School children in Orange will get hands-on experience in the world of science at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Orange next Monday 29 November. Around 75 students in Year 5 at St Joseph’s Primary School will divide into small groups to conduct experiments which include the search for the elusive sea monkey, how trees breathe, building a home-made battery, and extracting DNA from fruit. Academics from the CSU School of Biomedical Sciences and the School of Agriculture and Wine Sciences will spend the morning with the students in the University’s science laboratories. The aim of the workshop is to inspire children to enjoy the world of science. “We want to show the children how fun and fascinating science can be,” science lecturer Mr Gregg Maynard said. “It’s an opportunity to pass on knowledge and introduce children to the University campus.” This workshop builds on previous workshops offered to Borenore Public School and Orange Christian School in 2008 and 2009. With the success of these workshops it is hoped that the program will extend to local high schools in 2011.