Brucehill Education and Childcare Centre - science boxes
Process
Choosing the science topic areas
Staff and parents decided to break up into three teams. At their first joint meeting, the science areas were agreed:
- Sing a Rainbow (colour)
- The Main Attraction (magnets)
- Bright Sparks (electricity)
- Ready Steady Cook (cooking)
- Mini Mania (mini-beasts)
- Grow a Lot (growing/seeds)
- Take a Closer look (magnifying)
- Water Mania (water)
- Head to Toe (growing up)
- Glow in the Dark (light and dark)
- Spaced Out (space)
- Weather or Not (weather)
- Balloons-R-Us (air)
Each team took on three subjects. It was their responsibility to create and record individual activities for each box. Each box at first contained four activities and all the materials that went along with them. Very quickly they realised four activities were too many and cut them down to two.
What's in a science box?
It was agreed that each box would contain:
- one instamatic camera
- two activity sheets
- all resources needed for the activities
- one parent's evaluation sheet
- one child's evaluation sheet
- one explanatory sheet on the aims of the project and to use the box
- one book relevant to subject
- audio activity tape for non-readers.
You can download a list of science box contents.
MS Word file: Science box contents list (34 KB)
Parental involvement
Parents were invited to all the staff meetings about the project. Those who could not attend evening meetings gave support at home by experimenting; they were known as 'critical friends' and they reported back with suggestions – as a result many changes were made. Parents also researched using the internet, library and primary school and reported back with their findings. Staff report that there was 'a hive of activity in and outwith the nursery'.
Video - a parent describes the project
'Basically as parents we were involved in everything, and that includes from shopping for the boxes, the cameras, making up the information sheets, putting the project leaflets together and writing up the experiments.'
| A parent describes the project | |
|---|---|
| Description | In this video clip, a parent talks about parental involvement in the science project and in the development of the science boxes. |
| Duration | 2 minutes 2 seconds |
| Windows version |  Windows Media file: A parent describes the project |
| Mac version |  QuickTime file: A parent describes the project (modem) |
| Mac version | QuickTime file: A parent describes the project (ISDN) |
| Transcript | Transcript of video: A parent describes the project |
Video - the contents of a science box
'In this box, we have two activities: Little and Large and Good Vibrations... Also, on the sheet they're given a series of questions.'
| The contents of a science box | |
|---|---|
| Description | A parent describes the contents of a science box. She gives details of the activities/experiments that parents and children can carry out at home using these materials. |
| Duration | 1 minute 3 seconds |
| Windows version | Windows Media file: Contents of a science box |
| Mac version | QuickTime file: Contents of a science box (modem) |
| Mac version | QuickTime file: Contents of a science box (ISDN) |
| Transcript | Transcript of video: Contents of a science box |
Tool tips
Windows Media Player
To watch this video you will need the latest version of Windows Media Player installed on your computer. To get the latest player please use the link provided.
Download Windows Media Player
QuickTime Player
To watch this video you will need the latest version of QuickTime Player installed on your computer. To get the latest player please use the link provided.
Download QuickTime Player