STEM

GRADE Prep to Two 

It has been a great start to the term thus far! For the first time, Grade Preps have been able to study STEM this year and have already shown great enthusiasm and contributions to the subject. This term, Grade Prep to Grade Two students investigated how sound is the type of energy that travels through the air and how we hear through vibrations. They conducted a series of experiments to find out how sound energy moves through materials. For example, they participated in experiments such as a tuning folk experiment, balloon vibrations, tapping against wood, metal, plastic, cardboard and glass to recognise high and low sounds. Further, students experimented how sounds travel through distances by using cups to create a string telephone. 

Students were quite excited in conducting the experiment, as they could hear their partner’s voice travelling through the string! They evaluated how a tight string allows vibrations to travel more effectively, making the sound clearer and louder. This hands-on inquiry strengthened their understanding of how sound moves through solids. 

They used recyclable materials to create a musical instrument producing different notes. They also used paper plates to create maracas, a tissue box and different sizes of rubber bands to create their guitar. Students demonstrated an enthusiasm towards their learning tasks and experiments they conducted this term. I applaud all their efforts thus far! 

GRADE Three AND Four  

In Term One, Grade Three and Four, students continue to explore the differences between heat and temperature. They have been learning about heat energy and how heat moves from one place to another. They have conducted a variety of experiments to find out how heat energy transfers through conduction, convection and radiation. For example, students conducted experiments by checking the hot and cold temperature using ice cubes and hot water, how heat travels through different materials by using wooden, metal and plastic spoons in hot water. Through conducting a variety of experiments, discussions and real-life examples, students understood how heat transfer affects our everyday lives. 

In the next few weeks, students are going to undertake an experiment to find out how heat energy transfers through radiation. They will continue to explore a variety of radiation energy objects we use in our everyday activities. Students will work in teams to design and build their own solar ovens using pizza boxes. They will use the sun’s energy and apply their understanding of heat transfer to test and improve their designs. We are looking forward to seeing their creative thinking and problem-solving skills in action!

GRADE FIVE AND SIX 

Our Grade 5 and 6 students have been diving into the world of electricity and discovering how it powers our homes and devices. They explored how electrical energy is generated by a variety of energy sources such as, solar energy, hydro energy, wind energy etc. They conducted an experiment to find and understand the nature of common conductors and insulators. They discovered that materials like metal spoons, paper clips, and aluminium foil allowed the bulb to light up because they are conductors. Materials like plastic, wood, and rubber did not allow electricity to flow, showing they are insulators. Students were highly engaged and excited each time they successfully lit the bulb!  They continue to investigate the different types of circuits (parallel and series) and created a circuit that uses multiple outputs. 

Further, students created a simple circuit to understand how electricity moves. They learnt the scientific electrical symbols to sketch a simple circuit to complex circuit. To help them solidify their learning, they used an online platform to create both parallel and series circuit symbols. Students demonstrated an enthusiasm towards their learning tasks and experiments they conducted this term. They will continue to build their understanding in circuits for the remainder of the term. I applaud all their efforts thus far!

It has been wonderful to see students thinking like scientists, asking questions, testing their ideas, and learning from their discoveries. STEM learning helps students build confidence, curiosity, and problem-solving skills that will support them for life. 

Yurani and our new STEM teacher, Arjumand (Arj), have been incredibly excited to teach STEM at AHPS and feel proud to see students so engaged and enthusiastic in their learning. We look forward to many more exciting discoveries throughout the year!