Introduction to Practical Science
Introduction to Practical Science
Dates: 8th – 12th July 2024
Age: 11-14 years
Course size: 12 students
Day package
Residential package
Package fee: £300
English Level: B2+
Package includes:
Package fee: £1495
o Hands-on workshops: learn through interactive
workshops Package includes:
o Expert tuition
o All course materials o all meals
o Lunch and snacks o accommodation
o supervision
o course programme
Optional Extras: We can provide wrap around care from o trips
8:30am until 5:00pm upon enquiry. o excursions
Please contact: info@[Link] for further o activities
information. Accommodation: Boarding school accommodation
Optional Extras: Airport transfers
See residential page for full details.
Course Overview
Experiment like an Oxford Scientist!
This 1-week course will introduce you to practical science enabling you to become a confident, competent experimentalist and to
develop investigative science skills. This course is designed for students who have no or little experience of conducting experiments in
a laboratory.
Each day during the week is broadly split into three sections where a different aspect of science is encountered – one dealing with
topics from physics, one from biology and one from chemistry.
What will the course cover?
During the laboratory sessions you will become familiar with basic laboratory equipment and how to use it safely and correctly. You
will also work to develop the four main skill areas of investigative science: planning experiments, obtaining data, analysing and
concluding and evaluating. By the final day you should be able to conduct an entire investigation from start to finish including
planning a safe and fair procedure, selecting appropriate equipment, gathering sufficient reliable, accurate and fair data, analysing it
and drawing a valid conclusion, finally improvements and extensions to further your work.
Course Tutor: Abigail Stacey
Abigail is the Academic Deputy Head at Wychwood school, Oxford and has worked for many years teaching science both in the UK
and overseas in Norway and the US. She has an honours degree in Chemistry from the University of Oxford where her thesis focused
on the synthesis of novel fluorescent indicators for intracellular calcium ions. She has a
Master’s Degree in Education from Oxford Brookes University where her thesis explored
academic buoyancy and students’ ability to persist with their learning when things get
difficult.
She runs the annual Oxfordshire Youth Chemistry Conference and as a teacher aims to show
students the importance, relevance, and intrinsically fascinating nature of chemistry.
Sample Timetable
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
Qualitative Quantitative Analysis and Conclusions Evaluations Individual
observation observation and investigation: planning,
and data data collection gathering data, and
collection findings
9.00– 10.30am Introduction Physics – Biology – carrying out Physics – investigating Planning and pre-test
and Safety experiments chemical tests on food for factors affecting the flight
with circuits protein, fats, reducing sugars of a compressed air
Physics – measuring and starch as well comparing rocket – build and then
experiments current and the energy content of food fly and measure.
involving voltage in a by experimental mean
magnetism range of series
and magnetic and parallel
fields circuits,
10.30-11.00am Breaktime Break time Break time Break time Break time
11.00am – Biology – Biology – Physics – calculating the Biology – investigation Obtaining data
12.30pm microscopy – investigation density of regular and into the preferred
making and into how light irregular objects by conditions for small
observing intensity affects calculation and by animals using choice
slides rate of experiment using chambers
photosynthesis displacement cans.
Spreadsheet analysis also
included.
Lunch Lunch Lunch Lunch Lunch Lunch
1.00–3.00pm Chemistry – Chemistry – Chemistry – measuring rates Chemistry – making a Analysing, Concluding
experimental measuring of reactions and range of slimes and then and Evaluating
investigation temperature experimental investigation investigating their
into the nature changes in a into the factors affecting stretchiness and
of acids, alkalis range of them bounciness
and indicators exothermic and
endothermic
reactions
info@[Link]
[Link]
Phone: 01865 557 976