Science kits help nurture children’s curiosity
Water analysis, food science, recycling and the world of busy bees are some of the topics a charitable trust is helping local children to enjoy and engage with.
House of Science works to help improve scientific literacy in primary and intermediate schools with comprehensive, interactive and bilingual resource kits.
The kits aim to engage kids with science in the classroom as well as give teachers more confidence to teach the subject.
Rotorua branch manager Royston Bartholomew says the kit library is accessible to primary and intermediate schools in the Rotorua and Taupo¯ region.
“We support science education in 24 schools, with more schools signing up every term.”
He says with more than 60 schools in the Rotorua Lakes district and having now established the local branch, the House of Science could help teachers raise science literacy in thousands of young learners.
With expansion, the branch would need more volunteers.
“Our science kits are loaned on a fortnightly cycle. We have a superb team of dedicated volunteers who donate their time to help us collect, deliver, maintain and replenish our science kits.
“As our school memberships grow, so does our need for extra volunteers.
“We have a vibrant volunteer hub staffed by a permanent manager and resource assistant, and welcome applications from any individual who would love to join the team by donating four hours of their time a week.
“Kit maintenance superstars and volunteer drivers for our dedicated vehicle are always welcome.”
Royston says young minds are curious by nature.
“Helping primary and intermediate teachers open students’ minds to scientific discovery at an early age helps lay a foundation for further study.
“Students entering secondary education who have enhanced scientific literacy will feel more confident in choosing science options at high school; hopefully leading to more students considering
scientific careers later in life.”
As House of Science is a charitable trust, it receives little funding from government and instead relies on local sponsors, donations and benefactors, which it is always grateful for.
Resource assistant Lakshmi Balasubramanian says she enjoys working with the science kits and that they provide practical, easy and fun ways to help children learn quickly.
Volunteer Raewyn Mckeown says she is delighted to be doing work with House of Science.
“Royston let me take a kit home
for the school holidays and the kids loved it.”
The kits enable curiosity in a hands-on way, she adds.
Ngongotaha¯ Primary School principal Craig Mcfadyen says the school joined the House of Science
programme in 2017 to support the science curriculum.
It has become a regular part of the school’s annual budgeting because of the ease of use and level of engagement, he says.
“The children love the kits and the fun learning opportunities.
“The teachers enjoy the fact that all resources are included in the kit along with lesson plans, and I enjoy them for their educational value and value for money.
“For us to purchase and then store all of the resources available in the kits would be near impossible.
“This is a cost-effective way of ensuring the children have all the resources we need to teach a balanced curriculum.”
Craig says the school has used dozens of kits over the years and the distinctive containers always excite the students when they are delivered.
“The children love every single kit, especially ‘Whodunnit’ and ‘Dem Bones’, but I always enjoy when ‘Food For Thought’ comes in and our children learn about food science — ingredient function, preserving and some of the brave students actually eat a cricket.
“They have tried several times to get me to eat one but I’m just not brave enough for that.”
He says hands-on activities are important to many children and the kits allow for this type of learning.
“We book the kits that connect with our planning so the learning is integrated and authentic. With so many to choose from it’s easy to find the kit or lesson you need.
“The House of Science Kits enable us to provide lessons to encourage children to think critically about the world around them in a fun, meaningful way.”
Craig says alongside the kits, the website, resources and people with the House of Science team are helpful too.
“The fact that they also provide kits in te reo Ma¯ori is extremely beneficial for our full immersion rumaki unit.”