Learning and Curriculum Primary - Stage 3

Science Week 

This year’s Science Week theme was "Seeds of science: Nurturing knowledge for all". We are so fortunate at SPC that knowledge is truly nurtured through experiences led by our College Heads of Department. Over the past two weeks, our Head of Science, Mrs Chander, has worked with all Year 6 classes to support their learning about the transfer of energy and electrical circuits. 

Below, students from 6 Blue share some reflections on their learning and experiences. 

During Weeks 6 and 7, Year 6 students participated in a hands-on science experiment in the Scientia building. Using Play-Doh, our cohort made animal silhouettes and used them as an electrical circuit to power LED lights or a buzzer. These animals included caterpillars, snails, spiders and octopi. We would like to thank to Mrs Chander, Head of Science and Ms Tsesmelis for making this possible. 

Samuel M | Zachary Y | Matthew R  

6 Blue Students

Tournament of Minds Competition

Over the past six weeks, dedicated students have been working tirelessly to prepare for the Tournament of Minds competition. Teams participated in both the Social Sciences and STEM challenges, developing creative solutions, conducting research, building prototypes, and refining their presentations. Training sessions required commitment, teamwork, and problem-solving as students tackled complex, open-ended challenges. Their enthusiasm and perseverance were evident throughout the preparation period, with many students contributing extra time outside scheduled sessions. The secondary social science team won honours for their presentation this year.

The following articles were written by Alexander M (STEM Team) and Cormac W from Year 7 about their experiences in the Tournament of Minds competition.

Surekha Chander

Head of Science

Alexander M:

On 30th August, four teams from our school participated in the Tournament of Minds Competition at the University of New South Wales, Kensington campus. Two teams from the senior school and two teams from the middle school. We competed in Social Science and Stem divisions. 

As a Tournament of Mind Competition participants, we worked in our teams for six weeks to solve challenging long-term problems that required creativity, teamwork, and critical thinking. On competition day, we also tackled a spontaneous challenge which had to be completed in 4 minutes. The experience was exciting, rewarding, and helped us develop valuable problem-solving skills.

As a member of the STEM team, I participated in a long-term challenge that involved creating an original science fiction film idea. We were also required to construct a detailed miniature, which was used to support and strengthen our storytelling during the presentation.

Over the six-week preparation period, we worked tirelessly to develop our plot. This involved assigning roles to each team member, including creating the miniature, editing the miniature video, writing the script, and designing the props. Once everything had been created, we spent countless hours rehearsing, giving 100% effort every time.

Then, the big day finally arrived. Filled with a mixture of nerves and excitement, we were first up to present our long-term challenge and were ready to give it our best. As soon as we began, everything flowed smoothly, and every team member performed exceptionally well.

After a two-hour break filled with lollies, games, and last-minute preparations, it was time for our spontaneous challenge. Our task was to create a slogan and a best-selling product or service based on the word Crelish. After careful consideration and discussion, we decided our business would be a company that mines edible crystals. Our slogan was, "Crelish Mining Company, putting the relish in Crelish." We also created a best-selling product called Red Sapphire Pancakes, which combined sweet and spicy flavours, with the colour red representing heat and spice.

Overall, Tournament of Minds helped us expand our thinking in more abstract and creative ways, encouraging us to develop unique and innovative ideas. On behalf of my team, I would like to sincerely thank Ms Dolce and Ms Chander for the time, effort, and guidance they provided throughout the process. Their support helped us continually refine our ideas and elevate our performance to the next level. We are incredibly grateful for everything they did to help us throughout this competition.

We can all agree that the day was filled with nerves, laughter, and unforgettable memories that we will cherish for years to come.

Cormac W:

Tournament of Minds is a competition featuring two tasks, a long-term challenge involving four disciplines: language literature, social sciences, STEM and the arts, completed in the weeks preceding the event, and a spontaneous challenge provided and responded to in 10 minutes on the day.

On 30th August 2026, the Year 7 Tournament of Minds team participated in the Social Sciences division of the competition. Over the past six weeks, the team has developed their long-term challenge and prepared for the spontaneous challenge presented on the day.

At the conclusion of the event, the Year 7 team was delighted to receive an Honours award. This placed them among the leading teams in the competition, including students who were older than them.