Big Bang

Hi Sea Fans!

I've done so much with Ed the Bear and he keeps showing me more...it's unbelievable what he gets up to!  And people of all ages get to experience it with him.

At the beginning of July, we attended the Big Bang South East Stem Science Event. 

This year they were expecting 4000 teachers and children!  The event shows children lots of different aspects of science, technology, engineering and mathematics and the aim is also to get children interested in a science career when they leave school or university.

I helped with the stand; 

we all wore badges encouraging children to ask us a question. We had lots of information about the science of the oceans, how it creates our climate, provides oxygen, food, freshwater and many other things too, including new medicines.

We also had information about the damage we are doing to the oceans.  Did you know that so far we have only explored 5% of the oceans?!?!? There are so many careers that can help us understand the marine world better: studying marine animals and habitats, oceanography, designing undersea crafts and/or equipment to help us explore the oceans, finding new medicines, or studying how we are damaging the ocean so that we can help repair the damage.

There were lots of questions and the children were very interested to hear about the oceans.  Steve and Ed also spoke about a new project they were hoping to get secondary schools (11-18 year olds) interested in. This is based around a model ROV (remote operated vehicle) that the children can build and then design it to do something.

ROV kit.

This might be to add a webcam and film underwater, it might be to add equipment that takes the temperature of the ocean or collect other information. They are hoping that this could be a good way to get secondary schools to learn more about the oceans.

There were lots of other exhibitors, some had experiments, and others had activities or other information such as Bio care – finding medicines in the ocean, 

a wave experiment.

Learning about waves.

Schools also had exhibits, including a model about renewable energy 

and models made without using plastic.

Model boats made without plastic.

By the end of the day we were very tired but excited that so many children were interested in the ocean. At the end of the day we found out that over 5000 children and teachers had visited. Wow!

A good day I'd say!
Chat soon Sea Fans.

Cheers!
Abby
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