The session encouraged students to think creatively by asking imaginative questions – from scientific mysteries to unusual ideas – before developing plans to test their theories, modelling the real scientific process.

Students also discovered how some of the world’s most important breakthroughs have come from unexpected mistakes, including the discovery of antibiotics and everyday inventions such as Post-it Notes. The session concluded with a fun, hands-on team challenge where students worked together to build the tallest sandcastle, learning from each other’s ideas and mistakes to improve their designs.

Charlie said,

“I really liked asking weird questions and thinking about things like aliens. It was fun working together to build the sandcastle and seeing how our ideas improved.”

Laila added,

“The practical parts were my favourite. I liked learning how mistakes can lead to great discoveries, like Post-it Notes, and it was fun making a sandcastle using our own bodies.”

The session was a fantastic way to spark curiosity, creativity, and collaboration, showing students that in science, even the most unusual questions can lead to exciting discoveries.