Knowsley Disability Concern’s BIG Science Club starts with a bang!

Our Outreach Fund supported a Liverpool charity to run a science club for adults with learning disabilities.

By Joyce Greaves

The BIG Science Club is the latest in a number of free community projects, education programmes and fun activities designed and developed by Knowsley Disability Concern (KDC) in partnership with members of the charity’s Being Involved Group (BIG) of adults with learning difficulties.

Supported by a highly experienced, qualified science teacher, 17 people with learning disabilities have been enjoying taking part in a short series of interactive and stimulating sessions, both virtually and face to face. With ages ranging from 27 to 65, this was the first time that participants had been offered a chance to engage with science and chemistry in everyday life. 

Practical experiments, arts and crafts, quizzes and interactive video sessions brought a range of scientific subjects to life, stimulating people’s imagination and interest in learning more about the world of science around us.

The theme of chemistry in our homes looked at where we might find chemicals around the house, and how some of these chemicals work. Participants experimented with soap boats and ‘magic pepper’ to show how detergents work, and watched demonstrations on the action of indigestion tablets and baking powder. A session on colour and flames included chromatography experiments and extracting the colour from Skittles where participants really did ‘see the rainbow’. Climate change sessions focused on global warming, deforestation and the over-use of plastics, with the help from Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax, and practical activities and artwork, including making eco-bricks.

A sunflower growing competition, launched on 5th March to celebrate British Science Week has helped raise awareness of the project within the wider community and members of the BIG Group are now busy collecting bottles and making eco-bricks to build a greenhouse for KDC’s gardening project.