2018 DECEMBER JUVENALIA

BEAVERS

Thanks everyone for another fun meeting at Juvenalia this year, which is a science and activity fair for people aged 4 to 18 held in Madrid at IFEMA (the national convention center). The fair is a huge event where businesses, charities and national organisations like the police and fire brigade put on attractions to showcase about their work.

As the fair is very much a hands on event we began by taking the beavers and cubs who had come together to build robots and make gooey slime while we waited for the science area to be free. The scouting advantage comes in the wide range of activities the guys can take part in to get badges ticked off one after another. Everyone got their science badge by making a flower using chromatography to learn about colours, checking out (human!!) brain cells using the microscopes and learning about mutant insects.

 

Once the science event was completed we went over to wait in the (enormous) queue to try out the fire fighters Tyrolean slide, fortunately we had some very patient parents who did the majority of the waiting while everyone else enjoyed a snack and went to take a look at the police stand just next door. We played some games and saw all their different kinds of vehicles ranging from the tactical golf cart right up to serious crowd control measures such as hummers and armoured vehicles, fortunately all the beavers were well behaved and and nobody needed a solicitor or tunneling device when it was time for our turn on the zip wire.

 

At this point it was time to kit up with the fire fighters and climb the four storey tower in the hope that they practice knots as much as we do. Everyone was brave enough to leap off when the moment came and careered down the line to be caught by one of the waiting fire fighters, make a graceful landing or alternatively look like an aquatic rodent in a washing machine as landing skills were put to the test.

Next up was the final event at the language center area where we were treated to a liquid nitrogen show learning about how temperature differences can change how we’re used to seeing everyday objects behave, such as a leaf that could be broken like glass and a balloon that disinflated and then blew itself back up again! The highlight was getting to try the biscuits frozen to ~-200ºc that made nitrogen vapor come out of your mouth when you ate them!

A big thanks to all the parents without whom we couldn’t have managed to keep track of the beavers in the crowd to accomplish so many activities in one go and also to the Beavers who have again been patient, enthusiastic and well behaved.

 

CUBS

We started with “apadrina la ciencia” which translates as godfathering science. We were met by PhD students who showed us how to use a microscope and we looked at some interesting things from the animal and vegetable kingdoms. Afterwards we walked to Fundación Naturgy stand where we learnt the importance of using energy in a responsible way and how it can be generated without harming the environment. We all agreed that solar and wind energy is the way to go!  

Even the best scientist needs a snack and so we found a small corner where we could eat and share our findings.

The zipwire came next, and thanks to the patience of parents’ helpers, who had been waiting in line for over an hour, we were able to get in almost immediately. The height was no challenge to anyone and they were all eager to throw themselves down the line and be “rescued” by a firefighter.

Lastly after we did a little dance routine we saw a nitrogen show where the Cubs were able to learn the properties of liquid nitrogen. Because Liquid nitrogen causes rapid freezing it was demonstrated its freezing properties on an egg and cookies which we were able to eat afterwards. We could also blow “smoke”!

 

SCOUTS

We had a mixed group of Scouts 1 and Scouts 2 during the Juvenalia.

 

The Scouts began the Juvenalia experience by doing a science experiment (analysing their DNA from a saliva sample);

 

After all the science excitement, finding their DNA it was time to let off some steam with a quick game of indoor football and some gladiator games.

 

Then they also tested their robotics dexterity with a sensor controlled flight simulation.

After the exhausting games it was a good time to visit the Police who took their time to answer all the questions the scouts had.

 

Some new badges were also invented.

 

Afterwards they learnt about renewable energy such as solar powered cars, cleaning up urban environments to make them greener and they also learned about wind energy.

 

The scouts are getting a lesson in how to clean up the city and how to make it a greener place.

 

The game used to illustrate how to make the city cleaner and greener was very popular.

 

This was followed by a ride on a fireman’s zip wire. And then it was time for the Red Cross and the scouts lesson in CPR. They all joined in and could show their skills.

 

Finally they tested their cognitive skills with two escape room activities, one in Spanish and one in English.

 

Overall the day at Juvenalia was a success and the Scouts enjoyed themselves and learned a lot.