STEM News

Dear fellow scientists, 

Prep students have begun their design project, which involves preparing a snack for a friend. Using a chopping board and kid-friendly knives, students practiced safe cutting skills as they prepared foods such as cucumbers, bananas, and grapes. This activity helped students develop their fine motor skills, follow safety rules, and learn how to prepare healthy snacks. Listen to this storybook called Little Chef by Elisabeth Weinberg and Matt Stine: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rY3MMdHrOHE

Grade 1 students are continuing and finishing their farm dioramas, including an apple orchard, a dairy farm, a sheep farm, and a cotton plantation. Working in groups, students are applying their understanding of plants, animals, and their basic needs to complete their models. They are also using their creativity and teamwork skills to bring their farms to life.

Grade 2 students are finishing their design project, creating a soundproof box. After building their designs, students tested their boxes to see how well they reduced sound. They explored which materials worked best and reflected on their results. Watch this video on How Ears Let Us Hear the World! | SciShow Kids: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WNHyAXIN8c 

Grade 3 students are finishing their pouch designs to help keep a hot drink warm. Students have been exploring how different materials can insulate heat and are applying this knowledge to complete their designs. They tested and improved their pouches to see how well they maintain warmth. 

Grade 4 students are designing and producing a life jacket for an animal as part of their STEM learning. Working collaboratively in groups, students are selecting suitable materials and thinking carefully about how to make their design effective. They are applying their understanding of materials and buoyancy while developing teamwork and problem-solving skills. Listen to this storybook called Captain Kidd's Crew Experiments with Sinking and Floating: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_hcTtbpaQM. 

Grade 5 students are investigating when different fruits and vegetables are in season to create a Seasonal Buying Guide. Working in groups of three, students are using the app Keynote to design their own interactive website. They are learning to research, organise information, and present it clearly while developing their digital and collaboration skills.

Grade 6 students are learning to follow guidelines to understand food safety rules and how to use kitchen equipment accurately. As part of their learning, students worked together as a class to make blueberry muffins, carefully measuring ingredients using a variety of kitchen utensils. Here is the recipe to try it at home:

1. Preheat the oven to 200 ℃ 

2. In the metal bowl, combine 2 cups of flour, 1.5 tsp of baking soda, and 0.5 tsp of salt

3. In the paper bowl, combine the ¾ cup sugar, 1 tbsp vinegar, 1 cup milk, 1 tsp vanilla, and ⅓ cup oil.  Mix well.

4. Add the dry and wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Don’t over-stir.

5. Gently fold in the 1.5 cups of blueberries.

6. Fill the muffin tins about 2/3rds full. 

7. Put in the oven and bake at 200 ℃ for 21 minutes

START TIMER WHEN MUFFINS GO INTO THE OVEN - 21 min

We would also like to wish everyone a Happy Easter and a restful holiday. We look forward to seeing everyone back, ready for more STEM experiments.

                                                                          STEM team