Bayer science fund reaches more schools

&NewLine;<p><img class&equals;" alignright size-full wp-image-1510" src&equals;"http&colon;&sol;&sol;schoolnewsnz&period;fastrackdev&period;com&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2015&sol;05&sol;SND15-wk4-Science&lowbar;funding&period;jpg" alt&equals;"SND15-wk4-Science funding" style&equals;"margin&colon; 5px&semi; float&colon; right&semi;" width&equals;"300" height&equals;"284" &sol;>More primary schools than ever before will be able to dive deeper into the world of science and nature this year thanks to the Bayer Primary School Science Fund&period; <&excl;--more--> <&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>The fund&comma; sponsored by Bayer New Zealand and administrated by the Royal Society of New Zealand&comma; received almost 100 applications from primary schools around the country&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Twenty-six schools were selected and will receive grants of up to &dollar;2000 to help enhance an existing or begin a new environmental science education programme&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Projects range from improving water and soil quality to planting gardens&comma; creating worm farms and bee keeping&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Much of the Bayer Primary School Funding will be spent on equipment such as water testing kits&comma; microscopes&comma; weather stations&comma; seedlings&comma; compost bins and binoculars&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Bayer New Zealand managing director Holger Detje says he is thrilled that more schools will receive funding&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&&num;8220&semi;Every year primary schools nationwide send in fantastic applications so it&&num;8217&semi;s great that now more children can benefit from the fund&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&&num;8220&semi;These projects allow children to learn about science and the environment&comma; but they are also an investment into our environment as a whole&period;&&num;8221&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Royal Society of New Zealand <a class&equals;"wpil&lowbar;keyword&lowbar;link" href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;schoolnews&period;co&period;nz&sol;2015&sol;10&sol;new-chief-executive-for-education-council&sol;" title&equals;"chief executive" data-wpil-keyword-link&equals;"linked" target&equals;"&lowbar;blank">chief executive<&sol;a> Andrew Cleland says the organisation is committed to advancing quality primary science education by encouraging primary students and their teachers to participate in authentic science activities&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&&num;8220&semi;Through hands-on scientific investigations&comma; these young people will learn more about their local environment and how to improve it&period; They will gain an appreciation of the relevance of science and technology to their daily life and learn the skills of critical thinking that they can apply widely&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&&num;8220&semi;We are pleased this fund is assisting more schools to deliver these valuable programmes&comma; which are contributing to better-informed&comma; environmentally-aware communities&period;&&num;8221&semi;<br &sol;>The 26 projects aim to encourage students to think about how science is a part of everyday life&period;<&sol;p><&sol;p>&NewLine;