Bright Sparks STEAM Club at University of Sunderland!

October 2019

Bright Sparks STEAM Club is an award-winning club, facilitated by the University of Sunderland, for young people aged 11-16 offering interactive sessions linked to Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths (STEAM). 

Their Bright Sparks Family Fun Day will give young people the chance to find out more about Bright Sparks and win prizes! 

Activities will include:

  • Build to Express – Tallest Tower Challenge

Have you got the best engineering skills around to build the tallest tower using only Lego against the clock? Think you’re a master builder when it comes to working out how best to fit the pieces together and win the prize?

Take part in this challenge and test your skills.

  • Batak Wall

Test how fast your reaction times are with the Batak Wall. See if you’ve got cat-like reflexes, when a button lights up, all you have to do is tap it and be ready for the next one. The higher the score, the more chance you have at winning the prize.

Sounds easy? You have 30 seconds to try and beat the challenge.

  • Rocket Machines

Fire up those neutrons and get ready to blast off all that creativity and imagination when you get the chance to build and blast off your very own rocket machine. Learn about how the forces can help speed your machine up and how to make it more aerodynamic.

  • Doctor’s Toolkit

With the opening of our brand new Medical School, it’s the perfect time to think about whether you might want to study medicine. What better way to do it than to take a look at a doctor’s toolkit and maybe even have a look at some of the practices that took place in medieval times.

  • Junk City

With recycling of great importance on planet earth, you can use your creativity and engineering skills to build a Junk City. A modern-day jungle made entirely of recycled material. Think about what you can add to the city to make it vibrant, sustainable and exciting.

  • Bath Bombs

Do you like relaxing after a hard day at school or work? What better way to do it than sinking into a nice warm bath and watching a bath bomb fizz before your very eyes. Choose what colours and fragrances you want to take home with you at the end of the day. 

  • Lava Lamps

Have you ever looked at a lava lamp and wanted to know how exactly they work? What is it that makes the motion so hypnotic and mesmerising? You can find out how to make your very own lava lamp and see how easy it is to create.

  • Stop Motion

Have you seen Wallace & Gromit, Coraline, Chicken Run or Shaun the Sheep? Did you know they were all made through the technique of stop motion? Find out for yourself how easy it is to do at home and have your chance to be involved in making a special Bright Spark stop motion short film.

Click to download the Bright Sparks programme (.pdf). 

Bright Sparks STEAM Club is free to join and offers a range of exciting activities and events throughout the year. 

If you would like to join Bright Sparks STEAM Club, complete this web form, email brightsparks@sunderland.ac.uk or call 0191 515 3000.