Science & STEM News

By Georgia - Year 9

Early in Term 3, the Year 9 cohort went to the Ballarat Tech School to take part in a STEM Showdown. The students were divided into teams of three. They spent the whole day doing things that involved Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics to get points. 

There were challenges. One of them was Tower Twist, where the students had to carry as many blocks as they could using only one finger. Then there was Pico Park, a game that required the students to work as a team. To make it more difficult, the students were asked to make their own game controller to control the character in the game. The students also had one hour to solve puzzles and unlock boxes that were related to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. Each box had a challenge inside that the students had to complete. This challenge needed the students to think carefully and be creative. 

The Ballarat Tech School also gave the students a chance to use their gaming consoles, board games, and other technology. At the end of the day, there was a ceremony where the teams that scored the highest were given awards for solving problems in an innovative way. The STEM Showdown was an experience for the students. It made them compete with each other in a way and also made their relationships stronger.