2022 Galway Science & Technology Festival

Primary School Shows and Workshops for 2022 

We have a number of workshops from University of Galway remaining, please read below and complete the booking form.

Exhibition space: Please complete the booking form if you are requesting a stand at the Exhibition Day at University of Galway on Sunday 13th November, 2022

Could the air in your homes be making you dull? Understand what in your home air affects your comfort and wellbeing and how you can measure them!

The air in our homes – its temperature, humidity – has a significant impact on our comfort and health. Our workshop will help students understand why indoor air is important for health, comfort and wellbeing, how a significant amount of energy goes into keeping inside air warm during winter, what are the exposure sources in a typical Irish home, how they can measure indoor temperature and humidity to understand indoor air quality (IAQ), and consequently the quality of the air they are breathing, and some easy corrective actions they can take to improve the IAQ.

DATE

15th – 25th November

TIME

1 hour

FORMAT

Classroom based

AGE

5th & 6th class

To book complete the booking form

This workshop is a fun-filled hands-on activity that introduces the students to the world of electrical/electronic and computer engineering through hands-on experience of programming and electronics. The students will have the opportunity to learn all about the electronics involved in building a simple robot and programming the robot using a graphical programming language, Scratch. The students will be provided with an Arduino-based educational robot and the students will program the robot to perform follow a line.

DATE

15th – 25th November

TIME

1.5 hours

FORMAT

Classroom based

AGE

5th & 6th class

To book complete the booking form

Come be a ‘prospector’ at the ‘Trash to Cash! Lab’ at University of Galway,

Be part of the movement – learn to reduce garbage – transform it to fuel for a new age !

The workshop aims at describing to young people how segregated organic waste can serve as a source of energy, produced through the process of Anaerobic digestion.  Introducing our participants to topics in Environmental microbiology, Renewable energy sources, Anaerobic Digestion and the scientific method. 

3 rounds of activities, experiments, and demonstrations will allow ‘prospectors’ to mine their trash and turn it into renewable energy.

  • Introduction to wastes and associated challenges
  • Activity:  Mixed wastes sorting game
  • Anaerobic Digestion lab experiment
  • Final product (biogas) applications

 

DATE

15th – 25th November

TIME

1.5 hours

FORMAT

visit to University of Galway lab

AGE

5th & 6th class

To book complete the booking form

Samhail: Imagine your life on Mars. Scientists will help participants to design an interactive Mars Habitat, thinking about how we can live on the red planet, what we need to thrive, and what this tells us about living on Earth. Participants will be given tools to craft their alien homeplaces and write the story of their journey, and life on Mars!

Participants will be given a tour of Mars with a 3D globe and visual aids, followed by talk on planet habitability and sustainability. Based on what they have learnt, participants will be invited to build their own model Mars habitat.

DATE

15th – 25th November

TIME

1.5 hours

FORMAT

school visit

AGE

4th, 5th & 6th class

To book complete the booking form

The West of Ireland is actively establishing itself as a centre of excellence in the field of autonomous driving. Companies like Jaguar Land Rover, Valeo, General Motors and Bosch have established strong R&D and manufacturing footprints in the area. This research activity is complimented by the opening of the Future Mobility Campus in Shannon and cutting edge research at NUI Galway and other local universities.

This workshop will introduce students to the science of engineering of autonomous driving, with particular focus on how autonomous cars “sense” the world around them, and how this information is then used to enable autonomous driving.

DATE

15th – 25th November

TIME

1.5 hours

FORMAT

Either visit to University of Galway lab or school visit

AGE

5th & 6th class

To book complete the booking form

Join the team at Galway Atlantaquaria and the Marine Institute’s Explorers Education Programme as they bring you and your class on a guided tour of Ireland’s largest native species aquarium for Science Week 2022.

More details to follow

DATE

14th – 25th  November

Format

In person Tour

LOCATION

Galway Atlantaquaria, Salthill

DURATION

60 mins

AGE

All ages

TO BOOK: emal Petra on info@nationalaquarium.ie

Monday to Thursday, 14 to 17 November, 10.15am to 11.45pm

WORKSHOP: Traditional Boats and Buoyancy

Following a brief welcome and introduction in the foyer of the Museum, the school group will be divided into two smaller groups. The first group will visit the Museum’s galleries, exploring the currach and Galway Hooker boats on display, while the second group does a 30-minute workshop about boats and buoyancy with award-winning science communicator Jane McLoughlin. The groups will then swap over, with the first group doing the workshop and the second group visiting the galleries. The maximum group size is 32 (two groups of 16). Schools must bring (at least) two teachers, who should remain with their groups at all times. This event is part of the Galway Science and Technology Festival 2022.

For further details or to make a booking contact Galway City Museum on (091) 532460 or at museum@galwaycity.ie

Suitable for 2nd to 6th Classes

 Monday to Thursday, 14 to 17 November, 12.15pm to 1.45pm

WORKSHOP: Stemming the Tides

Following a brief welcome and introduction in the foyer of the Museum, the school group will be divided into two smaller groups. The first group will visit the Museum’s Línte na Farraige exhibition, which highlights the issue of rising sea levels due to climate change, while second group does a 30-minutes workshop about flood defences with award-winning science communicator Jane McLoughlin in the Education Room. The groups will then swap over, with the first group doing the workshop and the second group visiting the exhibition. The maximum group size is 32 (two groups of 16). Schools must bring (at least) two teachers, who should remain with their groups at all times. This event is part of the Galway Science and Technology Festival 2022.

