Reach the Heights At Your School
Techniquest is a joint sponsor in a £49m new initiative for young people in Wales, called Reach the Heights, which is funded by the European Social Fund (ESF) with match funding from the Welsh Assembly Government and associated sponsors. As part of this scheme, Techniquest will be developing and delivering STEM programmes through seven regional Hubs in the convergence areas across Wales for 11 – 19 year olds who face or who are at risk of disadvantage or under-achievement, to improve their career opportunities.
If your school or college is in one of the convergence areas, then the following outreach programmes are available for booking by schools who have been enrolled in the scheme. To see details of the convergance areas, please check the Booking Form page
Key Stage 3
Back Stage Maths (2 hours)
Using a range of provided materials pupils work in groups to organise music concerts in castles around Wales. Pupils explore different music genres and their relative popularity, before considering everything needed to organise a successful concert, highlighting those aspects that will cost money and those that will bring in money. Pupils must calculate the costs for their concert and the ticket price that will bring in the most profit.
Using their maths skills, students are encouraged to develop key skills like developing communication, thinking and number. The workshop also gives students the opportunity to consider how these skills are used in careers and the world of work.
Earthspace (2 hours)
Following an hour’s presentation in Techniquest’s mobile planetarium. pupils work in groups to design the interior of a space station. Using a range of innovative resources pupils decide how many crew members to take? How much water, air and food is needed? How does being in space affect the human body? Pupils go on to consider the purposes of space exploration.
The workshop encourages students to develop key skills in communication, thinking and number. It also gives students the opportunity to consider how these skills can be used in careers and the world of work.
Fair Trading
Pupils are invited to design and build a prototype mirror maze. In groups, pupils will need to change various currencies into pounds, cost the mirror maze based on their design and finance the project. Financial backing for their project comes from selecting an investor and taking out loans. Groups can also be awarded grants by fulfilling set criteria. Pupils will need to consider ethical, sustainability and health and safety issues when planning their mirror maze. Pupils are given a series of requirements to meet and will need to use the data provided to carry out calculations with money.
Making Tracks
In this workshop, pupils take the role of designers and engineers. The pupils, working in eight groups, are given a design brief to follow and must produce a product to the specifications given by a defence company. In their groups pupils must design and build a communications vehicle within a set budget. Pupils will then test their vehicle to see if it meets the safety
requirements and will pitch their final design to the rest of the class.Streets Ahead (2 hours)
Pupils consider what they cannot live without, highlighting those resources that fulfil our basic human needs. Pupils then explore the role of science, technology, engineering and maths in these resources.
Working in groups, pupils next explore different regions of the world. These regions each offer different resources and different qualities of life. Pupils consider ways to improve the quality of life in their region and present their decisions to the class.
The workshop encourages students to develop key skills in communication, thinking and number. The workshop also gives students the opportunity to consider how their decisions impact on their life and the lives of others.
Key Stage 4
Work Related Experiences - KS4 Workshop (2 hours)
The aim of this workshop is to demonstrate to all pupils that Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) play an essential role in everyday life, including contemporary issues. It also aims to demonstrate that any pupil, regardless of their interests or academic ability, can have a career in STEM. The workshop intends to demonstrate to the pupils the wide range of skills they already possess, which could be applied to a career in these subjects. The pupils will use a wide range of skills in this activity, including: teamwork, communication, problem solving, graph reading, map reading, thinking skills, planning and organising and decision making.
Work Related Experience Resources (English).pdf 846KB- Work Related Experience Resources (Welsh).pdf 828KB
Aftershock
In this workshop, pupils take on the role of organising the rescue resources in a city hit by an earthquake. The city is divided into 8 sectors with each group needing to organise the resources in their area but also supporting other areas of the city. Pupils will need to cooperate to rescue the highest number of people they can. City sectors will have different problems and different levels of available resources.
The aim of this workshop is demonstrate to all pupils that science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) play an essential role in everyday life, including contemporary issues. It also aims to demonstrate that any pupil, regardless of their interests or academic ability, can have a career in STEM. The workshop intends to demonstrate to the pupils the wide range of skills they already possess, which could be developed and applied to a career in STEM.
Eye in the Sky
In this workshop, pupils take on the role of launching unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to solve a series of challenges. These include planning a stadium event and finding lost people. Pupils also have the opportunity to interact with the technology fitted to UAVs. these include trying out a thermal imaging camera, infra red camera and even flying a drone in the classroom!
The aim of this workshop is demonstrate to all pupils that science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) play an essential role in everyday life, including contemporary issues. It also aims to demonstrate that any pupil, regardless of their interests or academic ability, can have a career in STEM. The workshop intends to demonstrate to the pupils the wide range of skills they already possess, which could be developed and applied to a career in STEM.
Winds of Change
In this workshop, pupils work in groups taking on the role of a wind farm company to solve a series of challenges. Pupils must identify suitable locations across Wales to build onshore, near shore and off shore wind farms using the information provided. Pupils also have the opportunity to interact with the technology related to wind farms, including a motion activated camera, sonar and tracking devices.
The aim of this workshop is demonstrate to all pupils that science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) play an essential role in everyday life, including contemporary issues. It also aims to demonstrate that any pupil, regardless of their interests or academic ability, can have a career in STEM. The workshop intends to demonstrate to the pupils the wide range of skills they already possess, which could be developed and applied to a career in STEM.
Post-16
Contemporary Science Debates (2 hours)
ADHD
This contemporary science debate provides the opportunity for the students to explore their views on Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), what it means to them and other people and the relationship between this issue and science.
Individually and in groups the students will explore their views. Stories and information relating to the issue of ADHD based on real life incidents will be provided to stimulate discussion. The students will first discuss these in small groups and then with the rest of the class, with the opportunity to share their own thoughts and feelings on the topic. This discussion is combined with a range of interactive activities to give students a deeper understanding of the issue. At the end of the session the students will draw all of their research and discussion together and pitch an awareness campaign to rest of the class.
Digital Identity Crisis
These informal debates are designed to engage large numbers of young people in innovative and participative discussions on social and ethical issues associated with contemporary science. These debates give young people the chance to consider the relevance of the application of science to their everyday lives and to give them the opportunity to make their opinions heard on topics that have direct relevance to their lives.
Digital Identity Crisis examines the collection of personal data and the advantages and disadvantages of such data being held on a database. In groups, the pupils discuss the issues around data collection, surveillance, mobile phones, the internet and other current applications of technology in the field of personal data. The session includes demonstrations of some of this technology.
The workshop complements the Welsh Baccalaureate – the Impact of Economic and Technological Change.
- Digital Identity Crisis Resources (English).pdf 2.23MB
- Digital Identity Crisis Resources (Welsh).pdf 2.34MB
The Size of Wales
This contemporary science provides the opportunity for the participants to explore their views on the issues affecting the African rainforests and the people of these regions.
This session has been part funded by the ‘Size of Wales’ campaign, which is trying to raise awareness of the issues affecting the African rainforests. The main aim of the campaign is to get people in Wales involved in helping to rescue an area of rainforest the size of Wales.
Individually and in groups the participants will explore their personal views. Stories and information relating to the issue of the African rainforest based on real life incidents will be provided to stimulate discussion. The students will first discuss these in small groups and then with the rest of the class, with the opportunity to share their own thoughts and feelings on the topic. At the end of the session the participants will draw all of their research and discussion together and pitch an awareness campaign to the rest of the class.
