary
St John’s Primary
Stoke on Trent Primary
Tyntesfield Primary
Wellgreen Primary
Wych Primary
Whalley Range High
We hope all these Schools had a very enjoyable trip. If you were part of one of these visits, please feel free to comment below and let us know how your trip went.
More teacher resources!
Posted by: Neil on: November 11, 2009
Teachers bringing groups to the Museum to take part in our fantastic TSI:Time Scene Investigation session (when else do you get to have a free pre-visit, engage in debate, do some maths *and* dig in the sand?) will be pleased to know that the teacher pack for this session is now online on our resources page.
Image, cover of TSI teacher resource pack
Kids say the darnedest things…
Posted by: Neil on: November 10, 2009
Pardon the cliché of the title, but I had a great response from a year 3 child visiting from Tyntesfield Primary School yesterday. They were taking part in our Tall Tales session and being wonderfully creative.
I had just retold the story of Odysseus and the Cyclops which relates to a jug in our collection.
Image, jug with scene from the 'Odysseus and the Cyclops' story
To help bring the story to life, we were talking about what the characters on the pot might be thinking at this point in the story after the Cyclops has been blinded by Odysseus.
The response I got?
“The sheep is thinking ‘The floor is so slippery (with blood).’”
Inspired!
We thank the following schools for visiting The Manchester Museum between 2nd and 6th November 2009
Posted by: Nora on: November 6, 2009
Image, The entrance to The Manchester Museum
Bradley Primary
Hayfield Primary
Hafod-Y-Wern School
Holycross College
Lancastarian School
Littleworth Grange
Macclesfield High
Martenscroft Childrens Centre
Royston Summerfield Primary
Sycamore Lane Primary
Westfield Primary
Westwood Primary
Whiston Willis Primary
We hope all these Schools had a very enjoyable trip. If you were part of one of these visits, please feel free to comment below and let us know how your trip went.
Clippy Crazy at Manchester Science Festival
Posted by: alexajeanes on: November 4, 2009
Tuesday 20 and Wednesday 21 October saw the Manchester Science Festival 2009 Schools Event take place with Year 8 pupils from all over Greater Manchester packing into Pure Nightclub in the Printworks for a day filled with engaging and educational workshops, shows and activities exploring science, engineering and maths.
Image, Clippy Island in action at the Manchester Science Festival
I went out with our Clippy Island: An Investigation into Natural Selection activity to deliver a 45 minute workshop to the students. In Clippy Island, the students become a population of bird called ‘Springbeaks’ where they experience first hand how adaptions created by natural variations within a species allow a population to change over time.
We ran the workshop for about 180 students from 5 different schools over the course of the 2 days who all seemed to really enjoy being springbeaks and experiencing natural selection in action. The competitive edge of the students was certainly clear to see!
Pure nightclub was a bit of a bizarre location, particularly as my session was allocated the ‘Lounge Bar’ complete with sofas and comfy chairs and a long bar along one side. I have to say it is the oddest place I have ever taught in, but it was a great space and the students were clearly excited by the environment.
It was nice also to be able to work with friends such as Lauren Furness from MOSI and scientists from Faculty of Life Science at The University of Manchester and take part in a day that I hope will enthuse the students about how fun and interesting science can be and see some of the direct applications of science in the real world.
Image, Manchester Science Festival Logo
I’d just like to say thank you to a few of the volunteers from Manchester Science Festival who helped me out during the sessions, especially on the fist day when I was on my own as unfortunately Louise was ill and couldn’t make it.
It was a fun but exhausting few days and I hope the students took away a new found enthusiasm for science and consequently made the most of other exciting science related events that took place during half term as part of the Manchester Science Festival 2009.
Most fun study day – EVER!
Posted by: Cat on: November 2, 2009
Image, Introducing the day
Alright, so I’m biased: but the Darwin and Humanity day on Tuesday 13th October with Holy Cross College was the most fun I’ve ever had on a study day, ever!
The day began really well – with students practically learning the difference between a ‘theory’ and a ‘scientific theory’ by applying their own minds to the challenging concept of identifying where and when broad selections of items from our collection were from. We then ‘tested’ these hypotheses using scientific questioning, and there were some surprising results! Hopefully, we will never have to admit that we believed in a killer monkey who eats only innocent and cuddly animals…However, I think we did disprove that a group of miniature humans could have lived in fossilised mammoth poo: although it was an interesting theory at the time!?
Image, Object handling in action!
Clippy Island seemed to be a huge success too – and I think it really helped to reinforce an understanding of just how Natural Selection works and how it explains Darwin’s theory of Evolution. According to the evaluations we received the majority of students went home with a better understanding of science than when they arrived and agreed their interest in science had increased! And thanks to those who suggested we make the activity into a game show and/or an Olympic Sport!
