What's going on in
STEM?
ICAS Mathematics Competition
Dandenong High School AELP students sat the challenging ICAS Mathematics Competition test during Term 3. Every student who sat the ICAS received a certificate for their time and hard work and the year level champions received a trophy.
Across the school, we had 5 Distinction Awards given to the top 10% of all students who sat their test, and 14 Credit Awards given to the next top 25% of students.
Congratulations to Liming L and Ashmi TM who tied for the Year 7 champion award, and Ayman A for the Year 9 champion award. Special congratulations go to Michelle W for not only being the Year 8 champion but for also achieving the best result across all three AELP classes at Dandenong High School and being in the top 3% of everyone in the country who sat the Year 8 test.
Mr Diwell
Year 7 Project Based Learning
In term 4 we had the task to complete a PBL (Project based learning), in which we created along with several others, a Rube Goldberg machine. The process was a long journey of ideas, reconsideration, testing and rebuilding. We went through multiple plans, and chose the best parts and combined our creations into the perfect machine with the end goal of watering a plant. Our machine works by sending a ping pong ball over a ramp to gain momentum and push a marble, the marble runs down to the wheel and axle which will change the direction and send it down the next ramp, pushing a toy car into a pulley system. With the weight of the car and gravity, the cup which the car would have fallen in would fall to the ground. The second cup filled with blue confetti (to act as water) would rise up, causing a flap to open letting the confetti to ‘water the plant’.
Abigail, Alyssa, Elma and Shanjay (C07)
Year 8 Project Based Learning
In term 4, for our PBL project, we have focused on designing and building energy efficient houses that use natural resources by using a resourceful, innovative and environmentally aware mindset.
The aim of this project is to develop an energy efficient building. Climate change is starting to become a real issue in today's world; challenging architects and environmental engineers to design sustainable and energy efficient homes. This project has forced year 8 students to demonstrate basic skills in Mathematics; shapes, measurement, area, perimeter, ratios, rate, scale and finances and Science; basic understanding of the different uses of energy and energy conservation. Using our skills, we had to create a building whilst trying to keep our costs low but also thinking about our client and how to create an eco-friendly house that is durable and efficient.
While staying mindful and aware of these ways to preserve energy and keeping the environment healthy, we learn to work together as a team. It tests and improves our cooperation, collaboration and communication skills which proves that we are able to complete great achievements if we work together as a team.
Shreya J & Anisa C, D8
Design Engineering Academy
On the 2nd of December, the Design Engineering Academy students and teachers were invited by ABCN to Bain & Company for a design thinking process workshop. This consisted of teaming up with students and Bain & Company mentors in different groups of six to seven where each group faced a challenge assigned by the ABCN hosts, Vanessa and Catherine. We worked to come up with exceptional solutions by going through the design thinking process (discover, define, dream, develop, design, deliver) and then presenting and evaluating together. Whilst working, we learnt many useful practical skills that would accompany us into the real world. The mentors assisted us in discovering a better idea of what their specific field looks like, in order to expand our knowledge of career pathways to choose in the future. This event was very rewarding as we gained a lot of knowledge. We would love to have the opportunity to re-experience this once again in the future and we would strongly recommend it to the upcoming Design Engineering students.
Zainab Z, Govika D, Sayumi J, Kamya M
