Gunpowder Treason and Plot!

We have just finished Autumn half term holiday week at Catalyst which is usually one of our busiest weeks of the year. This time was no exception.

I have created a show on the theme of Bonfire night so all about gunpowder, fireworks and generally blowing thinks up. As ever I tweak the basic show because I get very easily bored so won't do the same thing over and over. This time I added some spectacular indoor fireworks - I am not sure I would ever use them inside my home - I am sure they would set fire to the place!! but they worked fantastically in the show room.
In the show I talk about fuel which leads onto the custard factory explosion - so then I can do some dust explosions. HSD loss prevention consultants have loaned me a piece of kit - a Hartman tube which they use to test dust explosions.
So I set off icing sugar and because the kit is very safe I can get a volunteer to come and set it off. This time I also added the classic demo where you sprinkle something like coffee whitener over a flame and it was certainly impressive. The finale is the whoosh bottle which always gets a round of applause .
We had full houses for nearly every show and it certainly went down well.

We are taking the show out on the road next week to  Liverpool so I hope they turn the fire alarms off!!!

How many senses have we got?
Really funny week with very little ones!
We have just finished a week of themed activities with mainly younger children based around Healthy Humans. One of the workshops was tasty toothpaste where we make our own bicarbonate of soda based toothpaste and try it out against shop bought ones. It always makes me laugh how many of the little ones offer to let me brush their own teeth with it! We don't of course - we use ceramic tiles with flowers drawn on in permanent marker and they brush the tile but.....
They love making up weird colours - as soon as they realise that the colour really doesn't make the toothpaste work any better they all want purple or brown or orange.

One of the other sessions we have been doing is called Our Super Senses so of course the first question is how many senses do we have....well that is a debate and a half. One little girl was sure we had 9 because we breathe and we have knees - you try responding to that one without grinning!

Today we had 5 groups - 150 little ones aged between 5 and 7 all trying to identify mystery smells and work out what objects were hidden in the shakers. It was really super to see a visually impaired lad be the best in his class and working out the answers - without good eyesight his other senses truly are SUPER!

So I have sent them all home to see what happens if you hold your nose while you eat.... I can imagine some interesting conversations at the dinner table this weekend!

Primary Science DVD launch

At long last we have the launch of the RSC NW Trust sponsored Primary science DVD. I had not realised that it was in 2008 that I was approached to think of something to help primary teachers be inspired to have a go at experiments based around Materials and their properties ( chemistry type stuff). I immediately thought of my good friend and fellow science buff Lorelly Wilson who does the most amazing science shows. Lorelly's shows are quiet and quite serious but fascinating and full of great science ideas - my shows are much louder and often very messy but we complement each other well.
Together we came up with the idea to create a DVD of short clips for primary teachers to give them ideas for classroom experiments, starters or just simple let's have a go and see what happens type science.
We both knew that specialised equipment and chemicals are virtually unheard of in a primary school so it would have to be based around everyday containers and household chemicals that everyone could get hold of. After many months of planning we finally were ready for two days of filming here at Catalyst with the fantastic Centrescreens production company from Manchester. Cheryl our producer guided us through the filming process, re-takes and goofs and the final result is amazing - even though I say it myself. Plus thanks to the faith that the RSC NW Trust put in me all that time ago we have been able not only to fund the filming but also reproduction and distribution so any primary school teacher, student teacher science ambassador or interested science presenter,  can have a copy for free.
Catalyst has taken on the job of sending out DVDs on request plus the local sections of the RSC have been lending a hand and distributing within their area.
Last Thursday we held the official launch - attended by Andrew Miller chair of the science committee at the House of Commons, local MPs and the great and the good with a smattering of local teachers and supporters for good measure.
Thank you to everyone who helped to make this possible!

The Manchester RSCYM have even put the clips on You Tube! So if you want my autograph....actually if you want some ideas grab a DVD!

