Laboratory based home-education science classes
Laboratory based science classes for home-education
based in Barnstaple, North Devon.
Open to all home-ed youngsters aged 11-16 approx
LIGHT & MOTION PHYSICS WORKSHOP:
A KS3 lab based session for home-ed teens
WHAT IS IT?
We’ll be investigating physics concepts of forces & motion, during the first half, and then experimenting with how light travels in after lunch. As always, this will be heavily practical with hands-on activities and experiments using lab kit you’d probably not have at home.
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Here are the activities planned:
What is a Force?
Centre of gravity & mass calculations
Force meters & Hooke’s Law experiment
Drag & friction forces activity
Measuring acceleration using light gates & data loggers
Effects of mass and force on acceleration
Recording data
Various demonstrations into how light travels
Experiments to demonstrate the laws of refraction & reflection
Light ray diagrams
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When? Where?
10.30-2pm in F108 at Petroc College, Old Sticklepath HIll, Barnstaple, EX31 2BQ.
Bring your own pack lunch & drinks.
A pen and camera/phone would be useful too, but not essential.
Parents can drop off or stay – see T&Cs when you book
Booking in advance essential.
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How to book?
Cost – £25/young person
You can book directly here: https://devonscience.as.me/physics
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As Qs?
Please email [email protected]
or call Ruth on 07847006048
or use the contact form here.
KS3 Lab Skills Course – 6 week course, 2 hrs/week
next dates tbc
It will be in the biology lab (ground floor lab number F8) at Petroc College, Old Sticklepath Hill, Barnstaple, Devon, EX31 2BQ.
You will have access to a dedicated virtual classroom space, where you will find copies of the presentations, method sheets and a safe place for us to share our experiment photos.
This course includes the British Science Association’s Bronze Level Crest Award certificate, students can work towards this if they want to, let us know at the booking stage if you’d like to. The kind of thing we’ll need to assess for this award can be found here and we’d do this by talking to the students and through observations (we don’t expect any essays or answering of any written Qs or homework).
DATES: Next course dates TBC
PRICE: £150 (£12.50/hr)
HOW TO BOOK: TBC
CONTENT:
Week 1) Laboratory safety. Pipetting. Microscopy & sample prep.
The first week we will introduce the lab, and the typical equipment found within it. We will go over lab safety rules. Youngsters will get hands-on using auto pipettes needed to transfer tiny volumes of liquid. They’ll learn how to use microscopes and prepare samples for microscopy and carry out some simple stains.
Week 2) Chemical reactions.
This week is about chemistry and what a chemical reaction really is. We’ll understand energy transfer, see endothermic, exothermic, oxidation & displacement reactions. Students carry out a displacement reaction and there will be some demonstrations. Students will practise word equations.
Week 3) Enzymes. Bunsens.
This week is all about catalysts, and enzymes, the biological catalysts. We’ll carry out an experiment to explore the factors that affect their function and why. This week we will be using Bunsen burners so students will learn how to operate them properly.
Week 4) Chromatography. Diffusion.
Students learn about chromatography and the various different kinds and carry out an investigation to identify the components of a mixture. We will practise calculating RF values. The passive process of diffusion will be introduced in preparation for next week.
Week 5) Microbiology. Antibiotic testing.
Tiny invisible microbes are the topic of this week’s lesson. We will get the microscopes out again to view bacteria at a 1000X magnification, but we’ll need to stain them first! We also carry out the disc diffusion experiment using aseptic technique (bunsens again) to see which chemical compound kills our sample of safe bacteria.
Week 6) Osmosis. Flame tests.
Osmosis is a special kind of diffusion that will be discussed in this last lesson. We’ll carry out an experiment to show what happens to plant cells when the osmotic pressure is changed. For this we will need to use laboratory balances accurately. Will we revisit Bunsen burners by carrying out the flame test and analysis of various metals.
Testimonials
Your lessons have been incredible this year, I went from a child leaving school hating science and not wanting anything to do with it, to a child that really enjoys getting stuck in and experimenting and exploring. Thank you for giving him enjoyment from science and lots of laughs and smiles.
- Ruth was brilliant at engaging my daughter in the home ed biology lessons, Danielle really enjoyed them and Ruth was happy to help and answer everyone's questions. looking forward to joining more Home ed sessions in the future.
I've loved doing my home ed biology lessons with Ruth they were really fun she answered all my questions and didn't rush.Thank you for a fantastic week of science!! Jack has really enjoyed himself and will deffo be recommending. See you in March for the next club.
- Ruth’s science sessions have been wonderful for my children recently and they have all got so much from them. It really brings the fun of science to life for them and makes them enthusiastic about it. So much so that when my daughter had a day at school recently where they had to dress as what they would like to do when they are older she went as a scientist!!Actually we have been so impressed with the sessions that we booked Ruth for my daughters birthday party and the kids all had a ball. Ruth’s enthusiasm for the subject is infectious. I would highly recommend her sessions as well as the birthday parties! They are also amazing value for money.
Lots of fun, engaging activities and enough repetition of the sciency bit to make it stick. Thanks Ruth, we will be doing more of your classes for sure!
Each session had three really fun and engaging activities, well taught and explained. None of the activities were “duds” or time fillers and my daughter was inspired to follow up each session with further investigation. The sessions were well priced and we are sad they have come to an end
Love that home educators are deliberately catered for with daytime classes available, and Ruth is great at engaging with the children
My two sons have completed their first Crest Award and I can’t recommend Ruth highly enough! They have learnt so much, had incredible fun and blossomed! We LOVE LOVE LOVE Sciencedipity