During this year’s British Science Week, we’ve been engaging with local school children in Cambridgeshire. Mairenn Attwood led interactive talks at the Thomas Clarkson Academy in Wisbech, a school partnered with ‘Teach First’ (a charity aimed at reducing educational inequality).
Due to the pandemic, these talks took a different form to usual, broadcast as livestreams to multiple classrooms simultaneously. Teachers relayed questions from students and facilitated the activities and challenges. The older students (15-18 year olds) focused on mimicry, brood parasitism and careers as a scientist, while the younger students (11-12 year olds) learnt more generally about birds and their adaptations. Activities included matching beaks to food types and spotting camouflaged nests from pictures! Thanks to Miss Kielkowska for organising the Science week at her school and inviting us to speak, hopefully inspiring some of the next generation of zoologists!
The news item from the school itself, with details about their other Science Week activities, can be found here: https://www.thomasclarksonacademy.org/news/?pid=3&nid=6&storyid=2401