For further details or to make a booking contact Galway City Museum on (091) 532460 or at museum@galwaycity.ie

Suitable for 2nd to 6th Classes

DATE

Mon 14th – Thurs 17th & Mon 21st – Thurs 24th 

TIME

10.15am to 11.45pm & 12.15pm to 1.45pm

FORMAT

Inperson workshop and tour

AGE

Primary School 2nd class to 6th class

GROUP

32 students at a time – two teachers required

For further details or to make a booking contact Galway City Museum on (091) 532460 or email museum@galwaycity.ie

Explore the Universe in this special Dome.  More details to follow

Requires a school hall.

DATE

14th to 25th November, 2022

TIME

30 mins per show

FORMAT

The Dome is available to visit schools for live shows 

AGE

All ages

GROUP

One classroom at a time

TO BOOK: please use school booking form.

Join Scientific Sue on this most historical and creative journey of discovery.

 

Weather can be extreme, scary and devasting and the effects climate change is just going make weather even scarier. No better topic for Scientific Sue to use her drama skills to entertain you!!  We all know about tornados but did you know fires can also spin! Join us to find out how fire tornados can be formed and why the eucalyptus tree is the fire brigades’ enemy.
This how has given Scientific Sue a few engineering challenges too. Find out how a super flooding system, not fed by rain water but by Mentos can be built. High winds and flooding can knock down bridges – sometime bridges which are the life line for remote villages – volunteers will be needed to help build a pulley system out of balloons!  Something must be melting to cause the Earth’s water levels to rise. What is it? Thinking icebergs? Wrong!!
The consequences of any changes to our climate could lead to intense droughts, storms, heat waves and rising sea levels – we don’t want to alarm you we want to scare you!  Scare you with crazy, innovative science demonstrations which will answer many questions but may also put our volunteer’s existence in danger!

DATE

14th to 18th November, 2022

TIME

40 mins per show

FORMAT

In a school hall 

AGE

Primary school

GROUP

100 students at a time

To book please complete the online booking form

Brigit’s Garden offers an insight into the heart of Celtic heritage. 

Take this opportunity to visit the amazing Brigit’s Garden in Rosscahill and partake in this exciting hands on experience for 3rd to 6th class

This workshop is suitable for 

  • Investigate solar, hydro and wind technologies on site.
  • Experiment and generate your own energy!
  • Explore energy concepts: Food chains, insulation and conduction
  • Care for the Environment: Reduce your energy use!

DATE

14th to 25th November, 2022

TIME

  Three hour workshop

FORMAT

At Brigid’s Garden

AGE

3rd – 6th class

GROUP

30 students at a time

To book ring Brigit’s Garden on 091 550905 or email education@brigitsgarden.ie 

Fantastic DNA in a Box (FDIAB) is a one-hour hands-on science activity where young people (4th-6th class, 1st-3rd year) get the opportunity to do a real hands-on science experiment.  

A science kit (the ‘box’) will be posted out to schools. It provides teachers with the resources and materials needed for their pupils to do the experiment in their classrooms. Once the teacher has set the classroom up, two Cell EXPORERS explainers remotely facilitate the 60 ; session online using Zoom, with the teacher providing on-site support to pupils. The session includes Q&A section after the experiment to prompt questions about scientists’ daily and personal lives, to broaden children’s perceptions of what it means to be a scientist. 

 The sessions will be delivered by both GMIT and NUI Galway Cell Explorers teams. 

Cell Explorers is funded by science foundation Ireland.

DATE

14th to 25th November, 2022

TIME

  1 hour per workshop

FORMAT

Live online

AGE

2nd class to 6th class Primary school

GROUP

30 students at a time

To book please complete the booking form

We will visit 4th,5th and 6th classes and create a simple chase game using Microsoft Makecode Arcade. In this hour-long session, students will learn about aspects of video game design and how basic coding principles work together to enable them to create a game. They will create characters and levels using pixel art and compose music for their game. The end result is a published game which they can send to family and friends. 

DATE

14th to 25th November, 2022

TIME

1 Hour

FORMAT

Classroom based

AGE

3rd – 6th class

GROUP

30 students per workshop

To book email corribkidscoding@gmail.com

The next best thing to a live show!

Weather can be extreme, scary and devasting and the effects of climate change is just going make weather even scarier. No better topic for Scientific Sue to use her drama skills to entertain you!!
We all know about tornados but did you know fires can also spin! Join us
to find out how fire tornados can be formed and why the Australian fire brigade call the eucalyptus tree ‘the gasoline tree’. 

This show has given Scientific Sue a few engineering challenges too. Find out how a super flooding system, not fed by rain water but by Mentos (!) can be built.  High winds and flooding can knock down bridges – sometimes these bridges are the life line for remote villages – volunteers will be needed to help build a pulley system out of balloons to help save the stranded villagers!
Something must be melting to cause the Earth’s water levels to rise. What is it? Thinking icebergs? Wrong!!
The consequences of any changes to our climate could lead to intense droughts, storms, heat waves and rising sea levels – we don’t want to alarm you we want to scare you!
Scare you with crazy, innovative science demonstrations which will answer many questions about climate change but may also put your volunteer’s very existence in danger!

DATE

This is a kit to your school – you decide when to do it with your class

TIME

FORMAT

Classroom based

AGE

1st – 6th class

To book complete the booking form