Specialist News
Visual Arts - Physical Education - Music & Performing Arts & S.T.E.M.
Mrs Buffinton, Mr Rees, Mr Lytton and Mr Brokate
WELCOME TO A VERY ALIVE STEM RELATED TERM 4!
This Term's focus for the classes in STEM will be about living and non-living things. This will see us on hunts in the schoolyard to find as many living things as we can as well as completing research on the many and varied insects. We will look at the differences between arthopods, insects, bugs, archanids and decapods. The grade 3-4s and 5-6s will also touch on the system of the human body later in the Term and complete some fun challanges to try and re-create the systems using everyday items.
I would also like to thank all of the familes who came through the STEM part of the Art, STEM and Talent show. It was really nice to hear the positive comments about the student's work and the many parents who took their time to look over the many different displays. We are nearing the end of the second year of STEM as a specialist subject and I am pleased that it will continue on in 2025 as the programmes are just getting better and more detailed.
However, I would like to end on the highlight of the (hopefully) annual Grade 3-4 Sphero race that was held in the last week of Term 3. Grade 3-4 students spent one session on researching a (little) bit of aerodynamics before they chose their robot and what their shell would look like. With no student choosing to use the bluebots (understandably with their lack of direct remote control), students (working in partners) ran extensive testing and re-creating of the shell.
Here are just a few examples of the 'shells' that were built over the sphero for the race.
A course was marked out in the MPR and we ran some testing on the new surface.
A risky shortcut ramp
A risky shortcut ramp
Each grade had to complete 2 laps with one team for each grade crowned the winner. Then we ran a grand final with the 5 winning teams and congratulations to Rayyan and Hmoudy from 3-4D who took the chequered flag in the final.
Finally, thank you to all the familes who have donated items for STEM throughout the year. I (on behalf of the students) really appreciate the time and effort you make to collect the items and I love the creativity of the students when they use something unique that has been donated.