STEM Day

On Thursday 8th June STEM Punk and Inland Rail ran a STEM day for 40 of our students. The day began with some background information about what Inland Rail is and what they are doing in our local area. 

The students had an opportunity to work in teams to create a bridge that would support a marshmallow using only dry spaghetti and sticky tape. Sounds easy? To make it more challenging and fun, the winner also had to have the tallest bridge. 

STEM Punks who are based in Queensland then introduced the students to TinkerCAD, a program where students could build a 3D model of a bridge. I was amazed how quickly the students adjusted to the new program and it allowed their creativity to be demonstrated.

STEM Punk not only provides workshops in Australian schools but also sends resources to Africa to provide students, in particular girls with hands on problem solving challenges.

The students explored a global issue and linked it to local issues, being how can we transport products around Australia effectively and efficiently while considering safety on the rail network.