Animal facts help put spotlight on science for hundreds of city pupils
Have you ever wondered what would happen if a dinosaur met one of our animals today? Hundreds of local schoolchildren were encouraged to wonder about this and lots more fascinating animal facts at a special event held at Swansea University.
Six hundred pupils, aged from 11 to 13, were guests for science presenters Lizzie Daly and Ben Garrod’s Best Animal Facts show.
The show, at Taliesin Arts Centre, took the form of an animal Top Trumps game with the presenters exploring how today’s species compare to prehistoric creatures, before the audience was given a chance to vote on the best animal, living or extinct, in different categories. The final decision came down to a judging panel of teachers, pupils and special guests.
Lizzie and Ben are both biologists who work all over the world on conservation and research projects. Lizzie is a regular wildlife expert on CBBC and Cbeebies, and on BBC and National Geographic productions, while Ben has presented a range of TV programmes including Secrets of Bones, Attenborough and the Giant Dinosaur and The Day the Dinosaurs Died, and is a Teaching Fellow at Anglia Ruskin University.
Pupils and teachers in the audience were invited to by two of Swansea University’s science outreach projects, S4 (Swansea University’s Science for Schools Scheme) and Oriel Science, the university’s science centre project.
The youngsters taking part came from Dylan Thomas Community School, Cefn Hengoed Community School, the Upper Afan Valley Federation of Schools, Pentrehafod, Bishop Vaughan Comprehensive and the South West Wales Reaching Wider Partnership.
Professor Mary Gagen said: “We were absolutely delighted to have Ben and Lizzie here. We can achieve a lot in the classroom and lab in terms of inspiring young people to get out there and explore science but science presenters really boost pupils’ enthusiasm with a show like this.
“Ben and Lizzie’s passion, expertise and proud geekiness is absolutely contagious, and it was so inspiring to see our audience going away excited, chatting about the show and thinking about ways to get more science into their lives!”
Also watching the show were special guests Cabinet Secretary for Education Kirsty Williams and Leaders of the House at the Welsh Assembly Julie James AM, along with University Pro Vice-Chancellor Professor Martin Stringer.
Head of the University’s College of Science Professor Matt Jones said: “The College of Science is a community that is excited about the transforming nature of science and is focussed on involving as many hands, hearts and voices in shaping the future together.
“I was delighted that Cabinet Secretary for Education and Leader of the House were able to attend and get to see first-hand the impact outreach work has on young people’s enthusiasm for science and their drive to pursue science in their education.”
And to continue the legacy of learning after the show, each of the schools taking part were presented with a copy of Ben’s latest book series ‘So You Think You Know About… Dinosaurs?’ for their school library.
Pupils, guests and teachers thoroughly enjoyed the show. Teacher Jo Ralph, of Cymer Afan Comprehensive School, said: “It was a brilliant show, the pupils were engaged throughout and they loved the interaction between the two presenters. All they talked about on the way home was the animals they had learned about. The arguments about which were the best continued long into the journey!”
Professor Gagen added: “The show was all about making science as engaging as possible and making it clear to young people that they can pursue science in their education and careers.
“Events like these are crucial in helping us get that message across and we are so grateful for the ongoing support we receive from schools, the community, experts like Ben and Lizzie and the Welsh Government who have contributed funding to both S4 and Oriel Science.
Ffeithiau am anifeiliaid yn helpu i roi sylw i wyddoniaeth ar gyfer cannoedd o ddisgyblion y ddinas
Ydych chi erioed wedi gofyn i chi’n hun beth fyddai’n digwydd pe bai dinosor yn cwrdd ag un o’r anifeiliaid sy’n byw heddiw? Cafodd cannoedd o blant ysgol eu hannog i feddwl am hyn ac am lawer o ffeithiau diddorol eraill am anifeiliaid mewn digwyddiad arbennig a gynhaliwyd ym Mhrifysgol.
Daeth chwe chant o ddisgyblion rhwng 11 a 13 oed i Ganolfan Celfyddydau Taliesin fel gwesteion arbennig y prosiectau allgymorth gwyddonol, S4 ac Oriel Science, yn sgil gwahoddiad i sioe Best Anmal Facts gyda’r cyflwynwyr gwyddoniaeth, Lizzie Daly a Ben Garrod.
Roedd y sioe ar ffurf gêm o Top Trumps gydag anifeiliaid, gyda’r cyflwynwyr yn archwilio sut mae rhywogaethau heddiw’n cymharu â chreaduriaid hanesyddol. Wedyn, cafodd y gynulleidfa gyfle i bleidleisio ar yr anifail gorau – o’r rhai byw a’r rhai diflanedig – mewn pum categori gwahanol. Gwnaed y penderfyniad terfynol gan banel beirniadu o athrawon, disgyblion a gwesteion arbennig!
