Lesson 2 – Meet the Scientists (in computer room)

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If you haven’t booked a computer room for this lesson, follow this link for a lesson based in a classroom.

Students will be finding out about the scientists this lesson.

There are 25 MRC researchers and support staff on the site, so it may be best to have a look before the lesson and print the profiles of the people you would like to focus on in your subject.

Starter

Class discussion (you could put the zone home page on the screen as a stimulus here)

• What did the students find out in their homework?
• Whose profiles did they look at?
• What do they think of the scientists so far?
• Have any of your students’ questions been answered yet?
• Write a list of questions you could ask the scientists to find out more about their work – keep these for the next activity.

Main activities – Meet the scientists

If students haven’t set up their accounts yet, generate student registration link and share it with the class.

1. Get students logged onto the site individually or in small groups.

• Ask students to read the profiles of at least 3 scientists (you could assign scientists to each student / group).
• What do they think about each scientist?
• What would they like to ask them on the site?

2. Class discussion (you could put the zone home page on the screen as a stimulus here)

• How does each scientist fare up against your top judgement criteria from lesson 1?
• Which scientist’s work do students find most interesting?
• Who would students VOTE for if they had to choose today?

3. Get students to plan 1 or 2 questions then ASK them on the site. 

Remind students there is a £20 prize for the best student questions so they should take their time thinking about what to post.

4. Students can VOTE now – if they change their mind later in the event, they can change their vote.

Plenary

Class discussion 

• Discuss what students have found out today.
• Brief students about the live chat lesson.

Suggested Homework

Students log on and ASK at a question to a scientist.