Environmental Studies Academy School Outreach Event
Friday 17th July 2015.
By Cara Healy ES Academy Manager
Teachers and pupils from local schools (Leeds Grammar School, Notre Dame Sixth Form College, Roundhay School, Stokley Sixth Form College) were invited to access inspiring science lessons including taking part in fieldwork and laboratory experiments for the opportunity to learn about specific areas of environmental science.
The day was focused on the AS level environmental studies curriculum and the students that attended came from various scientific backgrounds including geography and biology.
In the morning; students collected their own water/soil samples at Tributary of Ringshaw Beck Drighlington, with Dr Colin Pitts, Victoria Betts and Cara Healy.
In the afternoon; students investigated live soil samples collected in the morning by analysing invertebrates using scientific equipment with SEE demonstrators Jane-Marie Stocks, Dr Colin Pitts, and Victoria Betts in the SEE Level 7 Teaching Laboratories.
Dr Stephen Arnold also provided a talk highlighting Environmental Science course opportunities within SEE.
This was a very inspiring event and pupils and teachers expressed their gratitude at being invited to such an exciting occasion. We received lots of positive feedback and most of students said they would consider applying Environmental Science programme at Leeds!
Mr Paul Crouch (Roundhay School) quoted: “The hands on approach is very closely matched at school level, values of using core subjects as a base for real world problem solving is good”.
Thank you to everyone who was involved in running the ES Academy, in particular to student ambassadors Vicky Crichton and Elise Neame who did an exceptional job at helping out on the day and making the experience enjoyable and comfortable experience for the school students
The ES Academy strives to build good links and relationships with Schools by making the teachers aware of the rich undergraduate programmes we have here at Leeds.
We will be holding future ES Academy dates January & July 2016. Full details can be found here on the ES Academy webpage: http://www.see.leeds.ac.uk/envstudiesacademy/