Page 16 - link magazine

16 The virtual Link Magazine now online @ www.swindonlink.com

‘It is rocket science’
Youngsters and parents bringing children to playgroup at Green-
down Community School in early March were amazed to see a rocket
parked by the main entrance pointing into the blue sky.
The prototype
Skybolt rocket was
brought to the
school to give sci-
ence a boost during
Science Week. Apart
from getting up
close to the 11.6 me-
tre craft, they heard
a fast paced presen-
tation on the Star-
chaser programme
and took part in
aerospace work-
shops linked to the Emma Al-Hassani with budding scientists Saana Ahmed,
national curricu- Ezra Martin, Daniel Gibson, Charlotte Odell, Rebecca
lum. Healey, Nyle Clinton
Teacher Emma
Al-Hassani said engineers from ally interesting. Having the rocket
Starchaser are touring the country here is good publicity for Green-
to promote science and raise down.”
awareness of the attempts to de- Ms Al-Hassani said the pupils
velop a British presence in space. were impressed to see the rocket at
“Science is not dry and boring, it’s the school entrance. “It really gave
fun and having the rocket at school meaning to science, to imagine it
was a great way to get pupils buzz- shooting up in the sky carrying a
ing.” satellite to improve their mobile
Rowanne Jones, who with phone reception. The Starchaser
Megan Nash, spent break times team were very good at explaining
persuading other pupils to donate rocket science.”
pocket money to pay for the Skybolt should make its debut blast
Starchaser visit, said, “we love sci- off this summer. For details:
ence; Ms Al-Hassani makes it re- www.space4schools.co.uk
Studying bugs at festival

Children from schools across the town travelled to Ridgeway School,
Be a Star Wroughton, to take part the Swindon Primary School Science Festi-
val on 8 and 9 March.
Themed the Ugly Bugs
Ball, youngsters from 22
Volunteer with schools took part in a
wide range of work-
Home-Start shops and experiments
with assistance from
staff and volunteers from
the Science Museum
You can be special to our Wroughton, Greendown
Community School, St.
families by: sharing your Joseph’s Catholic Col-
lege, the Society of Au-
parenting experience, talking, tomotive Engineers and
listening, encouraging, Institute of Physics.
They learnt about
having fun! creepy crawlies from
Jonathan Cleverley and
his Jungle Roadshow,
For more information (as featured on page 20).
They built balloon pow-
please contact ered jet racers with pu-
pils from Greendown
Home-Start School and members of Showing their bug studies, Tregoze youngsters
the Society of Automo- Rebecca Chalcroft, Marcus Jones and Mollie Solley
161 Victoria Road tive Engineers, whilst
Swindon SN1 3BU Ridgeway School involved them play of their science work under-
in experiments with colour.
taken since the beginning of term.
In the afternoon on both days Rebecca Chalcraft from Tregoze
Tel: 01793 613886 pupils had to present what they Primary School said she liked
had discovered and show off crea- making the balloon air jet buggies.
Registered Charity No. 1106046
tive design for a colourful ugly “It was good fun to work out the
bug. best design, to get them to go the
Each school also put on a dis- furthest.”

1 April 07 16 16/3/07, 10:46 am