National Science and Engineering Week is a 10-day long celebration of science, engineering and technology that sees people of all ages taking part in, and organising, a vast array of events across the country. In 2009, over 1.4 million people took part in 3,500 events throughout the UK. Coordinated by the British Science Association, in partnership with Engineering UK, with funding from BIS (the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills), National Science and Engineering Week aims to inspire and engage people from all walks of life directly with science, engineering and technology.
The theme for National Science and Engineering Week 2010 is ‘Earth’. This year’s theme is designed to coincide with International Year of Biodiversity. We would like to encourage organisers to celebrate this during National Science and Engineering Week. www.nsew.org.uk
The What on Earth Project
How often do you really look around your garden or local park?
Rediscover your surroundings in as little as 10 minutes, and open your eyes to the huge variety of different plant and animal species on your doorstep. To celebrate International Year of Biodiversity, why not join in this nationwide activity to map and learn about local plant and animal species in the UK.
‘What on Earth?’ is a call to action: take your camera out into your garden/local park/ hedgerow and snap the wildlife you don’t recognise, then simply upload it to our ‘What on Earth?’ website for identification. We want to map the range of species found by the public across the UK, highlighting the most unusual species that are found. Taking part is simple and easy, to find out more visit: www.whatonearth.org.uk
For all those who take part, we’ll send you a free packet of biodiversity-friendly seeds (subject to availability) and a Biodiversity Information and Activity Pack.
What on Earth has been launched for 2 months only for National Science and Engineering Week in conjunction with nature-spotting website iSpot.org.uk. NSEW has teamed up with sponsors Sika Sarnafil to offer a biodiverse green roof to a school in the area of the UK that uploads the most photos. So support your local school and get uploading!
How can your organisation get involved in What on Earth?
Getting involved couldn’t be easier. You could encourage your staff/students to explore your site and discover some of its local wildlife, uploading photos of them onto the ‘What on Earth’ website. For visitor centres, this may be an activity that can be done during National Science and Engineering Week with your visitors - invite some local experts along and see what you can identify.
Save our Species
The UK is at risk of loosing a number of our native and most-loved species due to modernisation of farming, gardening and forestry management. Save our Species is an online poll that can be done in the classroom during National Science and Engineering Week!
Watch our five videos of experts and some familiar faces talking about their most-loved endangered species. Find out why they are so special, what makes them important and why they are endangered and cast your votes!
Alternatively, pupils can use our videos as the basis for their own research into each of the endangered species, presenting their findings in groups in class.
We have chosen the almost extinct corncrake, the much loved stag beetle, the fluffy hazel dormouse, the menacing greater horseshoe bat and the beautiful common bluebell as our Star Species for National Science and Engineering Week. So cast your vote during National Science and Engineering Week to help raise awareness of some of Britain’s most loved creatures. http://www.britishscienceassociation.org/saveourspecies
Nature’s Engineers Competition -
Innovation from nature’s creativity
We have a lot to learn from the natural world. From the ingenuity of termite mounds, where construction techniques make for perfect, sustainable climate control, to the complexity of materials like spider silk, practically the world’s strongest material, the natural world provides some of the most ingenious engineering feats and lessons imaginable. We can only benefit by paying more attention.
Celebrate nature’s engineers and discover some of the wonders of nature and what we can learn. To enter this competition write 100 words about which of these can teach us most – and why – they should win the prize.
The proposed top-10 Nature’s Engineers are: Termites, Bees, Moles, Beavers, Weaver birds, Dung beetles, Pistol-snapping shrimp, geckos, water bell spider and leafcutter ants.
Winners will receive four annual passes to the Eden project plus travel.
For full details visit www.britishscienceassociation.org/naturesengineers
Earthly resources!
National Science and Engineering Week is a 10-day long celebration of science, engineering and technology that sees people of all ages taking part in, and organising, a vast array of events across the country. In 2009, over 1.4 million people took part in 3,500 events throughout the UK. This year’s theme is ‘Earth’!
We want you to get involved as well! The National Science and Engineering Week website has a whole host of freely downloadable resources including this year’s ‘What on Earth’ activity pack, ‘Rockin’ Crystal’s’ pack and 2010 online quiz! What’s more, we’ve got all of our previous year’s activity packs on offer too – celebrate physics with Einstein’s birthday pack or carry out high-speed 60-second science! www.nsew.org.uk
In addition, our how-to guides for organizers, NSEW online shop and database of events near you mean that you won’t be short of a thing or two to do during the 12-21 March!
What have you learnt during NSEW?
We’re collecting as many facts and trivia as we can during National Science and Engineering Week, and we need your help! Tell us some of the interesting and amazing facts you have found out during the Week and show off your knowledge on our blog for all to see! We're looking for great tidbits of info on anything to do with the World we live - or something completely random that you never knew you didn't know… www.earthtrivia.org
At the end of NSEW, our favourite will be displayed on the site and will win a very suitable prize…! Check out the website for further details!
