Oxford for Oxford Guide Secondary School Edition May 2019 - 2020 The University on your doorstep. Did you know that the University of Oxford offers a wide selection of experiences, workshops and school visits for secondary aged children, many of which are free? The Oxford for Oxford project was established by the University’s outreach team because we think it’s important that Oxford city students are able to make the most of the resources that are local to them. There are marvellous museums, spectacular science days and wild woodlands that are just waiting to be discovered. We realise that planning a visit takes time spare time and energy; something that many teachers simply don’t have. That’s why we’ve created this guide. It gives you an overview of the activities on offer, with practical information about timings, facilities and costs. Access extra details at a glance by using the key. If you see something you like, follow the weblinks to make a booking. Key to symbols Hands-on Extra content online Tour Outdoor Free self-guided trail option Classroom visit Lunch facilities on site Online risk assessment Summer Term Year 7 STEM Spelling Bee Chemistry Teaching Lab Practical Nanoscience The study of science often involves learning a dizzying array of new words. STEM Spelling Begbroke Science Park Bee gives students the opportunity to What is nanoscience? And how does research practise spelling and using scientific terms drive new nanotechnologies? Explore these whilst also having fun. Anyone can take part ideas and more at Begbroke’s free event. The and word lists are available to download from day is fully hands-on with practical the chemistry outreach website. experiments that will engage and inspire. outreach.chem.ox.ac.uk www.begbroke.ox.ac.uk/events 20 June. 4pm-6.30pm. 3 spellers per school. FREE 12 June. 9.30-12pm. Max group size 8. FREE KS3 Multi School Learning Day Balliol College Tour the college, take part in a taster modern language session and find out about Oxplore - the home of big questions. Lunch is provided and there is also the option of a free museum visit, although this must be requested at the time of booking. www.balliol.ox.ac.uk 4, 12, 26 June. 10am-3pm. FREE Celebrating Asian Languages Faculty of Oriental Studies If your students are interested in language learning why not bring them to the Asian Languages Exploration Day. The event is free and features cultural workshops, Q&As and language taster sessions in Arabic, Korean, Japanese, Persian and Chinese. bit.ly/oxasianlanguages 25 May. 10.30am-4pm. FREE Autumn Term French & Spanish Flash Fiction Competition Online Students in years 7-11 can enter a short story of 100 words or fewer on a topic of their choice. The story should be written in either French or Spanish. Entries will be judged on imagination and creativity, as well as linguistic ability. There are also cash prizes up for grabs. www.mod-langs.ox.ac.uk/schools December 2019-March 2020. FREE Art at the Arboretum Harcourt Arboretum Marie Curious Capture the autumn colour of the leaves Department of Physics, Keble Road with pens, paints and pencils. A guide will show your group the best places to work, ‘Marie Curious’ is all about building confidence then you’re free to explore the collection in girls with an interest in science. The for up to two hours. A longer introduction practical workshops cover technology, can be arranged by request. engineering, science and maths, and are led by female role-models from across these www.obga.ox.ac.uk fields. April-November, 2 hrs. Max group size 32. £100 www.physics.ox.ac.uk/about-us/outreach Event date February, apply by Jan 2020. FREE Oxford German Olympiad BEBRAS Computing Challenge Online Online The Olympiad combines the exploration of German culture and literature with the The BEBRAS competition challenges your challenge of writing in German. Students students to take on fun and engaging compete with their peers to complete a computer science problems. How many can series of tasks tied to an overall theme. they solve in the allotted time? If your school There are fantastic prizes to be won in doesn’t currently take part, you can register each category. for free before 31st October at: www.mod-langs.ox.ac.uk/schools www.bebras.uk Event starts February, apply by Jan 2020. 