STEM

Learning About Matter

Students across the school have been exploring the exciting world of states of matter, how materials change, and what happens when we mix different substances together.

Prep

Our Prep students have been learning how to use their five senses to explore science in everyday life. We recently focused on smell. We went on a garden walk around the school to observe plants, flowers, and even tree bark. Students played a “Smell and Guess” game, deciding whether a scent came from a flower or a leaf. It was a fun way to build observation skills and learn that scientists carefully use their senses to understand the world around them. 

The Year 1/2 students watched a science experiment using bicarbonate of soda in class. They observed what happened when materials were mixed together and discussed the changes they could see. This helped them understand that sometimes when substances mix, they can create something new. There were lots of surprised faces when the reaction started!

The Year 3/4 students have been learning about solids, liquids, and gases and how materials can change from one state to another. They connected this learning to the water cycle, exploring how water evaporates, forms clouds, and falls as rain. Students created diagrams and discussed how heating and cooling cause these changes in our environment.

Our senior students have been learning about melting and freezing points, the temperatures at which materials change from solid to liquid and back again. They have planned their own science challenge: designing a way to create a chemical reaction to make an object move using simple household materials. This project encourages creativity, problem-solving, and teamwork as they apply what they’ve learned. It has been wonderful to see students so engaged and curious. Hands-on learning continues to help bring science to life across all year levels!