FEATHERS, fluff, fur, fangs and fire helped to fuel the fun at a student science spectacular on Teesside.
More than 200 Year 8 students at The King’s Academy, Coulby Newham, were treated to a demonstration of exploding foam, sulphurous gas bombs and dry ice waterfalls with Sky TV’s man in the shed Professor John Kilcoyne.
A chemistry lecturer at the University of Sunderland for over 36 years, Prof Kilcoyne demonstrated the importance of scientific knowledge in the 21st Century while entertaining students with frozen balloons, helium explosions and colour changing liquids.
“In the future the world is going to become more and more scientifically and technologically based,” said Prof Kilcoyne, who was assisted by geology expert and director of STEM North East Michael Leddra.
“The students here are our future and hopefully some of them may think about becoming research scientists or science teachers or even politicians with scientific knowledge to help shape the world when they grow up.
“Science is fun, I’ve loved every moment of my career. I want our future potential scientists to know that they can have fun with science too and possibly help to make a difference in the future.”
Following Prof Kilcoyne’s explosive lecture, students attended a range of science workshops, ranging from making bath bombs, comets, magic custard and slime to dissecting squid.
They also got an opportunity to handle bearded dragons, snakes, birds of prey and baby tortoises.
The academy’s head of science Dr Brian Casson, who organised the day alongside science teacher Mary Holmes, said: “This is our eighth annual science day and each year it keeps getting bigger and better.
“Having Professor Kilcoyne come in to give us a demonstration is a great way to start the day and helps gets the message over that science can be a lot fun.”
Student Ellie Marron, 13, of Coulby Newham, added: “Science day lets us do lots of fun things that we wouldn’t usually get to do in our normal science lessons. It really makes you look at the subject in a different way.”
