Key Stage 3 students at Cockermouth School enjoyed an action-packed day of science, thanks to an engaging programme organised by the REACT Foundation, with generous sponsorship from RWE and Cumbria County Council.
The sessions were led by Usmaa from the Royal Institution, who delivered three dynamic workshops — one for each year group in Key Stages 3 (Years 7, 8 and 9). Through a series of exciting demonstrations, students explored the fascinating world of energy transformations — learning how one energy store decreases as another increases.
From launching rockets to illustrate the conversion of chemical energy into kinetic energy, to firing steel ball bearings with magnets, each experiment brought scientific concepts vividly to life.
The day concluded with an evening community event, ‘The Science of Rockets’, which attracted around 120 attendees. The show featured several of the same high-energy demonstrations, alongside new experiments that captured the imagination of children and adults alike. One memorable moment saw young volunteers (and their parents!) attempt to separate two interleaved phone books — a fun and surprising demonstration of friction and force. Despite their best efforts, the phone books stayed firmly locked together!
It was a fantastic day of learning and discovery, sparking curiosity and enthusiasm for science across the school and local community.