 | |  | | The Centre is involved in conducting various activities to promote science and take it to the masses. | | | | | Top | | Open House | | | Open house is a Sunday programme, open for all, where the visitors get an opportunity to try their hands at the Centre's facilities right from its interactive exhibition space- the Quadrangle to the biology, chemistry, mathematics and physics laboratories as well as audio-visual facilities in the computer laboratory. The Quadrangle consists of a collection of hundreds of models, exhibits, teaching aids and experiments. Students as well as teachers avail the benefits of the Centre's laboratory facilities to perform investigatory activities on their own. | | | | | | | | Top | | School and Student Visits | | | This programme is conducted for schools and student groups visiting the Centre. Keeping in mind the varying needs of different kinds of groups visiting the Centre, activities are developed especially for this purpose. | | | In order to facilitate these school groups, the Centre's team of facilitators take them through different departments. Several exciting experiments in Science and Mathematics, Science shows, Science movie shows etc. have been integrated in this programme. The schools, institutions and groups willing to visit the Centre can do so by pre-registering their visit. | | | | For registration and further information, Contact Us or write to us at info@vascsc.org. | | | | | | | | | Top | | Science Projects | | | The Centre has been helping out both individual students as well as student groups to perform curriculum-based experiments as well as projects. This programme is conducted throughout the year during weekdays. Guidance and facilities for performing the experiments and projects is provided by the Centre's experts. The students and teachers are encouraged to perform various projects applicable to their school curricula and other interesting ones. This programme has been most beneficial to high school students in fulfilling their school projects. | | | | | | | | | | | | | For registration and further information, Contact Us or write to us at info@vascsc.org. | | | | | | Top | | Summer Programmes | | | These programmes are conducted during the school summer breaks from April to June every year. Interesting and hands-on activities in fields like computers, physics, chemistry, applied mathematics, astronomy and biology make these programmes highly sought-after. | | | Summer programmes are announced during the month of April. The details are then available on the Centre's notice board as well as on the website. | | | | Click here for the schedule of Summer Programmes conducted during 2006. | | | | | | | | Top | | Teacher Training Programmes | | | Computer | The Education Department, Government of Gujarat has designated VASCSC as one of the recognized training Centres for computer training. Training programmes for secondary and higher secondary computer teachers are conducted through pre-announced batches. | | Further information can be availed from the Computer department or mail us at info@vascsc.org. | | | | Mathematics | Training workshops for teachers have been designed with a participatory approach, keeping in mind the difficulties that the teachers come across. Making of teaching aids and models which can be used for effective teaching is complemented with brainstorming sessions with experts from the Centre and resource people invited from various renowned institutions. | | Further information can be availed from the Mathematics laboratory or mail us at info@vascsc.org. | | | | | | | | | Top | | Thematic Programmes | | | | Apart from the Core programmes that are regular features of the Centre, it also conducts various programmes that are based upon a particular theme but again the aim lies in making science interesting and enjoyable. Some of these programmes include: | | | | Top | | Advanced B.Sc. | | | | | The Advanced B.Sc. Programme in Physics has been initiated by Vikram A. Sarabhai Community Science Centre and Gujarat Science Academy with an aim of orienting motivated B.Sc. students towards the field of research. A rigorous content session gives them an edge over the regular college physics syllabus. | | | | In addition, the programme also includes exposure visits, presentation sessions by students, assignment solving, projects etc. | | | Students from First - Second year B.Sc and Engineering can enrol themselves for this programme in the months of June and October. | | | | | | | | | For further information Contact Us or write to us at info@vascsc.org. | | | List of a few projects undertaken by students | | Calculation of Zeeman splitting, Institute for Plasma Research | | Matrix inversition technique to get emissivity profile, Institute for Plasma Research | | Overview of the Aditya Charge Exchange Diagnostics, Institute for Plasma Research | | Wavelet Analysis of Solar Flux Data, Physical Research Laboratory | | Non-linear differential equation which leads to chaos, Physical Research Laboratory | | Introduction to general relativity, Physical Research Laboratory | | | | |  | | | Top | | Kite Festival | | | | | The Kite Festival is organised during January to mark the occasion of Uttarayan-the kite festival of Gujarat . The aim of the programme is to encourage small children to develop their own innovative skills in kite making. The