Schools and Teachers
NAM2014 will be accompanied by an extensive schools’ programme in collaboration with the University of Portsmouth Education Liaison and Outreach Team (ELOT). Events and activities are being planned for most age groups and teachers as detailed below; some of these will be by invitation only but please contact the NAM2014 Outreach Team on outreach@nam2014.org if you have any questions.
In addition to these activities, older students and teachers may be interested in the two evening public talks on Monday 23rd and Thursday 26th June 2014.
Think Bigger
Key Stage 3 (year 7 – 9)
A morning of astronomy and cosmology activities for Key Stage 3 pupils. Attendees will get to experience the National Astronomy Meeting first-hand and participate in an exciting programme to include the STFC ‘Seeing the Universe in all its light’ exhibition, a show inside the University of Portsmouth’s Astrodome and hands-on workshops.
Date: Thursday 26th June 2014
Time: 09:15 – 13:00 (tbc)
Location: Portsmouth Guildhall and the University of Portsmouth
Plenary Lectures
Key Stage 5 (A-Level)
A-Level students are offered a special opportunity to attend the plenary lecture given by Professor Sarah Bridle (University of Manchester) and participate in a Q&A with Prof. Bridle following the talk. There will also be the option to visit the STFC ‘Seeing the Universe in all its light’ exhibition.
Please note that the plenary lectures are overview talks aimed at professional astronomers so will be challenging for A-Level students. We recommend prior attendance at the University of Portsmouth’s Cosmology Masterclass, as this will provide a useful background to the topic.
Date: Tuesday 24th June 2014
Time: tbc
Location: Portsmouth Guildhall
Teachers
On Monday 23rd June, two of the conference parallel sessions will be devoted to topics on “Engaging the Public and Schools with Astronomy” and it is expected that several of the talks in these sessions will be of interest to physics teachers. We are therefore opening up attendance at these sessions to a limited number of local teachers. Details are yet to be confirmed but please email us if you are interested. The full conference programme can be seen on the parallel session and plenary talks pages.
Date: Monday 23rd June 2014
Time: 13:30 – 14:45, 16:30 – 18:00 (coffee break and plenary talk in-between)
Location: University of Portsmouth
Planet Walk
All ages
A scale model of the solar system will be set-up in central Portsmouth during NAM for anyone to follow. This may be of interest to schools, and can easily be combined with a visit to the ‘Seeing the Universe in all its light’ big telescope exhibition in Portsmouth Guildhall. Please note that this is a suggested independent activity for schools and the NAM2014 Outreach Team will be not assisting with the organisation of any school visits for the Planet Walk. Please click here for more information on the Planet Walk, and here for information on Seeing the Universe in all its light.
Stargazers play-in-a-day
Year 9
Portsmouth Festivities 2014 in collaboration with the National Astronomy Meeting and Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation are running a unique ‘play-in-a-day’ project based on astronomers through the ages. The deadline for reserving space was Friday 14th February 2014.
Date: Wednesday 25th June 2014
Location: Action Stations, Portsmouth Historic Dockyard
Parents/members of the public wishing to attend the play (7.30pm) can find more details on the Portsmouth Festivites Website.
