Sci-Bono Discovery Centre, synonymous with science and technology school activities, has put together yet another engaging science exhibition to coincide with the Fifa World Cup hype sweeping the country.
Called Science of Soccer, the exhibition is part of the centre’s ongoing attempts to demystify and make maths and science accessible by linking them to everyday life.
But unlike most initiatives whose duration is tied to the lifespan of the soccer tournament, the exhibition will be on display until the end of the year.
Michael Peter, the centre’s chief operating officer, said the centre thought it would be an opportune moment to link the exhibition with the soccer event so that learners can be made aware that playing soccer involves some of the core maths and science principles such as angles, balance, control and precision.
“The whole idea is to demystify maths and science by making them fun and exciting to learn. It is also part of exploring innovative ways of generating interests in these critical subjects,” said Peter.
The exhibition consists of 11 interactive exhibits specifically designed to stimulate active participation from schoolchildren and teachers as they learn more about some of the mathematical and scientific principles underpinning various elements of the game.
There are three “iconic exhibits” that stand out and these are “perfect pass”, “super striker” and “demon dribbler”. The three exhibits encompass basic scientific and mathematical concepts such as momentum, inertia and tessellations (the art of covering a surface completely with shapes that fit together), geometry and shapes such as squares, triangles and hexagons.
The games are designed to be practical and each learner is afforded a chance to take part. There are a set of rules for each exhibit and scores are timed and recorded. With “super strike” the focus is on control, angles, balance, force and speed. It looks at questions such as: at what speed was the ball travelling, at what angle was it hit and was the kicker in control?”
“Perfect pass” teaches learners about coordination, eyesight, accuracy and ball control. A learner enters the centre of the ring and is encircled by other “players”, each equipped with a sensor light. At regular intervals, one of the lights flashes, at which point the kicker must pass the ball to that “player” who called for the ball. To get a good score, a kicker must have good eyesight to accurately pass the ball to the appropriate “player”, with good control.
The ability to dribble past obstacles or opponents with speed and agility as well as shooting fast are the key principles of “demon dribbler”. How it is played is that a learner navigates three big obstacles with the ball firmly on his or her feet and then completes the move by shooting for a goal.
Stuart Hopwood, exhibit manager, said the idea dates back to 2008, and this involved a detailed and meticulous process. Initially, there were 20 concepts and these were later whittled down to 15 working drawings.
He said these concepts were subsequently converted into manufacturing drawings complete with specifications. Once this was done, a tender was put out in 2009 and two companies were engaged to expedite the manufacturing of the exhibits.
“The manufacturing process was scheduled to take five months, but it ended up going on for eight months, given the complexity of the exhibits. I am excited about the whole thing because this is the first of our Proudly South African exhibits. Normally they are rented at huge cost from other parts of the world,” said Hopwood.
He said the entire project cost in excess of R1,5-million, adding that, in designing them, they considered safety and durability or robustness of materials used to ensure they did not break easily or injure the learners.
The exhibits were piloted for three months, during which learners were allowed to play with them, giving the centre the opportunity to make the necessary changes or refinements.