ROYAL INSTITUTION LECTURES

“Science: a 450-year history”, “The human genome”, “Five questions I couldn’t answer about Isaac Newton” and “Biologists in the 21st century” are the titles in a series of talks to be given at the Royal Institution, 21 Albemarle Street, London W1. Tickets: pound;8, pound;5 concessions.

Tel: 020 7409 2992 www.rigb.org

OCTOBER

BLACK HISTORY MONTH

Local authorities, schools, museums and voluntary organisations across the UK will celebrate the diverse contribution of black people to British culture and society. The Museum of London, London EC2, for example, has organised film screenings on significant black Londoners, including Samuel Coleridge Taylor, Paul Robeson and Marcus Garvey, lectures and a study day, “Harlem in London: black musicians and performers in the 1920s”. For children, there is storytelling and drama about nurse Mary Seacole among others.

Tel: 020 7814 5511 www.museumoflondon.org.uk

In Peckham, London SE15, there is a Black History Month resources fair on October 6, when visitors can meet leading authority on black history, Stephen Bourne and buy copies of his books. He is also giving two free illustrated talks entitled “Sophisticated ladies - black women in British Theatre 1790s to 1950s” and “We also served - black women in wartime Britain 1939-45”. Venues: Peckham Library, October 16, 7-9pm, and Imperial War Museum, Lambeth Road, London SE1, October 26, 2-3pm. Email: stephen.bourne@southwark.gov.uk

For information on BHM events contact your local authority or library.

OCTOBER 4

APPROACHES TO GCSE

Peter Thomas, AQA principal examiner, will speak on “GCSEs for 2004: keeping your head above water” at this National Association for the Teaching of English course at Whirlow Conference Centre, Sheffield.

Workshops include: Shakespeare in the classroom and teaching GCSE literature: poetry from AQA Specification A. Fee: pound;135, pound;110 members.

Tel: 0114 255 5419; Email: natehq@btconnect.com; www.nate.org.uk

FREE ORDNANCE SURVEY MAPS

All UK schools with Year 7 and Primary 7 pupils are invited to register for free OS maps at www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk for11-year-olds. Tel: 08456 050505. Closing date October 10