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In-school Workshop - we visit your school: Midlands, London & South East, South West, Wales
Covid-19
School Visits from Autumn 2020Explorer Dome is Ready!
We are taking bookings and are planning carefully with schools to keep our visits safe and sensible. Please be assured that we will always follow official guidance from both Government and the NHS to minimise the spread of Covid-19 and protect the welfare of our staff and our audiences. For specific information please see our revised risk assessment and we continue to keep a keen eye on the relevant documents such as those for implementing protective measures in education and childcare settings and working safely during coronavirus (COVID-19).
Our presenters monitor their personal health for symptoms of Covid-19, self-isolate when required and follow the NHS Test & Trace programme
When delivering physical visits we will wear appropriate PPE, practice enhanced hygiene and maintain appropriate distancing from our hosts and audiences.
We will always follow official guidance from both Government and the NHS to minimise the spread of Covid-19 and protect the welfare of our staff and our audiences.
What can Explorer Dome currently offer?
All of our shows are currently available and we will work with you to find the best way to deliver them safely:
Shows inside Explorer Dome. We know our domes have excellent ventilation and air circulation due to their high powered fan and entrance tunnel system so we are confident that being in the dome itself poses no increased risk for class 'bubbles' that already work together. With additional measures such as suitable distancing between staff and visitors, extra time for a thorough clean of the dome between sessions and use of PPE where appropriate, we will be happy to work with your procedures and staff, to bring Explorer Dome safely to your venue.
Non-dome shows if we can visit you, but you’d rather not be inside the dome, then we have a range of chemistry shows available that use fantastic demonstrations and interactive elements that respect social distancing. We will also have assembly-style, non-dome alternatives to many of our other shows, which allow for social distancing but still deliver safe, inspiring and interactive science engagement for your school.
On-line delivery of science shows and workshops where travel and physical visits are not advisable, we are adapting our shows for delivery via Zoom or MS Teams to produce a safe, immersive and interactive experience to be delivered remotely for schools.
Cancellation Policy
We do not ask for a deposit and are happy to organise a booking for you with no obligation if your future situation is unclear. We will contact you prior to your visit to finalise logistics and confirm booking arrangements. In the event that local lockdowns prevent a physical visit then you can either re-schedule the visit at no further cost, or we can offer online delivery for you at a reduced cost.
Most importantly, please do feel free to talk through your particular situation, concerns and aspirations for a STEM education visit with us. Feel free to contact us on 0117 914 1526 or information@explorerdome.co.uk
Best wishes
Ben and the Explorer Dome team
Why book 'Teacher training, CPD and INSET' with Explorer Dome - Teacher training, CPD and INSET workshop for your school?
The Art of Hands-On, Inclusive Science Teaching!
Teachers always love coming into the dome! Join us for a morning master class in Space, Light and all things physics to get to grips with some of the amazing science and promote the scientific way of thinking to support the scientists of the future feeling that Science is exciting, fun, relevant and aspriational! This session is all about asking questions, gathering ideas, resources and inspiration for how a Space topic can be used to create inpsiration for your students across many areas of the curriculum.
Depending on your time, we'd love to bring a collection of hands-on demonstrations that can be re-created in the classroom. Alonsgide a briefing on the principles behind the demos, this is a chance to practice running some simple, short experiments that can bring science alive in the classroom!
And finally, science education is for all and Explorer Dome is committed to training our presenters to a high standard, both in skills of science communication and in awareness of unconscious bias and inclusion. Based on the latest evidence and informally over coffee and hobnobs, let us support your staff to share what they know about best practice, methods and anecdotes that help promote engagement with all in the classroom. This is a chance to discuss the current thinking in terms of simple top tips for reducing unconscious bias and how and why we need to keep our science teaching as inclusive as possible.
Teachers always love coming into the dome! Join us for a morning master class in Space, Light and all things physics to get to grips with some of the amazing science and promote the scientific way of thinking to support the scientists of the future feeling that Science is exciting, fun, relevant and aspriational! This session is all about asking questions, gathering ideas, resources and inspiration for how a Space topic can be used to create inpsiration for your students across many areas of the curriculum.
Depending on your time, we'd love to bring a collection of hands-on demonstrations that can be re-created in the classroom. Alonsgide a briefing on the principles behind the demos, this is a chance to practice running some simple, short experiments that can bring science alive in the classroom!
And finally, science education is for all and Explorer Dome is committed to training our presenters to a high standard, both in skills of science communication and in awareness of unconscious bias and inclusion. Based on the latest evidence and informally over coffee and hobnobs, let us support your staff to share what they know about best practice, methods and anecdotes that help promote engagement with all in the classroom. This is a chance to discuss the current thinking in terms of simple top tips for reducing unconscious bias and how and why we need to keep our science teaching as inclusive as possible.