effort is to bring to light the science behind kite-making and flying and make them aware of the cultural practices associated with the festival. | | | |  | | | Top | | Model Rocketry | | | VASCSC runs the Model Rocketry Club that deals with solid fuel rocketry and water booster rocketry. The latter has been launched recently. | | | Special workshops and competitions are organized for budding rocketeers. These workshops aim to train them in the process of fabrication and designing of model rockets and rocket launching. | | | | | | | | Top | | National Astronomy Olympiad | | | VASCSC is one of the nodal centres for conducting the preliminary test for the National Astronomy Olympiad. This test is held during November every year, for both Junior and Senior categories. | | | | | | Top | | 'Mathemagic' Mathematics Exhibition | | | The Centre has developed a large-scale mathematics exhibition, which is targeted at the secondary school children and teachers. This exhibition comprises about 160 mathematical models, 150 other exhibit material, teaching aids, mathematics puzzles, charts, photo exhibition on the works of eminent mathematicians and their valuable contributions etc. | | | | | | | | Top | | Science Clubs | | | In order to maximize interaction with the community both at the Centre as well as schools, the Centre has been running various clubs which act as a source of encouragement to students as well as teachers to start similar programmes at their respective schools. Club activities at the Centre are generally carried out at the weekends. The Clubs' activities include: | | | | | | | | Top | | Astronomy Club | | | The universe and celestial events have always been a source of wonderment to all. The inquisitiveness to know about the various phenomena occurring in space has made this club popular. Regular activities of this club include night sky viewing, special programmes on star-gazing and moon charting, using star maps, constellation tracing, making astronomical models and puzzles. Other activities include member-scientist meet, lecture sessions on various topics of astronomy and audio-visual sessions. | | | | For further information contact us at info@vascsc.org | | | | | | Top | | Model Rocketry Club | | | Model Rocketry Club at the Centre consists of Primary Model Rocketry Club & Teenager's Model Rocketry Club. The activities conducted in these clubs teach children to independently model a rocket (Single stage, Double stage, Water Booster) from readily available raw material like paper, glue, crackers etc. Different aspects of rocketry are covered in the theory sessions. A chance to experiment and construct their own rockets instills self-confidence in the members . The club also organizes competitions for wide-scale participation. | | | | Model Rocketry Workshops are also conducted for interested educational institutes on request. | | | | For further information contact us at info@vascsc.org | | | | | | Top | | Science Hobby Club | | | The Science Hobby Club conducts activities for both juniors and seniors. Activities include performing simple science experiments and puzzle solving. The participants get an opportunity to make working models of simple science toys like Windmill, Clap in the air, Acrobatic Capsule, Boomerang Cross, Runway Wheel, Jacobs Ladder and Periscopes, Lens Camera, Stroboscope, Mobius Strip, Tangram puzzle, etc. A great attraction is that they get a chance to use different tools and instruments. Children make these gadgets on their own from simple material like card paper, scissor, glue, cutter, lens, etc. | | | | For further information contact us at info@vascsc.org | | | | | | Top | | KEM Club | | | The 'Kem Club' provides an avenue to chemistry enthusiasts for carrying out innovative chemistry experiments. Especially created to keep the interest alive in Chemistry, this club conducts activities and sessions like precautions in KEM Laboratory, basic chemistry experiments, film shows, exposure visits to institutes and industries, workshop on cracker making, children-expert interactive sessions, group discussions, chemistry news collection, etc. | | | | For further information contact us at info@vascsc.org | | | | | | Top | | Saturday Science Forum | | | This club provides the students an opportunity to participate in a range of exciting activities like nature trips, night sky viewing, developing maths and science models, paper plane making, educational visits, biology experiments, sessions on geology, basic computers, etc which make them learn science with fun. | | | The participants also get an opportunity to make science projects under the guidance of experts from the Centre as well as from outside. | | | | For further information contact us at info@vascsc.org | | | | | | | | Top | | Outreach Programmes | | | | Science on Wheels | | | This programme has been developed to take the Centre's innovations to more and more people. | | | 'Science on Wheels' provides a platform to work with voluntary organizations, schools and shikshan sankuls in rural and urban areas and propagate the Centre's learning methodologies through exhibitions, workshops and orientation sessions. | | | This is a tailor made programme and can be designed for any educational institution aiming at quality science education. | | | | | | | Top | | Mathematics/Science/Model Rocketry Workshop | | | The centre conducts