University of Western Australia’s Einstein-First project introduces new energy to science in the classroom
The University of Western Australia’s Einstein-First project is introducing children to climate science and how to create renewable energy.
Project leader Emeritus Professor David Blair said as the world switched to renewable energy and faced the impacts of climate change, we had a responsibility to introduce children to all the relevant science.
“Solar energy is powered by the science discovered by Einstein, which is the same science that causes carbon dioxide to act like a blanket and warm the Earth,” Professor Blair said.
“Children can easily understand the concept, but we need to train teachers to impart the knowledge.”
Today, the first shipment of UWA-designed classroom solar energy kits were demonstrated to a group of primary school teachers in an Einstein-First training workshop.
Project coordinator Dr Jyoti Kaur from the UWA’s School of Physics, said the kits would enable children to set up their own power source.
“Using power lifters, fans, lights and USB devices the students will be able to create energy to lift kilogram buckets just like pit ponies used to lift buckets of coal from the coal mines,” Dr Kaur said.
“James Watt’s steam engines replaced the pit ponies with steam power and today children do it using photons from the Sun.”
Adjunct Professor David Wood, from UWA’s School of Physics, Maths and Computing, said the kits allowed climate science to be taught simply and in a fun way.
“It uses inexpensive activities to be created using everyday items like drink bottles, candles, ice blocks and balloons, combined with our new solar kits,” he said.
The kits were designed and funded by Access Technology Group and DDH1, which are major supporters of the Einstein-First program.
The Einstein-First project, which has been leading science education for students in years 3 to 10 for the past decade, aims to increase female participation in STEM and this year introduced a new component Quantum Girls, funded by the Department of Science and Industry.