The British Council in Mexico (http://www.britishcouncil.org/mexico.htm) ran a series of activities around the ZeroCarbonCity Exhibition from February 6^th to 10^th in Mexico City.

The intensive programme included exhibition facilitator training, workshops for children, and workshops for teachers on the topic of Climate Change, Science Across the World, and Content and Language Integrated Learning.

Participants explored the ScienceAcross programme and what it has to offer for young people in terms of practical work researching cultural aspects of climate change. The YACs project makes young people into ambassadors for the climate and has them mediate between the public and the science of climate, explaining in their own words what the issues mean for them as they carry out investigative activities based on their own lifestyles. You can see a number of reports on ‘Young Ambassadors’ at the FACTworld website (www.factworld.info) as well as at the website of IUPAC (The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry), the founding organisation of this initiative - http://www.iupac.org/projects/2003/2003-055-1-050.html.

Day 2, 7^th Feb, focused on ‘action planning’ for YAC events in Mexico and presenting the climate change kits available from MUTR – Middlesex University Teaching Resources (www.mutr.co.uk).

Day 3, Wed 8^th Feb, saw us setting up shop at the breathtaking 'Museo Papalote' second in size in the whole of South America (www.papalote.org.mx).

Papolote clock exhibit

Renate tries out the bed of nails

Volunteers at the museum were trained in working with the Solar Gismo and their creativity was impressive and a good sign for their work with visitors to the museum who would be building the gismos in the days to come.

Papolote Museum voluneers get their hands on MUTR Kits…

Solar-powered merry-go-round…

Inauguration of the ZCC Ehibition at the Museo Papalote

Day 4, Feb 9^th, included a workshop for Bilingual Schools in and around Mexico City on the topics of Science Across the World, Young Ambassadors for the Climate and Content and Language Integrated Learning.

The fun continued on Day 5, 10th Feb, at the second ZCC Exhibition venue the 'Museo Universum' in the enormous University compound in Mexico City (http://www.universum.unam.mx/).

Again, Mexican imagination shone as the solar gismos developed…

My contribution ended with an informal meeting with museum staff at the Museo Universum on maximising the impact of Science Celebration Events such as those offered in YAC days. Throughout the week, I have to say I’ve been overwhelmed by the enthusiasm of the teachers, colleagues, students and children participating in the ZCC activities.

I’d like to say a special thanks to all the staff at Papalote and Universum (especially Dr Luis for sewing my finger back together after a careless accident I had) as well as the colleagues at British Council Mexico for making my stay such a comfortable and memorable one.

Can’t wait to come back!

Best wishes

Keith

The Forum for Across the Curriculum Teaching - Supporting and Developing Content and Language Integrated Learning