STEM

STEM - Term 3

Prep

In Prep, our students discussed how we use our senses to collect information about the world around us and how often we use more than one sense at a time. Students took part in a whole class investigation where they explored a popcorn kernel using their 5 senses. This led them to record the changes from an unpopped popcorn to popped popcorn using their sight, smell, taste, touch and hearing. Of course, the tasting of the popped popcorn was the highlight of the session. 

Next, the Prep students discussed light as a source of energy and how our eyes detect light. Together we investigated light from various sources and sorted these by either a natural source of light (e.g. the sun) or made by people (e.g. street lights). Finally, the students worked scientifically by participating in a guided investigation to see how light travels in a straight line. They predicted, observed and explained how certain materials can stop light.

Junior School 

In Junior School, our focus this term is physical science. In our first lesson, students laid on their backs and closed their eyes. Once all the giggling subsided, students were able to focus on the sounds and noises they could hear around them. Students shared some of the sounds they heard, such as leaves rustling in the wind, birds chirping and dogs barking. This was an introduction to recognising how senses are used to learn about the world around us. This includes how our eyes detect light, how our ears detect sound, touch helps us to feel, noses to detect smell and our tongues to detect taste.

From here, students had to use their senses to try and work out the contents of mystery boxes. Students had to describe what they found in the boxes by looking, listening, smelling or touching.

Middle School 

In the Middle School, students have begun to explore the concept of force. Using an image of a basketballer taking a slam dunk, they identified the different pull or push movements the athlete had to make to perform the skill. Next, the students went on to further explore force by investigating how many different ways they could move a balloon, change its speed, direction and shape by applying push or pull movements. 

Next, our Middle School students investigated the influence of friction on moving objects. They gained an understanding that friction is a contact force that slows things down or brings things to a complete stop. By attaching an elastic band to their shoes and then placing weights inside of it, the students made compare and contrast judgements by pulling the elastic band to identify which surfaces provided different levels of friction. 

Senior School:

In the Senior School, the focus this term is physical science. Students investigated how light travels in straight paths and reflects or bounces off objects into the path of our eyes. Our brain interprets lightwaves to see the object illuminated. Students then experimented with a mirror to reflect light from a light source onto objects in the STEM room.

Students have conducted online research to learn the difference between the appearance of  transparent, translucent and opaque objects; and how light behaves when it contacts each type of object. Some students then took a digital photograph of each type of object and created a digital presentation based on their research, using labels on the photographs.

We look forward to sharing some of the exciting things we have been learning in STEM in the coming weeks.

Kind regards,

Sophie Chamberlain & Melissa Adams