Science week - Heaton school goes to space!!
Heaton School is very pleased to announce the success of space mission "Chalo" (which means "keep going" in Urdu). On Friday 16th June we were succesful in launching our very own named Astronaut, Chelsea (along with her wheelchair) 36km high to the edge of space using a weather balloon! Chelsea was sent into space in a spacecraft named Yellow Hedgehog by our students. She wore a spacesuit designed and made by one of our talented students.A group of students went along with Kyle (our Science lead teacher) to launch the balloon at Redwood Special School, Rochdale on Friday 16th June. A live link up to mission control (otherwise known as the school hall) enabled all Heaton students to appreciate the moment of the launch causing excitement all round. Jonathan Curtis (Headteacher) said "it was amazing to see our students so engaged and learning coming to life!".
This event was the culmination of our space themed science week. Students took part in a variety of different creative/ sensory space themed activities from testing materials for spacesuits, making and trying space food, writing and recording messages to send to space, crash testing spacecraft landers, making our own Heatonverse Space art, making the sounds of nebulas and experiencing what it's like to be weightless and float in space using our very own drama room.
Working in partnership...
We were pleased to partner with Manchester University material science department. University Students came into school to work with our students to learn and understand more about materials. Volunteers from 'Heaton Men in sheds' also collaborated with school to enable our amazing weather balloon launch.
Kyle (Our Science lead teacher) commented:
"We are very proud of what we have achieved and it was an honour for me being able to facilitate the experience for all those involved and I couldn't be more pleased with the result for our wonderful young people"
https://youtu.be/LtyAskGLljU
