Marie Curie and the Discovery of Radium

In February and March 2009, TSF teamed up with the Centre for Life in Newcastle and Hexham and Corbridge Middle Schools to develop a pilot project for year 8 students based on the life and work of Marie Curie. The students were transported back to 19th century Paris where they explored different aspects of the city at that time. They undertook a separation experiment, conducted in French, in the laboratory; watched a scene depicting Marie Curie's discovery of radium; re-enacted other scenes from Marie Curie's life and participated in an ethical debate in English on the long-term benefits of radioactivity. The project was a big challenge to all those participating, scientists, artists, teachers and students alike, but the results were very rewarding.

We hope to explore ways in which we can develop this project further and offer it to more schools. We are particularly grateful to The Wellcome Trust for funding this pilot project.