Budding scientists to spring into action

THE arrival of spring is about to spark the earliest stages of the careers of thousands of budding Irish scientists.

A fun programme to get primary pupils out looking for signs of spring is about to get under way as the Greenwave 2012 project throughout February and March will see kids logging nature in action.

Among the signs they will be asked to log over the next two months are:

* The first sight of frogspawn in nearby ponds or ditches (from the start of February).

* When primrose flowers start growing in hedges and banks (from February).

* When buds open on horse chestnut trees (usually sometime in March).

* When swallows are first seen (usually from mid-March).

* New leaves on hawthorn trees (late March).

* When the leaf bud opens on ash trees (late April).

More than 150 primary schools took part last year in the Greenwave, organised by Discover Science and Engineering. They submitted 815 official records of common species and 4,572 weather observations.

Part of the project requires them to measure and record wind speeds, rainfall and temperature. All the results collected around the country are recorded on a dedicated website — greenwave.ie — in order to map the arrival of spring.

The project name comes from the observation that, viewed from outer space, a green wave can be seen in the south of Europe each year. As temperatures start to rise from February onward, it moves up across Europe at around four miles an hour.

“The project offers students a hands-on experience in observing, measuring, classifying and recording the patterns of spring. It also helps to develop ICT skills in terms of recording and submitting their results online,” said Discover Science and Engineering director Peter Brabazon.

Research and Innovation Minister Seán Sherlock said by dipping into the STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) subjects in an innovative and hands-on way at an early age, children can discover the enjoyment that comes from exploring science.