Lesson 1 – Introduction to the Hertford College Zone

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Lesson Objectives

  • Understand what the Hertford College Zone is
  • Consider a range of criteria and understand that different (important) values may need to be weighed against each other.
  • Develop a sense of democracy and how to decide how to cast a vote.
  • Discuss different viewpoints and understand that different values will be important to different people in the class.

Curriculum Links

  • Working scientifically — consider ethical, social and practical aspects of science.
  • Promotes democracy and SMSC development.

Resources

Starter: 15 minutes

  • Explain the Hertford College Zone activity briefly (use the information below and show the website on a projector or interactive whiteboard if possible).
  • Hand out pre-activity evaluation surveys for students to complete. Explain these will help the I’m a Scientist team to evaluate the impact of the zone throughout the year.

Activity: 30 minutes

  1. Display the criteria list. Use the interactive drag and drop list, or print the criteria cards for students to use in groups.
  2. Get the class to whittle down the most important criteria and write these on the board.
  3. Get the class to rank the five most important criteria — save this list for next lesson.

Support: Less justification necessary. Lead students into the rationale behind their decisions.

Extend: Ensure full justifications and explanations are given by students whenever they express an opinion.

Plenary: 5 minutes

Hand out login stickers and get students to stick in their planners and take a photo on their phone. Explain they will need to keep this information to log into the Zone over the year.
If you have time and access to computers, get students to log in and start setting up their own profiles on the Hertford College Zone website.

Extension: If students have questions for the scientists and researchers already, post them in ASK.

Suggested Homeword

  1. Log in to hertford19.iasuk.ddev.site and set up your profiles.
  2. Read some of the scientists’ and researchers’ profiles – what are they working on at the moment? — how does each person perform based on the criteria from today’s lesson?

What is the Hertford College Zone?

Read this to your students to brief them about the activity. It may help to have the Hertford Zone up on a projector or interactive whiteboard whilst you describe the activity.

You can also play the video introductions to profilesASK and CHAT .

I’m a Scientist, Hertford College Zone is an enrichment activity where students connect online with real scientists from Oxford University. In the Hertford College Zone, you’ll meet scientists and researchers from two of Oxford University’s colleges – Hertford and Wadham. 

Through reading the scientists’ profiles, taking part in termly live CHATs, and ASKing questions on anything you like, you can learn about the scientists’ work and follow their research over the year; learn about their lives and what they do outside work; and get advice on careers or university.

The Zone has four sections: Profiles, ASK, CHAT and VOTE.

The ten scientists and researchers taking part have written a bit about themselves on their profiles, for you to find out about them and their work. You also have your own profile, to let the scientists know a bit about you.

In ASK, you have the chance to ask the scientists whatever you like. Post your questions to the scientists at any time and they’ll try to answer by the next day. Leave an email address in your profile, and you’ll get an email to let you know you’ve been answered. Questions and answers in ASK stay on the site so have a look around and see what others have asked, and leave comments with your own opinions.

Each term, you’ll have a 30 minute live CHAT where you type your questions to the scientists and chat in real-time. It’s an opportunity to find out what it’s really like to study at Oxford University. You can expect to talk to two or three scientists in each chat, and can ask them anything you like!

You can also VOTE for your favourite scientist to be crowned the Termly Winner! You get a new vote each term and can change your vote at any time.

It’s a competition for students too!
Six students will win a £20 gift voucher for asking great questions and making the most of the activity. We’ll announce the winners throughout the year. You’ll also have a few short questions on your profile about you and what you think about science.

Logging into the site
You’ll get a sticker with a username and password which you’ll need every time you log in. Stick this into your planner, and take a photo on your phone, so you can easily access it all year.
When you log in you will be taken to your profile page. Click ‘Edit Profile’ to answer some questions about yourself and create your own display name. This will be shown on your questions in ASK and in the live chat, so don’t use your full name. Add your email address so we can tell you when your questions are answered and keep you up-to-date with the activity.

Take a look at the scientists’ and researchers’ profiles, read the questions already in the Zone and get started posting your own questions in ASK. Remember, the scientists are competing for your VOTE — who deserves it most?!

Don’t forget you can log in outside of school to post more questions to the scientists and leave comments on their answers.