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Curriculum Cymreig--Science

Related links
Science websites within Wales on the Web Science resources within NGFL Cymru

Contents- Science

General Science Information | Welsh Scientists | Natural environment of Wales | The Environment | Sustainable Development | Recycling | Renewable Energies | Birds, Animals | Plant life | Astronomy |


General Science Information

Many websites cover many aspects of science in Wales. This is a brief overview of the resources that exists.

2004 is Wales Science Year. This is an initiative funded by the National Assembly for Wales. The aim is to promote and encourage scientific activities and raise awareness of the subject. The Wales Science Year website has information on funding for science projects and activities, and a diary of past and future scientific events.

Many Scientific Societies have been established over the past few years in order to increase the awareness of scientific subjects within Wales. They include the Welsh Scientific Society and the Cardiff branch of the society- Cymdeithas Wyddonol Cylch Caerdydd. Both websites promote the discussion of scientific subjects through the medium of Welsh.

Canolfan Edward Llwyd is a new virtual centre for developing and teaching science and geography courses through the medium of Welsh. Subjects include biology, geography, geology, physics, computing, rural studies, and agriculture. Cymdeithas Edward Llwyd is the 'national society of Welsh naturalists'. The society publishes newsletters, books and organises evening lectures and social events.

An annual science event is the Wrexham Science Year- established in 1998, in order 'to promote the public understanding of science to support science education in schools.

For an opportunity to discover more about the environment in your local area or study various aspects of scientific and environmental issues it is worth visiting the following centres:

  • Darwin Centre for Biology and Medicine a science, educational, research and sabbatical centre in Pembrokeshire.
  • Glyncornel Environmental Centre in Rhondda Cynon Taff County Borough.
  • Techniquest a Science Discovery Centre in Cardiff. It is a well established educational centre for schools and holds many exhibitions. The website has a schools theme section with curriculum information and details of activities and events.
  • Techniquest@Newi is North Wales's largest Science Discovery Centre.
  • Centre for Alternative Technology, near Machynlleth, is one of Europe's foremost eco-centres. It is an educational charity striving to achieve the best cooperation between the natural, technological and human worlds.
  • Margan Park Field Centre an environmental educational centre providing day and residential courses near Port Talbot.
  • Rhyd y Creuau Field Centre near Betws y Coed in the lower Conwy Valley.

A Welsh medium resource is Delta, a Welsh language magazine that deals with scientific and technological subjects, published by the University of Wales, Aberystwyth. Adnoddau Mathemateg a Gwyddoniaeth provides access to Welsh-language resources for schools on the subjects of mathematics and science and Tacteg Gwyddoniaeth is a BBC resource offering online access to Welsh language teaching materials in Science related subjects.

The Salters' Festivals of Chemistry was established in order to help promote the appreciation of chemistry and related sciences among the young. The Festivals are one-day fun events held at universities throughout the UK and Ireland and begin in late March and run through to mid June. In Wales, the festival locations are Aberystwyth, Bangor, Cardiff and Swansea University campuses.

Welsh Scientists

Wales has produced its fair share of scientists. A starting point for information regarding many Welsh scientists is the 100 Welsh Heroes website and Scifiles by the BBC. Many resources relating to Welsh scientists are also available within the biography section of Wales on the Web and include:

Natural environment of Wales

Wales has a rich and very diverse landscape- one which provides many teaching opportunities and examples.

Wales on the Web's Earth Science, Geology and Ecology section or has many resources relating to the natural landscape of Wales. The Geography Curriculum guide also has an overview of the natural landscape of Wales.

The Environment

A number of resources exist relating to the environment in Wales. Many are listed within Wales on the Web environment section, but below is a brief summary of what exists.

  • West Wales Eco-Centre contains information on domestic energy efficiency and renewable technologies- it also has a number of useful factsheets and a visitor centre in Newport, Pembrokeshire.
  • The Environment Centre is based in Swansea and is an independent charity focusing on environmental information, education and activity in South Wales.
  • The Bridgend Environmental Education Partnerships has educational resources packs on the environment, and environmental case studies involving local schools.
  • Keep Wales Tidy has information on eco-schools and the eco-centres programme. Their aim is for a litter free Wales. They are also responsible for Waste Awareness Wales

For Welsh Medium Education, there is Gwaith Maes, a voluntary society which supports environmental education for schools by publishing environmental material. Online access is available to gwaith Maes and it is regarded as a valuable Welsh medium resource.

