Primary Big Bang Science Day
Primary school pupils explore river engineering and water safety in a day of exciting interactive STEM activities.
Organised and hosted by Settle College, this brilliant event aims to inspire a lifelong interest in science and STEM subjects. It’s part of the ongoing collaboration and knowledge exchange between primary and secondary science leads to help each other improve science provision in schools.
We teamed up with the North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service to deliver 20 interactive sessions to over 120 pupils with our river flume and wave tank models.
In the river flume sessions, pupils placed different engineered structures in the river and saw what happened to the flow of water and how flood risk can be reduced. By putting model people into the river channel, pupils saw how dangerous it can be to get in the water near structures likes weirs and culverts.
Pupils used our wave tank and our coastal learning resources to explore coastal flood risk and how we can use engineering and nature-based solutions to reduce flooding and erosion.
As part of Drowning Prevention Week we also shared key messages about water safety in river and at the coast, including staying safe, what to do in an emergency and ‘float to live’.
There are excellent resources available online for families, carers and educators to help children learn about water safety at rivers and at the coast:
Rachel Horton, Science Teacher at Settle College said, “Primary Science Day is a fantastic collaboration between Settle College, our catchment primary schools, and local organisations. Everyone who supported the day showed a real passion for inspiring the next generation of pupils in STEM subjects and made the day a huge success.”
Alex Scott, Programme Manager at JBA Trust said, “The enthusiasm and interest shown by all the students was brilliant, they really got involved with the river and coast experiments. It was great to be part of this event and to be able to join forces with Public Safety Officers to share important water safety messages that will help make the children safer around water”.
The water safety video we developed with NYF&RS shows how river structures affect the flow of water in a river and create hidden dangers:
Thanks go to Vicky Crowley, Joe Mason, Hannah Champion and Alex Scott who delivered the demonstrations at Primary Big Bang Science Day.
