STEM

Foundation 

This term, the Foundation students are exploring engineering by constructing towers using a variety of materials. We call these structures “Teddy Towers” because they must be strong and stable enough to safely support a small teddy figurine on top.

Students are experimenting with different shapes, joins and building techniques while thinking about how to make their towers stronger and more stable. They are also investigating the properties of materials such as pasta, playdough, pipe cleaners, cardboard, tubes, Makedo, fruit and skewers, and evaluating which are most suitable for building tall towers.

This week we took a break from towers to design and build bridges to transport the teddies safely from one side of a river to the other. The bridges needed to be high and wide enough for a Lego cargo ship to pass underneath, while still being strong and stable enough for the teddies to cross safely.

Year 1/2 

This term the Year 1/2 students are learning about bees and pollination. Students coded Bee-Bots to collect pollen and return nectar to the hive. They then took their learning outside, playing a bee game where they collected “nectar” (water) with syringes, distributed pollen, and delivered nectar back to the hive.

Students then made pollen collectors that can perform the act of pollination if there is a shortage of bees and learned about different pollinators and how their proboscis (sucker) is suited to different flowers.

This week, students measured how much “honey” was in different containers using their syringes and measuring cups. The students were shocked to find out that the average worker bee makes only 1/12 a teaspoon of honey in its entire lifetime. A few even concluded that they had the lifework of 24 bees on their toast that morning! 

Year 3/4 

This term, the Year 3/4 students are developing their coding skills using Sphero Bolt robots. They have taken part in a range of activities, including experimenting with how speed affects the distance travelled, coding a Sphero to navigate mazes and tracks, and applying their knowledge of physics to move a Sphero up ramps with different slopes. Students have also explored how to code two Spheros to interact with each other.

This week, students are learning how to program their robots to follow another robot’s infrared signal. One robot becomes the mouse, while the other acts as the cat, trying to chase and catch the mouse.

Year 5/6 

This term, the Year 5/6 students are completing a unit on forensic science. The unit provides a real-world application of science and helps students understand how their bodies interact with the physical environment.

Students have learned how to lift fingerprints from different surfaces at a crime scene using powder and tape, and created enlarged images of their own fingerprints using iPads to identify whether they have a whorl, loop or arch pattern.

Last week, students learned how to cast a footprint impression using Plaster of Paris. While the BSPS sand was not ideal for mould making, students certainly enjoyed reconnecting with their three-year-old selves as they mixed wet sand and created their shoe-print impressions. 

Eileen 

STEM Teacher