Renee Gillies (above) shares science in a box with Rotorua school children.
Renee, a Te Taumata o Ngati Whakaue Iho Ake team leader, says a pilot project funded by a $10,000 grant from the Rotorua Trust will lift children’s understanding of science.
The grant helped purchase 10 kits, each containing a science theme. The kits are from the House of Science, a Tauranga charitable trust which aims to enrich science education in the community through providing resources.
Renee says a pilot programme launched in April will include about six-to-eight schools in Rotorua.
“We know that science has not been a key curriculum area and many teachers do not feel confident enough to do science in their classrooms, so we hope this changes that.”
The science kits are like science in a box: For example, one is a “who dunnit” kit containing information about forensic science so that students can solve a crime scene.
Each kit contains a teacher’s manual and curriculum material, three or four activities or experiments and all the equipment children need to use.
The kits can be adapted depending on the age group, so can be used by junior and primary level children.
The schools will gain as science becomes embedded in their programmes, along with literacy and numeracy skills.
CONTACT
Renee Gillies
Team Leader
Te Taumata o Ngati Whakaue Iho Ake
2C Ranolf St, Rotorua
021-651 026
renee@taumata.org.nz