: Spring Bulbs

Bulbathon 2015

Danielle Cowell, 6 November 2014

A planting day of bulbous proportions!

Eleven thousand and three hundred bulbs were planted by school scientists across the UK to kick start the Spring Bulbs for Schools investigation. Seven and a half thousand pupils from one hundred and seventy nine schools got planting to investigate climate change.

Here is a map to show you where the bulbs were planted.

Here are some of the pictures they sent in. Follow their progress and the questions they raise as they record the local weather and flowering through the winter and into the spring.

Professor Plant

Welsh Super Scientists

Catalena Angele, 8 July 2014

Ysgol Clocaenog in Denbighshire was awarded first place out of sixty nine Welsh schools taking part in the Museum's Spring Bulbs for Schools investigation this year.

The Super Scientists won a fun-packed trip to the National Slate Museum where they learnt about the Story of Slate, looked for mini-beasts and built giant nests in the quarry!

Professor Plant: “Ysgol Clogaenog did really well in the Spring Bulbs investigation and sent in the most weather data out of all the schools in Wales! This really was an achievement as schools are getting better and better at recording and sending their data. It was lovely to meet the Super Scientists from Ysgol Clocaenog, we had lots of fun building nests and pretending to be little birds! We also learnt lots about Slate and I especially enjoyed watching the slate splitting!”

If you would like to take part in this project next term please complete the on-line application form:

Spring Bulbs for Schools - Application form

Flower Drawing Competition 2014

Catalena Angele, 30 May 2014

Congratulation to the winners of the Flower Drawing Competition 2014! Here are their excellent botanical illustrations.

  • 1st: Abbey – Coppull Parish Church School
  • 2nd: Louise – SS Philip and James CE Primary School (Pink 3)
  • 3rd: Amelie – Stanford in the Vale CE Primary School

In this competition I was looking for botanical illustrations – these are pictures of plants drawn in a scientific way. This means I was looking for beautiful pictures but they also needed clear labels to show the different parts of the flower.

All of the drawing sent in were really fantastic, so I have put them all on our website for you to see! Well done to all of you.

Click here to view all the drawings.

Many thanks,

Prof P

Spring Bulb for Schools: Results 2005-2014

Catalena Angele, 27 May 2014

The ‘Spring Bulbs for Schools’ project allows 1000s of schools scientists to work with Amgueddfa Cymru-National Museum Wales to investigate and understand climate change.

Since October 2005, school scientists have been keeping weather records and noting when their flowers open, as part of a long-term study looking at the effects of temperature on spring bulbs.

Certificates have now been sent out to all the 4,075 pupils that completed the project this year.

See Professor Plant's reports or download the spreadsheet to study the trends for yourself!

  • Make graphs & frequency charts or calculate the mean.
  • See if the flowers opened late in schools that recorded cold weather.
  • See how temperature, sunshine and rainfall affect the average flowering dates.
  • Look for trends between different locations.
     
Many Thanks

Professor Plant

www.museumwales.ac.uk/scan/bulbs

Twitter http://twitter.com/Professor_Plant

Super Scientist Awards 2014

Catalena Angele, 28 April 2014

Ninety five schools across the UK will be awarded Super Scientist Certificates from Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales this year, in recognition of their contribution to the Spring Bulbs – Climate Change Investigation.

Huge Congratulations to all these schools! They are listed below, is your school listed?

Thank you to every one of the 4200 pupils who helped this year! Thank you for working so hard planting, observing, measuring and recording - you really are Super Scientists! Each one of you will receive a certificate and Super Scientist pencil, these will be sent to your school around the middle of May.

Many thanks to the Edina Trust for funding this project and helping to make this all happen!

 

Winners 2014

Well done to our three winners for sending in the most weather data! Each will receive a class trip of fun-packed nature activities.

  • Ysgol Clocaenog in Wales
  • Abronhill Primary School in Scotland
  • Dallas Road Community Primary School in England

 

Runners Up

Each school will receive a gift voucher to purchase lovely things for your gardening projects.

