The Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining Schools Affiliate Scheme

The Schools Affiliate Scheme has been running since 1999 and aims to support the teaching of the materials, minerals and mining related topics in the secondary curriculum and promote careers in these fields as rewarding, challenging and exciting. Membership of the Scheme cost £30 for a full twelve months.

Members of the Scheme receive an annual teaching resource which for the 2008-2009 academic year is a reference guide to the shape memory alloy, Nitinol and its constituent metals, nickel and titanium. They also receive the monthly journal of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining, Materials World, and a termly newsletter specifically written for members and containing details of courses, new resources, technical articles and a copy of the visit diary.

By far the most popular aspect of Scheme membership is access to a member of the Education Team to visit your school or college and work with your students. A wide range of presentations are available and these can be tailored to your year group and class size.

For more information about the Scheme or booking a visit please contact anita.horton@iom3.org.

Student Starpack Design Awards for Schools 2010

NOW OPEN FOR ENTRIES

Cash prizes of up to £500 for the award winning schools and up to £50 for individual students!

It is pretty unlikely that any career-conversations have ever included packaging as an option, although packaging is in constant discussion in regard to materials and waste in the environment, and in retailing where most consumer goods advertise product using pack images.

The Schools briefs are aimed at Key Stage 3, 4 and AS level, individual or joint activity, depending on the brief.

Insect/Small Reptile Pet Carrier - design and produce a new style functional and safe travel pack for insects and/or small reptiles.

New ‘Ribena’ Drink in a Bottle - design a new shaped bottle to replace the current carton packaging on sale.

Materials Research Brief – Interactive POS/Display Unit for Apple i-phone - design an interactive Point-Of-Sale / Merchandising Unit to display and promote the phone and this new product.

Themed/Fun Chocolate Gift Pack - design and produce a new distinctive and fun chocolate pack to contain between 4 and 6 specialist chocolates

For more information or a brochure contact rachel.brooks@iom3.org or alternatively details are now available on the website, http://www.iom3.org/starpack/schools.

Colin Humphreys Education Award 2010

Nominations are now open for the 2010 Colin Humphreys Education Award. This award recognises the contribution made to enhancing students’ scientific / technological literacy through the teaching or support of the materials, minerals or mining topics in the 11-19 curriculum, within the secondary or FE sectors. Nominations are open to members and non members and will require a statement of achievement. The recipient will receive a medal which will be presented at the Institute’s main awards dinner in summer 2010.

For more information and a nomination form please contact Rachel Brooks on 01476 513885 or email Rachel.brooks@iom3.org.

The winner of the Colin Humphreys Education Award for 2009 was Jim Jenner a D&T teacher at Northgate High School in Ipswich. The judging committee felt that Jim had repeatedly gone above and beyond the call of duty to enhance his students’ experiences of materials.

Nanotechnology – small world, big ideas

13 October 2010, IOM3 Grantham

At a recent meeting where teachers were present we were told that some schools need nine to twelve months notice of events in order to be able to book them in to the school calendar and get permission to have time out of the classroom. So here is your advance notice!!

On Wednesday 13 October 2010 we are planning to run the next in our series of conferences for teachers on Nanotechnology. We know that this is a pretty hot topic at the moment and have had many requests for information from science teachers in particular. The idea of this full day event is to give you all the information you need so that you can teach this area of the curriculum confidently. Lectures will describe exactly what nanotechnology and nanomaterials involve, the hazards associated with them and where they are already used and might be used in the future.

The event will be held at our new facility in Grantham and will once again be free for any teacher from a SAS member school to attend.

The full programme will be launched at the ASE meeting in January and these will also appear on the website, so watch this space...