Thanks must go to Henry McGhie and Ian Fairweather for participating in the event by talking to the students during the day, and of course, for all of my colleagues who helped out: their support ensured that the day progressed without a hitch!
Finally – the biggest thank you of all has to go to the students of Holy Cross College who took part and made the day so successful! I’m really looking forward to the next cohort of students from the college who are attending on the 3rd November – I’m sure it will be just as much fun, if not more so!
Image, Students in 'Charles Darwin: evolution of a scientist'
Darwin Preview Evening
Posted by: Louise on: October 28, 2009
Image, A teacher exploring our new temporary exhibition 'Charles Darwin: evolution of a scientist'
On the evening of Oct 21st, we welcomed teachers and tutors from local schools and colleges to a special preview evening of our new exhibition ‘Charles Darwin: evolution of a scientist’.
We arranged for those attending to have the chance to take part in a special tour of the exhibition by Henry McGhie, Head of the Natural Environments Team and Curator of Zoology, as well as trying out our new worksheets for secondary groups, finding out more about the Darwin Outreach materials for primary groups, exploring the new primary explorer backpacks and practicing being a Clippy Island clip bird!
I do hope that everyone who was able to attend enjoyed it as much as we did, it is great meeting teachers and tutors without the added pressure of 30 sets of beady student eyes watching your every move. The tours with Henry were attended by everyone who came, so thanks to Henry for being so engaging and enthusiastic. Vicky, Pippa and Menaka highlighted the new outreach boxes for primary groups, letting teachers see and handle the variety of objects, and talking about how these work in the classroom. We were also joined by colleagues from Widening Participation who were there to showcase the opportunities students have within the wider University.
Cat, Pete and I welcomed teachers to The Museum and Alexa rounded up recruits to try her new worksheets, which you can see in action in the accompanying image.
Our new Darwin Page of the website is now up and running, where you can find out more about the exhibition, public events and our associated learning programme, and we will be releasing details of future CPD opportunities in the near future, so watch this space!
Wilbraham Primary school clips on YouTube
Posted by: Elaine on: October 26, 2009
Just before the summer holidays a group of children ( 4 -7 yrs) visited Manchester Museum with their teachers Darren Micklewright and Jackie Morisson and a group of parents. As well as visiting the galleries ,they were invited to handle and respond to a selection of objects which had been selected for the new hands on Nature Discovery gallery at Manchester Museum for young children and families . You can now view their very enlightening and creative responses on YouTube!
Wilbraham Primary school at The Manchester Museum
Here are links to other conversations with early years groups at Manchester museum which are on You Tube which might be of interest.These clips are great to use with staff and or children pre or post museum visit.
Martenscroft nursery school and SureStart centre
Gorton South SureStart children’s centre
We thank the following schools for visiting The Manchester Museum between 19th and 23rd October 2009
Posted by: Nora on: October 23, 2009
Image, The Manchester Museum by Night
Allsaints Primary
Barton Moss Primary School
Brabins School
Bury Grammar
Forrestgate Primary
Gatley Primary
Henshaw School For the Blind
Holden Clough
Limeside Primary
Lisburne School
Loreto College
Martenscroft Childrens Centre
Mostonfields Primary
St Andrews Methodist Primary
St John’s Primary
St Joseph’s Primary
The Valley Primary
Victoria Junior School
Whitehill Community Primary
Wilbraham Primary
We hope all these Schools had a very enjoyable trip. If you were part of one of these visits, please feel free to comment below and let us know how your trip went.
Hello from Salmah our new Lead Educator (Early Years)
Posted by: salmah123 on: October 21, 2009
Hello all,
I’m Salmah Akram the new Early Years Lead Educator for The Manchester Museum. Prior to entering the fascinating world of Museum and Gallery education, I trained and worked as a primary school teacher specialising in Early Years. I soon left my career in teaching to begin a Masters in Inclusive Education and at the same time took up the position of Early Years and Primary coordinator at The Whitworth Art Gallery. I am now very excited to get ‘stuck in’ to my new role here at The Manchester Museum and continue with the amazing work that Elaine and Amanda have been doing.
My personal philosophy towards education centres around the idea of ‘child led’ learning that looks at developing the whole child. I am strong believer in providing the tools to facilitate learning whilst still providing the opportunity for young children to develop their own ideas and perspectives.
I look forward to working closely with you all through our current EY programme as well as a range of projects, CPD’s and networking group. My normal days of work are Wednesdays and Thursdays. For any queries or just a chat you can contact me via telephone on 0161 306 1603 or email me at salmah.akram@manchester.ac.uk.
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