27 September 2011

Newcastle primary school pupils learn about energy
Bright spark pupils relied on pedal power for a science lesson with a difference.

More than 500 eight to 11-year-olds from Stocksfield Avenue and Kingston Park primaries in Newcastle learnt about energy by powering smoothie makers, Scalextric racers and light bulbs through exercise.

John Lee, chief executive of Your Homes Newcastle, who organised the sessions along with environmental organisation Electric Pedals, said the project was an extension of the advice that we offer to our tenants about good use of electricity and gas in their homes.

Many of the pupils in these schools may be current or future tenants so its a good opportunity to get the message of fuel usage across to them at an early stage, he said.

The Electric Pedals project, which pupils find exciting and interactive, is a fun way of explaining the eco-message to youngsters.

The smoothie making stations were designed to enable children to learn about energy transfer and how the food they eat gets converted from chemical energy into kinetic energy when they pedal a bike, and then into electricity which could power the blender.

The Scalextric racing and YouWatt Challenge where used to teach pupils about building circuits, cables and energy usage.

Sarah Knowles, head teacher at Stocksfield Avenue Primary School, said the project funded by YHN and Frank Haslam Milan (FHM) fit in very well with the national curriculum and provided pupils with an interesting, creative and different way of learning and understanding science.

We are always looking for ways to promote green issues with our pupils and we were the first school in Newcastle to be awarded a national eco-schools green flag, she said.

We have a school eco council and our pupils regularly take part in activities such as recycling and growing their own fruit and vegetables.

Following the workshops, which took place over three days last week, YHN took the lessons to the streets, visiting Fenham to teach tenants the same energy messages.

Its a good opportunity to get the message of fuel usage across to them at an early stage. The Electric Pedals project, which pupils find exciting and interactive, is fun.

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