Schools across the UK are being invited to sign-up for a free virtual and interactive lesson to round-off the summer term and ‘whisk’ students to experience the volcanoes of La Palma, Canary Islands. The immersive lesson aims to bring geography and the work of scientists to life in the classroom, as students get to meet a local volcanologist and hear about his important work keeping people safe.
The online lessons will be delivered live over Zoom by immersive learning resource, Lyfta, and will take place on Wednesday 6 July and Friday 8 July with sessions to suit older and younger learners. The session incorporates a human-centred short documentary film and interactive learning environments so students can virtually explore and take in the sights and sounds of an active volcano, the scientists’ control room and the local church.
Students will need to tread carefully as they walk in the shoes of the volcanologist and his team, learning about key geology concepts such as why volcanoes erupt, rock cycles and what causes volcanoes to appear in certain parts of the world.
Despite a career in science offering incredible variety and opportunities to make a positive impact on the world, many young people are unaware about the career options in the industry. Part of the challenge is a lack of accessible work experience opportunities, particularly for young people living in remote and disadvantaged regions in the UK. For example, research by the British Science Association found that 29 per cent of young Londoners would consider a career in science, compared to just 17 per cent of young people in the North East.
Without these opportunities to experience the world of STEM, it is difficult for young people to aspire to a career in the science field.
Immersive storytelling
Serdar Ferit, co-founder and co-CEO at Lyfta, said: “Our aim is to provide experiences that give every student equal opportunities to experience new things and develop their cultural capital, no matter their geographic location or background. Through immersive storytelling, students can virtually travel to the Canary Islands and experience a day in the life of a science professional, ask questions and find out more about volcanology.”
“The free, immersive lessons provide teachers with a fun way to supplement geography content and bring learning to life for students, particularly those who might be curious about what a scientist does and how they started in the field. Being able to apply theory and knowledge to real-world scenarios is essential if we want to inspire the next generation of brilliant science thinkers and innovators.”
The free, immersive lessons will take place on Wednesday 6 July for primary schools and Friday 8 July for secondary schools.
For more information and to register a class for the live ‘We live amongst volcanoes’ lesson, please visit: https://www.lyfta.com/blog-storage/end-of-term-primary-activities
