A mobile planetarium hit the road to bring the stars, planets and wonders of space to Tshwane school children—the experience of a lifetime for many who otherwise would not be able to afford a planetarium trip:
Tshwane (22 November 2023) — The wonders of the sky recently visited 3500 school children in Tshwane thanks to a new mobile planetarium on the move.
For many schools who otherwise wouldn’t have been able to afford the logistics of such an interactive experience with the universe’s marvels; the visiting stars, planets and space curiosities offered the opportunity of a lifetime.
17 schools got to enjoy the space show where an inflatable white dome with projections of ‘the Earth and Beyond’ set the stage for a new generation of enlightenment and excitement.
However, taking Scie-Enza —the University of Pretoria’s science centre—to more young South Africans isn’t just about fun and stars, but helping schools with more resources and tools.
“The presentation was well-received and has helped many a learner to visualise some of the key concepts that they had already touched on in class,” shared Ms Puleng Tsie, Sci-Enza manager.
“Our role is to support schools and to provide them with teaching tools that they might not have on hand. Through our interactive presentations we help teachers to dispel the myths that science is difficult, abstract or inaccessible.”
One of the most special visits was at the Transoranje School for the Deaf. Initially, the staff there were worried that the dim lights would make interpreting sign language and the facial expressions of the interpreter difficult. But with a little creativity and some luminous face paint, the lesson was an out-of-the-box success.
The teachers also thoroughly enjoyed the mobile planetarium, not least because as a community outreach idea, it took away the cost factor for both schools and students.
“This has been a once-in-a-lifetime experience for many of our learners. Going to a science centre is often too expensive for most. Therefore, many of our children have neber seen the inside of a planetarium,” said Ms Fareeda Matthews of Valhalla Primary School.
Here’s to the stars both in uniforms and way, way beyond!