Presentation to school kids - audience participation?

[Pot Bellied Fool]

Hi All

Some audience participation ideas please!

I've volunteered to give a talk to some secondary school pupils (yr 7 ) next week on careers in the Science/Engineering/tech sector.

I'm more than happy with that, happy to field questions & let discussions run & I've got some interesting stuff to jolt them out of the STEM=uncool Geek thinking but wondering if anyone had any ideas for activities to get the kids re-engaged & involved every so often. I want to break it up every 20 mins or so with something to involve audience participation (hour & a bit I'm there for).

I've a few ideas but I'm sure the PH Massive will have a few more. Anything that just wakes them up! They may or may not have internet access/phones with them. Won't know till I get there. Some schools do allow & some don't apparently.

Not trying to teach any technical material, just fire at least one imagination!

[Thurbs]

I have done a few of these in my area and usually the school run the session and I am a helper.

I am always surprised with how little the teachers try and achieve but then remember what I was like at 12...

The thing I am always left with is how imaginative and enthusiastic they can be when an idea grips the group. It is a joy to guide and steer them through their on journey.

[Shakermaker]

What type of field are you in? And what practical demonstration can you build in from that?

EG - if you are an electrical engineer - can you get the pupils to rig up an electrical circuit that propels a car across the room. Or make a burglar alarm that plays Justin Bieber when someone breaks into the "house" set up you have?

If your more into chemistry, then any experiment that causes a flash, bang or a huge amount of bubbly liquid could also be fun?

[SystemParanoia]

Microbits controling robotic arms via bluetooth using the tilt sensors

Microbits giving PH readings of liquids on the LED display

Raspberry Pi's controlling a network of arduinos via i2c... maybe a model village's lights and level crossings and stuff.

[Shakermaker]

There was something on The Gadget Show a few years ago, they programmed a Raspberry Pi to create a "Laser maze" something like you would see in Mission Impossible, using mirrors and a laser and so forth - get them to see how its set up, and then a few of them to play along?

[Chainsaw Rebuild]

You could look up "Festival of the spoken Nerd" on youtube. I saw them live and they do some fun audience participation and visual experiments.

[Pot Bellied Fool]

Thanks for those folks. I haven't got time to get all Raspberry Pi on them for this one but that's an idea for the future.

My background is electronics, RF & Internet incidentally.

It's just a typical classroom setting so not much scope for other than chalk & talk and want to break it up a bit & re-grab their attention.

[SystemParanoia]

microbit has onboard Bluetooth
you can get them all passing messages, or at least receiving ones you send out!


Also the raspberry pirate radio
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDa_odxAGUU

only need to solder 1 wire for this one

Also the microbit can be used for a class quiz

https://github.com/lancaster-university/quiz-bit/b...
https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/quizbit/...

[rog007]

Engage with them before the session via their teacher. Survey Monkey them or set up a bespoke Facebook page just for this event and share some of your own ideas and let them offer some too. If they feel engaged from the off there's more of a chance of success. Good luck!

[CubanPete]

We do loads of Stem stuff with schools. Doing is definitely better than talking, and will be easier for you too.

Not any of our bits, but loads of ideas on youtube.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94RpbYopUdI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkROEFtnz30

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hu1jEWLZVug

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8YtroKjVxo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ViZNgU-Yt-Y

[popegregory]

Year 7 sat just listening for over an hour would quite possibly lead to one actually dying of boredom, plus, if you've got one little git in there who decides he's going to mess it all up for you, you'll have a problem. If you let them participate they'll remember it forever.

[Sir Lord Poopie]

Barring medicine and dentistry does your talk consider the relative poor rates of STEM remuneration?

[CubanPete]

Sir Lord Poopie said:

Barring medicine and dentistry does your talk consider the relative poor rates of STEM remuneration?

You miserable bugger!

1. It isn't that bad! Sure there are poor paying examples, but there are also very good ones.

2. If you can reach out to pupils to do an apprenticeship and qualifications rather than working in a warehouse their earning power will be considerably better than many career options.

3. There is more to a rewarding career than money.