Explorer Dome - Hands-on Science shows
School Workshop
We can visit your school in: West Midlands, London & South East, East of England, South West, WalesWhy book 'Explorer Dome - Hands-on Science shows'
Hands-On ScienceWe 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!
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What activities are available during this educational workshop?
Our shows in the Dome (up to 30 children per show) include:
Space – Light – Sound (KS2 only) – Forces – Environment/Earth – Body/Cells – Water – Winter (Nov/Dec only)
Our Chemistry shows (which don’t use the Dome and can accommodate up to 70 children per show) are: Bubbles – States of Matter – Science Tricks
Scientific Enquiry
We want to stimulate curiosity in science for all, regardless of age, gender, background or ability. ALL of our science shows:
Allow for questions to share interests and explore ideas.
Treat every child as unique, supporting personal development.
Promote observation, prediction and exploration.
Encourage imagination, creative and critical thinking.
Support and enhance the Curriculum across subject areas.
Space – Light – Sound (KS2 only) – Forces – Environment/Earth – Body/Cells – Water – Winter (Nov/Dec only)
Our Chemistry shows (which don’t use the Dome and can accommodate up to 70 children per show) are: Bubbles – States of Matter – Science Tricks
Scientific Enquiry
We want to stimulate curiosity in science for all, regardless of age, gender, background or ability. ALL of our science shows:
Allow for questions to share interests and explore ideas.
Treat every child as unique, supporting personal development.
Promote observation, prediction and exploration.
Encourage imagination, creative and critical thinking.
Support and enhance the Curriculum across subject areas.
Which Curriculum Subjects do you cater for?
Curriculum topics available: Christmas, Religious Festivals.
WINTER SHOW (EYFS to KS2):A cross-curricular fusion of science and culture makes this show a true-spirited, interactive celebration of winter.
EYFS
Foundation Stage - ages 3-4
Crawl into our dome lit with festive lights to discover the magic of the winter seasons and how different people from around the world light up the dark times in December.
Duration: 30-40 mins Curriculum Links Capacity: ~35 children + adults
KS1
Key Stage One - ages 5-7
Immersive yourself in the sights and sounds of winter, alongside a story-telling introduction to mid-winter festivals from around the world - including Diwali, Hanukkah, Yule and the christian Christmas story. What was the mysterious ‘Christmas star’? You may even spot Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer in the winter stars!
Duration: ~45 mins Curriculum Links Capacity: ~35 children + adults
KS2
Key Stage Two - ages 7-11
Explore the science behind the seasons and discover more about mid-winter festivals from around the world, including Diwali, Hanukkah, Yule and christian Christmas traditions in the UK. What was the enigmatic ‘Christmas star’? Build a comet inside the Dome and discover what else is visible in the night sky over winter.
Duration: ~45 mins Curriculum Links Capacity: ~30 children + adults
Curriculum topics available: Sound, Light, Forces and magnets, Earth and space, Forces, Space physics (KS3/4), Planetarium.
SPACE SHOW (EYFS to A-level):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.
The show varies a great deal for different audiences, please just ask!
LIGHT SHOW (EYFS to KS3):
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 SHOW (KS2 only):
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.
FORCES SHOW (KS1 & KS2):
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!?
Curriculum topics available: Animals including humans, Living things and habitats, Digestive System, Habitats, Cells and organisation (KS3/4), Nutrition and digestion (KS3/4), Health (KS3/4), Evolution inheritance and variation (KS3/4).
THE HUMAN BODY (EYFS to KS3) & CELL SHOW (KS3/4+)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.
The show varies a great deal for different audiences, please just ask!
Curriculum topics available: Volcanoes, Earthquakes, Water cycles, Rainforest, Environment, Plate Tectonics, Polar Regions, Climate zones and biomes , Natural Disasters.
EARTH SHOW (KS2 to KS4+):Our dynamic planet Earth: from the formation of the Earth and atmosphere, through plate tectonics and the water cycle, to the beginnings and evolution of life by natural selection. An evolving planet: its turbulent past, the biodiversity of the present and the role we are to play in the future.
WATER SHOW (KS2 to KS3):
The water cycle, weather, solids, liquids and gases are brought to life within the magical atmosphere of Explorer Dome. This new show has been developed with the support of the Royal Society of Chemistry and is the first of its kind, combining bespoke fulldome digital animation with our signature hands-on approach. For more detail of the development of this project, read our Blog!
Curriculum topics available: Rainforest, Climate change, Sustainable living, Global warming, Conservation, Renewable Energy, Natural Disasters.
