STEAM

Foundation 

Last term students focused on the technologies – digital and design. They learned that an algorithm is simply a set of instructions and that they can get robots to do what they want by giving them a special set of instructions. Students learned how to move the Beebot robots around maps using command arrows to make them move. Students then created a simple narrative story, turned their Bee-Bot into a character, and built a setting for it. They then coded their robots to act out their story in the setting they built. I’m sure you all enjoyed watching these great creations on See Saw.  

This term, we turn our attention to the world around us. Students will be making observations about the things that change in our environment in our Earth Sciences unit.  

Grade 1/2s 

Last term, students learned lots about living things. They learned that living things have observable features that help to categorise them.  They discovered what plants need to survive through an experiment, and the results were clear that they needed water, soil, air and sunlight.  Students also discovered that animals have similar basic needs and live in habitats that give them these needs. They demonstrated this knowledge by turning robots into animals and drawing maps of habitats that gave their animals everything they needed to survive. Later this term, students will create artwork for the art show to share what they learned about living things.  

The focus for this term is forces. Students will learn about pushes, pull and how these forces make objects move, stop and slow down as well as change the shape of objects.

Grade 3/4s 

Last term, students continued learning about forces through our kinetic art unit. We explored a variety of different arts including Rube Goldberg machines, domino art, kinetic sculptures, magnetic sand art, pendulum art and spinning art. Through this, they learned about forces that make objects move through direct contact, and forces that make objects move from a distance such as gravity and magnets. Students have been working busily over the past couple of weeks to create their very own kinetic art that will be displayed at the art show next term.  

This term, we turn out focus to Biology where students will learn about living and non-living things and ecosystems.  

Grade 5/6s 

Last term, students learned about all things light. They discovered that light travels in straight lines until it hits an object. What it does when it hits that objects depends entirely on whether that object is transparent, translucent, opaque or reflective. Students discovered that objects are created when opaque objects block light and the size of the shadow depends on how close the object is to the light source. They also discovered that refraction of light is the bending of light when it passes through two different materials.  

This term, students are putting their knowledge of light into good use to create a special pieces of art for the art show. We can’t wait to share it with you  next term.