OUR PRESENTATIONS, EXPERIMENTS AND WORKSHOPS 

Enquiries via our booking form

 SHOW AND TELL PRESENTATIONS

These are a fascinating introduction towards more pupil participation in our workshops

Duration – each presentation lasts for up to one hour (up to 3 presentations in the morning or 5 across a full day programme) 

(single presentation details available upon request)

AT HOME IN SPACE

Or eating, drinking, going to the toilet and being sick

Suitable for any age group

Session durations: Nursery - 20 minutes; Reception - 20 minutes; Year 1 - 30 minutes; Year 2 - 30 minutes;                    Year 3 - 50 minutes; Year 4 - 50 minutes; Year 5 - 60 minutes  and Year 6  -60 minutes.                  KS3 and above 60-90 minutes. Timing & groups numbers are discussed during booking.

Look at ourselves from another angle …200 miles up!

Young or old, male or female, the one thing we all have in common is that we are human. Our bodies are the same and all function the same way. But what happens to these functions we take for granted when you take something away: like gravity? Our popular At Home in Space show and tell presentation reveals to the audience the fun that astronauts have doing normal things like washing, sleeping and eating. Our power point presentation includes a video ride into space and what happens when we get there. We have real space helmet, other items of space hardware, and a selection of slides to explain things in more detail, and some fun hands on demonstrations. This leads to more in depth workshops in the future.

OUR EARTH IN SPACE

Suitable for Key Stage 2 Year 5/6 (also adaptable for Senior years)

We live on planet Earth but what does it look like from space? How does it move and what are the influences that create our seasons, our day/night cycle and what makes our atmosphere so important to life on Earth? Using images and data from satellites and astronaut observations Our Earth in Space presentation features fun and facts on the position and movement of Earth through space, including the seasons. Also included is the influence of the moon on global tides and the lunar phases.  The presentation also explains how you get off the planet by rocket, stay in orbit and move in space, and return to Earth. The presentation also looks at Earth resource observations from space.

JOURNEY AROUND THE SOLAR SYSTEM

Suitable for Key Stage 2 (Can be adapted for Senior years)

What is it like to visit other worlds? To drive across Mars, or fall into the cloud layers of Venus or Jupiter? We may never get the chance to go ourselves but we can send robot spacecraft to the far reaches of our own solar system to find out – What’s out there? Journey Around the Solar System takes the children on a fascinating trip around our solar system using images from real space missions to explore the planets around our Sun. Models of the planets are used to deliver a range of fascinating and fun facts, In this highly popular presentation that is linked to Earth and space studies in the classroom.

MISSION TO THE MOON

Suitable for Key Stage 2 Year 5/6 and Senior Years

On 20 July 1969 Neil Armstrong became the first human to set foot on another world other than our own. Between July 1969 and December 1972 six other landings allowed a total of 12 men to walk on the moon. With recent plans to return to the moon over the next two decades, the Apollo programme has become a valuable part of space and human history. Children know we landed on the moon, but how that was achieved and what happened on those fantastic pioneering missions of exploration remain less clear. In Mission to the Moon we use a combination of the best slides to explain how we reached the moon, what we did when we got there and how we brought the astronaut safely home again. This has become a popular presentation with demonstrations some of the techniques used on these missions including how to deploy experiments and pick up moon rocks.

MINI WORKSHOPS

(show and tell presentations can be included within this programme as required)

Details of activities discussed on an individual basis this is a guideline only. The programme is very flexible and can be adapted to individual school requirements; therefore early and detailed discussion with the school is essential.