4-15 November 2019. FREE FREE Spring Term Innovation Showcase It All Adds Up Begbroke Science Park Maths Institute, Andrew Wiles Building Are your Year 9s budding science or technology entrepreneurs? At the Innovation In 2018, girls accounted for just 39% of all Showcase they’ll have the chance to maths A-levels. It All Adds Up is a 3 day develop their skills. Working in teams, they’ll conference that aims to challenge that turn their ideas into commercial products, statistic by offering mathematical before making a pitch to win the coveted workshops, lectures and inspiration to girls Innovation Award. in years 9-11. www.begbroke.ox.ac.uk/events bit.ly/oxford-maths-outreach 11 March 2020. Max group size 8. FREE 15 Jan 2020. Max group size 12. FREE The Salters Chemistry Competition Department of Chemistry Competing in teams of four, students in years 7-9 go head to head with groups from other schools to complete practical challenges. Prizes will be awarded to the winning teams and everyone receives a prize and a certificate for taking part. outreach.chem.ox.ac.uk March 2020. One team of 4 per school. FREE Stuck for ideas? Give one of these workshops a try. Creative Sparks: How Electricity Began History of Science Museum It’s the eighteenth century. Benjamin Franklin has just invented the lightning conductor, electrostatic demonstrations are must-see entertainment and your group has a front row seat. Experience what it was really like to live during the birth of electricity. www.hsm.ox.ac.uk/secondary-and-post-16 Max group size 35. £100 The Colour of Nature Printing Workshop Oxford University Museum of Bodleian Weston Library Natural History Discover how much skill and effort it took to In the natural world, creatures use colour to create a printed book hundreds of years ago. communicate and survive. This workshop asks Get to grips with letterpress equipment and students to think about the physics of colour work together to create personalised prints - what it really is and how it’s measured – as that you can take home and keep. well as the biological aspects of adaptation www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk and production. Max group size 15. £100 oumnh.ox.ac.uk/secondary-schools Max group size 32. £100 People, Plants and Places Collections Up Close Botanic Garden Old Bodleian Library Encourage your students to think about where food is grown and how far it travels to Create a bespoke experience at one of the reach their plates. They’ll see first-hand what oldest libraries in Europe. Choose your theme a rainforest ecosystem is like and learn about and let the Bodleian handpick a selection of the effect that humans have on the things rare books, manuscripts and archive material that live there. for your group to view. www.obga.ox.ac.uk www.bodleian.ox.ac.uk Max group size 32. £100 Max group size 15. £100 Creative Writing Ashmolean Museum Trinity College Experience Day An image or an object can fire the imagination. Using the paintings and treasures Trinity College of the Ashmolean as inspiration, your group Trinity is Oxfordshire’s official link college and will be encouraged to develop their writing they’re keen to show your group what skills and be guided through activities which university is all about. Visits include help them bring characters and fictional workshops aimed at raising aspirations, a worlds to life. college tour and lunch. There’s also an www.ashmolean.org/secondary-schools opportunity to take part in a free taught Max group size 32. £100 session at one of the University’s museums. www.trinity.ox.ac.uk/schools-outreach/ Max group size 32. FREE Javanese Gamelan The Bate Collection Discover a new musical style at one of the largest collections of musical instruments in Britain. The gamelan is a traditional Javanese percussion ensemble, featuring drums, gongs and xylophones. Anybody can do it, so coordinate, concentrate and have fun! www.bate.ox.ac.uk Max group size 20. £120 The Age of the Earth Secondary Photography Oxford University Museum of Natural Workshop History Pitt Rivers Museum We take it for granted that the Earth is Take this opportunity to view the museum’s millions of years old, but have you ever extraordinary collections through a lens. wondered how we know this? Find out by Learn about photographic techniques both old becoming a scientist for the day, exploring and new, then get creative with theme and geological time, handling specimens and composition in the galleries. finding evidence of the events and www.prm.ox.ac.uk/art-learning-resources processeses that shaped the Earth. Max group size 32. £100 oumnh.ox.ac.uk/secondary-schools Max group size 32. £100 Investigating Materials using Chocolate Department of Materials Science How do you make the ultimate chocolate bar? With science! Explore the properties of materials through the medium of chocolate. Investigate density, hardness and fracture energy, and ponder the microstructure of materials (whilst trying not to snack!). www.materials.ox.ac.uk/admissions.html Year 8 upwards. FREE Medicine through Time: Surgery and Anatomy Everyday Life in Ancient Rome History of Science Museum Ashmolean Museum 17th century medicine was experimental, risky Do as the Romans do in this practical taught and often gruesome! This tour sheds light session.