Science On Stage - Deutschland

Who murdered Sir Ernest?

Ludwig-Thoma-Gymnasium Prien am Chiemsee: Sir Ernest was murdered at his house ball! It’s now up to the students to find the murderer. The only clue is the audio tape of the video surveillance camera. The young detectives have to use frequency analysis of the tapes and skills from other school subjects to succeed. Additionally, they solve a detective story about flame colours of metals and explore the relation between colour and energy by the use of LEDs. In the end, they realise that a glass and ist distinct sound act like a fingerprint the same way atoms and their colours do. Thus, the students experience the power of spectral analysis with their ears and eyes.

View the project video here. (Sorry, no English subtitles available)

Strong as a bear through leverage - Feel the leverage power

Schülerforschungszentrum SFZ® Bad Saulgau: The topic of levers does not pose a problem to children. A door can be opened, a nail pulled out. Kids have to be made aware of the problem so that they can recognize it. Therefore, the kids should be given various tasks to be performed without the help of levers. They are only partially successful in this. Performing the task makes them aware of the need of help to solve the problem more easily, e.g. a door handle, pliers etc. In a child-friendly form they can work out and begin to grasp terms such as lever and pivot. Transfer tasks involving a seesaw and a mobile (a moving element hung from a string) enable the kids to apply their newly gained knowledge and communicte with others.

View the project video here. (English subtitles available)

Discovering our digestive system

Albert-Schweitzer Schule, Bergheim and Lessingschule Freiburg: Digestion is a complex process. This project aims to explain it in a simple manner by simulating the stages of the digestive system. Pupils learn through acting and touching, which specifically aids the understanding for younger or developmentally-challenged children.

View the project video here. (English subtitles available)

Analyse the building automation system in the new school house

Willibald-Gluck-Gymnasium (MINT-EC Schule), Neumarkt: The new school house of the Willibald-Gluck-Gymnasium has been designed as a so-called EnergyPlusHouse. Its energy management is based on an intelligent building automation system that uses various sensors and actuators. The quality of indoor air and thermal comfort is monitored by temperature and CO2 sensors and controlled by ventilation systems. Student projects have been setup in order to analyse the effects of the ventilation system on climatic comfort and its efficiency. A project team evaluates measurements of room temperature and air humidity. Another project team simulates the building automation system by Arduino/micro controller. The project has been supported by TU Braunschweig.

View the project video here. (Sorry, no English subtitles available)

BISA - Birds in School Assessment

Ludwig-Thoma-Gymnasium Prien am Chiemsee: Within the BISA-project we tried to determine the ability of young people to identify common bird species with an online test. In order to improve the pupils' knowledge  we created online tutorials. They contain hints and clues how to identify birds as well as playful exercises. Our next aim was to inspire pupils to do observations using an online documentation tool. Within the project we also built a nesting box with electronic devices, that streams data (e.g. pictures, temperature, etc.) of the nesting birds on a webpage, so that pupils get into emotional contact with the wildlife in their near surroundings, which is required to take action against the loss of species all over the world.

View the project video here. 

Construction of an USB flashlight with a super capacitor and data logging with microcontrollers

Carl-Benz-Schule Koblenz / Berufsbildende Schule Technik: The students design and build an USB flashlight with a super capacitor. On the flashlight, the learner does various calculations and measurements. The measurements are performed with a microcontroller. The project promotes multidisciplinary teaching by linking the subjects mathematics, physics, computer science and engineering. Through measuring with a microcontroller, the everyday reference in the classroom can be increased since information technology and particulary the microcontroller in conjunction with various sensors are found everywhere in everyday life.

View the project video here. (English subtitles available)

How to get your pulse on your smartphone

Informatik-Fachset der iMINT-Akademie / Humboldt-Gymnasium and Käthe-Kollwitz-Gymnasium, Berlin: In this teaching project, materials were created that enable students to build a heart rate monitor. The hardware is based on an optical pulse sensor and an Arduino microcontroller board. Students learn how to build the electrical circuit and how to program the microcontroller to measure their heart rate. Teaching materials are designed to encourage self-organized learning, to facilitate natural language learning and to include students with disabilities. The materials are made available online using a Creative Commons license.

Lütje Natur

Hoffmann-von-Fallersleben-Schulzentrum Lütjenburg: The project "Lütje Nature" is characterized by several aspects – a nature trail, an herb garden, a green classroom, a school pond and a school apiary. The project connects the various areas of the 1.5-hectare outdoor area of the Hoffmann-von-Fallersleben-School-Center for learners and teachers as well as for visitors and people walking through. Students of the school center and schools in the district are to be allowed to experience teaching amidst nature and to discover, explore, and capture real life with the biological phenomena of their environment. The idea of sustainability and protection of the environment and species is of paramount importance.

View the project video here. (Sorry, no English subtitles available)

3-Dimensional vision and its illusion in cinemas

Helmholtz-Gymnasium Dortmund: The emphasis of this sequence is on the polarisation of light and on explaining how 3D glasses in cinemas work. The students analyse linear and circular polarisation. In preparation for that, they explore the technique of anaglyphs, which is more concrete and demonstrates the principle. The students develop the foundations by excursions to biology and computer science, which contain the functionality of 3-dimensional viewing as well as the RGB model used by computer screens explaining the human perception of colours.

Energy-scientists - 6-graders explore renewable energy

IGS Oyten: Interdisciplinary, project-, context-, activity-, team- and student-oriented – all of this is realized by the IGS Oyten through a theme-oriented teaching in five 75-minute-blocks per school week. The topic „energy scientists“ in grade 6 has the main goal to examine a energetic-autark living home more closely. After having learned basic principles  - theoretically and experimentally - in the so called basisphase the students optimize models during the so called projectphase: a low-energy house, a wind wheel, a solar collector, a photovoltaic module and a solar car. They finally present their knowledge and their scientific results to their parents.

Organic Light Emitting Diodes - Embedding a future technology in chemistry classes

Neues Gymnasium Rüsselsheim and Universität zu Köln: Smartphones and tablet computers are products, which we use in our every day life. But what kind of technology is behind the displays of these devices? More recently, there are Organic Light Emitting Diodes, so-called OLEDs, which use conjugated polymers as semiconductors and light emitters. This innovative topic was implemented in a senior chemistry class of a secondary school. In the project, the students dealt with the construction of an OLED and analysed the structures-property-relations of the included polymeres. An important part of the project was the lab-phase, where the learners built their own OLED using low cost materials and methods, which were developed by the university.

View the project video here. (English subtitles available)

Child labour in mining, but we can go to school!

Christian-von-Dohm-Gymnasium Goslar (MINT-EC Schule) with 6th Primary School St Nikolain, Stara Sagora, Bulgaria: For many kids around the world school is still a privilege one first has to earn through hard work. Students learn about historical changes and political regulations from medieval times to today in Germany and around the world. Students research countries in which child work is still accepted, analyse a film report about the status of child workers in Bolivia and do practical experiences and experiments as stamp boys and miners. The project design is cross primary and secondary levels, group-overlapping and multidisciplinary. In an open inquiry based set up, students learn in mixed teams including high performers in a self organised learning circle and do an excursion to an off campus learning.