We The Curious Portables! Science sets available to hire
About our Portable exhibits
Our portable science exhibits are designed to extend the reach of our hands-on science centre and encourage active, discovery-based learning. They are a great way to bring exciting science to schools and colleges that may find it difficult to visit us, providing the opportunity to explore intriguing scientific phenomenon in the classroom and develop observational and critical thinking skills.
The Portables can be used in many different ways or environments and with a variety of audiences - all that is required is a table and access to a mains electricity supply. There are 14 to choose from and a set of 8 fits easily into the boot of a car.
View images of all portables here.
Supporting worksheets
Each exhibit has an accompanying investigation worksheet and answer sheet to help structure and support student's learning. These are aimed at KS2 to KS4 and are fully updated for the new curriculum and available for download (see below).
How to Hire
Hiring a set of 8 Portables costs only £90 (+VAT) for one week. Additional Portables can be added at a cost of £10 (+VAT) per exhibit.
Please note that we require all hires to be collected and returned to We The Curious Science Centre and that the hire period runs from 9am Monday to 5pm Friday. Portables can sometimes be collected at other times (including weekends) by arrangement. Customers will also require adequate insurance to cover any loss or damage.
To find out more or to make a booking please email portables@wethecurious.org
Risk assessments
Risk assessments are specific to each organisation and location and so will need to be completed by you prior to use. Our Health and Safety guidelines and a generic (blank) risk assessment are available for download to help with this.
Portable exhibit details
Select from 14 exhibits below (subject to availability).
1 | Air Stream | Float balls in an air vent to investigate forces and air pressure | Air Stream worksheet.pdf Air Stream worksheet.pdf (718.09 KB) | |
2 | Food Fuel | Compare the energy from food with energy used during exercise | Food Fuel worksheet.pdfFood Fuel worksheet.pdf (692.42 KB) | |
3 | Future Fuels (currently unavailable) | Combust hydrogen and oxygen and use the energy to propel a ball | Future Fuels worksheet.pdfFuture Fuels worksheet.pdf (234.04 KB) | |
4 | Hot or Cold | Use hot plates and thermo-chromic tiles to explore thermal conductivity | Hot or Cold worksheet.pdfHot or Cold worksheet.pdf (200.46 KB) | |
5 | It’s a Drag | Explore resistance and surface areas as balls fall through liquids | It's a Drag worksheet.pdfIt's a Drag worksheet.pdf (496.37 KB) | |
6 | Look at Light | Use prisms and a light box to examine how light travels | ||
7 | Moving Magnets | Investigate forces and electricity by dropping a magnet through tubes | ||
8 | Pump it Up | Learn about hydroelectric power by raising water to operate a turbine | Pump It Up worksheet.pdfPump It Up worksheet.pdf (376.13 KB) | |
9 | Reflect It | Learn about lasers and reflection using adjustable mirrors and a laser beam | Reflect It worksheet.pdfReflect It worksheet.pdf (81.94 KB) | |
10 | Seeing Sound | Investigate sound and standing waves with an adjustable speaker and stri | Seeing Sound worksheet.pdfSeeing Sound worksheet.pdf (169.14 KB) | |
11 | Seeing Stress | View stress and tension in different materials under polarised light | ||
12 | Size Matters | Find out how the huge things and tiny things in the universe scale u | Size Matters worksheet.pdfSize Matters worksheet.pdf (647.16 KB) | |
13 | Store It | Learn how capacitors store electrical energy | Store It worksheet.pdfStore It worksheet.pdf (323.44 KB) | |
14 | Under Pressure | Use air pressure to propel a ping pong ball into the air |