Other resources include:

  • BTVC Cymru is an environmental charity helping over 130,000 volunteers every year improve their local environment
  • Groundwork Wales a leading environmental regeneration charity making sustainable development a reality in the UK's poorest neighbourhoods.

Many resources relate to environmental problems in particular areas of Wales. Gower SOS (Save our Sands Campaign) was established by local people who are opposed to the dredging of sand from Helwick Bank, a mile offshore from west Gower. It is claimed that the dredging is responsible for the reduction of sand on some of Gower's beaches. The Sea Empress Oil Spill in 1996 near Milford Haven received national coverage- this is an educational resource by the School of Biological Sciences at Swansea University relating to the environment damage made by the oil tanker. The Wye River has seen declining fish stocks in recent years due to pollution and blockages. The Wye Usk Foundation website provides environmental information on the reasons for declining fish stock and river pollution.

Sustainable Development

Sustainable Development is also regarded an important issue for communities in Wales. ESD- Education for Sustainable Development website contains information about developments and resources to support education for sustainable development and global citizenship in Wales. The website has a directory and interactive map to organisations providing ESD services or support to schools and colleges (it is possible to search the directory by county, by area or enter specific requirements such as Key Stage, topic requirement, or a type of resource you are looking for). The ESD reports contains online access to publications dealing with the development and delivery of Education for Sustainable Development. Many other websites provide material relating to Sustainable Development and they include:

For resource relating to specific areas within Wales, it is worth visiting:

Recycling

Recycling reduces damage to the environmental. Nowadays it is possible to recycle almost anything. Cylch promotes sustainable waste management in Wales through education and practical action. It provides information on recycling and re-using materials from furniture and white goods (such as washing machines and fridges), to paper and glass.

Tools for Schools is a social initiative which aims to introduce a critical mass of computers into the education system to increase access to new technology.

Renewable Energies

A controversial issue in today's Wales is wind energy, especially that of building of wind turbines in Wales. Websites relating to wind farms in Wales include:

    Aspects of biology- Birds, Animals

    Many Wildlife Trusts and reserves exist in Wales. They include:

    The RSPB Cymru website holds information on all RSPB reserves in Wales, A-Z of birds, teaching and youth resources, volunteer opportunities and conservation issues. The Wildlife Trust's website also contains a listing of all of its trusts in Wales.

    There are over 90 Special Areas of Conservation in Wales. Three of the most important include:

    A bird of prey that has made a remarkable recovery in recent years is the Red Kite. The Kite Country website is a wildlife tourism project, established at Gigrin Farm, Rhayader for visitors to come and see the Red Kite in its own natural environment. The website provides a history of the Red Kite and explains why it became an endangered species, and has information on the six Kite Country Centres in Mid Wales.

    The SeaWatch Foundation is a UK-based cretacean monitoring unit and charity organisation, responsible for the monitoring of whales, porpoises and dolphins living in British and Irish waters. The site posts information on projects, reports, sightings in British waters including Wales. The website includes information on the Marine Wildlife Centre based at New Quay, Ceredigion, and its available facilities and courses.

    Save Our Seas is a website created by Marine Awareness North Wales, established in order to raise awareness to the threat that is facing today's marine environment. The website is an educational resource on the environmental problems facing marine life in the waters of North Wales.

    Plant life

    Botanical gardens offer visitors an ideal opportunity to view many rare forms of plantlife. The National Botanic Garden of Wales, a visionary project and botanical science showcase built for the Millennium, and is located at Middleton Hall, Carmarthenshire. The Wales on the Web botanical gardens section has a listing of other resources relating to botanical gardens in Wales that are open to the public.

    Astronomy

    Astronomy has witnessed renewed interest over the past few months as a result of two recent missions to Mars. The official website of the Beagle 2 space expedition, the British led exploration of Mars, provides educational material on the red planet. Welsh interest exists as the Space Robotics Group at the Department of Computer Science at University of Wales, Aberystwyth built the robotic arm which was a key part of Beagle 2 mission's search for life on Mars.

    Last but not least is The Faulkes Telescope Project. The project will involve astronomers from Cardiff University and will enable pupils to study space, planets, stars and the galaxy from their own classroom, via the internet. Pupils should be able to steer the telescopes over the internet and download high resolution colour pictures of deep space. The project is funded by the Dill Faulkes Educational Trust and has two telescopes, one in Hawaii and the other in Australia. It is hoped that the project will become a valuable curriculum resource and will also be of use to astronomical societies. The website is an educational resource and provides details of how to register and how the telescope project works.