Discovery Days
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Discovery Days are extension learning courses for individuals which provide young people aged 11-15 (school years 7-10) with an opportunity to apply and stretch their existing knowledge and intelligence in a series of multi-disciplinary challenges linked to subject specific concepts at Key Stages 3-4.
The emphasis is on introducing new knowledge, ideas and approaches in practical hands-on activities from the multi-disciplinary subject of archaeology to contribute to on-going studies and project work in most curriculum subjects. In addition, skills developed during Discovery Days will contribute to Gifted and Talented programmes, STEM clubs and Citizenship studies. Discovery Days aim to provide 'beacon' learning experiences which will be enthusiastically remembered by pupils as highlights within their study of core curriculum topics.
Discovery Days are taught by experts from the University of Cambridge led by Dr Carenza Lewis, well-known from Channel 4's Time Team and BBC's Story of England. Dr Lewis is Director of Access Cambridge Archaeology at the University of Cambridge with more than 20 years experience of making archaeology enjoyable, inspiring and educational.
Discovery Days will enable you and your pupils to meet and work with staff and undergraduates at the University of Cambridge, raising achievement and aspirations and increasing awareness among young people from all backgrounds of the opportunities offered by Higher Education.
Both the school group and individual Discovery Days take place 9:30am - 3:30pm in Unversity lecture rooms in the city centre of Cambridge. For up-to-date information on place availability please see our Programme of Events
Curriculum Extension Learning Courses for School Groups 2011-2012
Discovery Days for school groups during term time. The dates available for these can be seen in the table below.
Date |
Course |
Year Group |
| Autumn Term 2011 | ||
| Weds 2nd November | Archaeology in History 1 | 7 & 8 |
| Weds 9th November | Archaeology in History 1 | 9 & 10 |
| Weds 16th November | Archaeology in Science 1 | 7, 8 & 9 |
| Weds 23rd November | Archaeology in Science 2 | 7, 8 & 9 |
| Weds 30th November | Archaeology in Science 3 | 7, 8 & 9 |
| Weds 7th December | Archaeology in Geography 1 | 7, 8 & 9 |
| Weds 14th December | Archaeology in History 2 | 10 |
| Spring Term 2012 | ||
| Weds 11th January | Archaeology in History 1 | 7 & 8 |
| Weds 18th January | Archaeology in History 1 | 9 & 10 |
| Weds 25th January | Archaeology in Science 1 | 7, 8 & 9 |
| Weds 1st February | Archaeology in Science 2 | 7, 8 & 9 |
| Weds 8th February | Archaeology in Science 3 | 7, 8 & 9 |
| Weds 22nd February | Archaeology in Geography 1 | 7, 8 & 9 |
| Weds 29th February | Archaeology in History 2 | 10 |
Staff Comments 2010-11
'I have been very impressed by how challenging and stimulating the day has been, I look forward to bringing students to attend other courses to build on this experience.'
'All sessions flowed well into each other to build upon children's knowledge and thinking skills. Thanks for a fabulously exciting day!'
To download further information about these courses and how to book a place, please click here.
For an application form for school group Discovery Day bookings please click here.
Individual Holiday Extension Learning Courses 2011-2012
Discovery Days for individuals are run during the school hoidays in partnership withExcellence East, a national charity supporting able, gifted and talented learners and those involved in their education. The charity offers exciting courses, online resources and interesting case study materials from across the Eastern region. The Discovery Day dates available can be seen in the table below.
 |
Date |
Course |
Year Group |
| Mon 13th February 2012 | Time Travel for Beginners | 7 - 9 |
| Tues 14th February 2012 | The Bones in the Garden | 7 - 9 |
Student Comments 2010-11
'It was a different way of learning and different things taught compared to school.'
'It is very fun and helps you to understand a lot of historical things. It makes you think about the past and the future.'
To download further information about these courses and how to book a place, please click here.
For an application form for individual Discovery Day bookings please click here.
'Discovering the Past around Us' Photography Competition 2011-12
Access Cambridge Archaeology has launched a photography competition, open only to Discovery Day participants, on the theme of ‘Discovering the Past around Us’. Once you start to think like an archaeologist, you will be amazed at how many traces of the past you can still find in the places, things and people around us today and we would love to see some photographs of what you find.
You might photograph an historic building, someone wearing period costume, a museum artefact, a public monument, an antique from someone’s home, a landscape view or even something dug up in your garden! These are only suggestions of where you might start to look but you may find something else entirely which makes you think about bygone times in a new and different light. We’re not looking for a particular type of image or subject but for photographs that show or represent what you see of the past around you.
Judging
Submissions will be judged in two categories: camera and camera phone. A winner and three runners up will be selected for each category.
Prizes
First prize: A selection of University of Cambridge memorabilia as well as a certificate and main feature on our website.
Runners up: Certificates and appearance on our website.
Deadline
Entries must be submitted by THURSDAY 1ST MARCH 2012.
Who can enter?
Any students who attended a Discovery Day in the academic year 2011-12.
How to submit entries
- Ensure that you have read and understood the competition rules and guidelines (below).
You may submit up to five images but each photograph must be accompanied by its own submission form which can be downloaded here.
Rules
- The competition is open to all attendees of the 2011-12 Discovery Days.
- Entries must be submitted by completing the application form on our website and emailing a high resolution copy of the image to access@arch.cam.ac.uk by 12 noon on Thursday 1st March 2012.
- Each photograph may only be entered once and must be accompanied by a submission form with all sections completed and the declaration ticked.
- Images must be submitted as jpeg files. Each image file name must match the photograph title given on the accompanying submission form.
- Entries must be the photographer’s own work and taken within the last year.
Guidelines
- We’re not looking for a particular type of image or subject but for photographs that show or represent what you see of the past around you.
- You may submit up to five images but each picture may only be entered once and must be accompanied by a separate submission form.
- Please be considerate when taking photographs, both of anyone who may be disrupted by the photography and of anyone who appears in the picture(s) – you are responsible for ensuring that they understand what the picture is for, that it may appear on ACA’s printed publications and websites or external publications, and that they consent to be featured.
We look forward to receiving your entries.