BIRTHDAY GIRLS!

WHOOP WHOOP

It's our birthday!  Five years ago this week Science2U was officially registered as a company and Helen and I began trading
It didn't seem real at first - we had a bit of trouble finding a name - we were "science in a van" for quite a few days but then realised we probably hadn't got enough money for a van so after much thought Science2U was born - great idea Rob - thank you!

Creating our website took time but was easy - we wanted a site that reflected us - bright, enthusiastic and friendly. I think we've nailed that one!

Coming up with shows to share was easy - we knew what we enjoyed and the ideas bubbled up. Searching for resources was fun, finding everyday things that we could use in science, buying some "real" science equipment.

a tiny bath used to demonstrate bath bombs

The day we got our first booking was amazing - I didn't expect to have such a surge of joy.
The day we got our first cheque we broke open the champagne!

Bookings were quite sparse at first - mainly freebies to drum up trade but slowly word got round and we started to get a real feel that we were a proper company.

One of the early highlights for us was a two day booking in Oldham. We decided that rather than trail all the way back home after a long day we would stay overnight. A road trip!

forces through toys at Oldham

A trip during Science week up beyond Preston to the Ribble Valley was a real treat - at first we had no idea where we were going but when we arrived at the school in a quaint village we realised that this was something special. Brabins Endowed primary school is very very old

Working with the then MerseySTEM team took us back on the road around Cheshire and the following year around Merseyside delivering secondary shows.

Last year we worked for a whole week with IGNITE at the Ellesmere Port boat museum during Science week. Five workshops every day sharing Smart materials and making bath bombs

Working with Mexichem as a sponsor has brought us great joy because we have been able to share science with some wonderful young people at Chestnut Lodge Special School.

Our days with them have been full of laughter!

Probably one of the highlights has been appearing at BigBangNW science fair.

2014 - total surprise to be on the show stage

The first year we went was a total surprise - we didn't expect to be one of the main acts - so no nerves because we thought we were going to be in a small room doing a little demonstration.

We ended up on the show stage with 100s in the audience

Things have grown every year as has our show.

dry ice finale

Helen became the poster girl in 2015

and the 2016 photos have been seen by 1000s

We have had some amazing times and judging by British Science Week bookings for this March it looks like we many more to come

Thanks for all your support!

Great day out in Ashton Under Lyne

Canon Burrows school

What a super day we had this week at Canon Burrows Primary School in Ashton under Lyne.
They had chosen to do two shows based around materials and their properties.
So for the infants we did Science Magic - an exciting look at some amazing materials and chemical reactions that seem like magic.
Certainly our pink and blue bottle demo brought a gasp of amazement and when we invited a group of volunteers to come and change the colour of some drinking straws with just the warmth of their hands - well they were really getting excited.

Helen's dry ice demonstrations brought WOWs especially when she blew huge bubbles that seemed to float in thin air! And when she caught a carbon dioxide filled smoky bubble on  her hand she got a round of applause.

After break it was time for the juniors. This show All Change, looks at solids liquids and gases and how we can change from one state to another using some incredible materials.
We brought out some brave volunteers to try out setting fire to some chemicals in a flame to show firework colours including sparklers.
We brought out an even braver teacher and tried to blow him up and we finished our show with our ever popular Whoosh bottle which certainly brought the house down!

After a quick lunch we went into a year 3 classroom to set up for an up close and personal session with handwarmers, heat sensitive paper, colour changing straws and then we all made bath bombs to take home. For this younger age we use a ready mix which really helps with the classroom management


A very quick turn around and the second year 3 class arrived - extremely excited - for their hands on session. We rang the changes a little bit using one or two different demonstrations including our lovely new flashing ducks and the ever popular energy sticks which were certainly a hit with the teachers. Then it was this groups turn to make bath bombs.

A lovely day with enthusiastic pupils and a warm welcome from the staff.
Huge thanks to Karen Woods who after seeing our lecture at the ASE NW conference last spring decided to bring us in for her schools cience sweek.

Tripping the light fantastic

What a wonderful job we have!
On Thursday we travelled to Parochial Primary School Ashton-u-Lyne to deliver our show Inside the Rainbow which is all about light and colour.

We couldn't believe that it is almost a year since we were first there but some of the children remembered us - which was great!
In two sessions the whole school including the nursery were able to experience one of our favourite shows.
Picture the scene - you enter the school hall which is in darkness and at the front you can see so many twinkling, spinning and colour changing lights - it is like a mini Blackpool!

The youngest ones were so excited but incredibly well behaved and sat through the whole show riveted - some were very brave and came out to help us.

Starting in the dark we explored natural and man made lights, looking at shadows on the way and experiencing all the colours of the rainbow with the wonderful rainbow glasses.

We were dressed in black with EL lighting which is very flexible and can be twisted into lots of shapes so we we were wearing it around us.

For the older ones we found out about the vocabulary used in light, we explored chemical colours, bio and chemi-luminescence and Helen showed off her super light sabre

We heard all about Helen's dog Monty who was given a lovely new ball for Christmas but it was red and as dogs don't see red very well we all decided that for his birthday she should buy him a blue and yellow one which he will be able to see really well!
The show finished with Helen illuminating hidden messages on the walls with a UV torch.

A very sensory experience for everyone and a super day for us all.