Make a bang at Elizabeth Castle with Ogier and Jersey Heritage

An exciting new learning zone at Elizabeth Castle is giving primary schoolchildren in Jersey the opportunity to discover the scientific laws of force and motion in a fun and interactive way.

The Make a Bang area, sponsored by Ogier, sits within the Granite and Gunpowder exhibition off the Parade Ground. It is based on an integral part of the castle's history and one of the most memorable parts of a visitor's experience at the historic site – the firing of the cannons.

The Master Gunner, one of the most popular Living History characters, regularly fires the castle's cannon and Make a Bang taps into the science behind this action. Schoolchildren can learn about the history of gunpowder, the process of firing a cannon, how force works in this process, and Newton's Three Laws of Motion. As well as questions and quizzes, visitors have the chance to fire an Airzooka (air vortex toy cannon) to put their learning into practice in a safe and fun way.

In addition to sponsoring the Make a Bang learning zone, Ogier has also sponsored the black powder required to keep the Master Gunner in action until the castle closes for the winter at the end of October.

Nicola Carroll, Ogier's Corporate Social Responsibility Manager, said: "Learning outside the classroom is an important part of a child's development. The Make a Bang area at Elizabeth Castle gives young islanders the chance to be onsite, discover the history of the fortress, and learn about force and motion in a fun, engaging way. We're proud to continue our support of Jersey Heritage as the charity brings STEM learning to life. We hope that islanders and visitors alike enjoy finding out what happens when the iconic cannon is fired on their next visit to Elizabeth Castle."

Helen Otterwell, Jersey Heritage's Head of Education, said: "STEM – science, technology, engineering and mathematics – is an important part of the Jersey curriculum and our new learning zone introduces a fun and interactive way for schoolchildren to find out how the laws of force and motion work. The firing of the cannon by our Master Gunner is always one of the most exciting parts of a trip to Elizabeth Castle, which makes it the ideal way to grab children's attention and imagination, while sharing scientific knowledge with them."