STEAM update
It's in our genes...
Leanne Williams - Learning Specialist Engagement
leanne.williams2@education.vic.gov.au
Term 2
It has been an incredibly pleasing start to Term 2 with many students openly referring to themselves as 'scientists' and 'engineers'. There is a sense that anything is possible which is very exciting especially when discussing future STEAM roles with the older students. Last week in Year 5/6 we looked at Bee Rescuers and were interested to find out that it is a STEAM career.
As always in STEAM we will continue to celebrate failures, as that is where we learn the most. We have seen an overwhelming increase in the level of educational risk-taking with students appearing more confident to tackle new challenges.
What have we been doing?
Prep
Our prep students were introduced to the MTinys (cute little robots), they were required to use non-screen coding to enable their robot to move to healthy food choices (for example the cat character refused the bamboo and wanted to eat the fish). Students have also been focusing on developing their fine motor skills by participating in learning experiences linked to their Big Question.
MTinys
Discovering body parts
Demonstrating the MTinsy
Creating our bodies and using sticks for bones
MTinys
Discovering body parts
Demonstrating the MTinsy
Creating our bodies and using sticks for bones
Year 1
Our Year 1 students have been immersed in opportunities for experiential learning. Students are conducting scientific experiments to ascertain how a seed grows, they also attended an incursion and created seed bombs to replenish native areas.
Attening the incursion by Farmwalls
Everyone recieved a little gift
Making a mess in style
Making seed bombs
Attening the incursion by Farmwalls
Everyone recieved a little gift
Making a mess in style
Making seed bombs
Year 2
Our Year 2 students have been exposed to the eSafety Mighty Heroes and have unpacked how to be safe online. There are four Might Heroes with each focusing on a different superpower:
- Wanda the echidna: I am responsible – I protect my personal information.
- River the sugar glider: I show respect – I am kind and caring to others.
- Dusty the frilled neck lizard: I trust my feelings – I ask for help when something doesn’t feel right.
- Billie the bilby: I investigate – I question what I see, hear, and do online.
Students also created mini-roleplays to demonstrate their understanding of each superpower.
Year 3/4
Year 3/4's Big Question is, What lies above and below? During STEAM, students have been exploring the possibility of life on Mars and have recreated the surface of the planet in the STEAM room! Students have also eaten 'space food' to develop empathy for those living in space and for those who could potentially one day relocate to Mars...
Next week the students will dive into cardboard engineering to build rovers to travel across the tough terrain, and deliver fresh food to the future inhabitants.
Year 5/6
Students have been using design thinking to create solutions to real-world environmental problems. We have been using the brand-new LEGO Rebuild the World with STEAM Solutions Resources.
Problem...
Idea....
Solution...
Action...
Working collaboratively students have generated some amazing ideas to solve real problems. All solutions have been created during Lego Robotics and there has been a significant improvement in computational thinking and even having the confidence to try word block coding.
