STEM News

Dear fellow scientists,

This week, our Prep students have been learning how to draw pictographs! A pictograph is a fun way to show information using pictures. Students practised their counting skills by tallying up healthy foods such as broccoli, carrots, and apples. Then, they used pictures to create graphs that clearly show how many of each food they counted.

Our Grade 1 students have been busy working collaboratively in groups to create their farm dioramas! Using their design booklets as a guide, students are carefully making sure their farms include all the important features they planned—such as water, air, shelter, fertilizer, and animal food. Grade 1 students practice planning, teamwork, and creativity as they bring their farm designs to life. We can’t wait to see the finished dioramas.Watch this video to try and make this at home: Make Cardboard Farm DIY: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yi6L6_Q6ocs 

This week, our Grade 2 students have been exploring coding using an app called Scratch Jr! Working in pairs, students programmed a character to move from one location to another. They also had to use orange and purple coding blocks. They used problem-solving and teamwork to create simple programs that bring their characters to life. It’s been exciting to see students learning the basics of sequencing, direction, and digital creativity through hands-on exploration. Watch this video on Scratch Jr Coding Lesson 4 | How to Code Movement | Beginner Programming Lesson: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3dCPsNBing&list=PLh-lE4JDTAZaqPLNqe4VqF4X4F5H_BLlZ&index=5

Grade 3 students are learning how to interpret graphs and understand the information they show. They have been practising how to read and analyse graphs, focusing on the x and y axes, identifying labels, titles, and units, and recognising how data is organised and presented. This has helped students build confidence in understanding and explaining data in a visual format.

Grade 4 students have been exploring how farming methods have changed over time. They compared the traditional farming practices of Aboriginal Australians with modern farming techniques. To show their understanding, students completed a Venn diagram to identify the similarities and differences between Aboriginal and modern farming. Students also watched a video to learn more about how Aboriginal Australians used sustainable farming methods that cared for the land. It’s been a great way for students to connect past and present practices and appreciate the deep knowledge Aboriginal people have of the land. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ska2fpueDLA 

This week, Grade 5 students have been learning how to use block coding to continue building their space-themed animation or game using Scratch Jr. Students have been creative and focused as they use coding blocks to bring their space adventures to life!

Grade 6 students have been learning how to use animation and repetition in block coding to create a fun and interactive program. Students have been combining creativity with coding to design games that challenge users to make healthy choices. It’s been a great way to link digital skills with health education!

                                                         STEM team