Pupils from Westmeath participate in ESB Science Blast
Primary school pupils from Westmeath are to participate in ESB Science Blast next week. ESB Science Blast, delivered by the RDS, is a STEM-focused education programme involving whole classes investigating the science behind a simple question, such as ‘how will climate change affect baby sharks?’.
ESB Science Blast takes place in Dublin in RDS Simmonscourt for four starting Monday February 27, and a lá speisialta do Ghaelscoileanna agus do scoileanna Ghaeltachta is on 2ú Márta, 2023.
Participating schools in Westmeath include Mullingar ETNS; Kilbeggan NS; St Joseph’s NS in Milltownpass; Streamstown NS; and Ardnagrath NS in Walderstown.
Pupils from each class participating will showcase their experiments and discuss their investigations with a STEM expert (judge/moltóir).
The judging is non-competitive and aimed at growing pupils’ interest and passion for STEM.
The event is now in its fifth year, and more than 35,000 children have participated, making it the largest primary school programme on the island of Ireland.
The questions being investigated by Westmeath schools are as follows:
Mullingar ETNS – What will happen to the earth when the sun dies?
Kilbeggan NS – Can renewable energy really power towns of the future?
St Joseph’s NS, Milltownpass – How does the eye work?
Streamstown NS – Does the material of a ball effect how far it will go?
Streamstown NS – Do different sports, cause a greater increase in Heart rate, calories burned, steps taken etc?
Ardnagrath NS, Walderstown – What effect does bridge design have on its weight bearing capacity?
Ardnagrath NS, Walderstown – Maglev, the mystery of the floating train. How does it work and how fast can it go?
Funders
ESB Science Blast is a STEM promotional programme developed and delivered by the RDS. It is funded by the RDS, ESB as title sponsor, the Department of Education, Science Foundation Ireland, An Foras Pátrúnachta, Bristol Myers Squib, COGG, Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Foras na Gaeilge, Irish Aid, Irish American Partnership, Jones Engineering, Kainos, and Teagasc.