Open House at Cusat

KOCHI: The science behind each activity is made so easy and interesting, said the students who had an enlightening session at the Science Park, a unique venture of the Centre for Science in Society (C-SiS), Cochin University of Science and Technology (Cusat). For the first time, the Science Park is organising an open house from Wednesday.    It is open to all, but one must book in advance and pay Rs 20. Only 150 members can be accommodated at a time. The open house is only till March-end, after which the usual programmes for school students will commence, mainly the one-day attachment programme and  science talent and total capacity development programmes. All the days have been booked by various schools across the state.   C-SiS usually conducts two programmes for the school students. The park houses around 50 teaching gadgets. Students can play and learn more about resonance by sitting on swings, see how a tornado emerges by spinning the cylindrical apparatus from which water drips from the upper half to the lower half when tilted, understand how hydroelectricity is generated, how automobile works and about optical vision,C-SiS director K G Nair said . More than 1.5 lakh students and 5,850 teachers have visited the facility so far. The other interesting facilities are Science Park, Science Pavilion, See and Believe Labs, Maths Lab, Computer Lab, Children’s Science Library, Butterfly Park and Herbal Garden.Midsummer STDP Programme 2012The Midsummer Science Talent and Total Capacity Development Programmes (STDP) for students from Class IV to Class X will be held from April 2 to May 29, in three modules M1, M2 and M for juniors (Std 4,5,6) and seniors.   The courses will be conducted from Monday to Saturday every week from 8.15 am to 12.45 pm and 10.30 am to 3.30 pm. The programme includes science classes with demonstrations by teachers and scientists, practical classes in physics, chemistry, biology and IT. Quiz, seminars, personality development, behavioural lessons, spoken English and Spoken Malayalam, basic lessons in arts and crafts such as book binding, science toys, interaction with models, meeting important personalities, teachers and scientists and visits to laboratories. Each student should do two projects and present them at an exhibition.   Separate theory and practical classes will be held for Class X. The fee for M1 or M2 is Rs 3450, and M is Rs 5,900. For more details, call 0484-2575039/25755552.