The art of science communication - Years 9 & 10

Students collect information from the exhibition with the intention of developing their own Scribbles animation.

What to do

Beyond Perception – seeing the unseen is an immersive experience that explores the areas of science and technology that rely on harnessing the microscopic and invisible forms of waves. There are five themes throughout the exhibition. They are: Waves at work, Cosmic events, Turbulent encounters, Energetic vibrations and Wrapped in spectrum. The science concepts in the exhibition are communicated through large, wall sized panels and short Scribbles animations narrated by scientists that help to clarify understanding of the topic.

Choose a focus from the list below that interests you.

• Developments in technology are often linked to scientific discoveries (Waves at work, Cosmic events, Wrapped in spectrum, Turbulent encounters)
• The motion of objects involves the interaction of forces (Turbulent encounters)
• The motion of objects involves the exchange of energy (Energetic Vibrations and Turbulent encounters)
• The forces necessary to make a heavy object fly (Turbulent encounters)
• Technology that enhances human vision beyond using visible light (Cosmic events, Wrapped in spectrum, Waves at work)

During your visit to the Beyond Perception exhibition, collect relevant information to your topic using an appropriate electronic device. Use this information together with a relevant App or program to design and create a two minute animation using the same style of animation found throughout the exhibition to present your work. Some suggested Apps include: “Explain Everything” or “Educreations” or PowerPoint or Movie maker can also be used. Before you start, you may want to refer to the instructions below for more guidance.

Back at school

• Story board your illustrations, images and video footage so that it tells a story, and explains your topic well.
• Write a script to go with your story board.
• Practise your narration and drawing before you record your audio and record a version you are happy with.
• Present your animation to the class.

Reflection

• How could you improve your footage?
• How much did you learn about the topic you covered?
• What did you learn about communicating science concepts this way?
• What did you learn about yourself? 

Advice to teachers

This task is designed for Year 9 and 10 students and links with the following curriculum areas: Physical Science, Science as a Human Endeavour, Creative and Critical Thinking, and Personal and Social. The students will need an appropriate electronic device (smart phone, iPod, iPad or digital camera) to collect relevant information, photos and video footage while visiting the exhibition to complete the task back at school. Some appropriate Apps and programs that your students can use are included, however other known Apps or Microsoft office programs may also be appropriate.

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