Term 3 STEM
It has been a busy and exciting term in STEM, with students from Foundation to Year 6 engaging in practical investigations, coding challenges, design projects and engineering challenges. Across the school, students have been developing their ability to ask questions, investigate, design, test, problem-solve and use evidence to improve their ideas.
Foundation
Our Foundation students have been exploring Earth and space, learning about the planets in our solar system and observing patterns in the sky. Students have been learning the names and order of the planets and exploring the different phases of the Moon.
Students have also been developing their early computational thinking skills through Blue-Bot coding. Having previously explored basic Blue-Bot programming, students applied their skills to a space rescue mission. They planned pathways and programmed their Blue-Bots to travel across a space-themed map to complete their mission, developing their ability to sequence instructions and solve problems.
Year 1 and 2
Year 1 and 2 students have been investigating Earth and space, developing their understanding of the planets in our solar system and patterns that can be observed in the sky. They have been keeping a moon diary where each week, they describe the shape of the moon and any changes they notice. Through this, students can see patterns in how the moon changes its shape.
Students have also been developing their block coding and computational thinking skills using Blue-Bots. They have moved beyond simple commands to create longer sequences of instructions and complete challenges. Students have had to plan their programs, predict where their Blue-Bot will travel and debug their code when things did not go according to plan.
Year 3 and 4
Year 3 and 4 students have been working as scientists and designers, investigating the properties of materials and considering why particular materials are chosen for different purposes.
Students conducted practical investigations to explore properties such as absorbency, strength and cushioning, using observations from their investigations to make decisions about suitable materials.
Students then applied their learning to the GlowGrow Plant Buddy Packaging Challenge. They were challenged to design packaging for a product, considering the properties and suitability of different materials, the purpose of the packaging and how their design could protect and present the product. Students communicated their ideas through sketches, labels and technical drawings, using design terminology to explain their decisions. Now, they are turning their sketches into 3D designs on TinkerCad.
Year 5 and 6
Year 5 and 6 students have been taking on an extended rocket engineering challenge, combining their learning about forces, space and the engineering design process.
Students investigated the forces acting on rockets, including thrust, lift, drag and gravity, through a range of practical activities. They then applied this knowledge to designing and constructing their own model rockets.
Students tested their rockets and recorded observations from their launches before using this evidence to identify ways their designs could be improved. This has provided students with an authentic opportunity to experience the engineering design cycle: design, build, test, evaluate and improve.
A particular focus has been on understanding that engineers do not expect their first design to be perfect. Instead, they use testing, evidence and feedback to refine their solutions.
STEM Across the School
Although students have been working on different projects across each year level, a common theme this term has been learning through practical experiences. Students have been encouraged to ask questions, test their ideas, learn from things that do not work the first time and use evidence to make informed decisions.
It has been fantastic to see students demonstrate curiosity, creativity, collaboration, confidence and resilience as they tackle increasingly complex STEM challenges throughout the school.
