About Gopher Science Labs

This project supports transition from primary to secondary school with peer to peer learning across age groups. Secondary students learn how to deliver the range of Gopher Science Lab activities to primary pupils. During this process the secondary students develop their skills in communication, innovation and increase their self-confidence.

Later the primary pupils who attended the Gopher Science Lab day are encouraged to deliver their own training to pupils in their class or from younger year groups, so they too can develop their understanding and communication skills, with supervision from their teacher.

This gives all participating students ownership of their learning and helps them gain confidence.

Gopher Science Labs was developed by the Royal Society of Biology and the Biochemical Society.

During 2014, activity booklets and practical resources were produced thanks to generous support from the Welsh Government's National Science Academy and The Granada Foundation.

Gopher Science Lab Online Training

Thanks to generous support from the Welsh Government’s National Science Academy, the Royal Society of Biology has developed an online training course for teachers and educators of science, which gives clear guidance on how to carry out our Gopher Science Lab activities. The course includes video demonstrations, information about the science behind the activities, suggested extension activities, and downloadable lesson resources. On completion of the course, teachers can also gain access to 10 brand new Gopher Science Lab activities.

£500 grants for a Gopher Science Lab day

The RSB is offering state-funded secondary schools in the UK an opportunity for two teachers to host a Gopher Science Lab day event with invited primary schools, in their school or held as a hybrid event. This includes access to RSB’s Gopher Science Lab online training course to enable the school to train some of its students to deliver the lab day teaching with support from the two lead science teachers.

Secondary school teachers working in UK based, state-funded, secondary schools can apply on behalf of their school for the £500 grant, which is intended to support schools and their students who for financial reasons would not otherwise have the opportunity to run their own lab day.

Apply by contacting Amanda Hardy at your earliest convenience.

Downloadable resources

• The teacher resource booklet is available in English and Welsh (part 1 and part 2)
• kit list for the practicals 
• Stroop test card (described in the teacher booklet).
• Instructions for how to run a Gopher Science Lab day.
• Certificates available for secondary student demonstrators,
• Level one certificate for primary students taking part in a lab day
• Level two certificate for students from primary schools who demonstrate the experiments to other primary student