Sun, Space and Art

The aim of this grant application is to inspire children, by building on the success of the STFC funded 'Sun|trek: Here Comes the Sun' project led by Helen Mason (1/8/16 - 31/7/18), which involves 4 professional artists (Sarah Bidgland, Geraldine Cox, Clare Dudeney & Helen Schell). The demand for the science/art (STEAM) workshops which we have been running in primary schools has been very high. The unique feature of the workshops is that that they are run jointly by scientists and artists. Workshops have so far been run in 7 schools, in different regions, from small rural schools to a large inner city school with more planned. The feedback from teachers and children has been excellent, for example: 'The two days overall were a fantastic experience. The children, myself and other members of staff enjoyed the presentations and hands on practical work. The children gained a lot of knowledge and experience from these sessions.' (Bethan George, teacher, Fochriw primary school, Wales).

This grant would enable us to run three CPD sessions for teachers (involving artists and scientists) in different regions of the UK (Greater Manchester, Wales, Oxfordshire). In addition, we would trial a different type of workshop, helping secondary school children (Yr7) to run STEAM projects with primary school children. A large inner-city girls comprehensive school in London is keen to work with us on this project.

In addition to our original core team and partners (Heather MacRae, Ideas Foundation), another visual artist (Christobel Forbes, Oxford) and a poet (Sam Illingworth, Manchester Metropolitan University, a partner) have joined our team.

In Manchester, we intend to work in partnership with Lynne Bianchi (Director of SEERIH, University of Manchester) to inform and raise awareness of approaches towards Science-Art collaborations in delivering aspects of the KS2 NC. We plan a full day CPD session for primary school teachers in Greater Manchester, hosted by Dr Lynne Bianchi (SEERIH network), involving members of the core team, other artists and scientists. Working with Sam Illingworth, a poet, we are keen to trial a new element of the project which would link to the Literacy curriculum in schools. We aim to engage young researchers and artists from Greater Manchester in the project, supporting them to work with local primary schools. We realise how important it is to link our workshops and resources closely to the KS2 curriculum, and to make information, resources and art work available via a website. We therefore aim to work with an educational consultant, who would be involved in the design and refinement of the learning experience.

At STFC/RAL, we (HEM and artists) plan to run a full day workshop and two twilight sessions, with support from Sophie Palmer (Public Engagement Manager). Alessandra Giunta, a young solar researcher at RAL working on Solar Orbiter has agreed to participate.

In Wales, we shall continue to work in partnership with Emma Wride (Space Made Easy, AstroCymru) and Paul Roche, Cardiff University, to host a CPD session for primary school teachers in Wales and work with some more schools. See letter of support from Paul Roche.

The impact of this project would be to directly reach many teachers, children and schools throughout the UK. We anticipate that participation in CPD workshops would be around 20-25 teachers per CPD session, so we should directly reach 120 teachers, with an additional 10 teachers involved with the KS3/2 workshops. After the CPD sessions, some schools will be able to run STEAM workshops themselves with support from primary science and art teachers. Others would be able to work with young researchers (PhD students and post-docs) and art students.

Our resources will be made available via a dedicated website, which should enable us to reach many more teachers and schools. In addition, the project will be promoted via teacher networks, local and national conferences.

The material and resources will be made available (to download) via a dedicated website SunSpaceArt, linked closely to the Sun|trek website (www.suntrek.org ) which HEM will manage, with support from her collaborators and an educational consultant, to ensure the best learning experience.

The art work from the project will be showcased locally by schools, on their websites and via social media. An exhibition is planned for the Great Science Share 2018 to be held in Manchester.

The project will be showcased locally and nationally via teachers' networks, newsletters and conferences - ASE, ESERO, STEMLearning, TES, IoP, NAM, Cambridge University etc with full acknowledgement to STFC. In addition, articles will be written for both arts and science magazines/newsletters, for example for the RAS 'Astronomy and Geophysics' magazine.

We have already worked with teachers who are Fellows of the Primary Science Teachers Trust, PSTT, (Kulvinder Johal, Northbury School, Barking; Amanda Poole, Shrublands School, Leamington Spa), and intend to use this network, to write a news item about the project. The PSTT is one of the major networks for primary school science teaching. We have also worked with a school which is part of the Ogden Trust Primary Schools (Phizzy Labs) network - Shrublands School, Leamington Spa, teacher - Amanda Poole, Specialist Science Teacher. Again, we intend to use this network to showcase the STEAM workshops.

Young researchers will be encouraged to engage with the project via networks such as SEERIH, RAS and NAM. Young artists will be approached via local and national artists' networks, and art colleges.

HEM gives many public lectures, and engages with the media, both locally and nationally. She will continue to inform people about this project through her outreach work, both nationally and internationally. HEM has worked with teachers and students in India, via IUCAA SciPop, Pune, and the Nehru Planetarium, New Delhi. She also networks closely with NASA solar outreach workers.

HEM, the artists, collaborators and teachers are very active on social media (twitter) and this is a really good way to spread the word about the project.

Finally STFC Public Engagement networks will be used to promote the project and encourage collaborations. An article will be written for the STFC magazine.