ENVIRONMENT SHOW (EYFS TO KS2):EYFS
Foundation Stage - ages 3-4 (The Environment Show)
Calling all explorers! Let's travel into the rainforest, across a desert and then up to the North Pole to discover how different environments on Earth might feel and how different animals can live in these wonderful places.
Duration: 30-40 mins Curriculum Links Capacity: ~35 children + adults
KS1
Key Stage One - ages 5-7 (The Environment Show)
Immerse yourself in a hot rainforest, dry desert and the freezing arctic to explore some of the world's habitats through animal behaviour, adaptations and camouflage and let's find out what we can all do to help protect our wonderful world.
Duration: ~45 mins Curriculum Links Capacity: ~35 children + adults
KS2
Key Stage Two - ages 7-11 (The Environment Show)
Visit some of the great natural habitats of Earth, build food webs and see how animals are adapted to their environments. Discuss the reasons for deforestation and the greenhouse effect and feel empowered to make a difference as we enjoy finding out about our amazing planet.
Duration: ~45 mins Curriculum Links Capacity: ~30 children + adults
Curriculum topics available: Plate Tectonics, Earthquakes and Volcanoes.
EARTH SHOW (KS2 to KS4+):KS2
Key Stage Two - ages 7-11 (The Earth Show)
Our dynamic Earth - where our planet comes from and how it changes through time. The importance of water, evaporation, condensation and the water cycle. Explore plate tectonics and continental drift through the sights, sounds and smells of volcanos, earthquakes and our active world.
Duration: ~45 mins Curriculum Links Capacity: ~30 children + adults
KS3
Key Stage Three - ages 11-14 (The Earth Show)
The dynamic nature of planet Earth; past, present and future. From the formation of our atmosphere and the importance of carbon dioxide, through plate tectonics and the water cycle. This cross-curricular show reveals an evolving planet: its turbulent past and the role we play in its future.
Duration: ~50 mins Curriculum Links Capacity: 25-35 students + adults
KS4+
Key Stage Four - ages 14-16+ (The Earth Show)
Our dynamic Planet Earth : from the formation of the Earth and atmosphere, through plate tectonics and the water cycle, to the beginnings and evolution of life by natural selection. An evolving planet: its turbulent past, the biodiversity of the present and the role we are to play in the future.
Duration: ~55 mins Curriculum Links Capacity: 25-35 students + adults
Curriculum topics available: Fully Wheelchair Accessible.
We love the work we do with SEN schools as the Dome is a wonderfully immersive and relaxing environment and a perfect place to learn for children with special educational needs. Merging the very best bits from different shows, we aim to make the shows as multisensory as possible. We recommend themes of 'Space and Rockets' (inside the Dome) or 'Bubbles' (outside the Dome) for all abilities, but can adapt most of our other themes for children at NC level 1 or above.People who can't crawl or are in wheelchairs can be accommodated, but this does reduce the capacity for our Dome shows so please notify us in advance.
We recommend a maximum capacity of 25 inside the Dome including teaching staff and carers and for EBD students we would suggest smaller class sizes than this.
Some presentations include flashing lights and loud noises so presenters should be notified of children who are adversely effected by this (e.g. behavioural difficulties, autism or epilepsy) and we can adapt the shows accordingly. We can give you a full break down of the show in advance and our presenters can use some Makaton signing in the shows to help with understanding.
What size groups do you cater for?
Our Standard Dome takes up a floor area of 6 metres x 7 metres. The height is 3.5 metres - and it is worth checking for surprise hanging projectors and lights!
As a rule of thumb, we can fit about 30 people inside the Dome per show, but if you have older students or adults, you will need our larger Dome (which still requires 3.5 metres height, but takes up a larger 8 metres x 9 metres floor area). If you have classes of infants or juniors, you can get up to 40 inside this larger Dome!
Chemistry shows do not use the Dome and so can accommodate up to 70 children per show.
As a rule of thumb, we can fit about 30 people inside the Dome per show, but if you have older students or adults, you will need our larger Dome (which still requires 3.5 metres height, but takes up a larger 8 metres x 9 metres floor area). If you have classes of infants or juniors, you can get up to 40 inside this larger Dome!
Chemistry shows do not use the Dome and so can accommodate up to 70 children per show.
Do you offer access for visitors with disabilities?
Yes: People who can't crawl or are in wheelchairs can be accommodated, but this does reduce the capacity for our Dome shows so please notify us in advance.