  • Ysgol Gynradd Cross Hands in Wales
  • Wormit Primary School in Scotland
  • The Blessed Sacrament Catholic Primary School in England

 

Highly commended

Each school will receive certificates, pencils, flower seeds and herb seeds.

  • Abergwili VC Primary
  • Archbishop Hutton's Primary School
  • Arkholme CE Primary School
  • Balshaw Lane Community Primary School
  • Bleasdale CE Primary School
  • Burscough Bridge Methodist School
  • Carnforth North Road Primary School
  • Christchurch CP School
  • Combe Primary School
  • Coppull Parish Church School
  • Cutteslowe Primary School
  • Darran Park Primary
  • Freuchie Primary School
  • Gladestry C. in W. Primary
  • Glyncollen Primary
  • Kilmaron School
  • Raglan VC Primary
  • SS Philip and James CE Primary School
  • St Athan Primary School
  • St Blanes Primary School
  • St Ignatius Primary School
  • St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Leyland
  • St Mellons Church in Wales Primary School
  • St Michael's CE (Aided) Primary School
  • St Nicholas Primary School
  • St Patrick's Primary School
  • Stanford in the Vale CE Primary School
  • Ysgol Bro Eirwg
  • Ysgol Deganwy

 

Schools with special recognition

Each school will receive, certificates, pencils and flower seeds.

  • Auchengray Primary School
  • Britannia Community Primary School
  • Cawthorne's Endowed Primary School
  • Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor
  • Culross Primary School
  • Greyfriars RC Primary School
  • Holy Trinity CE Primary School
  • John Cross CE Primary School
  • Llanishen Fach Primary School
  • Red Marsh School
  • St Anne's Catholic Primary School
  • St Laurence CE Primary School
  • Woodplumpton St. Anne's Primary School
  • Ysgol Gynradd Dolgellau
  • Ysgol Terrig
  • Ysgol Y Plas

 

Schools to be awarded certificates

Each school will receive Super Scientist Certificates and pencils.

  • All Saints' CE Primary School
  • Balcurvie Primary School
  • Ballerup Nursery
  • Blenheim Road Community Primary School
  • Brockholes Wood Community Primary School
  • Brynhyfryd Junior School
  • Catforth Primary School
  • Chatelherault Primary School
  • Cleddau Reach VC Primary School
  • Cobbs Brow Primary School
  • Coed-y-Lan Primary School
  • Flakefleet Primary School
  • Glencairn Primary School
  • Golden Hill School
  • Henllys C/W Primary
  • Hillside Specialist School
  • Ladywell Primary School
  • Lakeside Primary
  • Lea Community School
  • Manor Road Primary School
  • Manor School
  • Milford Haven Junior School
  • Newport Primary School
  • Pinfold Primary School
  • RAF Benson Primary School
  • Rogiet Primary School
  • Rougemont Junior School
  • Scotforth St Paul's CE Primary School
  • St Bernadette's Primary School
  • St Gregory's Catholic Primary School
  • St John's CE Primary School
  • St Nicholas C/W primary school
  • Trellech Primary School
  • Tynewater Primary School
  • Woodstock CE Primary School
  • Ysgol Bro Tawe
  • Ysgol Glan Cleddau
  • Ysgol Iau Hen Golwyn
  • Ysgol Nant y Coed
  • Ysgol Rhys Prichard
  • Ysgol Santes Tudful
  • Ysgol Sychdyn
  • Ysgol Y Berllan Deg
  • Ysgol Y Faenol

 

Daffodil Drawing Competition 2014

Congratulations to the following pupils who produced some excellent botanical drawings! Winners will receive Bird watching kits with mini binoculars.

  • 1st: Abbey – Coppull Parish Church School
  • 2nd: Louise – SS Philip and James CE Primary School (Pink 3)
  • 3rd: Amelie – Stanford in the Vale CE Primary School

 

Well done, you have all done an AMAZING job.

Professor Plant