STEM News
The Australian Science Olympiads
The Australian Science Olympiads is one of Australia’s most prestigious science programs, and the perfect way to forward students' passion in science. The first step is to take part in the exams.
The Junior Science Olympiads is open to students in Year 7-10.
- Registration will cost $15.
- The Junior Science Olympiads will run on Wednesday 14th June for students in years 9 and 10 during periods 3 and 4, and on Friday 16th June for students in years 7 and 8 during periods 3 and 4.
- If you would like to participate in the competition please complete the expression of interest form on Compass News Feed by Friday 2 June 2023. You will then be added to the event on Compass where permission and payment is due by Tuesday 6 June 2023.
If you have any questions, please see Miss Newton or Ms Polidano in the Science Office (300 block).
The Science Experience
This nationwide STEM outreach program is for years 9 and 10 students and is run during the school holidays.
The Science Experience is a three-day hands-on science activities program. The aim is to inform students of the importance of science and technology while stimulating and heightening their interests in a wide range of science disciplines and career opportunities, encourage further studies in the sciences, while at the same time giving them a 'taste' of university/tertiary life.
These programs are on offer during the school holidays in Victoria this year.
RMIT University, Melbourne: 4 - 6 July 2023
Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn: 28 - 30 June 2023
Marine and Freshwater Discovery Centre, Queenscliff: 26 September 2023
University of Melbourne, Parkville: 22 - 24 January 2024
For other programs run during term time and for registration details please go to http://www.scienceexperience.com.au
Cost is $210 per student for three-day programs, $150 per student for a two-day program and $72 per student for the one day (at Queenscliff).
Year 7 STEM (Billy Cart) Program
Over the past couple of weeks, the Year 7 student teams have built and decorated their Billy carts. They spent this week’s session testing (driving) their Billy Carts on different surfaces and angles. They needed to consider what forces were in play when driving a Billy cart and whether they needed to redesign aspects of the cart to help improve overall speed of the Billy cart.
We thank Rotary for their sponsorship of the Year 7 STEM (Billy Cart) Program, and ongoing support in providing opportunities for girls in STEM.
Sally Polidano
Leading Teacher/STEM
Billy Cart Program Student Report
The second session on May 17 was mostly fixated on finishing the actual build of the Billy cart. Many groups struggled with attaching the seat to the wheely base, but with some help from the teachers (and a very scary drill), the screws were in by the end of the lesson.
Towards the end, most groups finished their Billy cart, and we had a little time left so we got to test them out in the hallway! Sadly, the laws of friction and physics were not in our favour, so we needed a human engine to push us on the carpet.
The end was also where we started to come up with more ideas for designs for the Billy carts – that will likely be the main goal for the following weeks (and learning how to steer the Billy cart properly so we don’t crash into the wall and seriously injure ourselves). We look forward to seeing how everyone's carts will turn out!
by Phoebe - 7J