Opaque, translucent or transparent?

The second half of Year 8 from Bitterne Park school visited the University of Southampton last week for our Creative Partnerships project.

More than 100 excited Year 8 students (13 year-olds) visited the Institute of Sound and Vibrational Research, (ISVR) the School of Physics and Astronomy and the Optoelectronic Research Centre's )ORC) fibre manufacturing facility to learn about light and sound. They also had a workshop in lighting to learn about colour and mood at the Nuffield Theatre.

Students looked in each other's ears to learn about their hearing in the ISVR, they dressed up in clean room gear at the ORC and made photograms (above) in Physics and Astronomy. The students also worked with ORC students doing hands-on fun activities relating to light, fibre optics and telecommunications.

Today I visited Bitterne Park to do an activity with torches and morse code. We explored the problems and benefits inherent with sending messages with light. I also showed students my new fibre optic umbrella, and by the end of the lesson they were able to tell me how it worked.

The Creative Partnerships project is designed to improve the students' understanding of the Science of light and sound using creative means.

We will evaluate the project next week - after I make holograms with one of the classes.