Experts urge schools to include ‘fun activities’

August 29, 2024

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Experts are urging schools to include fun activities like eating ice lollies, planting vegetables, and kneading bread in the curriculum to help students learn about science.

Four major science organisations believe these “essential experiences” will help reduce educational inequalities in subjects like science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). They argue that children with limited hands-on experiences are at a disadvantage when learning these subjects.

The Royal Society of Chemistry, the Institute of Physics, the Royal Society of Biology, and the Association for Science Education recommend that activities such as playing with shadows, digging in soil, and recycling should be part of the primary school curriculum for children aged 3 to 11. These experiences are seen as important for building a strong foundation in science.

Aylin Ozkan from the Royal Society of Chemistry highlighted the importance of using simple tools, like ice blocks, to teach concepts such as temperature. She explained that this approach is not only affordable but also helps build scientific confidence in children, regardless of their background.

Article written by Milli Banbury

This article was written using AI as an assistive tool for research and writing.

Learning Options

Recall Questions

Thinking questions

Digital Thinking

Learning Options

Recall Questions

Thinking questions

Digital Thinking

On Saturday morning, a group of students from a Wellington intermediate school collected rubbish from a local beach. They worked for two hours and filled six large bags. The organiser said the clean-up helped protect seabirds and made the beach safer for visitors. Some students noticed many plastic bottles and food wrappers near the rocks. One student commented that the beach looked much better after the clean-up. Another said the event was tiring but worth the effort. The group planned to return next month and continue the work.

Which statement from the passage is a fact?

The clean-up was tiring but worth the effort. The clean-up helped protect seabirds. The group filled six large bags. The beach looked much better after the clean-up.