Cosmic Classroom Live with Tim Peake!

On Tuesday, Head of Science Mr Wilson took a group of Upper School pupils to the World Museum in Liverpool to take part in the national event, Cosmic Classroom, launched by the TES, the UK Space Agency and the European Space Agency. 

"It was an unforgettable experience for the pupils, and I hope one that will help inspire their dreams for the future, as we head into a world in which space travel may become more common," said Mr Wilson on his return. "The focus of the event was to ask questions about life beyond our world, and it opened up the minds of every child involved, even those watching live from classrooms and from the Auditorium back at Newton Prep. Quite remarkable has been the excitement from all around the school community building up to the day and I am sure the stories of the day will be told for some time into the future."

Just to top the excitement, the Newton Prep cosmic crew were then interviewed by the BBC (thanks to Mrs Frieze’s ingenuity!) for both the News channel and Radio 5 Live. 

In addition, here are some thoughts from the lucky twelve who went, to give you a flavour of the full day: 

What was the most exciting moment of the day? 

• Jasper McBride-Owusu: When the face of Tim Peake floating in his room with the microphone came up on the screen behind the presenter. 
• Clemmie Flook: When Tim Peake did the water tricks and brought out his ‘Don’t Panic‘ flannel and when we went on TV and live radio. 
• Isabelle Gough-Cooper: the most exciting moment of the day was when Tim Peake’s face popped up on the screen. 
• Andrew Schoenen: I thought it was very exciting and cool when Tim put the fizzy tablet in the water bubble. 
• Vedant Maheshwari: I loved the way Major Peake put a fizzy tablet in the water and the sphere of water expanded. 
• Darragh McEvoy: When Tim Peake suddenly appeared on the screen. 
• Sophie Atkinson: when Tim showed us the things that he could do in space that we couldn’t do on earth. 

What new fact have you learned about life in space? 

• Clemmie Flook: That Tim Peake is travelling faster than the speed of sound orbiting the Earth ;-) 
• Andrew Schoenen: I learnt that water molecules stick together. I thought that they would spread out because water molecules move around. 
• Lucy Gowlland: It was cool when Tim showed us water bubble table tennis.

If you ever worked in the space industry, what would you like your job to be? 

• Nicholas: Astronaut! 
• Isabelle Gough-Cooper: I would like to be a mission commander. 
• Lucy Semark-masters: Mission planner. 
• Bryan: Mission scientist. 
• Vedant Maheshwari :I would like to be a trainer for practice of the astronauts 

What message would you send to Tim Peake if you could? 

• Jasper and Matteo: How do you wash? Make your country proud and stay relatively safe in the dangerous zone that is space. 
• Nicholas: Would you rather go to the moon instead? 
• Lucy Semark-Masters: If you were not an astronaut what job in NASA would you like? 
• Vedant Maheshwari: Do you ever feel scared that while doing the spacewalk a meteor will come towards you?

Watch this space to find out more about the Rocket Science project Newton Prep will be involved with in the Summer Term!