Mathematics/Science/Model Rocketry workshops for schools on request. | | | The Mathematics/Science workshop is basically conducted with mathematics and science teachers of the schools who are given guidance on how to make mathematics and science learning more exciting and innovative. They are trained to prepare models, teaching aids from simple raw material like paper, cardboard, glue, etc. through hands-on model making sessions. | | | The Model Rocketry workshop teach the participants to independently model a rocket (Single stage, Double stage, Water Booster) from readily available raw material like paper, glue, crackers etc. followed by launching of their rockets. | | | These workshops can be tailor-made according to the varying needs of different schools. For further details, Contact Us or mail us at info@vascsc.org. | | | | | | Top | | Nature Trips | | | Nature trips are organised for children of various age groups to different destinations like nature parks, sanctuaries, museums, natural heritage sites, botanical gardens, etc. Activities like bird watching, habitat research, biodiversity survey, measurement of tree height, web of life, etc. formed an exciting part of these nature trips. Snake shows are also organised as a part of this programme. | | | Announcement of these trips are put up on the notice board at the Centre as well as on the website, details of which are available at the Centre's administration office. | | | | | | | | Top | | Tsunami Awareness Programme | | | The Centre has developed a 'Science behind Tsunami' programme based on middle school science curriculum, which includes a mini-laboratory with several units consisting of hands-on exhibits and models, where experiments can be performed as well as a set of informative posters to go with each unit. | | | This would allow, at any given time, approximately 45 students to explore basic concepts related to dynamics like inertia, mass, velocity, scalar and vector quantities, energy, force, motion, friction, momentum, etc. and relate the knowledge to occurrence of a Tsunami. | | | | | | | | Top | | Mobile Science Exhibitions | | | This programme aims at providing laboratories and exhibitions on wheels which could be taken around to the rural areas. | | Theme-based exhibitions like environment exhibition, tsunami science as well as Astro-shows, Science melas , science shows are a part of these programmes. | | The innovative educational material/toys/exhibits developed at the Centre are utilized in these programmes, thus ensuring their wide reach. | | | | | | | | Top | | Setting up science and mathematics Laboratories in schools | | | Setting up a school Science and Mathematics laboratory is a programme being conducted in educational institutions all over the state and also in various other states on request. The prime focus is to orient teachers and motivated students to set up their own activity-oriented facility. Apart from identifying and setting up all the facilities for such laboratories, orientation and training workshops are conducted which make it possible for the schools to manage them on their own. | | | Theme-based exhibitions like environment exhibition, tsunami science as well as Astro-shows, Science melas , science shows are a part of these programmes. | | | | For further details, Contact Us or mail us at info@vascsc.org. | | | | | | Top | | Annual Events | | | The Centre is at the forefront of organizing science popularization events. In order to reach out to a wider range of people, the Centre organizes some events annually: | | | | Top | | Science Festival | | | The Centre organizes the 'Science Festival' in the month of February every year, to commemorate the 'National Science Day', which falls on February 28. | | | Over the years, the Centre has been involved in developing and disseminating non-formal methods of teaching and exploring science. The events focus on showcasing these, apart from organizing thematic science exhibitions, teacher-student interactive sessions, dissemination of kits and educational material etc. School students as well as local community visit this exhibition and participate in the events. | | | | | | Top | | Science is Fun | | | It is a week-long programme organized every year to commemorate the birth anniversary of Dr. Vikram A. Sarabhai, which falls on August 12. | | | Several science-based competitions are organized which include model making, science debate, quiz etc.for children of different age groups. In addition science model exhibitions, science graffiti, science experiment shows, astronights, science film shows etc. are conducted as a part of this programme. | | | A large number of school children from many schools in and around Ahmedabad city participate enthusiastically to make this event a success. | | | | | | Top | | Maths is Fun | | | 'Maths is Fun' is a week-long event based on mathematics. It is organized around the birth anniversary of Srinivas Ramanujan, a great mathematician of India , in December. Many college students and teachers from various schools and colleges participate in this event. | | | Organized since last two years, it includes competitions for school children and fun-filled activities like Mathematics Quiz, Debate, lecture programme, etc. | | | In addition to this, a series of lecture sessions by eminent mathematicians are also organized. | | | | | | Top | |