View all news

At the heart of the matter

Press release issued: 23 May 2007

Primary school pupils from Portishead will be some of the first children in the country to experience Bristol University’s new mobile laboratory when they take part in a demonstration exploring the inner workings of the heart this Friday [25 May].

Primary school pupils from Portishead will be some of the first children in the country to experience Bristol University’s new mobile laboratory when they take part in a demonstration exploring the inner workings of the heart this Friday [25 May].

Around 120 year 5 and 6 pupils from St Peters Primary School will have the chance to discover how the heart works in a special interactive demonstration in the Mobile Teaching Unit which is a joint initiative funded by the University’s two Centres for Excellence in Teaching and Learning – AIMS and Bristol ChemLabS.  Pupils will be able to listen to their own heart beat and pulse, as well as finding out how physiologists record the electrical activity of the heart.

A 30 minute hands-on session with images, models, and clinical equipment including an ECG machine will be given by University staff Sarah Gosling from the Department of Anatomy and Lauren Hughes from the Department of Physiology.

The AIMS (Applied and Integrated Medical Sciences) and ChemLabS Mobile Teaching Unit provides an innovative way to deliver outreach activities where pupils can engage in hands-on anatomy, physiology and chemistry demonstrations.

Dr Lauren Hughes, AIMS CETL Research Assistant in Teaching and Learning, said: "The Mobile Teaching Unit is a great resource to be able to take science out of the laboratory and into schools. Children of all ages are fascinated about how their bodies work and now they have the opportunity to actually hear their own heart beat and learn how things such as exercise can help keep them healthy. The visit is designed to be a hands-on learning experience that the children should really enjoy.”

The AIMS and ChemLabS Mobile Teaching Unit will arrive at St Peters Primary School, Hallet’s Way, Portishead, Bristol, at 8 am on Friday, 25 May.  Teaching sessions will begin at 9 am until 3 pm.

 

Further information

Please contact Caroline Clancy for further information.
Edit this page