Which Curriculum Subjects do you cater for?
Physics
Curriculum topics available: Sound, Light, Forces and magnets, Earth and space, Forces, Seasonal change.
Space: Our Earth, our Sun, our solar system and our place in space. A fantastic introduction to one of the most inspiring topics, this is an interactive guide to our local neighbourhood and beyond with the opportunity to ask big questions, explore interests and learn how to spot the constellations in the sky tonight.Forces: A truly fun exploration into forces that will take you out of this world! Pushes and pulls, friction, magnets and gravity. This show promotes scientific thinking with hands-on experiments that ask the children to predict what happens next... and why!?
Light: A fabulous, fun, high energy romp through light and colour. Investigate what light is, where it comes from, how it travels and how we see. This dazzling and enlightening display of effects and experiments is made all the more impressive inside the pitch dark of the dome.
Sound: Explore sound and get hands-on with some good vibrations! Find out how vibrations travel and what they can travel through. Once you get a handle on vibrations and pitch we can make some music with our fun, interactive and immersive sound show.
Chemistry
Curriculum topics available: States of Matter, Properties and changes of materials, Chemical Reactions.
Our Chemistry shows are a bench-based demonstration which takes place in the hall for an audience of up to 70 children. Smaller audiences are preferable as more children can volunteer and get involved in the demonstrations.Bubbles: Discover the mystery of gases and delight in the unexpected behaviour of bubbles that float and sink, grow or shrink, burn and even explode! The Bubble Show was originally developed by Dr Mike Coles - a legend in hands-on chemistry education - and our Chemistry shows continue to be supported by the Royal Society of Chemistry.
States of Matter: Exciting experiments and daring demos explore solids, liquids and gases, evaporating, condensing, melting, sublimation and freezing. The States of Matter show was originally developed by Dr Mike Coles - a legend in hands-on chemistry education - and our chemistry shows are supported by the Royal Society of Chemistry.
Science Tricks: Observing, predicting and testing. A baffling and brilliant array of experiments use everyday physics and kitchen chemistry to explain some key concepts. Science Tricks was originally developed by Dr Mike Coles - a legend in hands-on chemistry education - and our chemistry shows are supported by the Royal Society of Chemistry.
Biology
Curriculum topics available: Animals including humans, Living things and habitats, Evolution and inheritance, Digestive System, Habitats.
We have two separate human biology shows.Our Human Body show is a fun filled, disgusting journey to find out what happens to your food from plate to poo! Our Cell show discusses the fundamental units of living things from the perspective of human cells that make up our adapted tissues, organs and systems. Both shows are available for KS3 students.
Physical Geography
Curriculum topics available: Volcanoes, Earthquakes, Water cycles, Rainforests, Mountains, Environment, Plate Tectonics, Polar Regions.
We have two separate Earth and Environment shows.Our Environment show tours habitats of our world, foodwebs and the role humans play within the ecosystem. The Earth show includes more physical geography about the formation of Earth and tectonic movements of our planet. Both shows are available for KS2 children.
What size groups do you cater for?
25-45 children per show, or 20-35 adults
Do you offer access for visitors with disabilities?
yes
Do you cater for visitors with Special Educational Needs (SEN)?
yes
Who are Explorer Dome?
Explorer Dome is Unique
Hands-On Science
We believe that the best way to learn is by doing – that’s why all of our shows are fully interactive, making Explorer Dome shows 100% presenter-led, hands-on and unforgettable!
“I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.” (Confucius)
Lively, Knowledgable Presenters
Our brilliant presenters are at the heart of everything we do here at Explorer Dome. When you book a visit from us, you are signing up to receive the best quality science shows from presenters who are experienced, highly trained, passionate and rigourous about the science and, most importantly, fun!
Science for Everyone
Discover a huge range of topics that bring science to life for audiences of all ages, genders, backgrounds and abilities. Inclusive education is at the heart of what we do and we visit schools, colleges, adult education, teacher training, festivals and special events and, as we pitch the show for your group, no two shows are ever the same!
A Brief History
Explorer Dome has been around for over 20 years! From our humble beginnings in 1998, we have come a long way with four domes, chemistry presentations, workshops, a team of specialist presenters and a base in Bristol and now the Midlands.
Explorer Dome reaches 50,000 children and adults every year. Each person coming to our shows has a ~45 minute, immersive experience where new ideas, scientific interests and identity can be explored. We cover hundreds of schools and events across the whole of England, Wales and beyond. Over the years we have visited thousands and places from the Highlands to the Channel Islands, met over 1 million children and enjoyed every moment!
@ExplorerDome
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