The PEASAT Project

The Darwin Centre Working With Schools in Pembrokeshire

The PEASAT Project is a partnership between Pembrokeshire College and Pembrokeshire Darwin Science Festival, made possible by funding from Dragon LNG.

Over the next five years every school will have the opportunity for their year 6 pupils to attend science based field event with a follow up workshop.

River Sampling

A morning spent sampling the river brings environmental science into a world the children can understand and experience. They will get really wet whilst measuring the speed of the river, creating a profile of the river bed and discovering who lives in rivers like these.

 

The workshop explains the use of identification charts to calculate the cleanliness of the river. The children are involved in a discussion on the global water cycle and carry out an experiment to demonstrate condensation and the presence of water vapour.

Energy

A visit to Carew Tidal Mill is a fascinating start to the topic of energy production. A guided tour by the National Parks captures the imaginations of all and reminds us how much natural energy there is in the environment for us to use.

The workshop allows the children to understand modern methods of energy production, with a demonstration of a steam engine and hand's on experience with electromagnets. They will discuss their understanding of the energy used during their daily life and how and why it is important for us to reduce our energy use.

 

Climate Change

Sid Howells, a Geologist with CCW helps to teach the children about the natural phenonment that is climate change. We demonstrate that the environment contains proof of global temperature change through millenia, including a special visit to a site protected by European designation.

The workshop discusses the greenhouse effect and the man made causes of recent climate change.

 

 

Marine Litter

Keep Wales Tidy bring their experience of beach cleans to our marine litter field event. The children examine the beach and collect any litter, whilst considering how the litter ended up on the beach.

 

 

The workshop considers the different types of litter found, how we can reduce the litter on our beaches and the damage that can be caused. Most schools on this event will be offered the opportunity to create a poster about their experiences which will be displayed at the beach.

Life in a rockpool

A visit to St Brides Haven to explore the rock pools is a fantastic introduction to coastal wildlife, food webs and habitats. The children each have a seive to help them collect fish, prawns, and shrimps, often three species of crab are found and if lucky we might discover starfish.

The workshop provides the pupils with an opportunity to use and become confident with microscopes, before they are study a sample of plankton to help them understand the importance of microscopic plants and creatures in the food chains.