University of York reveals secret worlds in the Netherlands
Posted on 1 March 2007
The project devised and run by the Centre for Novel Agricultural Products (CNAP) at the University of York is being staged in Europe for the first time - at The British School in the Netherlands.
Pupils at the BSN Junior School Diamanthorst, near The Hague, will be sampling Hidden Worlds-Secret Lives today (5 March 2007) and tomorrow.
This is an exciting new direction for us and allows us to share good practice in science outreach developed in CNAP with audiences outside the UK
Professor Dianna Bowles
The project introduces children to the amazing concealed worlds that can be uncovered through a microscope lens. Science-based sessions are supported by an arts session, in which children are encouraged to interpret what they have seen through the microscope - in painting, sculpture, creative writing and modern dance - both to reinforce their learning and to aid communication.
Meanwhile, teachers are trained in aspects of biology to enable them to continue to teach the subject in later years. There will also be after-school activities for parents to attend with their children led by CNAP Schools Officer, Nicola Smith and CNAP Graphic Designer (and trained artist) Phil Roberts.
Professor Dianna Bowles, CNAP Director said: "This is an exciting new direction for us and allows us to share good practice in science outreach developed in CNAP with audiences outside the UK."
Craig Gamble, class teacher at the school added: "The staff, pupils and parents are all really eager to participate in this project - the amount that can be learnt through practical hands=on experience can’t be underestimated. We are looking forward to further developing what the children will have discovered."
Artistic inspiration from Hidden Worlds-Secret Lives can be viewed in the children’s gallery at www.understandingbiology.org . The project, which is funded by Yorkshire Forward, has been taken into around 160 British classrooms (circa 3,800 pupils) since January 2004 and has received glowing feedback from teachers and pupils.
Notes to editors:
- CNAP, the Centre for Novel Agricultural Products, is a research centre in the Department of Biology at the University of York and was established through a benefaction from the Garfield Weston Foundation and funding from UK Government. The University of York was awarded a Queen's Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education in 2006 for its work in CNAP. The aim of CNAP's research is to realise the potential of plant- and microbial-based renewable resources through gene discovery to make products needed by society.
- The British School in the Netherlands is an International School for children aged 3 to 18 located on 5 different sites, mainly in and around The Hague. The Junior School Diamanthorst site has just over 300 children aged four to 11, and the teacher hosting the visit is Craig Gamble.