Pupils have been asking and investigating scientific questions whilst exploring the world of quantum science at St Margaret Mary’s R.C. Primary School in New Moston, using the Great Quantum World resources. 3 curated guided enquiries, for 5-7, 7-11 and 11-14 year-olds, allow the experience to reach out to all pupils, aligned to core curriculum goals for working scientifically, application of science concepts and use of mathematics.
How the enquiry came about
Launched in celebration of World Quantum Day 2024, the new book ‘Izzy Jones’s Quantum World’ is a collaboration between GSSfS and the Nanoscale Advanced Materials Engineering (NAME) programme. Written by the award-winning author Jules Pottle and illustrated by Rufus Cooper, this unique story follows Izzy as she tries to find her place in the world working through her anxieties and figuring out what she can and can’t control. The story exemplifies the concept of environmental variables in science and forms a hook for the Great Quantum World guided enquiry.
You can buy your own copy of Izzy Jones’ Quantum World through Amazon
Watch Jules Pottle’s story read with your class.
Introducing the concept of quantum in school
At St Margaret Mary’s, each class in school were introduced to the Great Quantum World by watching author Jules Pottle read her story of Izzy Jones’s Quantum World. Inspired pupils, teachers and teaching assistants then embraced the opportunity to ask scientific questions about the variables that Izzy encountered in the story and discuss which she was able to control.
Time to make connections and investigate!
Straight-to-class videos from NAME project quantum scientists Maddy and Jess, (part of the Great Quantum World resources) introduced each enquiry and pupils could not wait to get started on investigating their scientific questions using the same skills as the experts.
The younger pupils (aged 5-7 years) explored the question, ‘What conditions make the best spin for me?’ by investigating how different things they put on their feet affected the performance of a spin. After getting a little dizzy in their classrooms, they sorted their socks into categories of good, better and best. Excited discussions in class quickly turned to ‘but what else’ might affect the performance of the spins. The decision was made to further investigate, and pupils chose to change the environment by moving from the classroom carpet to the hall floor.
Older pupils (aged 7-11 years) investigated the question, ‘How does the environment affect how a paper spinner falls?’ Once again, starting in their classrooms, discussions and debates started bubbling and pupils were keen to repeat their investigations in different areas around school - inside and outside - exploring what conditions they could control and which were a little trickier!
“Today I worked like the scientists from quantum – I’m proud of that! I’d never heard of it before but by thinking about the variables I can’t control we’ve used the same skills today as the scientists on the videos! I can’t wait to tell my Dad!”
Lauren Dobie - Science Subject Lead at St Margaret Mary’s RC Primary School, New Moston
Impact on teachers
“It’s great to be able to promote an area of science that is typically quite difficult. Quantum physics is not a subject that primary teachers need to teach, but the resources provided in the guided enquiry allow us to empower our pupils to understand that they can work in a similar way to quantum scientists. It really has got pupils thinking carefully about variables.”
Izzy Jones’s Quantum World was created in collaboration with EPSRC NAME programme grant and Artful Fox Creatives.
With thanks to all staff and pupils at St Margaret Mary’s R.C. Primary School, New Moston for really making the Great Quantum World spin to life!
Photo credit: Chris Foster