The workshops are suitable for groups of up to 30 - 60 pupils. Accommodations beyond this number will need additional discussion and planning

 KS1 - MINI WORKSHOP

half day (a.m. only)

A basic introduction to an adventure into space

A fun presentation introducing how astronauts live and work in space. For Nursery and Reception classes, this will include a short video and demonstrations using real space equipment. Duration is approximately 15 – 20 minutes. For Yr1 and 2, the video and demonstrations are supplemented by a selection of PowerPoint slides. Duration approximately 20 – 30 minutes. Examples of activities (up to 60 minutes) include:

o - A countdown rocket worksheet for numerical skills

o - A variety of dot to dot and colouring activity sheets.

o - Straw rockets competition (pre prepared by school, if time allows)

o - Video and Q & A

KS2  - MINI WORKSHOP

half day (a.m.only )

This programme can be extended to a full day to include other programmes or classes, as required and is suitable for one class of KS2 pupils.  The programme includes:

 A fun activity introducing how to live and work in space

• Working in gloves
• Picking up moon rocks
• Docking the shuttle
• Paper rockets competition

 The mini workshops can be combined with or extended to include programmes featuring Earth studies or    exploring the solar system, which combine activity sheets with participation exercise.

FULL DAY WORKSHOPS

(show and tell presentation can be included within this programme as required)

We offer a variety of workshop programs on various aspects of exploring space, which support cross curriculum activities. To support these, a selection of worksheets and workshop activities are available. At the end of the day’s activities, the pupils will have assembled an information pack based on their research and activities to support future studies.  Early contact between AIS and the school is essential for adequate preparation time to support some of the activities.

Developed and trailed over several years our ‘Space Workshops’ are aimed at more student participation and school involvement over a longer time period. Contact with the school would determine their needs and a time table to plan a ‘Mission Day’ where the pupils perform experiments and activities and AIS serve as ‘Mission Control’. Based on astronaut training activities for both girls and boys (and teachers!) the programme could include:

PRE FLIGHT OPERATIONS, MISSION DAY ACTIVITIES and POST FLIGHT ACTIVITIES

PREFLIGHT OPERATIONS

Completed by the school before the selected day for mission operations

Selecting crew (team) members, deciding on a project name, designing an emblem and preparing a Crew

Report folder with a Teacher as ‘Project Scientist’.

School Preparations: The pupils should be divided into small teams (crew) of no more than 5 or 6 members and they should select their own project name and design a crew emblem with their names around the out side of the emblem, which can be any shape.  This emblem can be used in their own badges theycan make, or on the front of a crew report folder that will contain the result of all their work, findings and information they collect during the project.  A teacher can be assigned as ‘Project Scientist’ for one or more crews, depending on availability.

Building in advance a space helmet, robotic arm, ‘docking shuttle’ hardware, choosing or selecting a ‘space menu’, gathering materials.

School Preparations: The school should prepare items from the notes provided by AIS, to build the items listed above, obtain various materials to analyse or use and begin collecting a variety of gloves and a selection of different materials to use and analyse.

Researching on the internet and in reference books including looking at space history, careers in space, role models, current space activities, space spin offs etc.

School Preparation: Using resources in the school or provided by AIS, additional research on space topics could be completed over a period of time prior to the mission day to supplement information gathered and experiences enjoyed on the day.  All this information would be collated into the crew report folder. These could also include letters home from a Moon or Mars base or a Space Station or a series of bulletins from different planets

Training by some of the students on certain items of hardware to show the benefit of practise, comparing on the Mission Day the results of those who have trained on the devices and those who have not. 

School Preparation: Once some of the items have been constructed, a number of pupils should be assigned to practice with them (Training) to develop skills to improve performance on the day. Note – Not every pupil should be prepared in this way, which will allow a comparison between trained and untrained pupils to be conducted on the mission day.

MISSION DAY ACTIVITIES

A selected day (or days) where AIS visit the school and act as MISSION CONTROL to help manage the events, support the investigations, suggest alternatives and insert difficulties as on in real space flight training programmes During the day, the pupils will be given tasks and activities to accomplish and encouraged to  record results as well as complete information sheets to include in their CREW REPORT folder.

 A selection of activities, for example could include:

 o   Evaluating space suit design and materials technology  (light and dark, heat and cold, mass and                 volume; making a balloon space helmet.  

 o   Work in space (working in gloves, picking up rocks, repairing a satellite (connections and                           disconnection’s) – evaluating the design of their space helmet – it might look good but is it practical to         work in?

 o   Forces and movement (of a spacecraft – orbits, gravity, centrifugal forces)

 o   Medical experiments and exercise (including a  food tasting panel; food selection and evaluation) 

 o   Design and construction (Emblem, or mission patch, build a space helmet, space shuttle glider and              using their experiences from the day and research, they can design a new type of spacecraft or layout         of  their own bedroom in space.)

POST FLIGHT ACTIVITIES

Flight Crew Final Report – compiling a collection of research and investigation results, notes on items made and things found out, photos and drawings, perhaps letters written to ‘home from space’ , a personal diary or log of activities. Highlighted with a crew emblem on the cover and the names of the ‘crew’ (students) around its edge – just like a real space crew report.

Post Flight Crew Press Conference: The crew ‘report’ their findings to other class mates of even parents.

AIS have developed a master document folder which we are expanding as new ideas and activities come to light. From this is chosen activity sheets to fill the day. These form a CREW ACTIVITY PLAN to work from during the day.

FULL DAY WORKSHOPS

Primary Schools KS2

LIVING AND WORKING IN SPACE

A short PowerPoint presentation is followed by sessions that include pupil participation in the class and in workshops in the hall, to gain understanding of how astronauts live and work in space and how this relates to everyday activities on Earth. The workshops can include, research and design activities, construction, gathering data, recording results and discussing their findings. The presentation is a short revision to the larger show and tell presentation and is followed by the science workshop activities.  These could include, designing a space suit, building a space helmet, working in gloves (whilst wearing the helmet), evaluating a space menu, participating in simulated space medical experiments, exercise activities and several team games

OUR SPACESHIP EARTH

Supporting curriculum activity, a PowerPoint presentation, entitled “Our Earth in Space” provides an introduction to our planets place in space.  Information is also provided on the movement of the Earth, (day/night cycle, season’s etc), the phases of the moon, eclipses and tides and how you fly in space.  Worksheet activity follows the presentation, using educational models of the Earth and Sun to expand pupil knowledge and understanding of the Earth, Sun and Moon system. Workshop activities include making and using simple rockets, understanding the forces of gravity and different orbits.  The program also includes discussions and information on the earth’s weather and composition. (Earthquakes, volcanoes, oceans, atmosphere and magnetic fields etc). This is a full day session therefore early contact between AIS and the school is essential for adequate preparation time to support some of the activities.

EXPLORING THE SOLAR SYSTEM

This workshop explores our new look Solar System with eight regular planets, numerous dwarf planets and the latest news on the search for other new planets around different stars.  Information on how the planets are explored, including our Moon provides a starting point for the in-class worksheets and workshop activities.  The worksheets include questionnaires on each planet and creating planet information packs. Workshop activities involve making craters, protecting a payload, entry and landing techniques (e.g. Parachutes) and impact testing.  The day could also include building a research base on a moon or planet using simple materials.

Senior Schools KS 3 & 4

We offer a selection of full day workshops for senior students that are developed in co-operation with individual schools or colleges.  They can be adapted from the programmes described above or tailor made to suit each schools requirements. Each senior workshop can include topics on  the sciences, design technology, the theory of risk, social history, international relations as well as mathematics. 

SPACESUIT WORKSHOP

Our most popular senior workshop focuses upon the science of space pressure suits. Here students research the history of real spacesuits and then use this information in support of their own design. They then can test and evaluate their own concept for a pressure garment for use in the vacuum of space, on the Moon, Mars or a new planet. This includes selecting and testing materials, evaluating mobility techniques, pressure, operational use and the selection of suitable attachments and tools to aid in the use of the conceptual design.

