Which do you think is the fastest, or the slowest of three main types of earthquake waves – surface, P waves and S waves? Have a race to find out.
In this activity you will see the difference in compressional P waves, transverse S waves and circular surface waves that are produced by earthquakes. You will need a big group of at least 15 people split into three groups.
Planning, prices and pre-visit information can be found here.
You can book a visit online.
We have a variety of resources available, both for use in school and on a visit to the Garden.
Led by expert staff, our workshops for KS2 allow your class to experience the beautiful Botanic Garden and ignite their interest in plants and science. All workshops are hands-on and involve exploring the Garden and getting up close with some of our 8000 species of plants.
Workshops for KS1 link to the National Curriculum and allow you to bring your learning about plants to life. Enthuse your class with a morning experiencing the Botanic Garden in a hands-on way with our expert staff. Workshops are two hours long. We can support your pupils’ science learning in Plants, Living things and Their Habitats, Seasonal Changes and Working Scientifically. We also offer a workshop which supports your work in English and Art and Design.
If we look closely, rocks tell us the story of their formation. So, grab your notebook and set out on a mini field trip to find out more about how the formation of a rock reflects its physical properties, and what properties architects look for in a building stone.
There are many different types of volcanoes. Shield volcanoes have a broad rounded shape and gentle splattery eruptions often described as fire fountains. Strato volcanoes are sharp and steep sided and have violent explosive eruptions. But what makes these two types of volcano look and erupt so differently? It is mainly controlled by how think (viscous) or runny the magma in the volcano is...
In this experiment you can use 3 different thickness (viscosity) liquids to see what differences runny or thick magma can cause in volcanoes.
Volcanic eruptions are driven by gas dissolved in molten rock (magma) underground trying to escape upwards. But what happens if the gas gets trapped and can't get out?
In this experiment you can trap more and more gas in a sealed container, in the same way gas can get trapped in a volcano, and see what happens...
Download the instructions and information sheet.
Volcanoes form when hot molten rock (magma) under the ground erupts at the surface, but what causes the molten rock to erupt? Eruptions are often driven by gases escaping…
In this experiment you can start a chemical reaction that creates a gas, and see how the gas escaping drives an eruption.
This experiment and video was devised by the Volcano Seismology group in the Earth Science Department, University of Cambridge.
Download the instructions and information sheet.
We offer facilitated workshops and self-led visits. There is no charge for our school sessions, but we welcome donations to support the Museum learning programme (recommended donation of £3 per child). Get in touch with the Museum Education Coordinator to discus your visit museumeducation@esc.cam.ac.uk
Bookings are now open for the 2024/25 school year
Planning, prices and pre-visit information
If you wish to check availability before you complete the form, either email us or call on 01223 331875.
