At Busby Public School we are always looking for ways to inspire all students to think, engage, innovate, connect, and collaborate in teams. We feel that in order for students to benefit from the rich learning environments we have in the classrooms, it is vital for them to see that the learning they do in class has a strong relevance to the world they live in. In particular, they must have a strong understanding of the fundamentals of Literacy and Numeracy in order to be able to understand the way the world around them works.
This page will provide you with just a small insight into how STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, & Maths) education can foster a postive learning culture that enhances students ability to problem-solve, collaborate, create, and test ideas, all while completing hands on activities.
Students in Early Stage 1 explored paint pigments by making their own paint, and painting a rememberance day artwork.
For National STEM Day on the 8th of November, students in Stage 1 got their creative thinking skills working in order to create index card towers, and structures.
For National STEM Day on the 8th of November, students in Stage 3 learnt about the forces of speed and acceleration by making air powered cars.
Stage 2 students learnt about how speed can change depending on the amount of air pressure that is applied to a particular object; in this case a balloon.
Stage 1 students explored their 5 senses by completing a range of 5 different activities.
- Explore the sense of sight by looking at bugs and plants through a magnifying glass, then drawing a labelled diagram of a specimen.
- Explore the sense of hearning by guessing what item could be in the brown boxes.
- Explore the sense of taste by guessing what item is in your mouth, while blindfolded.
- Explore the sense of touch by feeling the balloons and guessing what item is inside.
- Explore the sense of smell by smelling each jar and guessing its scent.
Stage 3 students explore how arctic animals and eskimo's survive in the antarctic climate by building igloos out of bicarb soda and hair conditioner.
Stage 3 students explored the properties of irreversible chemical change by making mini donuts.
Early Stage 1 and Stage 1 students explored what makes tall building structures stand tall, by building the tallest cup towers that they could.
All students from Early Stage 1 right through to Stage 3 participated in the hatch and grow duck program. To link STEM lessons to the program, students had to either create a home for the unhatched egg that could withstand a 10m drop, or create a toy the ducks could play with.
Stage 2 and Stage 3 students explored the forces of kinetic and potential energy by making exploding stick bombs.
Students in Stage 1 explored the difference/similarities between a food web and a food chain by stacking food chain cups together.
Stage 2 and 3 students used LEGO WeDo2.0 to create robotic cars and explored how an object builds acceleration.
Stage 3 students explored how a light bulb works, by building their own one. To extend students had to work out how to make the bulb brighter and last longer.
Early stage 1 and Stage 1 students explored the world of magnetism by conpleting a range of magnetic challenges.
1. What sticks?
2. How many magnetic balls can you stick together in a line on a magnetic wand?
3. How many fish can you catch?
4. Can you make a floating magnet?
5. Can u take the magnetic ball out of the cup without touching the cup?
6. Magnetic car races
Stage 2 students explored the effects of oil spills on natural water sources by trying to clean the oil of a feather.
Stage 1 students explored the effects of push and pull forces by creating a cart that could transport rocks from one side of the room to the other, only using the force of either a push or a pull.
Students in 3/4 Violet made volcanoes and erupted them, in order to gain a deeper understanding of the content taught in class on natural disasters. To further extend students had to work out what 2 chemicals could be used to produce a bigger eruption.
Students in stage 3 looked at the properties of paper, by making newspaper shoes.