So another week of holiday events ends! I wonder how many families will be having a go at the experiments this weekend? Sales of the booklet have gone really well plus lots of questions about further exploration. It is great to see families all having a go at the experiments not just the kids - I love it when grandma wants to get messy with the cornflour - that is what hands on science really is!!
Some other people expanded their horizons this week - huge thanks to all the helpers that took part - this was definitely not a one man band! Some of the Catalyst staff left their normal work and came to muck in... and made a brilliant job of it. Special mention to Nathan - the slime king!! and to Sian - queen of the gloop.

just one problem - who realised just how long it wold take to get rid of a tub of gloop after we had finished running on it!

kitchen chemistry to the MAX

This week our family activity is kitchen chemistry. It is a brief demo session followed by about 30 minutes of intense hands on. We have had people walking on custard ( well cornflour really) and making slime plus home made indicator testing and so on.
One thing I forgot - summer is not the time for red cabbage but I managed to create a very passable indicator using blackberries which smells so much nicer than the cabbage and works just fine!
Everyone has to pitch in and help with this one as it is very staff intensive - and we are two staff down - one has moved on and one is off long term sick! What am I doing to folk!! So all the volunteers have been thrown in at the deep end - even someone who only wanted to observe Learning outside the classroom for two days - we don't do observing but we do roll our sleeves up and get involved! And boy Vikki has - brilliantly!
So more of the same tomorrow - plus sales of my book ( well booklet really!) have raised over £7 so far - which is not bad as it all helps to go towards the consumables!!

It's been ages since I have been able to post anything and sincere apologies to those who follow this blog.
Life has been hectic both at home and at the science centre.
At home - we finally lost the battle to save our pusscat Smartie which left a huge whole in our lives. We had no intentions of getting more cats - this was to be the last in the long line of Halliday chocolate named cats. But the house was so quiet and if one of us was away we really noticed how silent the house was!
So we now have kittens - and there is a reason the house was quiet - quiet being a lovely description....and not what we have now. Cute and cuddly and mayhem is what we have right now. So no computers - they managed to break my laptop within a week! No jewellery making - beads are way too tempting and very little anything else..... and no blog!! The boys are called Theo and Bromo ( OK so think about it... all our cats have been named after chocolate bars....think "theobromocacao.......")

Add to this the fact that Carrie Anne long time education team member and Egyptologist finally took the plunge and launched into the big wide world of the National Trust! So Helen and I are running the place over the summer - and not really firing on all cylinders because we are so rushed. Helen only works part time so at the end of a day I am lying down in a dark room with a BIG drink!!

Summer holiday activities stared well with Musical Junk - you guessed it musical intruments from recycled rubbish - very Blue Peter!
Now we are into Bubble Trouble - bubbles of all sizes. This is a great day out for all ages but especially the little ones - as long as they don't drink the bubbles. When you are 3 it is hard to remember when to suck and when to blow!!

We also have a brilliant  project running in the lab to celebrate International year of Chemistry 2011. Working with Keele uni and RSC NW Trust we have created a molecule treasure trail around the building linking molecules to our exhibits and in the lab you can build molecules of all shapes and sizes from MolyMod.

It is Tuesday end of play and we have had two great days of bubbles - we are all damp but we have had good visitor numbers.
Next week is the science of your summer holidays so lots of sandcastles and liquid nitrogen ice cream.

All I need now is a little peace and quiet to finish off the script....so I won't be doing it at home then!!!

make some noise for Catalyst!

We had a visit yesterday from Esther McVey MP for West Kirby on the Wirral. She toured the place and saw what we get up to and bless her tweeted all about it. We need more of this if we are to up our visitor numbers and continue to be able to offer the brilliant hands on science that happens here.
Centres like ours are expensive to run and we get NOTHING from the Government or local council so we are totally reliant on money through the door - either from the visitors or through sponsorship.
Times are hard -we all know that - but science needs somewhere like us to be able to offer exciting activities that stretch the imagination and engage people in science. Families making science based costmetics, science club members doing stuff they can't get their hands on in school; teachers pushing their own boundaries and having a go!
One young man told his teacher last week that this was the coolest place he had ever been to and could he bring his mum to see us! Of course!!!!!
So friends and followers - if you have any influence give a shout out for us - because if people don't know how great we are then we don't get the recognition we need and of course we don't get the money to keep us going. We may be small but we punch way above our weight and WOW do we make science exciting!