Clean energy workshops wow kids at Leicestershire library
A Coca-Cola and Menthos experiment Picture: Catherine Mynott
Quorn Community Library, whose motto is 鈥楳ore than just books鈥�, celebrated Chemistry Week 2023 throughout November.
By Catherine Mynott AM欧美AV, Volunteer at Quorn Community Library
This was only possible after receiving a Chemistry Week grant from the 欧美AV. There were two separate parts to the project: a noticeboard and treasure hunt, and workshops.
In the Leicestershire library itself, there was a chemistry careers noticeboard and a treasure hunt. This involved hiding eight chemistry career cards throughout the library, all children visiting the library were invited to take part and complete a trail sheet.
A glow stick, funded by the 欧美AV East Midlands Local Section, was the prize for finding all eight careers. The number of visitors to the library in November 2023 were 13% higher than in November 2022.
Three chemistry workshops were run for local children, aged from 4 to 11, by two retired 欧美AV members. The theme was 鈥淐lean energy 鈥� chemistry making the world a better place鈥�.
This involved 50 children and adults attending sessions which involved hands-on experiments including using energy sticks, potato clocks, rocket cones, vinegar and bicarb reactions and finally the Coca-Cola/Mentos volcano.
The need for clean energy was stressed throughout the workshops with the children answering questions about how they thought we should use alternative methods of producing energy.
All workshops were oversubscribed, and the feedback from both the children and adults who attended the workshops was overwhelmingly positive and showed an appetite for more.
鈥淕reat fun, wish it was longer.鈥�
鈥淓xcellent afternoon. Well explained, held the kids鈥� attention and the adults鈥�!鈥�
鈥淲hat a brilliant hour of chemistry, it was great how the experiments complimented each other.鈥�
鈥淭hank you so much, amazing experiments to get children into science and thinking about clean energy.鈥�
