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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Would you let your kids take part in this?

115 replies

oliviapl · 02/02/2017 10:09

NC as this is a bit outing.

I have been asked to do an assembly in a local school to my university. Its a way to get kids interested in STEM and several people are going on separate days to give a talk/assembly session on their area of study/work. Mine is forensic and crime science. As you can imagine trying to pick something that isn't too gory but not too boring but not too difficult was really hard.

I've eventually decided to go with a talk on forensic archaeology (digging up bones). I am going to give a little talk about what it is, the different bones, how we can use these bones to tell sex, age and height of a person. Then I will have several activity stations (all the same but lots so small groups can each have a go) where the kids can dig up some bones, lay them out, label them and use the skills I talked about in the session to determine sex and age.

The age group is 8-11 years old. Do you think this will be okay for them?
I have to submit the idea myself and I don't want to look like an idiot by suggesting something too old or something parents might not find appropriate. I don't have much experience with kids so not really sure myself. Any feedback would be great, thanks!

OP posts:
Cocolepew · 02/02/2017 10:11

Sounds brilliant !
Can I come?

BingoBingoBingoBango · 02/02/2017 10:11

What Coco said!

GwenCooper81 · 02/02/2017 10:12

I'll come! Sounds fab!

notuniqueenough · 02/02/2017 10:12

OMG, I love the kind of this! I would totally love it if I was still in school. And now!

Hannahbanana1725 · 02/02/2017 10:13

Sounds really fun! I wish I had this in school and my 9yo brother would equally love this!

harderandharder2breathe · 02/02/2017 10:13

Sounds good to me! Can't imagine what in that could actually be objected to!

notuniqueenough · 02/02/2017 10:13

Love the sound of this. Sorry 😐

gleam · 02/02/2017 10:13

Real bones? I think a few people would have problems with that!

Areyoufree · 02/02/2017 10:14

8-11 year olds will be familiar with the idea of fossils and dinosaurs, so I can't see this being a problem at all! Think it will be very much appreciated!

O2BBesideTheSea · 02/02/2017 10:14

Sounds like they'd love it!

Original poster
oliviapl · 02/02/2017 10:15

Haha thank you! This really cheered me up :)

I think I'm worried parents objecting to their kids learning about the fact that people get buried or that their bones have to be investigated because they're unknown. I will be taking in skulls and certain bones that are all actual casts of real bones which I'm worried about parents not being happy with either.

Death and forensics is just such a touchy subject for some especially around kids and I don't want to cross that boundary.

OP posts:
steppemum · 02/02/2017 10:16

yes, it sounds great.

couple of questions.
If it is an assembly, do you have more than one class? if so your practical idea may not be possible.
Are there any adults helping to help supervise the groups?

I vividly remember someone coming in to talk (historian I think) who brought the contents of a rubbish bin and we had to work out what we could about the family.
I remember the bin had one nappy in it, and he laughed at the idea of the family having a baby. Us ignorant kids hadn't realised one nappy wasn't much!

They wouldn't mind a bit of safe gore either. Detective type activity os age perfect

kaitlinktm · 02/02/2017 10:16

Could you run the idea past the head teacher first?

Foldedtshirt · 02/02/2017 10:16

It sounds great! Would you be using real bones? I was surprised to discover that Degree level students use replicas- for cost and practicality reasons.

VestalVirgin · 02/02/2017 10:17

Human bones are too big to dig out at work stations of classroom size, so I'd assume it is smaller plastic replica?

Animal bones, I don't see a problem with, people have those on their dinner tables regularly, so ...

Afreshstartplease · 02/02/2017 10:17

My 7+9 year olds would love this

steppemum · 02/02/2017 10:19

I don't think most parents would worry about old bones. Particularly if you can tell a 'happy ending' type story from what you found from the bones.

If the bones you take in are all casts, then they are basically not real bones, so I would make that clear - fake bones, replica bones whatever you like.

Original poster
oliviapl · 02/02/2017 10:21

I will be giving a short talk about 15 minutes. No real bones will be used (H&S nightmare) but they are cast from real bones IYSWIM.

There will be several stations (which are basically those cheap sandpits on a tarp with the cast bones buried in them). There will be a big floor worksheet at each station where the kids have to place the bones on the right section (the name is of each bone is on the section).

Its about 25-30 kids from a science club. The teachers will be there to help with the digging etc and I will be walking around and helping to sex/age the skeletons. All of the teachers will be briefed on the correct info and what the bones are and which gender/age group they're from. (I won't be taking in the juvenile bones).

OP posts:
NarcsBegone · 02/02/2017 10:21

Casts of skulls etc is fine imo. My ds is 11 and would find it fascinating.
As pp's have said there may be some issues with the logistics of the task as in getting round to all the tables if it's only you that has the knowledge iyswim. Perhaps a check list or information sheet for teachers manning the tables could help with that?

Gowgirl · 02/02/2017 10:21

I would I took ds 10 to the hunterian Las weekend, he was fascinated!

NarcsBegone · 02/02/2017 10:22

Cross post.
That sounds awesome!

StewieGMum · 02/02/2017 10:22

My kid would probably try to convince you to take her into work everyday following such an assembly.

HateSummer · 02/02/2017 10:24

My 9 year old would love this!

LittleLionMansMummy · 02/02/2017 10:25

Ds is 6 and always loves these kinds of activities at dinosaur museums etc. It sounds great to me op!

PinkFluffiUnicorn · 02/02/2017 10:25

Sounds great! Good luck