SURFACE EXPLORATION WORKSHOP

Another popular programme follows on from the spacesuit workshop.  Here, we challenge the students to plan a traverse across the surface of the Moon, Mars or a planet of their choice . This programme features the planning for an execution of traverses across alien terrain.  The programme also includes the use of local and imported recourses, consumables, hazards and communications, either with an orbital space station, a surface research base or Earth.

REACHING THE MOON

In celebration of both the 50th anniversary of sending probes to the moon and the 40th anniversary of the first manned lunar landings, this is a new programme for senior schools that features studies in political history, space technology and scientific research. The topics include evaluating launch and landing window opportunities from both the Earth and the Moon, the political and technical background of the 1960’s moonrace between the United States and the Soviet Union and the planned return to the moon.  The programme can also include the design and evaluation of a scientific research base positioned either at the lunar poles, near side or far side and the reasons behind sighting the base in its suggested position. This programme can also include an evaluation of unmanned versus manned exploration, the selection of scientific experiments and evaluating the moon for useful resources.

FIT FOR SPACE

This programme incorporates the latest developments in space medicine and life sciences. It includes the use of exercise to maintain crew member condition,  food technology, nutrition and the prospect of food production away from Earth. The programme also reflects on the dangers of space radiation and long duration space flight and the prospect of overcoming extended duration and distance space flight on both men and women and the future of families in space.

 DESIGNING FOR SPACE WORKSHOP

This workshop reviews the workspace design of previous space craft and the requirements for sustaining humans in space. It also features the dangers of space exploration and provisions for crew escape and rescue recalling historic space accidents and disasters. The students are encouraged to design a new escape system for crews on route to Mars where distance adds to the challenge of crew safety.  This programme can also include designing new crew quarters and work stations for future space stations, lunar exploration and expeditions to Mars or the outer planets and the requirements to support such designs

PLEASE NOTE

SENIOR PUPIL WORKSHOPS ARE PLANNED WITH THE CO-OPERATION OF EACH INDIVIDUAL SCHOOL AND ARE TOTALLY FLEXIBLE AND ADAPTABLE TO INDIVIDUAL REQUIREMENTS, TARGETS AND OBJECTIVES. AIS ENCOURAGE DIRECT COMMUNICATION DURING THE PLANNING STAGES TO MAXIMIZE THE ENJOYMENT AND LEARNING EXPERIENCE.

FULL DAY WORKSHOP TOPIC LISTING

A selection from our full day space workshop activity programme

The days programme is made up from a selection of the following:

  PRESENTATION AND WORKSHOP FEES

Effective 1st September 2008 to 31st August 2010

Presentations only:

Single Presentation 1 hour   £80

Half Day 2-3 presentations - 2 - 4 hours £150

Full Day 4-5 presentations  up to 6 hours £300

Workshops:

Mini workshop half day am only up to 60 pupils up to 4 hours £150

Half day am only up to 60 pupils up to 4 hours £150

Full day up to 60 pupils up to 6 hours £300

Any variation to the number of pupils can be discussed.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

All content of our presentations and workshops are copyright Astro Info Service Limited. The taking of photographs and video of our programme is only authorised by prior agreement.

EXPENSES

All prices are inclusive of  petrol expenses. Overnight accommodation and alternative transport is not included and can be discussed where necessary on an individual basis.

PAYMENTS

 All bookings will be invoiced and settlements should to be made payable to Astro Info Service Limited.  Direct transfer details can be provided upon application. All invoices must be paid within 28 days of completion.

EQUIPMENT

Unless suitable facilities are available at the venue, AIS will supply its own equipment wherever possible.

SAFETY AND SECURITY

Full risk assessment, insurance and appropriate clearance documents are available upon request.

REPRODUCTION OF MATERIAL

All material issued during our workshops/presentations remain the property of AIS Limited unless otherwise agreed. Reproduction of additional material is by previous agreement.  Specialist research fees available upon request.