Do you cater for visitors with Special Educational Needs (SEN)?
Yes! We love the work we do with SEN schools as the Dome is a wonderfully immersive and relaxing environment and a perfect place to learn for children with special educational needs. Merging the very best bits from different shows, we aim to make the shows as multisensory as possible. We recommend themes of 'Space and Rockets' (inside the Dome) or 'Bubbles' (outside the Dome) for all abilities, but can adapt most of our other themes for children at NC level 1 or above. People who can't crawl or are in wheelchairs can be accommodated, but this does reduce the capacity for our Dome shows so please notify us in advance. We recommend a maximum capacity of 25 inside the Dome including teaching staff and carers and for EBD students we would suggest smaller class sizes than this. Some presentations include flashing lights and loud noises so presenters should be notified of children who are adversely effected by this (e.g. behavioural difficulties, autism or epilepsy) and we can adapt the shows accordingly. We can give you a full break down of the show in advance and our presenters can use some Makaton signing in the shows to help with understanding.
Anything else?
What does a venue need to provide?
Dome visits need an indoor space large enough with a smooth, clean floor and access to mains power. The Dome can only be outside if housed in a floored marquee... otherwise it will blow away!
Chemistry shows require a space large enough to accommodate your audience and access to 2 tables and mains power. Chemistry shows also need hot water, but it does not need to be in the same room. If some of your audience would benefit from being on benches or chair, it would be really helpful to have these nearby or set up at the start of the day.
How does a timetable work?
Shows last between 40 and 55 mins, depending on your audience and timetable requirements. We can usually fit 2 or 3 shows into a morning and 6 or 7 shows into a full day visit, but capacity of shows and timetables vary depending on the type of show you choose.
If you visit the page for a particular show topic from the menu above, each show summary has detailed information of the capacity of each show, length and national curriculum links.
We can certainly bring an array of different show topics in the same visit, but this may reduce the number of shows possible to fit in a single day.
What else should you know?
We will need reasonable vehicle access to the hall – let us know if access is likely to be poor (e.g. many steps or long distances) as this will affect the schedule and the preparations we need to make for the day.
At least one member of staff must accompany the children during the shows but we promise they will enjoy it! For family shows, all children under 7 should be accompanied by an adult.
If you prefer, do feel free to get in touch and we can help with your plan!
Dome visits need an indoor space large enough with a smooth, clean floor and access to mains power. The Dome can only be outside if housed in a floored marquee... otherwise it will blow away!
Chemistry shows require a space large enough to accommodate your audience and access to 2 tables and mains power. Chemistry shows also need hot water, but it does not need to be in the same room. If some of your audience would benefit from being on benches or chair, it would be really helpful to have these nearby or set up at the start of the day.
How does a timetable work?
Shows last between 40 and 55 mins, depending on your audience and timetable requirements. We can usually fit 2 or 3 shows into a morning and 6 or 7 shows into a full day visit, but capacity of shows and timetables vary depending on the type of show you choose.
If you visit the page for a particular show topic from the menu above, each show summary has detailed information of the capacity of each show, length and national curriculum links.
We can certainly bring an array of different show topics in the same visit, but this may reduce the number of shows possible to fit in a single day.
What else should you know?
We will need reasonable vehicle access to the hall – let us know if access is likely to be poor (e.g. many steps or long distances) as this will affect the schedule and the preparations we need to make for the day.
At least one member of staff must accompany the children during the shows but we promise they will enjoy it! For family shows, all children under 7 should be accompanied by an adult.
If you prefer, do feel free to get in touch and we can help with your plan!
Special rates for schools
outside of peak season
Local/Bristol costs from £390 + VAT for a half-day
Book now for a visit any time this autumn, to take advantage of our off-peak offer!
Reduced costs for local schools (Bristol, Bath and North East Somerset, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset) start at only £390 + VAT for a half-day with up to three shows in the regular Dome, or up to two Chemistry shows.
Costs within the South-West (Somerset, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire, Worcestershire, Herefordshire, Monmouthshire, Newport, Torfaen, Blaenau Gwent, Cardiff, Caerphilly, Merthyr Tydfil, Rhondda Cynon Taff, Vale of Glamorgan, Bridgend & Neath Port Talbot) start at £540 + VAT for a half-day with up to three shows in the regular Dome, or up to two Chemistry shows, rising up to £870 + VAT for a full day of six shows in the Dome, or four Chemistry shows.
Get in touch to enquire! Please quote 'Plan My School Trip' when booking :)
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