Mae’r cyflwynwyr, Lizzie Daly a Dr Ben Garrod, yn fiolegwyr sy’n gweithio ledled y byd ar brosiectau cadwraeth ac ymchwil.Mae Lizzie yn ymddangos yn rheolaidd fel arbenigwr bywyd gwyllt ar CBBC a Cbeebies, ac ar raglenni’r BBC a National Geographic. Mae Ben wedi cyflwyno nifer o raglenni a chyfresi teledu, gan gynnwys: Secrets of Bones, Attenborough and the Giant Dinosaur a The Day the Dinosaurs Died, ac mae hefyd yn Gymrawd Addysgu ym Mhrifysgol Anglia Ruskin.
Gwahoddwyd y disgyblion a’r athrawon i’r sioe Best Animal Facts gan ddau o brosiectau allgymorth gwyddonol Prifysgol Abertawe, S4 (Cynllun Gwyddoniaeth i Ysgolion Prifysgol Abertawe) ac Oriel Science, prosiect canolfan wyddoniaeth y Brifysgol.
Daeth y bobl ifanc a gymerodd ran o Ysgol Gymunedol Dylan Thomas; Ysgol Gymunedol Cefn Hengoed; Ffederasiwn Ysgolion Cwm Aman Uchaf; Ysgol Gyfun Pentrehafod; Ysgol yr Esgob Vaughan a Phartneriaeth Ymgyrraedd yn Ehangach De-orllewin Cymru.
Meddai’r Athro Mary Gagen: “Roedd yn bleser mawr croesawu Ben a Lizzie yma; gallwn wneud llawer yn yr ystafell ddosbarth a’r labordy i ysbrydoli pobl ifanc i fynd allan ac archwilio gwyddoniaeth, ond mae cyflwynwyr gwyddoniaeth yn rhoi hwb mawr i frwdfrydedd disgyblion drwy sioe fel hon.
“Mae angerdd ac arbenigedd Ben a Lizzie, a’r ffaith eu bod yn falch o fod yn gîcs, yn hollol heintus. Roedd yn ysbrydoledig gweld ein cynulleidfa’n llawn cyffro, yn sgwrsio am y sioe ac yn meddwl am ffyrdd o gynnwys mwy o wyddoniaeth yn eu bywydau!”
Yn gwylio’r sioe hefyd, roedd dau westai arbennig, Kirsty Williams AC, Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Addysg, a Julie James AC, gyda’r Dirprwy Is-ganghellor, Martin Stringer.
Meddai’r Athro Matt Jones, Pennaeth y Coleg Gwyddoniaeth: “Mae’r Coleg Gwyddoniaeth yn gymuned sydd ar dân dros natur drawsnewidiol gwyddoniaeth, a’i nod yw cynnwys cynifer o ddwylo, calonnau a lleisiau â phosib wrth lunio’r dyfodol gyda’n gilydd.
“Roeddwn i wrth fy modd bod Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Addysg ac Arweinydd y Tŷ yn gallu dod i weld â’u llygaid eu hun sut mae gwaith allgymorth yn effeithio ar frwdfrydedd pobl ifanc am wyddoniaeth a’u hangerdd i astudio gwyddoniaeth yn eu haddysg.”
I barhau â’r effaith ar ddysgu ar ôl y sioe, derbyniodd pob ysgol a gymerodd ran gopi o gyfres lyfrau ddiweddaraf Ben, ‘So You Think You Know About… Dinosaurs?ar gyfer llyfrgell yr ysgol.
Gwnaeth y disgyblion, y gwesteion a’r athrawon fwynhau’r sioe’n fawr a dywedodd Jo Ralph, athro o Ysgol Gyfun Cymer Afan: “Roedd yn sioe wych a lwyddodd i gadw diddordeb y disgyblion drwy gydol y dydd. Roedden nhw’n dwlu ar y rhyngweithio rhwng y ddau gyflwynwyd. Roedd yr holl sgwrsio ar y ffordd adref am yr anifeiliaid roedden nhw wedi dysgu amdanynt. Gwnaeth y dadleuon am yr anifail ‘gorau’ barhau’n hir drwy’r daith!”
Ychwanegodd yr Athro Mary Gagen: “diben y sioe oedd cynyddu diddordeb mewn gwyddoniaeth cymaint â phosib a dangos i bobl ifanc bod modd i wyddoniaeth chwarae rhan yn eu haddysg a’u gyrfaoedd.
“Mae digwyddiadau fel hyn yn hollbwysig wrth ein helpu i ledaenu’r neges honno, ac rydym mor ddiolchgar am y cymorth rydym yn ei gael gan ysgolion, y gymuned, arbenigwyr fel Ben a Lizzie a Llywodraeth Cymru sydd wedi cyfrannu cyllid at S4 ac Oriel Science.
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